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Post by sandy on Dec 23, 2021 19:12:54 GMT
I wonder if this is going to be held now and released as a "60th Anniversary" thing? Yes, the 60th anniversary of it first being mentioned đ¤đ¤Ł They better had get a move on, they're losing their audience đđIf not 60 years,then when?!?!?
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Post by rokinrobinoflocksley on Mar 16, 2022 14:12:43 GMT
Come on Ron or somebody, please give us an update on this project !!!
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Post by Gralto on Mar 27, 2022 13:34:53 GMT
Hi All - Ron has asked me to send a quick note, on his behalf, that the plans remain to have this release finished. The whole thing is a labour of love for RF because The H themselves have not really got themselves heavily involved in this project thus far.
I think Hollies Ltd would be pleased to see this package see release but have left things up to RF to pursue. Obviously COVID has heavily disrupted many plans and this project has definitely suffered from this as a consequence.
I believe that a UK trip sometime later this year is on the cards and from this, we will have significant progress. Fingers crossed! Cheers Simon
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Post by rokinrobinoflocksley on Oct 8, 2022 15:14:02 GMT
Only 84 days remaining to get this out in time for 2022 / the 60th anniversary year...
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Post by rokinrobinoflocksley on Jan 1, 2023 17:02:18 GMT
Alas the 60th anniversary year of The Hollies has come and gone, and no rarities project discs, ugh. Hopefully 2023 will be the year. Can someone please contact Ron Furmanek and get a status update? We need this, before we all croak.
Happy Gnu Year !! The Year of the Gnu...
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Post by JamesT on Dec 7, 2023 6:40:16 GMT
I presume there has been no further progress?
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Post by baz on Dec 7, 2023 10:27:58 GMT
I presume there has been no further progress? Not looking favourable is it? Typically Hollies - their 60th anniversary as a recording act and we've had absolutely NOTHING by way of commemoration.
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Post by cameron on Dec 7, 2023 12:51:16 GMT
I'm hopeful for 2024. To me, the Hollies start with 'Stay'. Bobby was the missing piece of the puzzle, and next year is the 60th anniversary of him joining and them having that first proper hit.
I've not heard anything about the rarities project. It was on the cards for late this year, but then the BMG buyout happened. My guess is that they're working on a reissue campaign now, as that's what BMG do best. The rarities will have been absorbed by that I'm guessing. Terry Sylvester said on Twitter that "something exciting is in the works", so I guess we have to continue to be patient.
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Post by rokinrobinoflocksley on Dec 7, 2023 13:01:53 GMT
So instead of us just buying the several rarities project discs, they might spread those tracks around and include them on new reissues of the studio albums? Maybe as mono/stereo 2fers, or new remixes? In which case we'd have to buy them all again. Though that could be a good thing, if the reissues are upgraded AND they truly sound better. Let's get going before we all croak !!
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Post by Stranger on Dec 8, 2023 15:36:58 GMT
We can only hope for expanded/remasters of all the albums now and not just a rarities set.
I see The Faces back catalogue is getting done with lots of extras.
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Post by peterc on Dec 8, 2023 16:21:04 GMT
There is no way I'll buy the albums yet again just for a couple of newly released tracks.
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Post by moorlock2003 on Dec 8, 2023 18:26:15 GMT
As with the first Beatles albums, The Holliesâ early LPs are in desperate need of remixes, with some rarities added perhaps? Iâd buy remixed albums, and as we all know, âEvolutionâ should be among them. A full-blown rarities package may be a pipe dream at this point.
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Post by peterc on Dec 8, 2023 18:32:34 GMT
I agree that 'Evolution' could do with a re-mix (unlike 'Revolver', which sounded fine as it was!).
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Post by baz on Dec 8, 2023 19:10:37 GMT
I'm sure I've outlined my idea for brand new reissues elsewhere before and my current feeling is, every album up to "Hollies Sing Dylan" should be a double disc set - one disc containing the original mono mix and the other disc, a new stereo mix as they have almost all the multitracks. Bobby and Tony seem very mono-minded and after all that was the format everyone heard that music originally so the mono disc contains the original album - NEWLY remastered from the original masters, no more pick and mixing sources and badly noise reduced "remasters" along with all relevant singles and EP tracks and odd rarities which are mono only. The stereo disc, brand new remixes of the album, and again, singles and EP tracks and oddments in remixed stereo where possible. Two discs for each album, many of which were rather short would give plenty of space to contain all rarities and remnants from the archives, outtakes, alternate takes etc. From "Hollies Sing Hollies" onwards, again continue the double disc approach but this time one disc containing the original stereo mix and the second a new remix.
