Two-time Rock & Roll Hall of Famer Graham Nash might have recently turned 80, but there appears little chance of him slowing down after more than half a century in the professional music industry.
A founding member of pop group The Hollies and part of the groundbreaking British-American folk rock supergroup, Crosby, Stills and Nash, the octogenarian has recently published a book of his photography, recorded a live version of his first two solo albums, and just completed a sold-out 22-show tour. And he continues to run his fine printing studio, Nash Editions.
Not even the pandemic could halt Nash's progress. He used his months in lockdown to record a new solo album, done remotely, and work with Hollies co-founder Allan Clarke on his solo album.
Nash joined Sunday Morning to discuss his incredible musical journey and why so many of his iconic protest songs from decades ago are still completely relevant in 2022.
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Nash told Jim Mora he's been a "busy boy", and although he only finished a tour five weeks ago, he's due to start another next month. Meanwhile, his new studio album is "95 percent done".
Age certainly hasn't slowed him down.
"It hasn't stopped for me and I'm really amazed by that."
He spoke about his music, photography, early life and former lover Joni Mitchell.
On his music, Nash said many of his old songs - Immigrant Man and Fieldworker, for example - were still relevant today.
"It's incredibly disappointing we have not learnt from the lessons of history, but at the same time I'm glad my music seems to have lasted at least 50 years."
He said he doesn't have a vocal coach nor take any lessons - "I just sing".
He was still a hippy, he said. "I still believe that love is better than hatred, I still believe that peace is better than war, I still believe that we have to take care of each other, because what else do we have on this planet, and here I am, all these years later still rocking, and I intend to keep rocking until I'm dead."
He didn't feel hopeful about the future of the planet, believed the world was changing, and in particular we would soon see the end of the American empire.
On photography, Nash said his camera was his constant companion and while he didn't usually use his smartphone to take photos, he probably would if he saw Elvis on the back of an elephant.
There was always something new to capture.
"Every single day I see something that I would have never seen before. I demand that of the universe - 'show me what you've got. I'm here, I've got my camera, I have a decent brain - show me, come on'.
"I know I'm talking to nobody, I understand that, but at the same time I put myself in that position where magic will happen in front of me if I'm open enough, 360 degrees, if I'm open enough to be present."
He said he's always been incredibly curious and recounted a story when once on tour a child handed him an envelope while he was doing signings. He opened it later that day to find his school report from when he was 11. He has no idea how the child got hold of it, but said one of the first things the teacher wrote was that "this boy wants to know everything".
"I haven't changed."
"My relationship with Joni was magical, we really truly loved each other, we were both going through the start of our career...but I realised that Joni was in fact a genius and I think if people look back 50 or 100 years, they're going to remember Bob Dylan, they're going to remember The Beatles, they're going to remember Jimi Hendrix and they're going to remember Joni Mitchell."
Life WAS as idyllic as his song Our House suggested, he said.
But there came a time where he said he believed Joni thought he was going to ask her to marry him and stop singing and just cook.
"There was no way I would ask Joni Mitchell to not perform, not to write, not to create and just take care of me - are you kidding. No way in hell would I have allowed that. But I believe that Joni thought that there was a possibility that I would want to do that, so we never married, and shortly after that our relationship ended."
Was it true she once poured a bowl of cornflakes and milk over his head for openly criticising America over the Vietnam War?
"I'm afraid she did - and I'll never forget that day."
On his relationship with David Crosby, Nash confirmed he wasn't on speaking terms with him and there would never be a reunion.
"It's sad that human beings got in the way of music, but then I have to realise and look back at what we did and I realise what we did for 50 years, we made some really fine music, and we have to love each other to make music that good - we have to love each other, and when we don't, then we're wasting our time."
