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Post by Deleted on Dec 17, 2018 13:09:15 GMT
Yes they are: www.chiphawkes.net/tour-datesAs you pointed out yourself, the non-original members now call themselves "The Trems" (NOT "The Tremeloes", which currently feature Dave, Chip and Mick, with occasional guest Rick).
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Post by Gralto on Dec 31, 2018 11:37:11 GMT
This is a very interesting topic - thanks for raising this Moorlock. I have to side with the Brits here – the idea that the American 72 tour was their career peak is “obvious” is simply laughable but I think we can sense you like getting a rise out of some of us. Like Stuball has said, it could or should have been their career high – with Clarke at the helm – but instead the tour with the inexperienced but talented Swede up front was a case of what might have been.
Then again, I’m not convinced that they would have done the biz with Clarke if he’d been there regardless. For the many Americans going to see the group not knowing anything about them but attending purely based on the sound of LCW, even with Clarke, I suspect they would have been non-plussed with what they saw and heard. I love Clarke’s voice and what he did for The Hollies but his onstage magnetism was limited. He didn't offer any 'show' as such - would his voice have been enough in an era of greater onstage entertainment with improvisation, theatrics and musical virtuosity, none of which the band possessed? Poco and Moorlock on here might have been the exception – they’ll know better than I – but did the college audiences who turned up expecting a concert of swamp rockers get a shock when the rest of the set was heavily British flavoured harmony/pop rock?
For me, the Hollies career peaks frequently occurred soon after a band member departed. (1) Don Rathbone could never have played the drums like what Bobby Eliott produced with Stay, their first “big” hit. The Hollies instantly moved forward markedly with their new man. (2) When Eric Haydock was sacked, the band appeared much happier, not surprising given Hicks and Elliott got their eager to please friend Bernie Calvert, a far cry from his sullen, recalcitrant predecessor. The immediate result was Bus Stop, renewed vigour to tour and the recording of their first “important” album ‘For Certain Because’, an artistic quantum leap from ‘Would You Believe’. (3) Nash departs and the Sylvester appointment is a master stroke – within 9 months the band has their biggest UK single for 2 years (Sorry Suzanne) and records their anthemic torch song, a complete departure from their singles recording career to that point (He Ain’t Heavy). (4) Clarke departs – forced out when given the ultimatum of solo or band but not both – Swede Rickfors arrives – commercially, his 20 months are a sales disaster with some of the blame attributed to the decision making of The Hollies themselves – but…ARTISTICALLY…The Hollies (particularly Hicks and Sylvester) are forced by necessity to move forward into the limelight. Romany and Out On The Road – show signs of greatness – from a band that could not have gone to these creative places without the change in member. (5) Clarke returns – everyone needs each other – I can’t recall 5 men looking more relieved and happy than the promo pics of The H with AC back posing for shots on Dutch TV show ‘Top Pop’ – their first TV show following the reunion. Within 6 months Air That I Breathe is killing it around the world, an incredible recording that transcends their utter lack of visual image and celebrates over a decade in the world’s hit parades. In so doing, The H confirm they have comfortably outlasted fellow early 60s pop British music chart contemporaries The Beatles, The Shadows, Manfred Mann, Hermans Hermits, Dave Clark Five to say nothing of the less enduring hitmakers The Searchers, Gerry & The Pacemakers, Freddie & the Dreamers et al.
If I was to be forced to name ‘THE one moment”, it’s the release of He Aint Heavy in Sept 69, because while all their contemporaries (inc The Fabs) were running out of steam, this hit confirmed the band were flying at the end of the decade, could thrive in the 70s with a new member replacing their most important loss, and most importantly the ‘Hollies Sound’ remained intact. The Hollies were far from gone, as some might have predicted 12 months earlier.
