Stephen Stills

Stephen Stills - Creem Magazine - "I ain’t no Dylan, you know. I haven’t got the gift of the language, I don’t think. In my opinion, I think I’ve written some really nice phrases, but it’s inconsistent. What happens to me is that I want to hear the music so bad that I’ll write bullshit lyrics… cruddy lyrics. And I’ve gotta get out of that somehow, but I’m not happy with my lyrics lately. And also, I don’t want to write… I don’t even want to talk politics. I don’t want to write any of that. And I find it hard writing happy songs and I’m a little too happy to write so much blues. I’ve written some funny songs this time. I wrote a song where the changes are… I’ve used them twice before in two different songs and it’s called “This Is My Favorite Set of Changes”. I’ve already used them in a couple of songs before and thought I’d play them one more time. I’m just trying to tell some stories is all. Not trying to be some great lyricist. Now Neil Young is a great lyricist. If you really wanted to hear some great songs, Neil Young would write words and I’d write the music. It would just be out-a-site. ‘Cause he’s an incredible lyricist, he really is.

Neil and I used to have guitar wars on stage that were really stupid. It was really funny. I wouldn’t play the game except every once in a while when I’d get in a mood. It was just pathetic. I started playing lead guitar in the Buffalo Springfield and it was okay. I never played anything that was really bad, other than that I played too loud. The fights started getting really good and I guess that fights started becoming a little too much to take or something. ‘Cause it got weird."

I saw Stills in Boston years ago, doing a solo acoustic concert.  I splurged on box seats.  It was the best concert ever.  He has amazing talent as a musician, singer and songwriter.  

@whiteknee 

"The fights started getting really good and I guess that fights started becoming a little too much to take or something. ‘Cause it got weird."

Seems the same thing happened later with CSN&Y. 

@jrosemd was that show at Symphony Hall? When I saw him at Music Hall, he left a great deal of the singing to the back up singers. People were saying that too much cocaine use affected his septum which made it difficult for him to sing. That seems believable enough.

@waltersalas  

“…this is like comparing the 1985 Los Angeles Lakers to the Washington Generals. Neil Young is in a small handful of the greatest songwriters in rock and roll history…Relatively speaking, Stills isn't much more than a footnote.”

Thank you.  
Magic’s my favorite player ever, and even though I’ve been a huge Neil fan with many, many albums on various formats and playlists galore for over 25 years, my appreciation for him has only grown with age.  
I rewatched Jonathan Demme’s gorgeous ‘06 documentary/concert film Neil Young: Heart of Gold again recently.  
What a stunner. 10/10. Highest recommendation to anyone who hasn’t seen it.  
Neil fandom not necessary.