Credit: Far Out / Reprise Records
Wed 23 September 2026 21:30, UK
Both the worlds of music and Neil Young are littered with common misconceptions.
One of the most prevalent links between the two is that Crazy Horse are the backing band of Young; however, this is a group that packs such a punch within their music that to label them as such seems like a real understatement. Young doesn’t just work with Crazy Horse; he somehow manages to tame them, and the result is pieces of music that have well and truly stood the test of time.
Young knew instantly that Crazy Horse were a force to be reckoned with. Seeing them live only confirmed it, and he asked if he could join forces. A quick jam session and a thorough conversation later, he’d found himself a new musical entourage.
“They had a residency somewhere and would play the Whisky once in a while,” the band’s future manager, Willie ‘Baby John’ Hinds, said. “One night, Neil Young, who we all knew from the Buffalo Springfield days, walked in. He used to come around and jam with Danny [Whitten]… Anyway, Neil saw one set and asked if he could come in and play on the second. He walked away that night with Danny, Ralph and Billy as his rhythm section.”
Young already had a bit of hype around him when he met Crazy Horse. As Hinds mentions, he had been playing with Buffalo Springfield and had already released his debut solo album; however, his next record with Crazy Horse would be a monumental release. Put out in 1969, Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere was the first record Young ever made with the band, and even now, decades later, it’s considered one of his best records.
Young himself admits that the record is something special. He said, “Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere is probably my best. It’s my favourite one.” Its iconic cover, Young posing against a large tree, likely fills shelves in the homes of music lovers around the world – and no doubt plenty of fans would love to track down that exact spot and recreate the pose themselves.
So, where is the tree from the album cover?
A lot of artists moved to California because of the thriving music scene; however, a similar number of artists grew tired of California because it was so busy. Eagles’ classic ‘Life In The Fast Lane’ is literally written about how much they despised living in Los Angeles.
Further reading: From The Vault
This is where Topanga Canyon came into play. The remote area in California provided a safe haven for musicians and artists who were tired of the hustle and bustle of Hollywood. Many big names in culture flocked to the open space in a bid to work on their craft without the many distractions that came with city life. One of these artists was none other than Neil Young, and it was in Topanga Canyon where he recorded his first album with Crazy Horse.
It’s here you’ll find the tree. Not being one to read too much into the aesthetic of the record, Young went for a walk and decided it would be good to shoot the cover in the same place the album was made. Exactly where that specific tree stands is anybody’s guess, but the general area where a lucky fan might be able to find it is in California’s former artistic haven.
