The Hollies


Band members                             Related acts

  line up 1 (1962)

- Allan Clarke -- vocals

- Vick Farrell -- guitar

- Eric Haydock -- bass

- Graham Nash -- vocals, guitar

- Don Rathbone -- drums

 

  line up 2 (1962-63)

- Allan Clarke -- vocals, guitar

- Eric Haydock -- bass

- Graham Nash -- vocals, guitar

- Don Rathbone -- drums

 

  line up 3 (1963-66)

- Allan Clarke -- vocals

- Bobby Elliott -- drums (replaced Ron Rathbone)

- Eric Haydock -- bass

- Tony Hicks -- guitar, banjo, mandolin (replaced Vick Farell)

- Graham Nash -- vocals, rhythm guitar

 

  line up 4 (1966-68)

- Bernie Calvert -- bass (replaced Eric Haydock)

- Allan Clarke -- vocals

- Bobby Elliott -- drums 

- Tony Hicks -- guitar, banjo, mandolin

- Graham Nash -- vocals, rhythm guitar

 

  line up 5 (1969-71)

- Bernie Calvert -- bass, keyboards

- Allan Clarke -- vocals, guitar

- Bobby Elliott -- drums, percussion

- Tony Hicks -- lead guitar, banjo, mandolin 

NEW - Terry Sylvester -- vocals, rhythm guitar (replaced 

  Graham Nash)

 

  line up 6 (1971-73)

- Bernie Calvert -- bass, keyboards

- Bobby Elliott -- drums, percussion

- Tony Hicks -- lead guitar, banjo, mandolin 

NEW - Mikeael Rickfors -- vocals (replaced Allan Clarke)

- Terry Sylvester -- vocals, rhythm guitar

 

  line up 7 (1973-81)

- Bernie Calvert -- bass, keyboards

NEW- Allan Clarke -- vocals, guitar

- Bobby Elliott -- drums, percussion

- Tony Hicks -- lead guitar, banjo, mandolin 

- Terry Sylvester -- vocals, rhythm guitar

 

  supporting musicians (1975)

- Tony Hymas -- keybaords

- Alan Parsons - Moog

 

 

  line up 9 (1983)

- Allan Clarke -- vocals, guitar

NEW- Alan Coates -- rhythm guitar 

- Bobby Elliott -- drums , percussion

NEW- Denis Haines -- bass (replaced Bernie Calvert)

- Tony Hicks -- lead guitar, banjo, mandolin

NEW- Graham Nash -- vocals, guitar

 

 

 

 

 

- Big Picture (Bobby Elliott)

- The Bread and Bear Band  (Bernie Calvert)

- Allan Clarke (solo efforts)

- Crosby and Nash (Graham Nash)

- Crosby, Stills and Nash (Graham Nash)

- Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young (Graham Nash)

- Haydrock's Rockhorse  (Eric hadock)

- Graham Nash (solo efforts)

 

 

 

 


 

Genre: pop

Rating: 4 stars ****

Title:  Dear Eloise King Midas In Reverse

Company: Epic

Catalog: BN 26344
Year:
 1976

Country/State: Manchester, UK

Grade (cover/record): VG+/VG+

Comments: --

Available: 1

Catalog ID: 2847

Price: $30.00

 

 

 

s.

 

"Dear Eloise King Midas In Reversen" track listing:
(side 1)

1.) 

 

(side 2)
1.) 

 

Basically the North American copy of 'Butterfly'. I still give it the top rating because every track on the original was excellent, and of course, King Midas is probably their best single. Unfortunately, for reasons unknown, they discarded 'Pegasus', the only song with Tony on lead vocal throughout, plus their 2 most psychedelic songs from Butterfly - 'Try It' and 'Elevated Observations?'. Despite the shuffled tracks, it's still a fun album.

This is the US version of the UK LP Butterfly (differing by three songs).  I think of it as sort of a Rubber Soul/Revolver type album… not a radical departure from the group’s established sound, but with a good bit of experimentation going on, often reflecting the particular style of one or another individual member.  In this case, the individual member is mainly Graham Nash; this was his last LP with the Hollies prior to becoming the N in CS&N, and the album is dotted with his efforts to see what kinds of different things he could do within the framework of the group.  Four tracks in particular stand out in this regard.  The first is “Wishyouawish”, which has touches of music-hall, a little like “Mellow Yellow”.  The second is “Butterfly”, a dreamy and delicate baroque-pop waltz.  The third, “Postcard”, sounds the most like what Nash would soon be doing in that other group.  The fourth, “Maker”, is a total period piece, a cloud of smoky, sitar-laden mysterioso haze interspersed with sprightly passages denoting the return to reality… a must-have track for serious fans of psychedelia.

Most of the other songs have that signature Hollies sound, although a little more forward-looking than their early stuff.  (Also, full orchestral arrangements are liberally employed through much of the album – another nod to the changing musical times.)  Two of my favorites are “Dear Eloise,” which is almost Who-like, and “Would You Believe”, with its wall-of-sound background, seeming to come from a region somewhere between the Righteous Brothers and the Bee Gees.  But really, they’re all good… “Leave Me” and “Step Inside” are classic Allan Clarke-led Hollies, and “King Midas in Reverse” is a single that deserved greater success than it got.  The only songs I might sometimes want to skip are “Away Away Away”, which is a bit of bubbly Graham Nash pop fluff, and “Charlie & Fred”, which has a heavy sentimentality that I have to be in the mood for.

