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Post by anthony on Apr 16, 2019 22:15:43 GMT
Hi all, I became a fan of the Hollies after I saw Don't get Sunburnt that Aussie lost classic on TV in 1971. In all honesty I know little about the Rickfors era, I know Allan wanted to do a solo album and the band said go, short and sweet version. From my understanding the band never did any UK tour, was there a reason behind that, does anyone really know. Did they do any Uk TV, Top of the pops etc? I know we have clips, were they done in Germany or other places, I know Peter will know that. They had two really good hits The Baby and Magic Woman touch, their recorded stuff sounded fine. As I have said Won't you Feel good that morning is their best song, a brilliant opening, best of any of their Albums. Then why didn't they continue with this line up. Fact...Interview with Tony and he said Rickfors was a problem on stage with his lack of English, surely they knew that before they hired him. So it was nothing new, Their Santa Monica set, did a good job, no Rickfors songs included, why was that. Hey this is us, here is our new material enjoy, that was missing. you go to any show and its got a new song or two. Were they worried it would not go down well, if that's the case why did they bother. Why were the Hollies so keen to have Allan return. I think the band felt they had made a mistake and wanted to right it. Plus from what I believe Rickfors wasn't happy. Maybe it will all come out in Bobby's book, hope I live long enough for it to be released. In closing, I think the Rickfors era was good, the Hollies had a bigger sound, I felt it gave Terry a chance to really shine also. The band must think it was OK as they are doing two Rickfors era songs in their set, they do a great version of the Baby, only wish they would drop the guitar/sitar solo, rather the into to Stop Stop Stop, sadly that's been dropped. And Steve does a pleasant version of magic woman touch. Just a few thoughts and questions, my opinion.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Apr 17, 2019 7:16:16 GMT
Yes, they appeared on 'Top Of The Pops' a couple of times, also on 'They Sold A Million'.
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Post by knut on Apr 17, 2019 8:58:38 GMT
You can also read what Mikael wrote about him leaving in his book. He felt out of place and everyone in the US wanted to hear Long cool woman sung by Allan.
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poco
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Post by poco on Apr 17, 2019 11:35:30 GMT
What songs did they play ?
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Post by anthony on Apr 17, 2019 13:56:04 GMT
Yes, they appeared on 'Top Of The Pops' a couple of times, also on 'They Sold A Million'. Thanks PeterC
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Post by anthony on Apr 17, 2019 14:00:16 GMT
You can also read what Mikael wrote about him leaving in his book. He felt out of place and everyone in the US wanted to hear Long cool woman sung by Allan. That's a real shame he felt that way Knut. If LCW hadn't been that big hit then maybe he would have been long term, he did come in at a very awkward moment, big hit and the lead singer had departed.
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Post by stuball on Apr 17, 2019 17:42:53 GMT
I think the big tragedy with Mikael was the the sad way The Hollies stumbled out of the gate upon their initial release of 'The Baby'. Had it been a top 10 hit in Britain, it would have established the new Hollies as a success at home, and they may have built upon it and gone on to greater things. But it didn't happen, and the group appeared as a failure without Clarke. Stateside, the record did zip. Not a surprise as The Hollies were a completely forgotten entity from spring '70 onwards, when Bottom From The Top floundered at #82 and the follow-ups through '70 and '71, Gasoline Alley Bred, Survival Of The Fittest and Hey Willy were all dead on arrival. Only the complete optimist would expect The Baby to break that losing streak. The Hollies were essentially dead and buried by the time The Baby was quietly released to no fanfare and no interest. A real low in The Hollies career.
That Long Cool Woman would rocket out of left field and become The Hollies biggest smash ever, (with the departed Clarke singing solo and towering over that tune), was a one in a million fluke. And it put pressure on The Hollies and Mikael in particular with the demand to tour America without the singer whose voice made the song the smash it was. The great tragedy though is today, in many quarters, Romany and Out In The Road LPs are thought of as near-masterpieces, and yet it all went so badly for the group at the time.
