Just when I think things are winding down with Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young: The Wild, Definitive Saga of Rock’s Greatest Supergroup, something comes along to delight and surprise. In Rolling Stone(where I work, as a senior writer), my colleague Rob Sheffield interviewed Harry Styles, who admits that “Helplessly Hoping” is an all-time fave: “Those harmonies, man. ‘Helplessly Hoping’ is the song I would play if I had three minutes to live. It’s one of my ‘one more time before I go’–type songs.” Apparently he’s also in possession of a copy of my book. Amazing. The book has also been covered in the last few weeks in Forbes(which called it “painstakingly detailed … truly absorbing”) and the Oakland Press, which called it one of the “hot music books” of the summer. Just in time for the 50thanniversary of Woodstock!
Speaking of Woodstock, my colleague Kory Grow and I spent four months chronicling the rise and fall of the planned Woodstock 50 concerts, and you can read that piece here: https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/woodstock-50-disaster-872320/
And also speaking of books, another is on the way. For the last four years, I’ve been working with Mary Guibert, Jeff Buckley’s mother as well as the executor of his estate, on a collection of the writings, paperwork and personal effects he left behind, and the results of our labor will be published by Da Capo/Hachette on October 15. Jeff Buckley: His Own Voicefeatures reproductions from portions of Jeff’s journals and letters, rearranged in chronological order to tell the story of his life in his own words, along with amazing photographs of the guitars, instruments, books, records, recording schedules, and personal belongings he left behind. I’m very proud of it and hope it helps us all get a better understanding of Jeff’s mindset and decision-making process through the years. The different handwritten drafts of songs like “Dream Brother,” “Lover, You Should’ve Come Over” and “I Know We Could Be So Happy Baby (If We Wanted to Be)” provide valuable insights into his creative process. It’s available for pre-order here: