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Post by archstanton on Apr 9, 2014 21:22:02 GMT
Hi. Can anyone remember the TV ad for The Hollies Live Hits album? It is (strangely) one of my earliest childhood memories and I would like to see it again as for some reason it has always stuck in my mind. Rather strange advert from what I can remember. Seem to remember the chap who is waving his fist in the air on the album cover from the "audience" featured prominently in it. Can remember he was jogging up and don on the spot and a very frantic voiceover and that's about it. Tried everywhere but cannot find it! My Dad had the album but I must admit it is not really my thing although when I was a kid I was fascinated that you could hear talking and clapping in between songs on an album. The cover really used to put the creeps up me when I was younger as well - still does. Every time I look at it I spot a "new" member of the "audience" going along with the bishops,clowns and priests scattered throughout the shot. If anyone has a link they share where I can view the ad that would be great!
Many thanks |
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Post by gee on Apr 13, 2014 10:50:48 GMT
the guy you mention was featured sat alone to start with with a voiceover
(I think spoken by 'posh' voiced actor William Franklin - who earlier did the 'Sssh...you know who' Schweppes drinks commercials ) who said:
'This man is NOT going to join in with 'Hollies Live Hits'
the guy tries to resist but begins tapping his foot, then jigging about as snippets from The Hollies songs are played....he eventually 'succumbs' to their music's power and eagerly rushes to and joins in with the large swaying party crowd as depicted in the album's cover photo with The Hollies at the front...
I must say I always felt it was a TERRIBLE TV commercial for a quite TERRIBLE album cover !!
But it worked as the album shot to Number Four in the UK album chart - something that none of their excellent seventies studio albums could manage - NONE charted at all in the UK after 'Hollies' (1974)
both the TV Commerical and (not bad if a bit 'distant' & 'tinny' sound wise) Live album..plus soon after EMI's '20 Golden Greats' album (which made no.2 in the UK despite another poor sleeve & TV ad) consolidated The Hollies firmly in the wider UK public's eye as a 'sixties/early seventies nostalgia act' tho' a much BETTER one than many others, who did their own show and even threw in a few not bad newer songs too....!
Not sure that was a good thing in many ways, but it probably SAVED them overall and allowed them to carry on recording material & keeping their heads above the 'silver sixties' nostalgia circuit thing...
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Post by stuball on Apr 13, 2014 15:54:42 GMT
Would have loved to have seen this advert! It seems Polydor must have put some serious money behind the group in this instance, and the commercial returns obviously paid off. As an aside, I believe William Franklin also used to have bit parts in '70's Brit horror flics.
'Hollies Live Hits' never saw the light of day in the USA, which was a mistake by Epic. Columbia Canada released the disc as 'Hollies Live' by late '76, timed to coincide with the group's November '76 cross-Canada tour, and that plan paid dividends: the LP sold well, and The Hollies got rave reviews, both for their live concerts, and for the LP itself. There was no TV or radio push connected to the album, but newspapers reviews of The Hollies concerts were unanimously glowing. It was a heady period for the group: despite being hitless in Canada since 'Air', the summer of '76 saw the Holiies' ITV-produced TV special telecast across the country. November saw the Hollies tour the country, followed by the spring '77 release of 'Clarke, Hicks, Sylvester, Elliott, Calvert', a bastardized amalgam of 'WriteOn/Russian Roulette'. Although not a hit LP, the 45 'Draggin' My Heels' was soon released, enjoyed some descent airplay, and somehow managed to stay on some radio playlists through mid '78. This track was obviously prized by many program directors, and made the easy-listening charts. By December '77, The Hollies were back for more: another tour timed to coincide with 'A Crazy Steal' and it's accompanying single, 'Writing On The Wall'. 'Wall' didn't chart, but it did receive some minor airplay.
There must have been significant US demand for 'Hollies Live Hits' , despite Epic seeing no reason to release it. During my travels stateside in '77-'78, record stores often carried a copy or two of the Canadian 'Hollies Live', and later on, the Brit Polydor 'Hollies Live Hits'. The Hollies didn't tour the USA at this time, so perhaps this explains the lack of a release stateside.
It's no secret 'Greatest Hits' packages are often released when a record company senses the commercial demise of the artist or group, and represents a roundup of hits to deliver one last payday for the label. Taken in this context, it's fun to check out The Holies hit packages. Hollies Greatest- released with rumblings of Graham Nash's departure. Hollies Greatest Vol. 2- Allan Clarke's departure. The Hollies - Twenty Great Hits That Came Out Of The North'- probably conceived and packaged during Clarke's second quitting of the group, although he returned to promote it.