The Hollies had done their best to make Mikael at home in London. They had rented him a flat and brought over his Swedish songwriting partner for company. They also got him a set of wheels to get around town. But I'm sure homesickness must have set in. Plus, it must have been a heavy weight to carry, thinking that the future success of a phenomenally successful act rested largely on your shoulders. And if the group should stumble, as they did, all eyes would be looking at you! And when that success failed to maintain the level of 'Long Cool Woman's' heights, I can see why Mikael would have felt lost, isolated and homesick. I've no doubt he must have thought himself something of a handy scapegoat as well. Very unfair to him, I think.
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Post by gee on Apr 17, 2019 17:55:44 GMT
Mike was a friend of the group since around 1966-67 when they toured Sweden - I believe his group opened for The Hollies (shades of Aussie guitarist John Farrar whose band The Strangers opened for The Shadows down under in 1966)
What I heard was that Allan it seems had 'friends' advising him he WAS The Hollies - if Nash could do so well with CSN then going it alone would be 'easy' for Clarkey (sounds like the advice Bond actor George Lazenby got in 1969)
Allan saw others leaving their established bands too - Paul Jones had quit Manfred Mann in 1966 to become a successful solo artist as did Scott Walker in 1967, by 1969 a certain Carl Wayne quit his band The Move, Dave Dee left Dozy, Beaky etc...and Mr. Nash was doing very well at Woodstock etc
so Allan probably was itching to 'do HIS own thing' plus I suspect he found minus Nash the group balance had altered significantly and he was now being outvoted '2 to 1' by Hicks and Elliott re group matters....(?)
we know 'Sing Dylan' was Tony Hicks idea and 'Blo-Blo-Blowin' was Bobby's dream of playing with jazz figures Ronnie Scott and Ronnie Ross - so Clarke who was now getting the identical attitude from producer Ron Richards that Nash earlier had re his songs probably became increasingly unsettled
'Soldier's Dilemma' was an anti war Clarke song on 'Hollies Sing Hollies' dropped from the USA version possibly re it's content as the Vietnam war was raging so maybe that further upset Clarke too ?
whatever, with The Beatles now all gone solo too, and each having some chart success Clarke told the band he wanted to do a solo album - it appears they bluntly told him if he wanted to do so he had to leave to do it - so he did no doubt seeking a 'more fashionable' solo career which at best was unplanned and rather half hearted...he never formed a proper band nor did any touring - initially unlike Nash back in late 1968 Clarke had no record deal or even a producer / agent !
the RCA Victor deal was a 'one off' for his debut album in 1972
Tony meanwhile remembered Mike and decided after the Chip Taylor hit 'The Baby' to then go for a more album orientated approach initially cutting more acoustic / harmony vocal flavoured items with a clear CSN influence in the more 'west coast' American style of CSN, America, Eagles etc (as indeed did The Shadows with 'Marvin Welch and Farrar' around the same 1971-72 period)
two thirds through 'Romany' they did a CSNY and added some electric rock numbers - these were the final tracks cut for 'Romany'
they did have a few problems however
Mike was rather shy, it all happened very quickly and he may have felt something of a 'fish out of water' plus it became obvious how he disliked being an out and out 'frontman' figure as Clarke was much preferring to be a band member in a complete front line up - hence they re-positioned him onstage either with Terry behind Tony and Bernie or all in a line where they could, however Mike had to sing earlier sixties pop songs he really didn't want to do - they were itching to do 'Romany' album tracks but the audience expected hits
LCW was probably as much a millstone around their necks as a bonus - it got them a US tour before they were really ready to go out on the road re having to sing 'Bus Stop', 'Carrie Anne' etc and big USA hits associated with Allan Clarke, whatever despite some well received concerts and noted USA TV shows the sad fact is 'Romany' only made the lower end of the USA chart, while 'Magic Woman Touch' failed to chart in the UK (their first 'official' single to miss the UK chart) and in the USA - tho' the Clarke sung 'Long Dark Road' made no.26 and as Terry Sylvester said;
'the Americans wanted Allan but we just didn't sound like that anymore...'