I go back and forth between this one and "Evolution" when trying to pick a favorite Hollies album. The former is trippier but more dated. This is more mature and still has plenty of psych influences. It also features "King Midas", their greatest single. The UK version of this album (titled "Butterfly") doesn't have that track but does feature some great material that this version doesn't have, so make sure you get the reissue which includes songs from both versions. Also notable on this album are "Would You Believe" (including a great melody and lyrics that successfully convey being hopelessly in love) and the obligatory sitar song "Maker" (a fairly dark dirge for The Hollies). "Away Away Away" is more typical- just simple poppy Hollies goodnessFinally, the trio Clarke/Hicks/Nash stop making covers and start writing his own material. 
It was 1967, so "Psychedelic" is a term I'm going to use a lot on this review. 
"Dear Eloise" starts with a psychedelic organ that introduces us to the song, a very typical 60s song with beautiful harmonies, then "Away, away, away" keeps the same style and the third song, "Maker" is another psychedelic touch that, along with the closer "Butterfly" is the best moment of the album. 
"Wishyouawish" makes me think of the times when a man could sing such naive stuff like "Picking up the daisies/I'm making a chain/If anybody breaks it/we'll start it again". What a time! 
Is amazing the strength that a song as simple as "Would You Believe" can transmit. The song proves that Allan Clarke is one of the best singers that England provided us. 
The rest of the songs are very enjoyable and the melody of everyone of them is carefully treated.

 

With Graham Nash chafing at the bit for pop respectability, the Hollies started getting "heavy" and "relevant" on this 1967 outing, their second full-blown psychedelic album of the year. It was already clear, if not stated overtly, that Nash would be on his way out of the lineup sooner rather than later, and the irony was that the group generated some of its strongest album tracks during this period, representing some of the most inventive original compositions in its history. Their take on psychedelic music remained rooted within a pop context, especially in America, where the Butterfly album was stripped of three of its spacier songs -- "Pegasus," "Try It," and "Elevated Observations" -- and gained the contemporary single "King Midas in Reverse"; the latter represented perhaps their best work in a psychedelic vein, and it was nowhere near as ambitious as the Beatles' "Strawberry Fields Forever," much less, say, "Tomorrow Never Knows." "Dear Eloise" opened the U.K. and U.S. versions of the album, all glowing harmonies and a few tape tricks and tempo shifts around Moon/June lyrics, with the flute- and trumpet-accompanied pop ballad "Away Away Away" nudging listeners into a more upbeat mode. "Maker" opens with the drone of sitars and a gently played tabla, veering into low-keyed raga-rock until the end of the verses, which suddenly shift into a pop-waltz tempo for a few bars, return to the raga, and repeat the process once; it wasn't Top 40 material, but it was vastly inventive and daring for a group that, until 18 months before, had hardly been known for its original songs or its invention. "Would You Believe" offers a beat and texture that paralleled Donovan's "Atlantis," with the added effect of lots of reverb-soaked bells. "Wishyouawish" was roughly the Manchester equivalent to "The 59th Street Bridge Song (Feelin' Groovy)," about a lazy afternoon amid the Summer of Love, while "Post Card" was a briskly paced guitar-and-drums driven track that might've been a holdover from For Certain Becauseand which might've been a single if it only had an ending. "Charlie & Fred" -- the favorite song off the album by teen pop columnist Gloria Stavers, according to the original notes -- is one of those uniquely English character study songs, about a perennially displaced, downtrodden member of society; it's closer to Ginger Baker's "Pressed Rat and Warthog" from Cream's Wheels of Fire, than, say, to Pink Floyd's "Arnold Layne" -- the hooks are mostly in the middle eight and the bridge, which also gets an alto trumpet embellishment, and the piece ultimately falls close to "Penny Lane" amid its blooming harmonies; it also ends on a gorgeous a cappella verse. "Step Inside" is a trippy invitation to tea and crumpets from an illicit companion, carrying the glow of the Summer of Love with a beautifully written and sung chorus. "Butterfly" was an overt art song, complete with full orchestral accompaniment and a hauntingly subdued mood, and "King Midas in Reverse" closed the record on a radiant upbeat note. The 1997 Sundazed reissue -- amazingly, the first reissue of the album in America since the original LP disappeared in 1969 -- restores "Pegasus," "Try It," and "Elevated Observations" and adds the July 1968 single "Do the Best You Can," which is actually almost a post-psychedelic track, heavy on banjo and harmonica (and, thus, more of a piece with the instrumentation on the Hollies Sing Dylan album) with some lingering trippiness in its mood; but it's also obvious hearing it why Nash was so eager to exit, its pop sensibilities seeming very lightweight -- like the lighter side of the Tremeloes or the Marmalade -- in the spring of 1968. The mastering is good enough, with a clean sound and warm textures, though the more recent reissues from England and Japan have an edge in that department; the annotation is a bit frustrating, as it is made up primarily of an interview with Allan Clarke -- the author tries to get him to address the album, its content, and recording, but they keep turning back to the subject of Nash's friendship with Stephen Stills and David Crosby and his eagerness to leave the Hollies, and the result is precious little about the music or the album.

Butterfly is the second studio album released by British band The Hollies in 1967, their seventh in England overall. It was also the last new Hollies album to feature Graham Nash until 1983's What Goes Around. This, like its predecessors For Certain Because andEvolution, featured songs written solely by Allan Clarke, Graham Nash, and Tony Hicks.

As noted below, this album was really a Graham Nash-led project, and he featured as lead vocal more than on any prior album.

As with Evolution, none of the songs on the album were selected for single or EP release in the UK. In the US, "Dear Eloise" was issued as a single A-side while "Try It" and "Elevated Observations?" were issued as B-sides of the "Jennifer Eccles" and "Do The Best You Can" singles, respectively. In Canada the single "Dear Eloise" reached No. 36. The mono single and stereo CD versions of "Try It" differ greatly in terms of sound effects and vocals.

In 1978, Parlophone reissued Butterfly with new cover art, and again in 1999.[2] Almost all current CD issues of this album contain the original cover art.

All tracks composed by Allan Clarke, Graham Nash and Tony Hicks.