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Post by archstanton on Apr 14, 2014 19:44:16 GMT
Thanks for the feedback. I would love to see the ad again. Who was the chap in the ad and on the sleeve? - does anyone know? I have a vague memory of seeing him turn up in some old 1970's "Hammer" film...Strange how things stay with you. Considering I was only 3 years old when the advert was screened, it must have made an impression. I am presuming some tracks were left of the album as from memory there is only around 16 songs on it...anyone know what is omitted? Maybe "Maker"  |
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Post by gee on Apr 23, 2014 19:09:26 GMT
Boulder To Birmingham, Amazing Grace were recorded over the period of the NZ shows but never made the final album - the tale goes that a 'phantom whistler' in the audience scuppered 'AG' but it was recorded at a few shows I think (more than one I believe)
...so was the whistler in action during EACH concert show....?
It's very probably one of those versions of 'AG' that closes the LTAW documentary...which certainly sounded fine !
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Post by Stranger on Apr 23, 2014 20:14:45 GMT
It's very probably one of those versions of 'AG' that closes the LTAW documentary...which certainly sounded fine ! Nope. That version is from Don't Get Sunburnt from 1971. I wonder if their 76 version would have sounded as good. |
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Post by gee on Apr 27, 2014 11:03:25 GMT
why do you think it might not have done...?
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Post by Stranger on Apr 28, 2014 12:25:18 GMT
why do you think it might not have done...? Good question, just my perception of '71 as a much better year for Hollies music than '76 and I'm not a huge fan of Live Hits. But then again, I suppose the voices hadn't lost anything by '76. |
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Post by Gralto on Aug 4, 2015 10:35:28 GMT
Just refreshing an old thread here, like Arch Stanton, I'd be really keen to see this ad should it turn up on YT. I write a little about it in LWWG #10. And yes to confirm with Gee and Stranger, LTAW doco uses Amazing Grace audio from Don't Get Sunburnt.
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albatros
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albatros
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Post by albatros on Jun 20, 2019 21:40:42 GMT
I have a live recording of a Hollies Concert from the 1971 Germany tour from Heidelberg. The sound is not so good, although you have to take into account that the recorders were not that good at the time. What annoyed on the tape especially was the fact that in the concert some fools were present, who whistled at AMAZING GRACE permanten. That was also the time when other bands, who played a completely different kind of music than the Hollies (Deep Purple, Jethro Tull, Led Zeppelin etc.) and the young people felt that music was much better. The live version of AMAZING GRACE sung by the Hollies is the best I've ever heard. In the 1970s Germany tour the Hollies had another great song in their program: ONLY LOVE CAN BREAK YOUR HEART.
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Post by Tony Wilkinson on Jun 21, 2019 8:38:02 GMT
I have a live recording of a Hollies Concert from the 1971 Germany tour from Heidelberg. The sound is not so good, although you have to take into account that the recorders were not that good at the time. What annoyed on the tape especially was the fact that in the concert some fools were present, who whistled at AMAZING GRACE permanten. That was also the time when other bands, who played a completely different kind of music than the Hollies (Deep Purple, Jethro Tull, Led Zeppelin etc.) and the young people felt that music was much better. The live version of AMAZING GRACE sung by the Hollies is the best I've ever heard. In the 1970s Germany tour the Hollies had another great song in their program: ONLY LOVE CAN BREAK YOUR HEART. Thought the whistling through AMAZING GRACE was when someone tried to tape a concert in Australia sometime, could be wrong, but I remember hearing ONLY LOVE CAN BREAK YOUR HEART at cabaret venues here in the UK |
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albatros
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Post by albatros on Jun 21, 2019 9:17:42 GMT
Hi Tony! Yes, they have this song - ONLY LOVE... in theire 1970 programm. Maybe also at theire UK tour.
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Post by cameron on Jun 22, 2019 7:03:48 GMT
I heard that the "phantom whistler" appeared at all four nights of the Hollies' appearance in Christchurch, though in truth, I believe the acapella performance may have been quite flat. It was dropped from the set later in the year, which it had been a part of since around 1971. Most of their later performances of this track were flat sounding, particularly by the end of the song. Of the four nights recorded, the final LP is largely culled from the first night. There were allegedly no overdubs performed.
It's odd that the "band's band" had to wait 13 years into their career for a live album to be recorded and released. Of course, the Lewisham Odeon Concert from 1968 was recorded with the intent on releasing it as an LP. And even more strange was the fact that it was released in Germany only first. It took a good few months for it to see release in the UK and Canada, and as pointed out in the thread, was never released in America, despite someone saying that it was in the top five big selling British import LPs in the States in 1977.