the follow up album was left unissued in both UK and USA as events rather overtook it not due to any musical failing, quite the opposite
Tony has openly admitted he made an error refusing Clarke's offer to do that USA tour...he COULD have agreed insisting Mike was retained in the band as co-lead vocalist and musician...Clarke then just might have had to accept that as a term of his readmission to the band - but it was an oppertunity wasted on both sides in retrospect
they never attempted a UK tour or European tour with Mike which is telling and Tony has spoken of how they were forced to record in tiny sections increasing studio time and costs as Mike's accent shone through (I never really noticed that but we were hearing finished results)
they set Mike up in a flat in Chelsea I think and his girlfriend came over, but he was homesick and when Tony met up with Allan for that chat it was pretty much sealed - Mike returned home happily to a successful solo career writing a song 'Sailors of The Heart' re his Hollies experience
but you can't help feel an oppertunity to break big in the US with both Clarke and Rickfors in the band was missed...The Eagles expanded adding Joe Walsh while CSN had added Y - so with Clarke singing LCW and 'Long Dark Road', plus 'He Ain't Heavy' etc, and Mike handling the 'Romany' songs and 'The Baby' plus Terry singing 'Jesus Was A Cossmaker' etc they could have featured at least THREE lead vocalists - even Tony if he wanted to - which in retrospect might have saved Allan Clarke's voice...!
but that is hindsight, whatever they might have avoided ending up primarily a nostalgia act
I was never that sure 'Magic Woman Touch' was the best choice to follow up 'The Baby'
I feel 'Won't We Feel Good That Morning' then 'Courage of Your Convictions' should have been the two singles taken from 'Romany'
next up their fine covers of both 'Witchy Woman' and 'If it Wasn't For The Reason' whichever was first as the following two singles might have given them more UK / USA chart hits (?)
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Post by cameron on Apr 17, 2019 21:38:44 GMT
next up their fine covers of both 'Witchy Woman' and 'If it Wasn't For The Reason' whichever was first as the following two singles might have given them more UK / USA chart hits (?) Telling of the Hollies' lack of sure direction during this period is that both these songs remained in the can until 1988 and 2007 respectively! They were arguably two of the best recordings to come out of the Rickfors era, along with 'I Had A Dream', which was a long-buried B-side. I also think 'Won't You Feel Good That Morning' would have been a great single, as would 'Nearer To You' from the aborted follow up LP. The Hollies indeed stumbled out of the gate with the awkwardly titled 'The Baby', which was the very first Rickfors era recording. Despite being written by Chip Taylor, who'd written 'I Can't Let Go', I think the lyrics were too far fetched for it to be a hit. It's got a great melody though, and was the last truly exciting drumming by Bobby on a Hollies A-side to my mind. The dynamic in the studio had now changed, the Hollies were REALLY conscientious about their sound. I actually think for this reason, 'Romany' is probably the best album of their career in the respect that it's so fully fleshed out and carefully recorded. There's so many intricate layers to it, so many overdubs, and Mikael Rickfors' duelling lead guitar with Tony Hicks was a real asset to the group. It's got such a highly polished sound to the album, much like the West-Coast American LPs that were flooding the market at the time. It was noted that it was delayed for release three times back in 1972, presumably because the Hollies kept tweaking the final product. It's also the first Hollies album co-produced by Alan Parsons, as their producer from day one Ron Richards lost interest in the group once Allan Clarke left. Right in the middle of all this, as 'The Baby' was beginning to climb the charts in the UK, 'Long Cool Woman' becomes an unexpected hit in the US. Allan Clarke makes an offer to return and US tour promotors are making offers for the Hollies to go over. Tony declines Allan's offer, more or less along the lines of "you've made your bed, now lie in it", and that was that. Cue a truly disastrous North American tour with the Raspberries supporting them, who by all accounts greatly outshone the shoddy and unrehearsed sounding Hollies. Mid-way through the tour, the Raspberries were mysteriously dropped from the lineup! Things didn't get better when they returned in early 1973, with Tony even quipping to the audience on one recording "did you all come here in the same taxi?!". It was a crushing disappointment all-round. 