The voice on the other end of the Zoom meeting is familiar, a gentle yet firm Northern accent with a subtle American twist that has soundtracked the lives of millions for over six decades. Graham Nash is joining from his home in New York, preparing for his upcoming UK tour, More Evenings Of Songs & Stories, with special guest Peter Asher.

Before we begin, I confess to a little professional ‘fanboyism’. Nash, now 83, chuckles. “You got it,” he says, putting me at ease.

His mission for the upcoming tour, shared with long term friend and musical partner Peter Asher, is simple yet profound. “I think that fans can expect a couple of hours of relative peace,” he says. “The world is crazy right now, particularly here in America, but even in the United Kingdom. It’s crazy. So they can expect a couple of hours of peace.”

Nash, who holds dual citizenship, has a unique vantage point on the transatlantic political climate, and he doesn’t shy away from it. His view from America is stark. “We're existing under the new Trump administration. His administration, as he said at the very start, would be one of retribution, would be one of seeking out his so-called enemies and destroying them. He's becoming autocratic. He wants to be the king of the world, actually, not just America. And we have about another three and a half years of complete chaos here, politically.”

When I mention the culture wars simmering in the UK, from the apparent 'weaponisation' of the St George’s Cross to the recent banning of journalists from council meetings in Nottingham, his response is a weary sigh of recognition. “So,” he repeats, “let's have a couple of nights, and a couple of hours of peace.”

After such an iconic career, you might expect the ‘buzz’ of playing live and touring to fade; not for Nash. "I still have the same buzz,” he insists. “I want to communicate, I want to talk to people."

He speaks of the symbiotic relationship with his audience, a bond forged in song and music: “ I want to let them know my ideas and respect their ideas,” he says. "It’s a bug, isn’t it, that you never quite get rid of?" I offer. "And mine also,” he replies softly.

A significant part of the joy in this chapter of his career is the autonomy. The famously complex dynamics of Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young are a thing of the past as far as planning his solo shows. “The main joy is that I don't have to talk to anybody about what I need to do. I don't have to ask Stephen or David or Neil what I am going to do next. I have complete control."

Nash is backed by a trio of brilliant musicians, including Todd Caldwell (keyboards and vocals), Adam Minkoff (bass, drums, guitars, and vocals), and Zach Djanikian (guitars, mandolin, drums, and vocals).

“They're half my age, and I have to bring my A-game every single night, because I have to. And that's what I want to do,” he added.

With such a huge catalogue of hits, I ask if the setlist is a balancing act between the songs fans demand and what he enjoys playing. “I know what songs they want to hear. They want to hear Teach Your Children, they want to hear Our House, they want to hear Military Madness, and they want to hear Immigration. I have five or six of those songs, and I space them throughout the show, but in between those songs, I can do whatever I want. And these guys that are playing with me know all my songs. I wanted to do a song called 'Southbound Train' the other night, and they said, ‘Well, okay, let's do it.’ I was in the middle of a show, and I said, ‘Well, don't we have to rehearse it?’ They go, ‘No, you just sing it. ‘You sing the s*** out of it.’ And we'll back you, and they did.”

Graham Nash
Graham Nash (Graham Nash)

Reflecting on his journey from The Hollies to CSNY and beyond, Nash sees a life defined by choices. “Your life is full of choices. Do you turn left? Do you turn right? Do you talk to him? Do you talk to her? Your life is the choices that you make. And when I look at my past, I begin to realise that the only real joy was the music that we made, the friendships that we enjoyed, particularly when it comes to David Crosby.” “Whom I must confess I miss every single day.”

The recent passing of another peer, Terry Reid, is a stark reminder of time’s passage. His songwriting process, however, remains unchanged. It is a drill down into deep feeling. “I have to feel something very deeply before I start to write. Something that either p***** me off or makes me fall in love again.”

He’s agnostic on tools, using modern technology like the Soundscape app just as readily as a scrap of paper. The test is always personal. “I have to please myself first. But when I do, I normally think, boy, if this appeals to me, it's gonna appeal to millions of people, because I'm just like everybody else.”

What is remarkable is the enduring relevance of his work. Songs like ‘Chicago’ and ‘Immigration Man’ feel ripped from today’s headlines. “I'm lucky, I guess, that I've written songs that have lasted so long,” he muses. But it’s bittersweet luck. The problems have only deepened. “When I wrote ‘Immigration Man’, it was just about somebody letting me through a border. But now immigration is a massive, complex problem.” “Military Madness,” once inspired solely by his father’s service in WWII, now echoes against the grim backdrop of conflicts in Ukraine, Gaza and Sudan.”

As our call winds down, I ask Nash what brings him hope. He pauses, then answers with the clarity of someone who has seen decades of change.

“I hope the world will become a better place. I really believe it can. I think the pendulum is swinging very badly in our direction, but pendulums have a habit of swinging back too. And I hope that the pendulum of justice and free speech and democracy will continue.”

Graham’s set will be preceded by a performance from special guest and long time friend Peter Asher. Asher’s 1964 debut single with Peter & Gordon, the Lennon-McCartney classic A World Without Love, established the duo as a global musical force. His show shares music and stories starting from those heady days right up to the current era.

GRAHAM NASH - UK TOUR OCTOBER 2025

Sat 04 Gateshead Glasshouse

Sun 05 York Barbican

Tue 07 Liverpool Philharmonic

Thu 09 Cardiff New Theatre

Fri 10 Bristol Beacon

Sun 12 Torquay Princess Theatre

Mon 13 Birmingham Symphony Hall

Wed 15 Glasgow Royal Concert Hall

Thu 16 Manchester Bridgewater Hall

Sat 18 Hastings White Rock Theatre

Sun 19 London Palladium

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