Butterfly (UK version)[edit]

Side 1

  1. "Dear Eloise" (Allan Clarke, Graham Nash, Tony Hicks) – 3:04
    • Lead vocals: Allan Clarke and Graham Nash
  2. "Away Away Away" (Nash) – 2:19
    • Lead vocals: Graham Nash
  3. "Maker" (Nash) – 2:52
    • Lead vocals: Graham Nash
  4. "Pegasus" (Hicks) – 2:38
    • Lead vocals: Tony Hicks
  5. "Would You Believe?" (Clarke) – 4:08
    • Lead vocals: Allan Clarke
  6. "Wishyouawish" (Clarke, Nash) – 2:04
    • Lead vocals: Allan Clarke, Graham Nash

Side 2

  1. "Postcard" (Nash) – 2:17
    • Lead vocals: Graham Nash
  2. "Charlie and Fred" (Clarke, Nash) – 2:56
    • Lead vocals: Allan Clarke
  3. "Try It" (Clarke, Nash) – 3:04
    • Lead vocals: Allan Clarke and Graham Nash
  4. "Elevated Observations?" (Clark, Nash, Hicks) – 2:32
    • Lead vocals: Allan Clarke and Graham Nash
  5. "Step Inside" (Clarke, Nash, Hicks) – 2:51
    • Lead vocals: Allan Clarke
  6. "Butterfly" (Nash) – 2:42
    • Lead vocals: Graham Nash

Dear Eloise / King Midas in Reverse (US version)[edit]

Dear Eloise / King Midas in Reverse
Hollies Dear Eloise.jpg
Studio album by The Hollies
Released November 1967
Recorded 5 September – 6 October 1967
Studio Abbey Road Studios, London
Genre Psychedelic rock, Rock, pop
Label Epic Records BN 26344
Producer Ron Richards
The Hollies US chronology
Evolution
(1967)
Dear Eloise / King Midas in Reverse
(1967)
Words and Music By Bob Dylan
(1969)
The Hollies Canadian chronology
Love N' Flowers
(1967)
Dear Eloise / King Midas in Reverse
(1967)
Words and Music By Bob Dylan
(1969)

The US/Canadian edition of Butterfly was retitled Dear Eloise / King Midas in Reverse, given a totally different full-color cover featuring a picture of the group in front of a shop, and released on Epic Records on 27 November 1967. It included the single "King Midas in Reverse" and the UK Evolution track "Leave Me", while deleting the UK Butterfly songs "Pegasus", "Try It" and "Elevated Observations".

The 1998 US CD reissue of Dear Eloise/King Midas in Reverse by Sundazed presents the original UK Butterfly track line-up with "King Midas in Reverse", "Leave Me" and "Do The Best You Can" (the last Hollies single with Graham Nash) added to the track listing.

Side 1

  1. "Dear Eloise"
  2. "Wishyouawish"
  3. "Charlie and Fred"
  4. "Butterfly"
  5. "Leave Me" (Clarke-Nash-Hicks)
  6. "Postcard"

Side 2

  1. "King Midas in Reverse" (Clarke-Hicks-Nash)
  2. "Would You Believe?"
  3. "Away Away Away"
  4. "Maker"
  5. "Step Inside"

Sundazed CD bonus tracks

  1. "Do The Best You Can" (Clarke-Hicks-Nash)
  2. "Pegasus"
  3. "Try It"
  4. "Elevated Observations?"

Personnel[edit]

 

 


Genre: pop

Rating: 4 stars ****

Title:  Write On

Company: Polydor

Catalog: 2442-141
Year:
 1976

Country/State: Manchester, UK

Grade (cover/record): VG/VG+

Comments: minor ring and edge war to cover; UK pressing

Available: 1

Catalog ID: 289

Price: $15.00

 

Best time to play: Sunny Sunday afternoon when nobody's around to hear you enjoying this guilty pleasure

 

And just when virtually everyone including their record label had seemingly given up on The Hollies, they reappeared with a late inning gem in the form of 1976's "Write On".   Apparently having settled some of their internal issues, the group seemed reinvigorated, with Allan Clarke, Tony Hicks, and Terry Sylvester teaming up to write most of the ten tracks.  The results gave the band a surprisingly spirited mix of top-40 pop and classic Hollies ballads.  Mind you this was music as a product, but given how catchy tunes like 'Star', ' Narida', and 'Crocodile Woman (She Bites)' were, it was quality product that should have returned the band to the sales charts.  For goodness sakes, there were even a couple of  ballads that were worthwhile - the title track and 'xxx' managed to avoid their usual sappy excesses.  Highlights ?   'Crocodile Woman (She Bites)' may have been the best rock song they ever recorded - yes it's even better than 'Long Cool Woman In a Black Dress'.   Tying for second place were the highly commercial  'Star' and 'Narida'.   Unfortunately their efforts came in the face of growing public interest in punk, new wave, and dance music.  

 

- One of their most pop oriented tracks in years, 'Star' had everything nite On' was pretty impressive.  Clarke seemed to a knack for country-rockers and this one had a wonderful melody that was perfect for the patented Clarke-Hicks-Sylvester harmony vocals that made The Hollies so special.  Even though the 'special effects' are distracting,  YouTube has an interesting  television performance of the song: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_bzie21IW3Q    rating: **** stars

- Unfortunately 'Sweet Country Calling' pushed the band too far in the corny country direction ...   why do British band's seemingly feel the need to delve into American country ?   Clarke sounded uncomfortable on the track and the rest of the band sounded like they were just going through the motions.   Forgettable.   rating: ** stars

- Other than their patented sweet harmonies and some weird synthesizer effects (sounding like an Indian snake charmer), 'Love Is the Thing' never really kicked into gear.   rating: *** stars

- Initially 'I Won't Move Over' didn't do much for me.  A pouty ballad, the track picked up speed and a bit of energy as it went along.  It got better with a couple of spins and Hick's wah-wah guitar was a nice touch.  Not great, but one of the better ballads on the album.  rating: *** stars

- Yeah, 'Narida' was way too cutesy for their own good (putting them dangerously close to ABBA-styled top-40 dance material, though maybe that was the goal), but with the goofy lyrics, second grader rhyming scheme, golden chorus (na-na-na-na-na-rida), Bernie Calvert's pounding bass, and Tony Hicks guitar solos what wasn't their to love here ?   Should have been a massive international hit for the group.   rating: **** stars