'Magic Woman Touch' was the first Hollies single to never even chart in the UK, but it famously became one of the top-selling hits of the year in Australia. The follow up LP 'Out On The Road' was recorded, mixed and prepped for release, Bobby even did some PR for the Hollies Fan Club giving a track-by-track guide to the new LP. Curiously, the running order wasn't quite the same as what ended up being released in Germany and Spain in 1973. The album was cancelled, Tony had already met with Allan Clarke, who agreed to return to the fold. I think they both mutually agreed that they'd messed up collectively, and agreed to put it all behind them. Allan comes back, and the Hollies are tearing up the charts with the Long Cool Woman-esque 'The Day That Curly Billy Shot Down Crazy Sam McGee', b/w the lovely Rickfors era track 'Born A Man' sang by Tony. On reflection, Mikael Rickfors was an absolutely stark raving bonkers choice to replace Allan Clarke - why on earth go for a non-native English singer?! It blows my mind. When the likes of Colin Blunstone, Carl Wayne and Gary Brooker were all approached to join the band, why settle for a completely unknown and obscure Swedish singer? Mikael had a gorgeous voice, very reminiscent of Scott Walker. He bought a new dynamic to the group as a talented multi-instrumentalist, though he only bought one song to the table, 'Touch', which had been a B-side for his native Swedish band, Bamboo, back in 1968. It's a strange but fascinating bump in the road in the Hollies' story. On reflection, it was really the start of the end of their career - despite the lack of success in America, 'Gasoline Alley Bred', 'I Can't Tell The Bottom From The Top' and to a lesser extent 'Hey Willy' had been big hits all over the World. I just have a feeling that had Allan Clarke stayed, things would have been different for the better, but ultimately they needed each other.
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Post by anthony on Apr 17, 2019 22:31:32 GMT
thank you to Stuball, Gee and Cameron, really enjoyed what you have written, I sure learnt a few things. In the end it was a bit of a PR nightmare those Rickfors years, a real shame as they produced some great music. In the end Allan needed the Hollies and visa versa. I agree with Gee when saying about Allan wanting to be solo , in my opinion that would be his big regret he never made it big as Allan Clarke the solo singer. His disappointment and returning kept out Hollies dream going.
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Post by moorlock2003 on Apr 29, 2019 18:29:51 GMT
Enough of this BS about US fans wanting Clarke to sing LCW. Watching ABC-TV's "In Concert", broadcast on Feb. 13, 1973, the crowd is super enthusiastic and they couldn't care less about Clarke not being there. Terry does a bang up job with the song. Allan who?
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Apr 29, 2019 19:01:45 GMT
Enough of this BS about US fans wanting Clarke to sing LCW. Watching ABC-TV's "In Concert", broadcast on Feb. 13, 1973, the crowd is super enthusiastic and they couldn't care less about Clarke not being there. Terry does a bang up job with the song. Allan who? Most of them were probably drugged to the eyeballs, and incapable of rational judgement.
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Post by anthony on Apr 29, 2019 22:24:22 GMT
Enough of this BS about US fans wanting Clarke to sing LCW. Watching ABC-TV's "In Concert", broadcast on Feb. 13, 1973, the crowd is super enthusiastic and they couldn't care less about Clarke not being there. Terry does a bang up job with the song. Allan who? Most of them were probably drugged to the eyeballs, and incapable of rational judgement. from what I believe there were other acts on that In Concert show peterc, I would imagine the audience was there just to hear whoever was there playing at the time. They would have cheered Micky Mouse.
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albatros
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albatros
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Post by albatros on Jun 5, 2019 16:38:49 GMT
I would love to see the Hollies in concert with Rickfors. Rickfors was a real great singer with his problems to sing in english language. But at this time they never toured Germany and Europe. I think, that the problem was, that the Hollies were at this time one of the top chart groups. And with Rickfors it did not work so with Allan. In Germany and Netherlands they have success with theire songs - The Baby, Magic Woman Touch - both great tunes. I also loved the "OUT ON THE ROAD" album. It`s one of my top 4 Hollies albums. A real great one. A shame that they only released this one in Germany and in Spain. I loved the versions with Rickfors on the bill (Transatlantic + Out On The Road) much more than the Clarke sung versions. When Clarke did not leave the Hollies in 1971 I think the Charthits would come again and again. On DISTANT LIGHT are songs with this Hit potential - A LITTLE THING LIKE LOVE or DO TO WITH LOVE. Theire greatest mistake was to release after THE AIR this SON OF A ROTTON GAMBLER. And on the HOLLIES LP 1974 was such a great song with enormous Hit potential: DON`T LET ME DOWN - specially the guys from Brazil and other SUD American countries loved this one.
