Simple man (Graham Nash) (LP 3338 - 3340)

Graham Nash  Songs For Beginners (Vinyl, Atlantic Records, 1971) ***  

Graham Nash  Wild Tales (Vinyl, Atlantic Records, 1973) ****  

Graham Nash  This Path Tonight (CD, Blue Castle Records, 2016) ****  

Genre: Pop rock 

Places I remember: Real Groovy Records, JB Hi Fi

Fab, and all the other pimply hyperboles: Oh! Camil (The Winter Song), On the Line (Wild Tales)

Gear costume: I Used To Be A King (Songs For Beginners with Phil Lesh, Crosby and Garcia featuring); Beneath The Waves (This Path Tonight)

They loom large in his legend (The Album Collection playlists): Part 1; Part 2; Part 3; Part 4; Part 5

Active compensatory factors: Compared to Crosby, Stills, and Young, I only have three solo albums by Nash - making him, on the surface, the weakest link. He does contribute mightily to Crosby/Nash and CSNY so that's a tad unfair, but you get what I mean, solo wise.

Songs For Beginners was his solo debut album. It showcases his talents well. His breakup with Joni is obvious throughout the album with several songs touching on the rawness of that experience. The introspective Nash is part and parcel of his approach - his subject matter is often himself, but he's self-pity free luckily.

Most critics favour Songs For Beginners over his other albums, but I'm a real fan of Wild Tales. Even though it features a similar cast of wider CSNY friends, it's a different sound on Wild Tales; a tougher sound thanks to David Lindley's guitar, more space given to Graham Nash's harmonica, a more upfront drum/bass sound and some better songs (IMHO). 

At times the moody approach even presages Neil's approach to Tonight's The Night. Take a listen to Hey You (looking at the Moon) and tell me it isn't so. Other highlights are the title song, And So It Goes, Oh! Camil (The Winter Song), On The Line...but really the whole album is a stunner.

The third album again has Nash in reflective/broody mood after another breakup - this time with Susan Nash - his wife of 38 years! The shots of him in the CD cover and booklet reveal a miserable looking guy - no smiles!

Thirty-eight years is something, and I have no idea of the circumstances (Susan's replacement was Amy Grantham - around half his age), but the optics are not good. The music is mostly sombre and his vocals now show his age, plus there is now self-pity. And I'll leave it at that.

Where do they all belong? The 2018 compilation (Over The Years...) combines the hits with a CD of demos and is interesting. It's certainly a good place to start. He will return when we get to The Hollies.