line up 1 (1966-73)

- David Bower -- rhythm guitar

- Graham "Topper" Clay -- drums, percussion 

- Peter Morrison -- vocals, guitar

- Terry "Tez" Stokes -- lead guitar

  supporting musicians (1971)

- Brian Parrish -- lead vocals

- The Cherokees (David Bower and Terry "Tez" Stokes)

- English Bulldog

- The Knack (Brian Parrish)

- Little Big Man

- The Londeners (Topper Clay)

- New York Public Library (David Bower, Graham "Topper" Clay, 

  Brian Morris, Peter Morrison and Terry "Tez" Stokes)

Genre: pop

Rating: 3 stars ***

Title:  Holly

Company: Coral

Catalog: CRL 757515
Year: 1971

Country/State: Leeds, UK

Grade (cover/record): VG+/VG+

Comments: --

Available: 1

Catalog ID: --

Price: $20.00

In spite of what most references indicate, the band's name was Raw (not Raw Holly).  They traces their roots to the early-'60s Leeds-based band The Cherokees. Rhythm guitarist David Bower and lead guitarist Terry "Tez" Stokes had been mainstays in the band, recording an EP and a string of six singles before breaking up in 1966. From there the pair hopped over to join New York Public Library, where they joined drummer Graham Clay, singer/guitarist Brian Morris and singer/guitarist Peter Morrison.  

Skipping over New York Public Library's lengthy and convoluted history and personnel changes, this album was recorded in 1969, but not released until 1971 (and then without the band's knowledge, or cooperation). By the time it was recorded the band line-up featured  rhythm Bower, drummer Clay, singer/guitarist Peter Morrison and lead guitarist Stokes.  "Holly" was a one-shot effort apparently attempting to capitalized on a brief early-'70s resurgence in Buddy Holly's posthumous popularity.  That probably explains the album's limited distribution - seemingly only released in the US, UK, Canada, Australia and Germany.  

Featuring the band New York Public Library, "Holly" was an odd marketing effort.  These tracks were initially recorded in 1969 by Freddy Packham, with Miki Dalton handling final mixing and overdubs.  Featuring remakes of eleven Holly performances, the project was immediately hit with a lawsuit that saw the tapes shelved until 1971 when it was released under the band name "Raw."  The release was apparently done without the knowledge, or cooperation of the band.  A mixture of Holly's hits and "deep cuts", to a large extent your feelings about this album are going to depend on how you feel about Buddy Holly.  If your a dedicated fan then you may have some collateral interest in hearing these remakes.  If you're a hardcore, passionate fan, then there's a chance you may hear these remakes as tantamount to a desecration of his memory.  A good example can be found in their trippy, sitar-powered remake of 'What To Do.'  I guess I fall in the middle.  I'm a modest Holly fan so I don't have a problem with remakes.  Still, some of  these efforts were pretty awful.  At the extreme was the opener 'Raining in My Heart.'  Holly's version was a breezy, teeny-bopper heartbreaker.  Featuring former New York Public Library vocals Brian Parrish, his delivery turned the song into shrill, irritating, slab of emotional overkill.  Naturally it was the track released as a single.  It was also the only track to feature Parrish.  Morrison handled the rest of the album.  At the other end of the spectrum their slinky remake of Sonny Curtis' 'Baby My Heart' was a revelation.  Their Monkees-styled cover of 'Rock Me My Baby' was strange, but cool.  Best of the lost was the twelve-string guitar powered folk-rock rendition of 'Listen To Me.'  That's the track that should have been released as a single.  Clearly not the way you want to start your investigation of the Buddy Holly catalog, but if you can find a cheap enough copy and your expectations are in the right place, it's not a bad way to spend thirty minutes, or so.  Gawd, Ernie Ceflau's cover was ugly and the liner notes were just made up BS  ... "Ian Campbell's impressive vocal range and Zed Jenkins' mastery of the guitar ..."  Nothing of the sort.

