David Crosby: Remember My Name

David Crosby, music legend of the 1960s and 1970s looks back at his professional and personal life.

Many people are amazed that he is still alive, including himself. He has survived heroin and cocaine addiction, several heart attacks and still lives with diabetes. He is very frank in the interviews and he talks about his failed love affairs and feuds with band members.

He first hit it big with the folk rock group The Byrds. Former group members Roger McGuinn and Chris Hillman appear briefly to speak about their dealing with Crosby. The original line up also included Gene Clark. The Byrds had a great sound with McGuinn's jangling 12 string electric guitar and soaring three part harmony singing by McGuinn, Crosby and Clark. Crosby's beautiful tenor voice was a huge part of it. There is a scene in the film of Crosby talking on stage about conspiracy theories about the JFK assassination. McGuinn explains that he didn't want the Byrds to get into politics, so it was decided that Crosby would be fired from the group. The Byrds' beautiful harmony singing would never be the same after Crosby left.

We see Crosby speaking of life after the Byrds, spending it mostly on his newly acquired sail boat. He also talks about his love for Joni Mitchell, friendship with Cass Elliot and disdain for Jim Morrison. When he sees a photo of The Doors, he sneers "Morrison, what a dork!" He gets back into music when he joins Stephen Stills of Buffalo Springfield and Graham Nash of The Hollies as a super group (the first one, Crosby says). The group appears at Woodstock and record several big selling albums, the trio also become a quartet at times with Neil Young. Once again Crosby is part of a great harmony singing group.

The last part of the film shows things unraveling for Crosby. His drug addiction and rages get him into trouble with the law. The FBI is searching for him on drug and weapons charges. He turns himself in and spends time in prison. He seems to now be sober and would reunite at times with Stills, Nash and/or Young. However while he says he is sober he seems to still have problems with anger and volatility. In just the past few years he has offended former band mates Nash and Young so much that they refuse to perform with or speak to him.

The end shows his touring on his own, as well as recording several solo albums. As of this writing he is still alive and kicking, though it's kind of bittersweet since he is still making music but appears to have lost all of his friends.

Greetings again from the darkness. Headliners for the eternal Rock 'n Roll question, "Is he still alive?" are Keith Richards and the subject of this documentary, David Crosby. The two men epitomize the 'sex, drugs, and rock 'n roll' battle cry. Director A.J. Eaton and Producer Cameron Crowe team up to allow Crosby to tell his own story. It's been 45 years since Crowe (whose story as an upstart reporter was the basis of ALMOST FAMOUS) first interviewed Crosby for Rolling Stone magazine, and this time Crosby is 75 years old and looking back on a life maybe not so well lived.

There is a mythology to the 1960's and David Crosby WAS the 1960's. He was a pop star who spoke his mind about politics and social issues ... often to the detriment of his popularity or status within a band. The film states he has 'been at the forefront of rock music for 5 decades", and while it's true he experienced tremendous success with The Byrds and Crosby, Stills and Nash, and later Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young (Crosby considers those two separate bands), he has also spent an inordinate amount of time on the sidelines - fired from bands, strung out on drugs, and even serving jail time.

Most of the interviews we see are clips from the past. This includes Graham Nash, Stephen Stills, Neil Young, Jackson Browne, and Chris Hillman. Roger McGuinn appears to be the only one who agreed to go on camera for the documentary. Crosby explains this by saying most everyone he created music with "hates" him and won't talk to him ... because he was an "a**hole". Alienating 50 years of friends and collaborators is not an easy thing to own up to, but Crosby comes across as quite reflective during his time on camera speaking with Crowe.

Floyd Crosby, David's father, was an Oscar winning cinematographer known for TABU: A STORY OF THE SOUTH SEAS (1931) and HIGH NOON (1952). The two were not close, but Crosby says his mother showed her love quite often. It's fascinating to follow Crosby as he narrates the journey of his life: going sailing after being kicked out The Byrds, hanging with Mama Cass, discovering and loving Joni Mitchell, doing most every possible drug, and suffering health issues that include 8 stents in his heart, a liver transplant, and life as a diabetic. It's mesmerizing to hear Crosby tell the story of Neil Young writing "Ohio" almost immediately after the Kent State massacre. We even meet Crosby's wife Jan and see their lovely California home, replete with dogs and horses. Perhaps the most entertaining segment is when Crosby heads back to Laurel Canyon and visits "Our House" where Crosby, Stills and Nash were born with a 40 seconds take in the kitchen.

The only bit more amazing than Crosby still being alive is that stunningly pure voice has never failed him. It's a voice that has appeared on so many records over the years, and now in this 70's, Crosby has experienced a musical rebirth. The film would make a nice companion to the recently released documentary ECHO IN THE CANYON, but mostly it plays not like a story of redemption, but rather a farewell and apology letter. It's quite possible that's exactly the note Crosby wanted to hit.

An intimate conversation with the man about music, HIS music, family, CSN, CSNY, personal weaknesses, prison, & personal growth. He discusses his passions and his values. Includes interesting portrayals of associated musicians, friends, ex-friends, ex-lovers....it is all so interesting.

David Crosby is a two-time inductee into the Rock Hall Of Fame and, without question, into its Hall of F'Ups*. Crosby has a singing voice that can harmonize with the best of them, but, just as frequently, that same mouth can spout asinine and downright offensive utterances aimed not only to his enemies, but to those closest to him. AJ Eaton's Documentary does a competent job providing an overview of Crosby's career and personal life from his beginnings, through his fame with the Byrds, Crosby, Stills, Nash (and sometimes, Young) and then his long long fall into being mostly forgotten by the mainstream (although he still tours and records music). Much of the archival footage is familiar, but, there are enough home movies and other ephemera to keep it interesting. Somewhat curiously, Crosby's solo work is given little detailed attention outside the album which gives the movie it's title: Remember My Name**. There are interviews with a few friends and his long-suffering wife Jan, but, other critical people are seen only in archival recordings (including, especially, the other members of CSNY).

The heart of the Doc are intimate filmed discussions between Crosby and filmmaker Cameron Crowe, who interviewed Crosby back when he was a teen in the early 70s. Within those interviews all of the positives/negatives, engaging/off-putting and most important of all: honest/evasive poles of Crosby's personality come to the fore. There are some painfully poignant moments in the discussions where the musician talks frankly about the people in his life that he has lost and/or alienated. At one point he admits that essentially nobody he collaborated with musically over the decades will even speak to him now. Crosby is keenly aware of his mortality, and seems genuine when he marvels at his good fortune to simply be alive when so many in his orbit have passed on via the same vices he is guilty of. At the same time, the Doc never captures the anger and rage that the artist infamous for. I'm not sure if its because of Director Eaton's reluctance or a failure of Crowe to press him further. Too often, Crosby is allowed to simply deflect. It's frustrating for the viewer, but then again, its unsurprising.

DAVID CROSBY: REMEMBER MY NAME is an interesting exercise, if a bit self-limiting. Still, Crosby's tenacity has to be admired. He's completed another album since this Doc was filmed and was still touring as of this writing. A survivor.

* In typical Crosby fashion, he states that he wants to be inducted a third time in order to 'spite' Eric Clapton (the only person with three inductions)

** This may not be surprising since Crosby rues that he is the only member of CSNY to have never had a 'solo' hit.

Ok film and it deserves a lot of credit for not falling into hagiography. Some interesting tails and perspectives. From my knowledge the CSN(Y) story is still largely untold so interesting to hear some if it told here.