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Post by irelandcalling4 on Oct 5, 2015 11:26:21 GMT
Hi guys,
Unlike Cameron's excellent "Everything you wish to know about (album name)", mine is more general, as my knowledge of the Hollies inner workings and recording dates is pretty minimal.
'Hollies Sing Hollies' is a very interesting album I think; the first original studio album after Nash's departure, the style of songs contained given what their peers were doing in 1969, and the first with Sylvester as a collaborator.
1969 saw the release of the Stones' 'Let it Bleed', the Beatles 'Abbey Road', among various other era defining albums by similar artists. The Hollies had shown they had premier league talents with the trio of 'For Certain Because', 'Evolution' and 'Butterfly'. First rate albums with depth and talent, as well as some excellent singles and (as usual) great B Sides. The Dylan album dented their standing among the critics and I suppose also in the mind of the general public (though it sold very well).
Terry Sylvester had replaced Graham Nash, but I wonder how much of an input he had; while presumably not on a similar contributing level as Nash had been, was Sylvester an equal partner with Clarke and Hicks in the general writing/arranging of the songs?
The album I feel mostly get's it right, with a few missteps. 'Please Send your letters' and 'You Love Cos you Like it' must have seemed awfully quaint for 1969. However, the album then contained some brilliant material that artistically seemed to be a natural extension from the Nash albums that preceeded it. 'Soldiers' Dilemma', 'Goodbye Tomorrow', 'Marigold', 'My Life is Over with You', the fabulous pop of 'Please let me Please', 'Dont Give Up Easily' (wonderful melodies). 'Look at Life' very Burt Bacharach but perfect for this album I feel.
Mostly I think it is a fine album, and on my ipod I've added 'Not that way at all' and 'She Looked my Way', two very good tracks, especially the former.
The two albums that came next are two of their best, and really display the Hollies maturing as a real album band.
Besides the awful, cabaret album cover photo (I've substituted the cooler black and white photo from the U.S. Edition), 'Hollies Sing Hollies' - thoughts and observations?
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Post by cameron on Oct 6, 2015 6:14:24 GMT
Nash was quoted at the time saying "if we'd have been making music like this two years ago, I'd have never have left [The Hollies]"! Allan's 'My Life Is Over With You' caused a bit of a stir at the time because it was seen as a dig at Nash, something he never really confirmed or denied.
Terry co-wrote six songs on the album: 'Do You Believe In Love?', 'Please Sign Your Letters', 'You Love Cos You Like It', 'Why Didn't You Believe?', 'Look At Life' and 'Gloria Swansong'. The latter four he wrote with Allan Clarke so they seemed to hit it off with a writing partnership from day one it seems.
It was the first Hollies album not to be released in mono. It was also released on EMI's new "musicassette" and also on reel to reel tape in early 1970 but in stereo, unlike the Beatles' albums "Abbey Road" and "Let It Be" which were folded down to mono for reel to reel release, "Hollies Sing Hollies" is just about the only EMI pressed reel to reel in true stereo, making it something of a collectors item.
Out takes and associated tracks from the Hollies Sing Hollies sessions are:
Sorry Suzanne
Not That Way At All
He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother
Cos You Like To Love Me
Eleanor's Castle
She Looked My Way
Louisiana Man (from an aborted "Hollies Sing Country" LP)
Dang Me (unreleased - from an aborted "Hollies Sing Country" LP)
The Race Is On (unreleased - from an aborted "Hollies Sing Country" LP)
Kentucky Woman (unreleased - from an aborted "Hollies Sing Country" LP)
(No More) Snow On Heather Moor (unreleased - Bernie Calvert Instrumental)
I also have a clip from a radio interview with Tony in Sweden where he discusses a TV special in Sweden in early 1970 where they performed the entire album. Anyone know any more about this?
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Post by Deleted on Oct 6, 2015 7:40:39 GMT
I also have a clip from a radio interview with Tony in Sweden where he discusses a TV special in Sweden in early 1970 where they performed the entire album. Anyone know any more about this? Wow, this is something I'd like to see! Can anyone confirm whether or not this really happened? |
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Post by irelandcalling4 on Oct 6, 2015 12:34:30 GMT
It would be indeed something to have seen the full album performed live.
