David Crosby’s passing last year ended any chance — slim though it was — of a Crosby, Stills and Nash reunion. Fans craving the live CS&N experience will enjoy Southern Cross, a Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young tribute band, performing in the Jaeb Theater March 1.
(It should be mentioned — and it always is — that Stephen Stills was a one-time Tampa resident who attended Plant High. It also should be mentioned that Ybor City-born Joe Lala was Stills’ go-to percussionist who also played on hundreds of recordings by performers from Barbra Streisand to Joe Walsh and is worth a blog or two of his own.)
CS&N’s first album was released in May 1969 and the group, having added Y(oung) to the lineup, played Woodstock a few months later. The trio is often characterized as a 1960s act although most of their history takes place after.
In fact, if one wanted, one could say CS&N etc. was the death of the hippie dream in microcosm, descending from peace and love ideals to ego clashes and drug burnouts.
But we don’t want to say that. We want to talk about band names.
One of Crosby, Stills & Nash’s legacies is band names that sound like legal teams. If you weren’t aware of their music, you might expect to hear “attorneys at law” after their names.
Soon, the record racks were full of surnamed groups – Emerson, Lake & Palmer; Seals & Croft; Loggins & Messina; Hall & Oates and on and on.
Using last names reflected rock’s emerging self-seriousness. In the 1960s, groups were on a first-name basis: Jan & Dean, Paul & Paula, Chad & Jeremy. Peter & Gordon, Sam & Dave, Bob & Earl, Mel & Tim, Peter, Paul & Mary; Dino, Desi & Billy, and the kings of this particular party, Dave Dee, Dozy, Beaky, Mick & Tich.
Doesn’t that sound friendlier? Especially Dozy and Beaky. Jan & Dean sound like guys you’d hang out at the beach with. Emerson, Lake & Palmer sounds like someone you’re dreading a 2 p.m. conference call with.
By the end of the 1970s, a rebellion of sorts was taking place as solo performers adopted band names as their nom de recording. The Normal, The Flying Lizards and The The all had one-man line-ups. The practice has continued through the years with Nine Inch Nails being one of the more prominent examples.
The growth of music technology made it easier to create a “band” on a laptop than through musician want-ads, and many more solo acts now record under band names, including LCD Soundsystem, M83, Bon Iver, Tame Impala, Blood Orange, St. Vincent and more.
One thing, though, about Crosby, Stills & Nash. The name may not have been creative, but you knew who you were getting. Young wants to play? They’re CSN&Y. Neil disappears? CS&N. Stills otherwise occupied? Crosby & Nash. You have to admire the efficiency.