Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating * * * *
There are names within the 20th Century that have transcended their time, that have not only etched their name in a period that they are associated with, but have carved, scored a deep groove across its neighbouring century that they tip the metal scales in favour of continuance, of being an extension of angels and sirens that gathered listeners around them as they told Wild Tales and sang the melody of Songs For Beginners.
Graham Nash, a legend in the absolute sense of the word, a body of work that is exemplary, a story of human passion that crosses the time lines of The Hollies and Crosby, Stills & Nash (and Neil Young), and throughout his own solo career; and whilst his own journey may be short in terms of output, it nevertheless stands tall, reflective, hauntingly beautiful, and in which giants revere him to the point of overwhelming gratitude.
And so it should be, and if you get to work with other legendary figures such as Pink Floyd’s David Gilmour or Joni Mitchell, then your place in history, and in the present moment, is naturally, and beguilingly, assured.
Graham Nash: Live is a place of exploration, of going back to the moment in which the former Holly went his own way and produced two wonderful albums, and whilst they were not particularly well received commercially, laid the foundations of what was to become a new segment in a life already well lived.
In the live productions of Songs For Beginners and Wild Tales, Graham Nash returns to a time when the hope and flourish of the 60s was replaced by a more sombre belief, of hope replaced by realisation, of the awareness of endurance, and as the production moves from American cities and venues in Boston, South Orange, New York, and Albany, the belief of that three-year period in which his first two solo albums were released, so a memory is once more lit, the candles of insight are strong and resilient in their harmony.
The two albums, perhaps unfairly looked over by some music fans as Mr. Nash was the last of the classic trio to release a solo record, are full of fulfilment in a time when we are in danger of forgetting the rich heritage in which some musicians have given us, are recorded live with a sense of conscious, of awareness of Time’s passing, and arguably the apprehension that goes with such passing, and lifts the cheer of exposure to a greater height -the man, the legend, in harmony with his presence in the hearts and souls of the fans.
Two albums played in their entirety live, a recognition of the depth of understanding at the man’s disposal, and whilst it may have caused a flutter of nerves, the excitement is undeniable, the belief is remarkably calm, and the album itself is one of charm, of honour, and for the fans, the culmination no doubt of a long-held dream made real.
Graham Nash: Live – Songs For Beginners -Wild Tales is belief personified, a tremendous reminder of what was, and will always be, that Graham Nash is a hero of the time, and that to come.
Ian D. Hall