In April 1972, Stephen Stills pulled off one of the greatest critical and commercial comebacks in rock history with the release of the debut double album, Manassas. Following the acrimonious breakup of Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, Stills shifted gears entirely after a chance meeting with Chris Hillman of the Flying Burrito Brothers.
The resulting supergroup became a pioneer of genre-blending, widening the musical tent by marrying Rolling Stones-style rock ‘n’ roll with country, bluegrass, Latin rhythms, and blues. Stills himself noted that Nashville would spend the next decade trying to replicate the genius mixture found on these four thematic sides.
Here are 5 unknown facts about the making of this legendary double LP:
1. The “Benevolent Dictator” and His 106-Hour Session
Stephen Stills was so driven by insomnia and a manic creative spark that he kept Criteria Studio B and engineers Ron and Howard Albert available around the clock. At one point, Stills clocked an unbroken 106-hour stint in the studio. Engineer Ron Albert recalled just getting to sleep after an 84-hour marathon when Stills called him back to the studio to capture an idea before he forgot it.
2. Recording at “A Million in the Morning”
Because the band lived together in a rented house in Coconut Grove, Stills would often wake up musicians in the early hours of the morning whenever an idea struck. He famously claimed he did his best work at “a million in the morning”. This lasted until Chris Hillman, who preferred regular hours, reportedly grabbed Stills by the collar and insisted they start recording like normal human beings.
3. A Rolling Stone Almost Joined the Band
While the band was finishing the album in London, Bill Wyman of the Rolling Stones became such an admirer of the group that he played bass on and co-authored the funk tune “The Love Gangster”. Wyman was such a fan of the gelling musicians that he reportedly said he would have left the Stones to join Manassas permanently.
4. Named After a Civil War Train Station
The band’s name wasn’t the result of a focus group; it was a what the hell moment. Stills, a Civil War buff, flew the band to Manassas station in Virginia, the site of the Battle of Bull Run, for a photo shoot. They liked the picture of the seven members standing under the Manassas station sign so much that they simply adopted the name for the group.
5. Hidden Heartbreak and CSNY Feuds
Much of the album serves as a musical diary of Stills’ personal life. Several songs were inspired by his relationship with Rita Coolidge, who had recently left him for his CSNY bandmate Graham Nash. The track “Raven” was actually Stills’ nickname for Coolidge, while the songs “What to Do” and “Right Now” were written specifically about the CSNY breakup and his strained relationship with Nash.