Thank you Cameron for your thoughts; maybe my pc here banjaxed but I dont see gee's response, it was excellent as always yesterday.
'Not that way at all' - wonderful b side, has that song a good rep around here?
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Post by Deleted on Oct 6, 2015 12:53:32 GMT
It would be indeed something to have seen the full album performed live.I think you're making a big assumption here. If it was indeed performed on TV (and I have my doubts) then I suspect it would've been mimed, similar to the 'Hollies Sing Dylan' promotion on Finnish TV.maybe my pc here banjaxed but I dont see gee's response, it was excellent as always yesterday.
It's not on here now.
'Not that way at all' - wonderful b side, has that song a good rep around here?
Discussed here:
elevatedobservations.proboards.com/thread/129/favourite-sides-1969-1973
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Post by Stranger on Oct 6, 2015 13:04:28 GMT
If I recall correctly Tony appears to describe a mimed, music video style special shot at various locations.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 6, 2015 13:05:53 GMT
If I recall correctly Tony appears to describe a mimed, music video style special shot at various locations. That would certainly be interesting, particularly if it was in colour. |
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Post by roots66 on Oct 6, 2015 13:55:58 GMT
Our Gralto could surely give us a better scoop, but here's a tiny bit of info about it from my notes. WELCOME HOLLIES – the folk parks are waiting Touring in Sweden is great! Exclaimed Tony Hicks, solo guitarist of the Hollies. Tony laughed. - Folkparkerna, folkparkerna, it’s OK? - We don’t know how many times we’ve visited Sweden, I think it will be the sixth or seventh time. It’s so nice here in spring. - Look! Tony makes a gesture with his hand towards the Lidingö bay, glittering in the spring sun. - Look at the colours – fantastic. The Hollies are visiting 26 places during their tour of the folk parks until May the 31st. They will also be doing a TV-programme. Lasse Hallström will be the producer. He has worked with the Hollies before on earlier tours.
- It will be exciting to see how the Swedish audience will like Terry. Home in England he got a really nice reception from the fans. Much better than we could have hoped for. Terry Sylvester is the successor of Graham Nash. A 24 year old Liverpool-guy with merits like, leader of the Swinging Blue Jeans. Terry blended in fine with the group right from the start and after just a few weeks they could make their first recordings. Which resulted in good placings on the British hitlist. And on the Swedish “Tio i topp” (Top ten) where their “Sorry Susanne” has been this spring. And after having listened to their new LP “The Hollies Sing Dylan” we don’t think that Terry, Allan, Bernie and Bobby need to worry about how the Swedish fans will react. Caption: Film photographer Peter Goldman talking to Lasse Hallström at the Hollies press conference at the Foresta hotel. Lasse Hallström is going to make a “pop thing” on the lads during their tour of Sweden, for television.
(Hant I veckam, Swedish mag, May 23 1969--obtained from another Hollies forum ages ago) Mr. Hallstrom of course went on to great international fame as a director. IIRC, this screencap (which our Gralto used as a header image on the old EO forum for a while) comes from one of the clips.  This is the interview clip Cameron mentioned above (courtesy of Agneta). |
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Post by cameron on Oct 6, 2015 23:13:53 GMT
Fab Roots66, never seen the screen shot before - so it does exist! Presumably still exists? Lasse Hallstrom later found fame directing most of ABBA's promo videos so the Hollies' special must be of some artistic merit but probably mimed. In the radio interview Tony says something along the lines of "we're pleased with it [the film] given the circumstances" so presumably they mimed and I think he mentions that some was filmed in a studio and some outside. Would love to see any surviving clips if there are any! I've mentioned this film in threads before and never got any response so I'm glad I'm not mad and it does exist!
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Post by Deleted on Oct 7, 2015 8:04:59 GMT
Amazing that it hasn't surfaced until now! I'm not sure how intact the Swedish TV archives are, but certainly lots from 60s shows such as 'Popside' and 'Drop In' still exist in pristine quality.
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Post by roots66 on Oct 7, 2015 22:26:23 GMT
Er, I dunno about suddenly surfaced, it's been *briefly* discussed before, on this and the previous incarnation of EO at least.
I wonder if Agneta or Knut have any recollections of watching it.
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