But for me, as a year, it’s 1966 – definitely not 1972. As Gee rightly points out, Bus Stop cracked the US top 10 beginning their Stateside chart acceptance; their vocal heroes The Everly Brothers recorded their songs; I Can’t Let Go and Bus Stop were incredible/era-defining 45s; they recorded For Certain Because - an album that proved they could write great songs with not one dud to be found, and was subsequently heavily covered by many artists; Nash was still happy; Calvert’s inclusion meant they now had a pianist within the five; and most importantly 1966 was the year that many of the original British Invasion acts simply collapsed, imploded or ran out of steam. Newer acts were starting to come through but that didn’t stop The Hollies from remaining BIG, ending the year touring the US with Herman's Hermits, musically and vocally blowing them off the stage.
Just my two cents worth Cheers Simon PS – happy new year to all readers and contributors to Elevated Observations across the globe. Hope you had a great Christmas – I’m typing this from a motel in Auckland, New Zealand while on holiday – being two hours ahead, NZ gets the new year before the rest of the world. Bring on 2019 – only 20 minutes in (yep, another big new years for me – typing on a laptop while my 5 year old is asleep and other half is crook in bed!)
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Post by moorlock2003 on Jan 2, 2019 18:46:20 GMT
"Bus Stop" may have hit No. 1 in Chicago, but it didn't have the impact that "Long Cool Woman" did, going to No. 1 nationally on 2 record industry weekly trade magazines' charts. As stated previously, 1972 was the career peak. The band never before or since had US TV exposure of that kind, playing 5 hit songs on network TV. US popularity is crucial to a European band's success; it is THE necessary component to worldwide fame.
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Post by gee on Jan 2, 2019 19:54:14 GMT
The MASSIVE worldwide success of both The Shadows and Status Quo - both legendary bands much loved with so many chart hits and chart albums (plus films - and in The Shadows case a parallel second career of many big hits worldwide with Sir Cliff Richard of course, plus helping Olivia Newton John's hit career so much) in many countries and chart careers that cover decades - prove that USA success is never the "be all and end all" that some Americans seem to think
Bus Stop made top five position in some thirteen countries in 1966 where as LCW only made top five in just FIVE countries so internationally Bus Stop was by far the bigger selling single - note the great interest when the long lost BBC 'Top of The Pops' version of them performing 'Bus Stop' with Eric Haydock on bass was re-discovered a few years back
- and as Simon says above marked THE peak period for The Hollies both at home and worldwide as The Everly Brothers devoted 75% of their album 'Two Yanks in England' to original Hollies songs, while Phil Everly was asking Allan how to phrase a vocal (!) and Jimmy Page was asking Tony Hicks how to play that incredible rock guitar solo on 'Hard Hard Year' and just after Graham Nash was singing along on The Beatles 'All You Need is Love' recording as one of the 'Beatle Friends' sat around them on that worldwide TV transmission
with Radio Caroline making 'Evolution' their; 'Album of the week' in June 1967 The Hollies were right at the front of the pop scene over 1966 to 1967 especially scoring big hit after big hit (besides arguably their best ever original single 'King Midas' !)
look how that later DVD 'Look Through Any Window' tellingly concentrated mostly on that 1966-68 period which says it all...the makers well KNEW the band's true peak period and even cleverly created a 'promo film' for 'King Midas...' in order to include it as BBC had long since lost their 'Top of The Pops' version !
In contrast LCW in 1972 couldn't even break into the UK top twenty peaking at only no.32 here as crucially it came out when Allan Clarke was not with the band therefore they could never then promote the song as it was recorded in it's HIT version with Clarke's vital key lone voice making it so distinctive as for once it was a rare Hollies single minus any vocal harmonies at all
Allan Clarke, co-wrote, sang sole lead vocal and played lead guitar on his song LCW so he must take nearly ALL the acclaim for the song shooting up the USA charts - as also did his vocal rendition of Tony's song 'Long Dark Road' which again largely thanks to the vocal sound of AC made no.26 in the States in 1972
even when OUT of The Hollies Allan Clarke and his distinctive lead voice was proving to be SO crucial to them having chart success !
sadly and by his own later open admission making a grave error of judgement Tony turned down Allan Clarke's offer to do that abortive USA tour his song LCW had obtained for The Hollies when as Terry Sylvester significantly stated;
'The Americans WANTED ALLAN...but we just didn't sound like that anymore...'
