The two singers David Crosby praised as the ultimate “queens of rock”
The late, great David Crosby was one of the most fascinating men in music. In a career stretching decades, Crosby created iconic work with The Byrds, Crosby, Stills, Nash and sometimes Young, and also as a solo artist. Aside from that, he produced Joni Mitchell’s first record, Song to a Seagull, was an avid sailor, and even comically launched his own Cannabis brand.
In terms of artistic output, Crosby was undeniably one of the leading figures of the countercultural movement. His involvement in not just one but two seminal bands is truly remarkable. Moreover, his songwriting ability is almost unparalleled, rivalled only by his CSNY bandmates, The Beatles and Bob Dylan. Crosby experienced and witnessed it all, enduring his fair share of personal tragedies along the way. While he may not be crowned the “king of rock”, he undoubtedly encapsulates the spirit of the 1960s in many ways.
The strange thing about Crosby was that, by the end of his life, he seemed to have burnt bridges with a lot of his old bandmates and buddies. He and Neil Young weren’t on talking terms for quite some time after he labelled Young’s wife, Daryl Hannah, a “purely poisonous predator”. In addition, Graham Nash, who was once very close to Crosby, cut off all contact for an extended period. In short, he was never afraid to let his talking lose him any friends.
Crosby was a man full of opinions and angered his fair share of people over the years. However, this is rock ‘n’ roll, and it’s full of drug-addled brains and egos; no matter how old they are, we have to take other opinions of Crosby with a pinch of salt. He always came across as a perfectly affable gentleman, with or without the various hot takes.
In his final years, Crosby offered his thoughts on everyone from Joni Mitchell to his former bandmates, and more recently, even Phoebe Bridgers. In 2003, he also presented a significant take on three of rock’s biggest names. Speaking to Jefferson Airplane biographer Jeff Tamarkin for the book Got a Revolution, Crosby discussed the incredible work of frontwoman Grace Slick. He said: “Slick reigned with Janis Joplin as queens of rock at that time, and the force of both her voice and her personality made her a ceiling-shattering feminist counterculture icon and an inspirational model for many to follow. When they got Grace in the band, that was just beyond belief.”
Then, shortly after, he provided another one of those competitive comparisons he was so adept at. Crosby commented: “She was stunning. She had a power and intensity onstage that Stevie Nicks should only ever dream she could get”. Thankfully, Slick eased that blow when she said of the Fleetwood Mac star, “Stevie Nicks has written some of the best rock songs. I don’t know her that well, but I like that strange little person that she’s decided to be.”
Despite his tendency to compare Grace Slick to Janis Joplin while also inadvertently slighting Stevie Nicks, Crosby’s insight was profoundly accurate. Slick’s voice and personality were truly exceptional, rivalled only by Joplin herself. Together, they demonstrated that women could ascend to the pinnacle of success in the male-dominated music industry. Their powerful voices captivated audiences, and much of our retrospective view of the era is shaped by the contributions they made.
In many ways, they were the pioneers of modern feminism in music. Without their groundbreaking contributions, the landscape of music would be vastly different today. Together, they epitomised the strength of feminine expression and played a pivotal role in the emergence of the ‘Summer of Love’. As Crosby noted, they achieved this with a vocal prowess that remains unmatched to this day. Their wild and untamed spirit only added to their allure, solidifying their status as iconic figures of their era.