- A mid-tempo rocker that seemingly reflected a bit of Bruce Springsteen influences in the lyrical department, 'Stranger' was actually an enjoyable effort by the band to reflect a tougher, more contemporary sound.  rating: **** stars

- For a band not particularly known for their rockers, The Hollies could occasionally surprise you and 'Crocodile Woman (She Bites)' stood as a perfect example.   Kicked along by Pete Wingfield's barrelhouse piano and Clarke's growling vocal, this was a rollicking '50s-tinged number that was easily as good as 'Long Cool Woman In a Black Dress'.  Perhaps the best rocker they ever recorded ?  rating: **** stars

- 'My Island' was an easy-going, this-side-of-cocktail-jazz radio friendly pop song that really didn't have a great deal going for it outside of Pete Wingfield's cheesy ARP synthesizer lines.  The song became a staple in their live show and appears on the subsequent "Hollies Live Hits" collection.  YouTube has the band lip syncing the tune for some forgotten TV show at:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mmGXdEWQ-CA  rating: *** stars

- The lone non-original, 'There's Always Tomorrow' was a classic Hollies big--ballad.  Unfortunately, even though it was given the full Hollies treatment (strumming acoustic guitars, waves of harmony vocals, and a catchy chorus),  this one wasn't all that good.  Someone online described it as "another home alone on a Saturday night song ..."   which struck me as the perfect description for the track.   rating: *** stars

 

The album was tapped for a couple of singles. American audiences saw:

- 1975's 'Write On' b/w 'Crocodile Woman (She Bites)' (Epic catalog number 8-50204)

 

 In the UK the single was: 

- 1976's 'Star' b/w 'Love Is The Thing' (Polydor catalog number 2058 719)

 

In wasn't a classic Hollies LP, but song-for-song it was impressive and quite enjoyable.  Unfortunately Polydor made no attempt to sell the album in the States.

 

"Write On" track listing:
(side 1)

1.) Star   (Terry Sylvester - Allan Clarke - Tony Hicks) - 3:39

2.) Write On   (Terry Sylvester - Allan Clarke - Tony Hicks) - 4:50

3.) Sweet Country Calling   (Terry Sylvester - Allan Clarke - Tony Hicks) - 3:06

4.) Love Is the Thing   (Terry Sylvester - Allan Clarke - Tony Hicks)- 3:45

5.) I Won't Move Over   (Terry Sylvester - Allan Clarke - Tony Hicks)

 

(side 2)
1.) Narida   (Terry Sylvester - Allan Clarke - Tony Hicks) - 3:57

2.) Stranger   (Terry Sylvester - Allan Clarke - Tony Hicks) - 3:29

3.) Crocodile Woman (She Bites)   (Terry Sylvester - Allan Clarke - Tony Hicks) - 3:35

4.) My Island   (Terry Sylvester - Allan Clarke - Tony Hicks) - 4:22

5.) There's Always Goodbye   (Randy Richards) - 4:15

 

 

 


Genre: pop

Rating: 4 stars ****

Title:  Hollies Live Hits

Company: Polydor

Catalog: 2383 428
Year:
 1976

Country/State:  Manchester, UK

Grade (cover/record): VG+/VG+

Comments: English pressing

Available: 1

Catalog ID: 286

Price: $15.00

 

Best time to play: relaxing Saturday evening when you don't feel like doin' much more than hangin' around the house

 

Drawn from international dates the band played in support of the 1975 "Another Night" album  "Hollies Live Hits" was a surprisingly engaging concert set.  (I've read elsewhere that most of the tracks were recorded in Australia and New Zealand; a fact seeming reinforced by Clarke's reference to Christchurch in 'Long Cool Woman In a Black Dress').   Pulling together 15 tracks, the album offered up a career-spanning mixture of hits, lesser known numbers, and a handful of "new" (for 1975)  tracks drawn from  then-recent albums.  Live albums are frequently nothing more than an easy way to pad an act's bottom line and while there may have been a bit of that here, the overall results were surprisingly engaging and enjoyable.  Clarke remained one of rock's most overlooked singers - his instantly recognizable voice was a major treat throughout these songs and when Clarke, Tony Hicks, and Terry Sylvester blended their voices, it was frequently almost magical. The rest of the band were equally impressive - particularly bassist Bernie Calvert.   While it was nice to have so many of the hits in one place, personally I liked the album's lesser well know offerings including their cover of the old Doris Troy hit 'Just One Look', the overlooked single 'Another Night', and Hicks' sweet 'Too Young To Be Married'.  Apparently under the impression the band had lost their audience to punk and new wave acts,, Epic Records elected not to release the album in the States.   

 

At least on the opener 'I Can't Let Go' the audience applause sounded like it was added in post-production, but that was a minor quibble given how bright the performance sounded.  How could you not surrender to the jangle guitars and those patented harmonies (Terry Sylvester sounding amazingly like Graham Nash).  rating: **** stars

- Their Hollies-fied cover of the old Doris Troy hit 'Just One Look' was pleasant. Perhaps not one of the album highlights, but still lots of fun.   Seriously, these guys could probably have read a newspaper aloud and make it sound good.   rating: *** stars

- Clarke's risque song introduction was corny and while there wasn't anything wrong with the live version of  'I Can't Tell the Bottom from the Top', the song didn't exactly shake it's Elton John-styled pop flavor.  Okay, okay the chorus was decent.   rating: *** stars

- The original studio version is such a classic pop song I guess I didn't expect a lot from a liver version of  'Bus Stop''.  I was wrong - the live version was every bit as good as the studio version (perhaps even better with the brief reggae nod) and  with Bernie Calvert turning in a killer bass line throughout the song.   Fantastic performance.   rating: ***** stars

- Judging by the before song patter, most of these tracks were recorded during the band's 1975 "Another Night" tour ...  hence the inclusion of this one.   And here's the funny thing - 'Another Night' was great.  Completely overlooked when released, it's a classic Hollies tune with Pete Wingfield turning in some wonderfully cheesy synthesizers ....  I'm a sucker for this stuff.   rating: **** stars