sadly they FAILED without Clarkey to capitalise on the succcess Allan's LCW set up for them...soon Clarke had to be recalled by Tony and then further chart success followed with first Allan's rescue song 'Curly Billy' then returning The Hollies to the UK singles chart for late summer 1973 and of course the classic 'Air That I Breathe' charted in some twelve countries making the top six position in ELEVEN of them topping the chart in both South Africa and New Zealand plus hit no.2 in the UK,Holland, and Australia plus made no.six in the USA
- 'Air That I Breathe' being The Hollies biggest USA hit single since Clarke's LCW and before that Clarke's sung 'He Ain't Heavy' making no.7 in 1969, likewise 'Stop Stop Stop' in 1966, and of course before that 'Bus Stop' making no.5 earlier in 1966
Allan Clarke's unmistakable lead voice gave them their to date likely final US chart hit with 'Stop in The Name of Love' which made no.29 in 1983, further proof indeed of Terry's words; 'The Americans wanted Allan...' indeed !
so in terms of all important worldwide sales 'Bus Stop' topping the charts in Sweden, Canada, and Malaysia, making the top five in 13 countries ( and not all sixties chart positions are available so it could well be even more than the known figure) and really 'establishing' the sixties Hollies in the USA duly then leading to American tour, more TV work such as 'Smothers Brothers Show', 'Live at Hollywood Palace' etc and doing sixties USA tour shows with The Beach Boys, Simon and Garfunkel, meeting many key American musical figures like Byrds, Springfield, Mamas and Papas etc...even playing a well received concert on that American Aircraft Carrier just back from Vietnam - over 1966 to 1968, was no doubt THE peak period in the band's career both at home, in the USA and worldwide re popularity, TV and touring work worldwide and global record sales
even then later when Allan Clarke singing 'He Ain't Heavy' proved there was 'life after Nash' for The Hollies at home and in the USA besides overseas in general which was their second peak period
plus again from 1974 when 'Air' was a massive hit worldwide Allan Clarke's welcome return to the band saw probably their third peak period re international popularity
No doubting THE Lead voice of The Hollies was the great Allan Clarke who has much to be proud of re his vital contribution to The Hollies success worldwide for so many years...and so many classic chart hits
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poco
Junior Member
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Post by poco on Jan 2, 2019 22:19:34 GMT
Gee,
Be nice to the Yanks. If it wasn't for us they would have been called "Das Hollies". LOL As I remember the USS Ticonderoga had a wooden deck an old WW 2 ship.
Hey I liked your post.
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Post by stuball on Jan 3, 2019 19:59:25 GMT
Quite a few feathers have flown in this coop re the influence of Long Cool Woman so I don't want to belabour the issue, but I'd like to bring up one last point.
During the years 1969-71, on this side of the Atlantic, it was a bit lonely and intimidating being a huge Hollies fan. At school or out at night when someone asked, "What's your favourite group?" you had two choices:
1. Go the easy route, lie and say,"The Beatles, Zeppelin, Stones etc.
Or 2. Be 100% honest and blurt out "The Hollies!"
If you took the second option, you were letting yourself in for a whole lot of hurt and mockery. In 1972 'Long Cool Woman' changed all that. It finally earned The Hollies unreserved respect from people who thought of them as purveyors of pretty pop fluff. It did what 'He Ain't Heavy' couldn't do a couple of years earlier. 'Heavy' received grudging respect, but with it came the label from more than a few critics that the group post-Nash was leaving 'the girl name pop' for the world of 'cabaret, lounge, Vegas'. The Hollies post-Heavy were still pretty much considered second-rate.
'Long Cool Woman' changed all that: The Hollies were being feted by critics and rock music fans too. Suddenly they were respectable, and admitting you loved The Hollies was cool. It really was a turning point for the band. That they were not able to capitalize on it is another matter. But no longer were The Hollies considered an object of scorn and mockery.
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Post by anthony on Jan 3, 2019 21:04:37 GMT
I believe the Hollies hit their peak in 1988 when Heavy hit number one and the Hollies were back on top of the pops, not bad for a 60's group.
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