How Neil Young Poached Some Musicians and Ended up With His Greatest Collaborators: “We Didn’t Climb as We Thought We Would”
In the 1960s, Neil Young attended a performance by The Rockets at a Los Angeles venue and invited three of its members—Danny Whitten, Ralph Molina, and Billy Talbot—to serve as his rhythm section. This recruitment became the foundation for Crazy Horse, who would evolve into Young's most significant musical partnership. The departure angered other band members, particularly Leon and George Whitsell, who felt their ensemble had been dissolved without consent.
Although Crazy Horse never achieved the commercial prominence its members had anticipated, Young has consistently championed them as exceptional musicians, famously calling them "the best garage band in the world." The band occupied an unusual position: too talented to dismiss as mere accompanists, yet dependent on Young's profile for visibility. Members like Ralph Molina acknowledged that their trajectory differed from their early expectations, yet the partnership endured across decades, including the rise and fall of grunge, establishing Crazy Horse as a durable creative force rather than a temporary arrangement.
- Neil Young recruited three musicians from a Los Angeles cover band to form his backing ensemble, creating what became known as Crazy Horse
- Despite tensions with the displaced band members, the recruited musicians saw the opportunity as a career step forward, though commercial success proved elusive
- Crazy Horse emerged as a respected collaborative force, receiving recognition beyond typical backing-band status despite never achieving expected chart prominence