- It's kind of funny to think about it, but if you're my age, then there's a good chance that many folks first exposure to Bruce Springsteen came though The Hollies cover of '4th of July, Ashbury Park (Sandy)'.  As much as I love the Springsteen original, you have to give these guys credit for doing a more than credible version - wonder how much of the urban Jersey narrative they understood ...   rating: **** stars

- 'Star' simply wasn't much of a song until the chorus and Wingfield's synthesizers kicked in.  At that point it became a major treat.  rating: *** stars

- Pulled from the earlier "Write On" collection,  'My Island' was the first real disappointment.  A breezy and rather anonymous pop track - imagine The Hollies recording a cocktail jazz album and this one would have been in the running for inclusion.   Forgettable.   rating: ** stars

- The audience loved it, but it took me awhile to warm up to the ballad 'I'm Down' - chiefly the three part Clark-Hicks-Sylvester harmonies.   rating: *** stars

- About all I can say is I was surprise at how close to the studio original the live version of 'Stop, Stop, Stop' was.   Quite impressive performance and Tony Hicks' banjo was a kick.   rating: **** stars

- One of my favorite Hollies performances, 'Long Cool Woman In a Black Dress' was one of the tracks that sounded even better in a live setting.  The perfect track to play for folks who didn't think The Hollies could rock out.    rating: **** stars

- Except for Tony Hicks blowing the vocals, 'Carrie-Anne' was nice enough ...  easy to see why Clarke handled most of the lead vocals.   rating: *** stars

- Yeah, 'The Air That I Breathe'  was one of their biggest hits so I guess they had to include it ...  can't say I ever liked the original and while the live take accurately replicated the studio version, it didn't do all that much for me.   rating: *** stars

- Penned by Tony Hicks, 'Too Young To Be Married' stripped away the pop band persona showing the group's true strengths ...  few bands could sing harmonies like these guys.   Charming with a beautiful flamenco-styled acoustic guitar solo.   rating: **** stars

- Another 'must play' hit, 'He Ain't Heavy - He's My Brotther' is one of those tunes I've heard so often I've simply become numb to it's appeal.   Nice enough live version, but it basically mimicked the studio original.  rating: **** stars

 

Finally, kudos to the band for avoiding the dreaded excesses associated with your standard double album mega-package. Sure you could argue with some of the song selections, but all said and done, 15 tracks provided a near perfect overview of the band's career. If nothing else, the album also reminded you of what a great band The Hollies were.

"Hollies Live Hits" track listing:
(side 1)

1.) I Can't Let Go   (Gorgini - Taylor) - 

2.) Just One Look   (Carroll - Payne) - 

3.) I Can't Tell the Bottom from the Top   (Fletcher - Flett) - 

4.) Bus Stop   (Graham Gouldman) - 

5.) Another Night   (Terry Sylvester - Allan Clarke - Tony Hicks) -

6.) 4th of July, Ashbury Park (Sandy)  (Bruce Springsteen) - 

7.) Star   (Terry Sylvester - Allan Clarke - Tony Hicks) -

8.) My Island    (Terry Sylvester - Allan Clarke - Tony Hicks) -

 

(side 2)
1.) I'm Down   (Terry Sylvester - Allan Clarke - Terry Hicks) -

2.) Stop, Stop, Stop   (Allan Clarke - Tony Hicks - Graham Nash) -

3.) Long Cool Woman In a Black Dress   (Roger Cook - Roger Greenaway - Allan Clarke) - 

4.) Carrie-Anne   (Allan Clarke - Tony Hicks - Graham Nash) -

5.) The Air That I Breathe   (Albert Hammond - Lee Hazlewood) -  

6.) Too Young To Be Married   (Tony Hicks) - 

7.) He Ain't Heavy - He's My Brotther   (Russell - Scott) - 

 

 

 

 


Genre: pop

Rating: 2 stars **

Title:  Five Three One - Double Seven O Four

Company: Polydor

Catalog: 2383 428
Year:
 1979

Country/State: Manchester, UK

Grade (cover/record): VG/VG+

Comments: lots of light scratches, but plays fine; original inner sleeve; UK pressing

Available: 1

Catalog ID: 287

Price: $15.00

 

Best time to play: never

 

1979's 'Five Three One - Double Seven O Four' has always struck me as an odd project.  Reuniting the band with former producer Ron Richards, the set was apparently recorded amidst growing internal strife.  In fact, before the start of a brief German tour, Clarke quit, leaving Sylvester and company to finish the tour on their own.  They also continued the recording sessions without Clarke (supposedly approach former Procol Harum singer/keyboardist Gary Brooker about joining).  Ultimately Clarke rejoined the recording sessions, but the result was a Hollies album with a single original tune (Clarke's 'Satellite Three').  The collection was also exceedingly ballad heavy.  In fact seven of the ten songs were ballads.  Mind you, under Allan Clarke The Hollies were among the best ballad singers in popular music, but cramming so many of them into one album didn't do the band, or listeners any favors.  Their selection of material was also subject to criticism - two Murray Head ballads ?   And what was with the country-tinged 'Stormy Waters' or the extremely strange Bowie-esque 'Satellite Three' ?   Bottom line is that here The Hollies managed to come up with a first - an album that was actually dull.

 

"Five Three One - Double Seven O Four" track listing:
(side 1)

1.) Say It Ain't So Joe (Murray Head) -  rating: *** stars

I've got to admit Murray Head's 'Say It Ain't So Joe' has never been a song that's done much for me (the song's pleading edge has always irked me), and The Hollies' cover didn't change that view.  Their heavily orchestrated version stuck pretty close to the original arrangement, adding in some patented Hollies harmonies, but in the end it was for naught.

2.) Maybe It's Dawn (Tony Hymas - Brown) -  rating: *** stars

 I'll readily admit 'Maybe It's Dawn' was quite pretty, but it was also bland and heartless; sounding like product more than art.  Heavily orchestrated, and with the exception of the choruses where the patented Clarke-Hicks-Sylvester harmonies kicked in, it really didn't sound a great deal like a Hollies effort.  

