Graham Nash Shares Why Neil Young Pissed Him Off
BEVERLY HILLS, CA - APRIL 22: Rock and Roll Hall of Fame member Graham Nash of The Hollies and CSNY performs onstage at Saban Theatre on April 22, 2016 in Beverly Hills, California. (Photo by Scott Dudelson/Getty Images)
Graham Nash recently looked back on his long and complicated relationship with Neil Young—a connection that started with excitement and ended with plenty of friction. During a chat on The Rockonteurs podcast, Nash didn’t hold back as he revisited the ups and downs of their journey together in Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young (CSNY).
The Breakfast That Changed Everything
It was 1969 when CSN was encouraged by record executive Ahmet Ertegun to add Young to the lineup. But Nash had one condition—he had to meet Neil first. Nash remembered:
“I know Neil’s a decent writer and I know he’s a decent singer, but I’ve never met him.
“I don’t know whether I can be his friend, whether I could tell him secrets, whether I could hang with him. I’ve got to meet this guy before we fucking invite him into this band.”
The two sat down for breakfast on Bleaker Street in Manhattan, and by the end of it, Nash was sold. Nash said:
“He was funny. He was self-effacing. He was very smart.
“I’d have made him king of the world.”
Deja Vu: A High Point with Some Tension
With Young officially in, CSNY released Déjà Vu in 1970. The album became a massive hit, but Nash still believes it would have been great with or without Young. Nash explained:
“We only got two songs from Neil and he never played one note or sang a note on ‘Teach Your Children’ or ‘Our House’
“So in a way, the best thing that ever happened to CSN was Neil, and the worst thing that ever happened to CSN was Neil.”
Travel Troubles and Clashing Egos
While the band was known for its magic on stage, things were much messier behind the scenes. Young often separated himself from the group—even on tour. Nash said:
“He always traveled alone.
“He never traveled in the buses like me and David and Stephen on that entire 1974 tour. He never joined. He never traveled with us.”
Still, Nash admits:
“I have great respect for Neil. I know he’s a wonderful musician, you know, but he does things occasionally that really piss me off.”
Two Legends, Two Tours
Now, decades later, both musicians are still going strong. Nash is currently on his 2025 North American tour, while Neil Young is set to kick off his Love Earth world tour in June, starting in Europe before hitting the U.S. in August. Despite the rocky past, their musical legacies continue to thrive—separately.