As a side note, "Only Love Can Break Your Heart" appears for 1971 and 1972 (with Mikael Rickfors) only. There was no UK tour during this time. It's a three way vocal between Allan/Mikael, Tony and Terry with a piano backing from Bernie Calvert.
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albatros
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Post by albatros on Jun 22, 2019 10:45:02 GMT
Hi Cameron! With the concerts you are not entirely correct in your opinion that there were no Hollies concerts in 1971 in England. I have an old ticket from a Hollies concert on the 25th April 1971 in the FREE TRADE HALL in Manchester. Can it be natural that this was just a single concert ??
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Post by stuball on Jun 22, 2019 12:30:09 GMT
Hi Cameron! With the concerts you are not entirely correct in your opinion that there were no Hollies concerts in 1971 in England. I have an old ticket from a Hollies concert on the 25th April 1971 in the FREE TRADE HALL in Manchester. Can it be natural that this was just a single concert ?? I remember reading ages ago that The Hollies played the Manchester Free Trade Hall in spring '71, where they debuted their new single 'Hey Willy'. That old ticket was very likely from the same concert. |
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Post by Tony Wilkinson on Jun 22, 2019 15:13:16 GMT
There are sites out there that document Hollies concerts since 1964, however either I haven't looked hard enough but I cannot find record of the many weeks the band performed at cabaret venues such as Batley variety club or Wakefield theatre club where I saw the lads on many occasions and I definitely remember ONLY LOVE CAN BREAK YOUR HEART...no doubt at all...
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Post by archstanton on Mar 20, 2022 17:17:08 GMT
Bumping this up. Wondered if anyone has had any luck with finding the TV advert anywhere? I occasionally have a look, I would have thought something would have surfaced by now.
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Post by sandy on Mar 21, 2022 8:52:57 GMT
Bumping this up. Wondered if anyone has had any luck with finding the TV advert anywhere? I occasionally have a look, I would have thought something would have surfaced by now. I know! I'm amazed it hasn't surfaced too! I'm sure Bobby would have it, as the band's archivist😊I remember trading a couple of videos with him years ago. I have the poster,which I grabbed from my local record shop at the time, but would love to see the ad again 😊 Attachments:
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Post by archstanton on Mar 21, 2022 22:22:55 GMT
I’ve even trawled through compilations of YouTube ITV adverts from 1977 but nothing…my 3 year old self (at the time) seemed to remember it being on all the time…funny how odd little things stay with you.
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Post by sandy on Mar 22, 2022 8:44:59 GMT
Well.....after ( quite a few ) Google's, I still failed to find the Live Hits as, but stumbled upon this, which I certainly had never seen or even been aware of.... (probably not that surprising, if you watch it....😬😬😬😬mmmmmm🤔🤔🤣) The one for Twenty Golden Greats is there too.. with the wrestlers.... Yet the better one,which actually succeeded in its mission ,Live Hits, isn't there,sadly..the search goes on!! www.hatads.org.uk/catalogue/record/aa1b163d-487f-493b-bf39-69c55ffd516d |
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Post by Mevrouw Bee on Mar 22, 2022 13:34:16 GMT
Well.....after ( quite a few ) Google's, I still failed to find the Live Hits as, but stumbled upon this, which I certainly had never seen or even been aware of.... (probably not that surprising, if you watch it....😬😬😬😬mmmmmm🤔🤔🤣) The one for Twenty Golden Greats is there too.. with the wrestlers.... Yet the better one,which actually succeeded in its mission ,Live Hits, isn't there,sadly..the search goes on!! www.hatads.org.uk/catalogue/record/aa1b163d-487f-493b-bf39-69c55ffd516dAd agency: "So, tell me, Polydor, who is your target audience for this TV spot?" Record Exec: "Well, it's the Hollies, so..5-year-old girls who don't know what a pocket calculator is?" Ad agency: "Jolly good!"  |
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Post by baz on Mar 22, 2022 15:21:58 GMT
Christ... that ad made me squirm. Then the band and Polydor wondered why they couldn't sell that album! Even those that did bite probably never bothered to buy a Hollies album again, not that many new ones would follow anyway.
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Post by johnt on Mar 22, 2022 15:51:08 GMT
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Post by Stranger on Mar 22, 2022 18:34:06 GMT
Wow! 5317704 got a TV campaign?
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Post by Tony Wilkinson on Mar 23, 2022 17:03:40 GMT
And another one.....!!
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