3.) Song of the Sun (Tony Hymas - Brown) -  rating: *** stars

Thankfully 'Song of the Sun' provided a bit of musical diversity in the form of a slightly slinky blues-tinged number.  That's not to say the song was good, 'cause it wasn't.  To my ears it sounded very much like a demo that hadn't been fully completed, but at least it wasn't another ballad.  Best thing here was Sylvester's fuzz guitar solo.   

4.) Harlequin (Gary Brooker) - rating: **** stars

Featuring Terry Sylvester on lead vocals, 'Harlequin' was an interesting collaboration with members of Procol Harum.  Penned by Procol singer/keyboardist Gary Brooker, it was another ballad, but at least this one had a decent melody and was noteworthy for Brooker's uncredited backing vocals (at the end of the tune).  Procol drummer B.J. Wilson was also credited with playing on the song.

5.) When I'm Yours (Murray Head) rating: *** stars

I'm guessing nobody bothered to tell the band that stringing so many ballads together wasn't the smartest decision they could make.  No matter how good it had been, by the time you hit 'When I'm Young' the chances were you'd hit ballad meltdown.   Another tune that was pretty enough, but ...  

 

(side 2)
1.) Something To Live For (Tony Hymas - Brown) - 
rating: **** stars

Just because it was an up-tempo pop song, 'Something To Live For' stood as one of the album highlights (and a nice change of pace).   It was also tapped as an instantly obscure single.  

  

 

 

 

 

- 1979's 'Something To Live For' b/w 'Dragging My Heels' (Polydor catalog number 2059 108) 

 

 

 

 

2.) Stormy Waters  (White)  rating: * star

With 'Stormy Waters' The Hollies managed to do something they'd seldom accomplished before - namely recording a song totally without merit.  A plodding, completely forgettable tinged ballad, this one was simply a snore fest.  

3.) Boys In the Band   (Pete Brown)  rating: *** stars

Another tune with Terry Sylvester on lead vocals, 'Boys In the Band' was a breezy, vaguely Carribbean-tinged number.  Nice, but not particularly memorable.

4.) Satellite Three   (Allan Clarke - Gary Benson)  rating: ** stars

Geez, what was with the goody 'Satellite Three' ?  Clarke deciding to trot out his best David Bowie impression ?  Beats me.  Yeah, of course the first part was a ballad ...   but it was a strange ballad.  The song picked up a but of speed towards the end, but it didn't make much difference.   Wonder what the rest of the band thought about this one. 

5.) It's Never One of Us   (David Pomnerez)  rating: ** stars

Surrounded by heavy orchestration,  'It's Never One of Us' was simply dull and forgettable. 

 

 

 

 

 


Genre: pop

Rating: 3 stars ***

Title:  Moving Fingers

Company: Epic

Catalog: E 30255
Year:
 1970

Country/State: Manchester, UK

Grade (cover/record): VG/VG+

Comments: --

Available: 1

Catalog ID: --

Price: $15.00

 

 

I'm continually amazed by how the mid-career Hollies discography has been forgotten.  I'm also amazed at how the band's American label repeatedly managed to mangle their discography with ill-advised marketing moves. 1970's "Moving Fingers" was a perfect example of such stupidity.  The original English album was released under the title "Confessions of the Mind" (Parlaphone catalog number PCS 7116).  An apparently effort to make the album more appealing to American audiences, Epic's marketing group slapped a new cover and title on the album.  The company also messed around with the track listing and track sequence.  'Separated' and 'I Wanna Shout' were dropped from the English release; replaced by ''Gasoline Alley Bred' and Marigold: Gloria Swansong' which had been featured on the previous "Hollies Sing Hollies" album.  To my ears the original English track listing was superior; Epic's tinkering doing nothing to strengthen the album, make it more appealing to American ears, let alone support sales.  The UK LP hit # 30.  The US released peaked at # 183.

 

With Graham Nash gone from the ranks his creative replacement came from an unlikely corner - guitarist Tony Hicks contributing five of the album's eleven songs.  An even bigger surprise was the quality of Hicks' contributions.  Tunes like the autobiographical 'Confessions of a Mind', the country-rocker 'Little Girl' and 'Frightened Lady' weren't merely album filler, rather reflected songs that were easily as good as what the writing team of Allan Clarke and Terry Sylvester were churning out.  Elsewhere the album reflected kind of an odds and ends collection.  Two of the Clarke-Sylvester contributions ('Isn't it Nice' and 'Perfect Lady Housewife') reflected material originally written for the aborted stage musical "Oh Flux!"  Hick's 'Too Young to Be Married', 'Gasoline Alley Bred' and the middling 'Marigold: Gloria Swansong' were "Hollies Sing Hollies" castoffs.  In spite of the album's cobbled together background, the results were surprisingly impressive.  Exemplified by the album's lone outside cover Gasoline Alley Bred', longtime Hollies producer Ron Richards gave the collection a  tight and bright sound, underscoring the band's strengths - Clarke's instantly recognizable voice, a slew of memorable melodies and emphasis on the group's patented tight harmonies.  Far from their best album, but a nice mid-career rebound.  

 

No idea what the title had to do with the album, but the sign language on the front cover spelled out "Moving Fingers."

 

"Moving Finger" track listing:
(side 1)

1.) Survival of the Fittest (Allan Clarke - Tony Hicks - Graham Nash) - 3:03   rating: **** stars

'Survival of the Fittest' was originally recorded in 1969, but left incomplete with Graham Nash's departure for Crosby, Stills and Nash.  The rough track was resurrected; Nash's rhythm guitar retained, but his vocals replaced by Terry Sylvester.  Built on a nifty Tony Hick guitar riff and showcasing Allan Clarke's instantly recognizable voice, the song offered up a dandy slice of top-40 pop.  Everything that made The Hollies so special was on display here - great melody; those glistening harmonies.  Geez, you even got a brief Bobby Elliott drum solo.  Epic tapped the song as a single in the States whereas they went with 'Man Without a Heart' throughout the rest of the world.


