But here it emerged that he indulged just as much as they did. Nash had been regarded as one of the quiet men of the music industry, a sensible, unifying figure who did his best to keep the excesses of Stephen Stills and David Crosby in check. In 2013, Nash published his memoir, Wild Tales (also the name of his second album). I was like: ‘Oh, I see!’ Once I could play three chords on the guitar, my attractiveness to the ladies went up sky-high.” Ladies and his attractiveness to them loom large in Nash’s life story. When did he realise he could make a career out of music? “The first time Allan and I with our two acoustic guitars attracted really pretty women.
They had hit after hit in the 1960s, with catchy songs such as Carrie-Anne, On a Carousel and Bus Stop. He formed the Hollies with his best friend from primary school, Allan Clarke. At 14 he became the man of the family when his father was imprisoned for receiving a stolen camera (a present for Graham) and refusing to grass on the relative who had sold it to him. It’s a far cry from the Salford of his working-class childhood, living in a two-up, two-down terrace, outdoor toilets, no hot water. He’s video-calling from New York, where he now lives after decades on the west coast and Hawaii.