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Post by moorlock2003 on Jun 5, 2019 22:28:19 GMT
I will debate anyone who actually saw The Hollies in 1972 with Rickfors. Anyone else has no right to do so. I was there; were you?
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Post by anthony on Jun 5, 2019 23:45:45 GMT
The thing that amazes me they didn't do any of the new Rickforce songs in this set, Think they sang 7 songs and didn't do a new one, wonder why. Think they were trying to hide poor Rickfors, they got him into the band they should have really showed his talents, Funny they never acknowledged Rickfors till the new line up and now do two brilliant songs from that era, Peter Haworth does a great version of the Baby, his voice is really suited to this song and Steve does a nice slow version of magic woman touch. Funny looking back things always seem better in the old days.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jun 6, 2019 6:47:32 GMT
I will debate anyone who actually saw The Hollies in 1972 with Rickfors. Anyone else has no right to do so. I was there; were you? How many times have you seen Peter Howarth? I've only seen both Rickfors and Howarth (also Carl Wayne) on video, though that's enough for me to know that I prefer Allan Clarke. Having said that, each to their own. I'm glad the Rickfors era means so much to you, and I'm glad that Anthony and many thousands others still enjoy The Hollies as they are today.
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Post by ransford on Jun 6, 2019 10:42:45 GMT
Talking about Mikael Rickfors, he's going through a hipsurgergy in the beginning of this month. He had to cancel quite many gigs in June-July. He got a new hip five years ago, but it wasn't a success. Now they have to re-operate.
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Post by moorlock2003 on Jun 6, 2019 20:13:14 GMT
Enough of this BS about US fans wanting Clarke to sing LCW. Watching ABC-TV's "In Concert", broadcast on Feb. 13, 1973, the crowd is super enthusiastic and they couldn't care less about Clarke not being there. Terry does a bang up job with the song. Allan who? Most of them were probably drugged to the eyeballs, and incapable of rational judgement. Oh brother. Yeah, 3000 people were temporarily bonkers just because the UK's preferred lead singer bailed the band. The truth is right there on the video; the crowd was having a great time and yet the denials continue. I'm thinking there must be members of the Trump family here.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jun 6, 2019 20:36:36 GMT
Make your mind up, should we judge the band by a video or not?
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Post by moorlock2003 on Jun 6, 2019 20:59:47 GMT
Make your mind up, should we judge the band by a video or not? Make up YOUR mind; do you like The Hollies' 1972 USA success or not?
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Post by moorlock2003 on Jun 6, 2019 21:08:41 GMT
Make your mind up, should we judge the band by a video or not? Yes the band should be judged by the video. I was referring to the full-length concert I attended. The In Concert performance was for broadcasting purposes.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jun 6, 2019 21:47:04 GMT
Make your mind up, should we judge the band by a video or not? Yes the band should be judged by the video. I was referring to the full-length concert I attended. The In Concert performance was for broadcasting purposes. OK... I've judged it, and I've also judged my many other Hollies videos. Give me the band that played live on 'Beat Club' in '66 any day.
But as I've said, each to their own.
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Post by anthony on Jun 6, 2019 23:57:52 GMT
I will debate anyone who actually saw The Hollies in 1972 with Rickfors. Anyone else has no right to do so. I was there; were you? How many times have you seen Peter Howarth? I've only seen both Rickfors and Howarth (also Carl Wayne) on video, though that's enough for me to know that I prefer Allan Clarke. Having said that, each to their own. I'm glad the Rickfors era means so much to you, and I'm glad that Anthony and many thousands others still enjoy The Hollies as they are today. Good on you PeterC, at least you went along. its ok not to be impressed, you gave it ago, I remember when I saw Carl wayne, at first it was very strange, no Allan Clarke, well he is the real reason we are all here.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jun 12, 2019 14:58:36 GMT
Make your mind up, should we judge the band by a video or not? Make up YOUR mind; do you like The Hollies' 1972 USA success or not? Yes.
I'm also glad that the Rickfors line-up had very limited commercial success, as otherwise Allan may never have returned, and millions of people wouldn't have witnessed another 25+ years of shows fronted by the man who sang lead on the vast majority of The Hollies' hits.
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