 

 

 

 

- 1971's 'Survival of the Fittest' b/w 'Man Without a Heart' (Epic catalog number 5-10716)

 

 

 

 

 

 

2.) Confessions of a Mind (Tony Hicks) - 5:42   rating: *** stars

One of five Tony Hicks compositions on the album, 'Confessions of a Mind' came off as a mini-suite.  The song was apparently an autobiographical look at Hicks' admitted weakness for the other sex ...  I'm no Hollies expert, but the other band members apparently became increasingly upset with Hicks flirtatious behavior.

3.) Lady Please (Tony Hicks) - 2:37   rating: **** stars

A touch too pop-oriented to be a country-rocker, 'Lady Please' was another bright spot on the album.  Always loved the guitar effect on this one. 

4.) Little Girl (Tony Hicks) - 2:56   rating: **** stars

One of Clarke's nicer vocals, with a nice country-rock feel, lyrically 'Little Girl' was surprisingly sophisticated - hard to think of many early-'70s pop bands taking on the impact of divorce on young children.

5.) Too Young to Be Married (Tony Hicks) - 3:58   rating: **** stars

One of Hicks' prettiest compositions, 'Too Young to Be Married' was another carry over from the previous "Hollies Sing Hollies" collection.  The tune had a glistening melody; an insidiously catchy hook, lovely harmony vocals and a surprisingly contemporary, if sappy lyric.  Hicks also turned in a wonderful Flamenco guitar solo.  YouTube has a June 1971 black and white clip of the band performing the song live for Australian TV: The Hollies - Too Young To Be Married - Live (1971) in Australia on GTK [HD] - YouTube

6.) Man Without a Heart (Allan Clarke - Terry Sylvester) - 2:23   rating: **** stars 

Great slice of Hollies rock, but  Johnny Scott's frantic horn and string arrangements just sounded out of place, distracting from the song's appealing sense of urgency.  The track was released as a Dutch single with multi-picture sleeves:

- 1971's 'Man without a Heart' b/w 'Survival of the Fittest' (Parlophone catalog number 5C 006-93555)

 

(side 2)
1.) 
Isn't it Nice (Allan Clarke, - Terry Sylvester) - 3:45   rating: *** stars

The ballad 'Isn't it Nice' was one of two songs that had been written for the abandoned musical "Oh Flux!"  The sound was instantly recognizable as a Hollies product with the combination of Clarke's voice and the backing harmonies simply shimmering.

2.) Frightened Lady (Tony Hicks) - 3:11   rating: *** stars

It took a while for the melody to roll itself out, but it was worth the wait since the title track refrain was one of the album's most commercial segments.  The song also exhibited a harder rocking sound than you normally associate with the band.

3.) Marigold: Gloria Swansong (Allan Clarke - Terry Sylvester) - 5:25   rating: *** stars

One of the songs repurposed from "The Hollies Sing Hollies" album.  Maybe just me, but the opening acoustic guitar segment has always reminded me of 'Norwegian Wood (This Bird Has Flown).'  From there the song drifted into a Donovan-meets-The Bee Gees vibe.  Not unpleasant, but not something that was going to shake-up your world.  Around the 3 minute mark the song shifted into a heavily instrumented section (presumably the 'Gloria Swansong' section, that's always reminded me of early Moody Blues.

4.) Perfect Lady Housewife (Allan Clarke - Terry Sylvester) - 4:35   rating: **** stars

The second track salvaged from the "Oh Flux!" musical, 'Perfect Lady Housewife' was strange given The Hollies were hardly known for their affinity for the blues. Actually, once you got past the opening section the song could have been mistaken for a Monkees tune.  Powered by a great Bernie Calvert bass line the sound was tougher than your typical Hollies tune, but remained quite top-40 commercial.  Great refrain.  A young Reginald Dwight provided keyboards on the tune.

5.) Gasoline Alley Bred (Roger Cook - Roger Greenaway - Tony Macaulay) - 3:54   rating: **** stars

The album's lone cover, the 'Gasoline Alley Bred' guitar opening reminds me of something from David Gates and Bread.  Come to think about it, the whole song reminds me of Bread.  With Clarke and Sylvester splitting lead vocals, this was probably the album's most conventional rock song, it was released as a single through the world, including as a US 45::

- 1971's 'Gasoline Alley Bred' b/w 'Dandelion Wine' (Epic catalog number 5 10677)   No idea when or where it was recorded, but YouTube has a nice clip of the band lip-synching the song on some television program: THE HOLLIES - GASOLINE ALLEY BRED ( HIGH QUALITY ) - YouTube

 

 

 

 


Genre: pop

Rating: 4 stars ****

Title:  Another Night

Company: Polydor

Catalog: 2442 128
Year:
 1974

Country/State: Manchester, UK

Grade (cover/record): VG+/VG+

Comments: gatefold sleeve; UK pressing

Available: 1

Catalog ID: --

Price: $35.00

 

With Allan Clarke sticking around as lead vocalist for a second album, 1974's "Another Night" wasn't a creative breakthrough, but marked one of their strongest collections in years.  Produced by Ron Richards, the results served to capture the things The Hollies accelerated at - Allan Clarke's instantly recognizable, heartbreaking voice; shimmering pop melodies, and above all, those patented Hollies harmonies.  Nah, there wasn't any attempt to please contemporary musical tastes.  Wanted to hear Zeppelin-styled metal?  Free-styled blues-rock?  ELP-styled progressive moves?  Don't look here.  The thing was that if you were buying a Hollies album you already knew what to expect and this set was unlikely to disappoint.  With the exception of a cover of Bruce Springsteen's ' 4th of July, Asbury Park (Sandy)', the album featured all original material, largely written by Allan Clarke, Terry Hicks and Terry Sylvester. Not a surprise; the collection was heavy on strong ballads including the title track, 'Lonely Hobo Lullabye', 'I'm Down', 'Give e Time' and the closer 'Lucy.'   Their attempts at harder rock were a mixed success. The heavily orchestrated 'Second Hand Hang-Ups' and 'You Gave Me Life (With That Look in Your Eyes)' were both excellent, but 'Time Machine Jive' and 'Look Out Johnny (There's a Monkey On Your Back)' were little more than throwaways.  Probably the weirdest effort was their Hollies-fied arrangement of 'Sandy.'  Kudos to The Hollies for being one of the first name bands to record a Springsteen tune, though their smoothed out arrangement didn't completely endear itself with me. 

