Graham Nash - From Folk to the Moon

A few days ahead of his arrival in Italy, where he'll bring his "An Intimate Evening of Songs and Stories" show for 5 dates between June 30 and July 5 (Val di Fassa, Recanati, Rome, Pistoia and Milan), accompanied by his trusted collaborators Shane Fontayne (guitar and vocals) and Todd Caldwell (keyboards and vocals), we reached Mr. Graham Nash by phone, a true living legend of pop music. A monumental career spanning over 50 years of uninterrupted musical activity, from his beginnings in 1962 with the Hollies to his most recent solo album, "This Path Tonight", released in 2016. In between came his partnership with David Crosby, Stephen Stills and Neil Young, which cemented his talent and secured him eternal fame.

Graham Nash is first and foremost a songwriter of the highest order, an exquisite composer, a musician capable of giving definitive shape to little gems of pop music: songs that will remain in the hearts and minds of millions of people forever, and that never stop being rediscovered and appreciated. Precious gifts that only the very greatest, a Paul McCartney or a Brian Wilson, have been able to bestow upon humanity. For this reason we decided to avoid the obvious questions about his career - a career that has already been written about extensively over the years - focusing instead on the more "technical" aspects, those that directly concern the songwriting process and the making of a song.

Good morning Mr. Nash, you're universally recognized as one of the greatest songwriters of all time: can you reveal any secrets about your approach to the songwriting process?

First of all, when I start writing I need to feel "something" in my heart and soul first. A certain "emotion" has to build up inside me before I can turn it into a song. Sometimes even a single word is enough to set off the whole process.

When you write, do you prefer to preserve spontaneity - trying to finish a song as quickly as possible - or to "build" it over time, coming back to it days or months later?

I've happened to write in every possible way a song can come to life. Over the course of my career I've used every writing technique there is. For instance, "Just A Song Before I Go" and "Our House" were both written in one go, in an hour or so. But for a song like "Cathedral", where I talk about man's relationship with God, well, I think I worked on it for at least three or four years before managing to give it the shape I wanted. Given the subject I was dealing with, I was especially keen that every single word be the right one.

So do you sometimes go back to an idea even after a long time has passed?

Absolutely. I think I always have at least twenty musical fragments buzzing around in my head, constantly, waiting to be used as parts of songs.

When composing, do you ever get the feeling you've already written the same thing in the past? Let me give you an example: you're working on a part you really like, but you have the distinct impression you've gone in that direction before. At the same time, though, you care about that part so much that you have no intention of scrapping it. In cases like this, what's the trick to presenting it again in a new, fresh guise?

Well, sometimes just reworking the metre is enough to make a fragment that recalls something already written in the past sound new. You know, everyone who doesn't write music, who are just listeners, usually perceives songwriting as something particularly mysterious. That's why during my concerts I often stop to tell the story of "how" I wrote certain songs: how I wrote "Our House", for instance, or what I felt when "Teach Your Children" came about, or exactly what happened when "Just A Song Before I Go" came out of me. I like to let my listeners in on the stories behind my songs. In any case, I care that my fans get their money's worth when they spend their hard-earned cash on tickets to see one of my shows. I want them to be satisfied. And I know I've succeeded when I see the smiles at the end of the concert. If I see people smiling, I know I've done my job well.

What are the fundamental elements of the perfect pop song?

A melody and a lyric you can't forget. And the right "mood" to go with both.

How do you balance the roles of music and words?

I've written songs in every possible way you can imagine. I've written songs where the words came first, but also others where the music was born first. I've put together ideas I had last week with others I had yesterday. I simply consider myself a musician trying to express his own feelings. And fortunately, in this country, I'm allowed to do so.

And what's the role of vocal harmonies? Few can compete with you on that front. When is it necessary to "stop" with the vocal tracks? When does the risk begin that too many voices might distort, and consequently even ruin, a song?

I've learned to stop in time over the years. It becomes normal, after years and years of recording activity, to learn to stop at the right moment. Experience has taught me that the secret is to try to present yourself musically in the simplest way possible. A good example of what I'm saying could be the song "Myself At Last".

My favourite songs from his catalogue are "Pay You Back With Interest", from the Hollies period, and "Our House". In particular, with the first one I've always been fascinated by the way the chorus literally "explodes". Examples of pure pop perfection. What can you tell us about that?

Wow! "Pay You Back With Interest" is really a great choice! I've always loved the way that song ends, with Bobby Elliot, the Hollies' drummer, playing a swing on the cymbals!

And what's your favourite Graham Nash song?

Well, I could say that my favourite song is the song I've just finished. It might sound like a banal, predictable statement, and I'm sure the vast majority of musicians would give the same answer, but I can assure you it's exactly like that. All the other songs are "old" to me: I could never feel the same emotional pull towards them that I feel for the ones I'm working on today.

A look at the present: what are you listening to these days? Do you keep up with the latest musical trends?

In recent years I've been 100% involved with the CSN and CSNY archives, and my attention has been entirely focused on the work of restoring and cataloguing that material, but of course good music will always know how to find me. I was particularly struck by Childish Gambino's video for "This Is America": I find it a remarkable work, both musically and visually.

In your opinion, does age affect creativity? If so, how and how much?

As I said before, in my particular case, I currently try to express myself in the simplest way possible. It's hard to write simple songs, it's not as easy as it might seem. I think it's important to capture the listener's attention from the very first bars of a song. I don't have much regard for songs where you only understand what they're about by the end!

Are you still fascinated by the process of recording music?

I'm the kind of musician who wants to be present at every single step of the music-making process: from the moment the first tracks are laid down right through to the final mastering. Every stage has to be carried out to perfection. I even personally check the quality of the vinyl my songs will be pressed on!

Do you ever get bored in the recording studio?

No. Absolutely not! I've never once in my life gotten bored in the studio. It's a magical place, where a musician creates music. It's far more than just an interesting place: I'd call it a sacred one. The recording studio is the connection between my mind, my songs and my audience.

Mr. Nash, after all these years, and after so many successes, is there still something you'd like to do in your life that you haven't had the chance to do yet?

Sure. I'd like to go to the Moon.

Will the Moon, then, be the next stop on the journey? An answer that catches us slightly off guard, and confirms Graham Nash as an incurable dreamer.

As we mentioned, Nash will kick off a European tour from Italy in the coming days, keeping him busy through the end of July, with stops also in Germany, Luxembourg, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Sweden, Belgium, England and Ireland. A new run of dates in the States is already scheduled for September and October, confirming the undimmed vitality of a man sailing towards his seventy-seventh birthday. A pop craftsmanship icon who, whether solo or alongside the legendary bands he's been part of, has always pursued a vision - artistic and musical - as coherent as it is revolutionary.

(The author of this interview has always been the guitarist and principal songwriter of Senzabenza)

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