"Raw Holly" track listing:
(side 1)

1.) Raining in My Heart (Bodeleaux Bryant - Felice Bryant) - 3:18 rating: ** stars

Most folks familiar with 'Raining in My Heart' are going to know if via Buddy Holly's breezy version.  All I can say about the remake is New York Public Library former lead singer Brian Parrish's high-pitched, fragile and waivery voice was an acquired taste - a taste I never acquired.  Clearly unimpressed by Morris' hyper-emotional delivery, producers Dalton and Packham slapped loads of instrumentation and a shrill female backing chorus on the track.  It didn't help.  The tracks been released several times as a single; originally as a British maxi-45 on producer Dalton's Young Blood label:

- 1972's 'Raining in My Heart' b/w 'Rock Me Baby' and 'Not Fade Away' (Young Blood catalog number YB 1007)

The track listing is actually wrong.  Listed as 'ROck Me Baby' is actually the song 'Midnight Shift.'

- 1972's 'Raining in My Heart' b/w 'Little Baby' and 'Well Alright (oungblood catalog number YB 1022)

- 1974's 'Raining In My Heart' b/w 'Maybe Baby' (Antic catalog K-11512)

2.) Baby My Heart (Sonny Curtis) - 3:21 rating: **** stars

I actually really like Buddy Holly's cover of Sonny Curtis' 'Baby My Heart' so my expectations for this cover were pretty low.  Shows me what I know.  The highlight on this toughed up remake came in the form of Clay's pounding drums and Stokes' slinky lead guitar.  Okay, I'll also admit that Morrison's rugged vocals sounded pretty good this time out.  One of the album highlights !!!

3.) Little Baby (Buddy Holly - Norman Petty - Arthur Kedall) - 2:53 rating: ** stars

Given a rollicking country feel, their cover of 'Little Baby' was likely the track to least offend Holly purists.  I also found it one of the dullest performances

4.) Well Alright (Buddy Holly - Jerry Allison - Joe Maudlin - Norman Petty) - 2:32  rating: **** stars

Propelled by acoustic guitar and group vocals, their cover of 'Well Alright' stuck pretty close to the original arrangement and while it didn't initially knock me over, the results made for one of the album's sleepers.  

5.) Love's Made a Fool of You (Buddy Holly - Bob Montgomery) - 3:44  rating: **** stars

The wall-of-sound orchestration coupled with sweet group harmonies sounded like something The Hollies might have recorded.  That's not a criticism since this was another album highlight.  This is an effort that sounds really good on quality headphones, or speakers.

(side 2)
1.) Rock Me My Baby (Susan Heather - Shorty Long) - 2:40  rating: **** stars

The 'Rock Me My Baby' opening guitar riff sounded like it'd been lifted from a Monkees tune.  Actually, the entire remake sounded like a Monkees tune.  Weird, but certainly kind of cool.

2.) Midnight Shift (Earl Lee - Jimmie AInsworth) - 2:38 rating: ** stars

To be honest, their cover of 'Midnight Shift' didn't sound drastically different than the Holly original. Good thing if you were a Holly fan.  Otherwise this was merely a bland remake.

3.) Maybe Baby (Norman Petty - Charles Hardin) - 2:53 rating: *** stars

The remake slowed the track down, adding phased guitar and Latin percussion to the mix.  Interestingly Morrison's delivery sounded a but like Holly with the rest of the band turning in nice harmony vocals.

4.) Listen to Me (Charles Hardin - Norman Petty) - 2:34   rating: **** stars

My choice for the album's standout track, their update of 'Listen To Me' showcased Clay's thundering drums, Morrison's Byrds-styled twelve-string guitar and some gorgeous harmony vocals.  It would have sounded dandy on '60s era AM radio.  By 1971 it would have sounded hopelessly dated.

5.) What to Do (Buddy Holly) - 3:30  rating: **** star

The slightly stoned,sitar and tabla powered remake of 'What To Do' was another track that reminded me of something prime Hollies might have recorded.  Now this is the track where Nigel "Zed" Jenkins (who was also signed to MIki Dalton's Young Blood label), might have contributed sitar.  I'll give it an extra star for the lysergic influences.

6.) Not Fade Away (Charles Hardin - Buddy Holly)  - 2:29 rating: *** stars

Holly's best know track found the band staying true to the original melody and performance.  Okay, they may have added a touch of Foghat-styled boogie rock to the mix.  In spite of myself, I liked their energetic performance.