 

 

 

 

Executive summary - a  nice mid-career release.  In spite of favorable reviews and a tour of  the States, the album did little commercially.

 

 

 

 

"Another Night" track listing:
(side 1)

1.) Another Night (Allan Clarke - Terry Hicks - Terry Sylvester) - 3:57  rating: **** stars

Powered by Clarke's instantly recognizable voice the title track stood as a classic mid-career Hollies tune.  Supposedly inspired by Steely Dan, the the song featured a dark lyric, great melody; the band's trademarked harmonies, cheesy synthesizers (courtesy of Pete Windfield) and a nice Hicks lead guitar ...   Hard to understand why it wasn't released as a single.  Taken from a special recorded for Swiss television, YouTube has a live performance of the tune  (Winfield on synthesizers) : The Hollies - Another Night from Swiss Television Special, 1975. - YouTube

2.) 4th of July, Asbury Park (Sandy) (Bruce Springsteen) - 4:11  rating: **** stars

I've always wondered how The Hollies discovered Bruce Springsteen; let alone were convinced, or allowed to include a cover of one of his tunes on this album.  They must have been one of the first "name" acts to do a Springsteen cover.  Yeah, they "Hollies-fied" the track, stripping away the original's ragged edges, but underneath the glitz, the melody remained intact.   The song was tapped as a single:

- 1974's 'Sandy' b/w 'Second Hand Hang-ups' (Epic catalog number 8-50389)   Here's another live performance from the 1975 Swiss television special: The Hollies - Sandy (4th Of July, Asbury Park) from Swiss Television 1975 - YouTube

3.) Lonely Hobo Lullaby (Terry Sylvester - Allan Clarke) - 4:18  rating: **** stars

For years I felt 'Lonely Hobo Lullaby' wasn't a monumental Hollies composition.  The opening section always reminded me of Dylan's 'Knockin' on Heaven's Door', but lacked that special ingredient.  And then one Sunday I was listening to the album and realized I'd been dead wrong, if only for the fact the mellow, country-tinged melody served as a spectacular showcase for those stunning Clarke-Hicks-Sylvester harmonies ...  Add in a biting Hicks solo and it deserved a fourth star.  The song was tapped as a single in New Zealand:

 

 

 

 

- 1975's 'Lonely Hobo Lullaby' b/w 'Second Hand Hang-up' (Parlophone catalog number NZP3504)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

4.) Second Hand Hang-Ups (Allan Clarke - Terry Hicks - Terry Sylvester) - 4:32  rating: **** stars

Featuring elaborate orchestration (courtesy of Chris Gunning), the breezy 'Second Hand Hang-Ups' was another track that didn't immediate register with me. And like the rest of the album, my attitude changed the more I heard the tune.  The orchestration that I originally found distracting actually fit the song perfectly - kind of like George Martin's work on Wings' 'Live and Let Die.'

5.) Time Machine Jive (Allan Clarke - Terry Hicks - Terry Sylvester) - 3:19 rating: ** stars

With an irritating '50s rock flavor, 'Time Machine Jive' was one of the songs that didn't get better with repeated spins.  Hey fans, we can channel Elvis ...  not a good idea.

 

(side 2)
1.)
I'm Down (Allan Clarke - Terry Hicks - Terry Sylvester) - 4:14 rating: **** stars

Supposedly inspired by producer Ron Richards' life story, 'I'm Down' is one of those lost Hollies treasures.  One of their prettiest and darkest ballads, it captured all of the band's strengths - a wonderful melody; those classic harmonies and heavy orchestration that would have smothered most of bands.       The track was released as the album's leadoff single:

- 1974's 'I'm Down' b/w 'I'm Down' (Epic catalog number 8-50144)

2.) Look Out Johnny (There's a Monkey On Your Back) (Allan Clarke - Terry Hicks - Terry Sylvester) -  3:35 rating: ** stars

Another tune where The Hollies tried to toughen up their sound with a touch of '50s rock influences.  Along with the "life's tough as a dealer" lyric, this one just didn't register with me. Okay, extra star for the nice Hicks guitar solo.

3.) Give Me Time (Terry Sylvester - Allan Clarke) - 3:11 rating: **** stars

Ah, 'Give Me Time' captured Clarke in his environs - a heartbreaking lyrics and ear-candy melody ...  Powered by strumming mandolin and those patented Hollies harmonies, the refrain featured one of those riffs that simply wouldn't leave your memory bank.  Shoot, now I'm humming the darn thing.
4.) You Gave Me Life (With That Look in Your Eyes) (Terry Sylvester - Allan Clarke) - 3:52  
rating: **** stars

I never meant to imply The Hollies couldn't rock out.  Anyone who didn't think they had it in them should check out the blazing 'You Gave Me Life (With That Look in Your Eyes)'.  Always loved Hicks' Danelectro electric sitar solo.  Great song for anyone who loved 'Long Cool Woman (In a Black Dress).'

5.) Lucy (Allan Clarke - Terry Hicks - Terry Sylvester) - 5:12 rating: *** stars

A worthy addition to the '60s "heartbreak" genre ...  'Lucy' sounds terribly corny, but it's one of my guilty pleasures and having a friend who woke up one day as a single father having lost his wife to cancer, it strikes a chord with me.  Hard to imagine another band that could pull this off as effectively.  (And yes, my friend was blessed to meet another woman who took his children into her heart.  Soju !!!)

 

 

 

 

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