Stephen Stills solo career - could it have been salvaged?

He had to move his position to left of the stage as you look at it with CSN because of his hearing (apparently), in the early 90's he was always right with Croz in the middle ....

 

I've seen quite a few clips of Stills over the years where he's trying to harmonize with Crosby and Nash with a finger in his right ear. I've also read interviews with him where he admits to having some hearing issues. Not surprising, given the volume at which he played (especially when trying to keep up with Neil)

 

I remember Stills saying that Crosby used to turn his Alembic up too loud, if you watch CSNY playing Love the one you're with, their opener at Wembley '74 you can see Croz clearly pointing wanting his guitar level much higher...both Croz and Stills look crazed btw ...

 

I seem to remember Joel Bernstein complaining about the ridiculously loud volume Crosby played at- Cros felt he had to outdo Stills and Neil in volume for some reason...

They all look crazed at the Wembley show.

 

It was a relevant question,wasn't it? .

 

I was there, it's better to have great memories than watch that video..

 

I struggle with Stills Alone a little, the song choices and performances are largely excellent but the tone of the guitar is awful, a bit ringy it sounds like a bad DI/digital board effect decision. It leaves me equally thrilled and disappointed.

Stills must have a stunning collection of vintage Martins. With different engineering choices that album could have been a contender for his best and would have certainly stimulated enough interest for people to talk about the Stephen Stills revival. As it stands it was largely ignored. he should have asked Stephen Barncard to produce an all acoustic Stills album in the early nineties.

Barncard knows about mic placement with acoustic instruments and ambient sound. Listen to his work on Crosby's IICORMN. Sadly that moment has passed, Stephen's vocals are not what they were and for whatever reason Barncard fell out of favour with the CSN camp around 15 years ago. Crosby could do worse than patch it up with Barncard before it's too late. Some of Crosby's material is a little over produced for my taste.

Don't write off Stephen's recent work with The Rides. I think it's his best collaboration outside the CSNY family since Manassas and has got him really fired up.

 

My original pressing of "Still Stills" is one of the best sounding records in my collection. "Johnny's Garden" is sublime.

 

Well, yeah, but I was -2 years old in 1974, fourty four years later the video is all we got now One of my ex-girlfriend's mums was at the Wembley gig as well- I gave her a copy of the soundboard recording and she basically said "I remember that show being a lot better than this..." Best just to stick with the memories, maybe.

 

Croz looks the least out-of-it, ironically.

Wembley was shot for a TV special. They soon realised the footage was unusable in the cold light of day (but at least we got it years later).

 

If they look crazed, Blame it on the cocaine! Seriously.

 

That's a bit of an understatement...sorta like with The Last Waltz, I can get a coke buzz (and I hated coke) just from watching the Wembley footage

Compared to the '82 Daylight Again concert video, absolutely!

Yeah, the Wembley footage isn't the greatest quality, but it'll do in a pinch if yer a CSNY fan. I think Nash said that even if it was pristine quality they would have put the kibosh on BBC airing it simply based on how bad the performance was.

 

All of that makes me want for a cd/dvd combo of the 1977 Houston w/CSN.

 

You got that right. A full 1977 video -official or otherwise- has been one of my musical Holy Grails for years. Love the '77 tour.

 

If you look at pretty much all artists their careers eventually sag. Why; my theory is you only have so many great songs in you. In Stephen's case those great songs were divided amongst his solo career, CSN(Y) and variations thereof. Could his solo career have been salvaged, imo yes, had he concentrated solely on his solo career. It's hard to shine on two fronts … some have but not many.

 

Well, you know he was a Vietnam vet, that could make you angry.

 

I think his quote 'four guys yelling out of tune above the crowd and the amps' or something like that.
When the wife and I were watching it, I said 'watch how many time Crosby leaves the stage; he ain't going to the little boys room'

 

Stephen Stills may have been more a victim of the "When will CSN(Y) reform?" problem than the others.

Going into the seventies, Stills was headstrong and motivated. Then in 1972, he puts out his best work, and IMO one of the best albums of the decade (or ever?), and the albums was under-promoted. Atlantic didn't fully support Stills. Manassas should have been the album that ended the questions about CSN reforming. Atlantic did not push that album as hard as it should have.

After 1972, Stills was creatively adrift. He knew he wouldn't get adequate label support regardless of the quality of his work. He moved to CBS, but paradoxically, the quality dropped. The Stills album in 1975 was really good, but a difficult listen in many ways. Illegal Stills had some good tracks, but sharing the album with the guitarist, wasn't a great idea. Then Thoroughfare Gap ended his career.

By most accounts, and from what we can gather, the 1979 CBS album would have been one of his best. He was motivated again. That album would have had "Southern Cross" among others. But CBS declined to put it out. So Stills has used many of those songs on CSN releases over the years. Even had it been released, there is no way to argue that it would have sold well, or re-established Stills as a viable solo artist. He chose not to release "Spanish Suite" back in the seventies because he feared it would get a poor reception, and Stills deemed it one of his best tracks. In 2005, it was finally released, and he was right. It was one of his best tracks - recorded well after his prime years, but there it is.

I think the combination of lack of label support in the beginning + drug use + personal problems + inconsistent quality gradually ended his solo career.

Of course, for the fan, what's there is really good. And selling several million albums is hardly a failed career. Just not what it could have been.

 

As much as I hate the expression, "it is what it is."

Just be grateful he didn't join the Monkees.

 

I saw Stills/Collins in Portland recently and went away feeling Stills has lost it. His singing was awful as was his playing. I kept waiting for some of that classic Stills playing but it never happened. I felt embarrassed for him. There was a guy who was a monster player in his day with a very distinct tone and style on both electric and acoustic guitar and there unfortunately wasn't a hint of either to be heard. I'm a huge Stills fan but I won't be putting down any cash to see Stills again. Its too bad.

 

Very perceptive. I do like Can't Get No Booty though.

 

Massive drug use coupled with an out of control ego.

A lot of potential got left on the floor.

 

If you can find a mono version, it's a different mix.

 

Both probably the result of some deep rooted insecurity.

 

Stills did well. He had a decent run of great songs and success. He can still play great, and is a well-known artist- at least to those over 35. And that's a LOT of us.

Had Hendrix lived, is it possible we might be asking the same thing? Would it matter, since the 4 years he was active and creative still resonate with us and some younger folks? No artist can consistently hit a nerve with their audience over a long career. If what they did -even for a short time- still makes a difference, I'd say that's quite a feat.

Stills did well.