That would mean the original stereo mixes would no longer be in print but limited edition vinyl would be the way to go for those as surely a big reason why Bobby and Tony prefer mono is because a lot of those original stereo mixes weren't that good to start with whereas now it is possible to get decent sounding stereo that would do the material justice. The demix technology Giles Martin has been using on Beatles remixes can produce great results as I know a lot of the tracks have drums, bass and rhythm guitar (sometimes more) locked in on one track which would open things out and enable pleasing better balanced stereo mixes that would pack the same punch as the mono mixes.
Oh, and one last caveat - please keep Bobby and Tony AWAY from the studio when the new mixes are done. We don't need anymore of their tinkerings to enhance tracks or redo things they don't like.
I think it's widely agreed that "Evolution" is the one album above all that desperately needs a remix. I think it was proved that the mono mix is actually a fold-down of the stereo as well. Those songs deserve to shine and rescue that album from sonic oblivion and enable it to be enjoyed for the great album it really is.
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Post by cameron on Dec 9, 2023 15:19:56 GMT
I cannot wait to buy all the albums again if the mastering is decent. The 1999 EMI remasters are truly some of the worst ones around, but sadly theyâve formed the source for most 1963-71 material ever since. Theyâre so weak sounding and full of noise reduction. When I listen on Spotify, the Hollies tracks sound noticeably lacking on the bottom end than other 1960s tracks now.
I recently ended up with a 1990 BGO CD copy of âConfessions Of The Mindâ and couldnât believe how much better it sounded than the 1999 CD which Iâm so familiar with! It has all the punch of the original vinyl with the clarity and detail too. Obviously not the same dynamic range, but certainly the clarity. I sought out âDistant Lightâ on BGO for the same reason and, again, itâs a completely different experience. Thereâs a shine to the original mix with its excessive reverb and a âpolished soundingâ quality that was completely erased by the noise reduction that EMI used in the late 1990s. You can even hear it on the select âDistant Lightâ tracks that made it onto the 1997 Hollies compilation âSpecial Collectionâ which was pre-noise reduction.
âButterflyâ sounds very thin and muddy compared to the original stereo vinyl, which is represented beautifully on the 1980s German Polydor CD issue and the French Magic Records CD issue, albeit with some mix variations. The straight from the master 2017 vinyl cut is also wonderful, if not a little on the weak side, which must be an issue with the original master tapes.
All in all, thereâs SO much room for improvement. Iâd welcome binning off those 1960s stereo mixes in favour of GOOD stereo remixes. Though history shows us that remixing the Hollies is a very mixed-bag affair. If itâs akin to that remix of âKing Midasâ in 2010 then Iâm not interested. They need to retain the feeling of the original recordings but reproduced with a better stereo image and sonically cleaner, just like the recent âRevolverâ remix from the Beatles.
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Post by JamesT on Dec 10, 2023 8:35:18 GMT
I sought out âDistant Lightâ on BGO for the same reason and, again, itâs a completely different experience. The version on BGO I had in the early 1990s was abysmal - very 'muddy' with little high end. I managed to get a US version a few years later, about 1997, via the Dave bloke who used to advertise in the 'Carousel' newsletter and that release was an astounding improvement.
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Post by moorlock2003 on Dec 13, 2023 16:53:34 GMT
I'm sure I've outlined my idea for brand new reissues elsewhere before and my current feeling is, every album up to "Hollies Sing Dylan" should be a double disc set - one disc containing the original mono mix and the other disc, a new stereo mix as they have almost all the multitracks. Bobby and Tony seem very mono-minded and after all that was the format everyone heard that music originally so the mono disc contains the original album - NEWLY remastered from the original masters, no more pick and mixing sources and badly noise reduced "remasters" along with all relevant singles and EP tracks and odd rarities which are mono only. The stereo disc, brand new remixes of the album, and again, singles and EP tracks and oddments in remixed stereo where possible. Two discs for each album, many of which were rather short would give plenty of space to contain all rarities and remnants from the archives, outtakes, alternate takes etc. From "Hollies Sing Hollies" onwards, again continue the double disc approach but this time one disc containing the original stereo mix and the second a new remix. That would mean the original stereo mixes would no longer be in print but limited edition vinyl would be the way to go for those as surely a big reason why Bobby and Tony prefer mono is because a lot of those original stereo mixes weren't that good to start with whereas now it is possible to get decent sounding stereo that would do the material justice. The demix technology Giles Martin has been using on Beatles remixes can produce great results as I know a lot of the tracks have drums, bass and rhythm guitar (sometimes more) locked in on one track which would open things out and enable pleasing better balanced stereo mixes that would pack the same punch as the mono mixes. Oh, and one last caveat - please keep Bobby and Tony AWAY from the studio when the new mixes are done. We don't need anymore of their tinkerings to enhance tracks or redo things they don't like. I think it's widely agreed that "Evolution" is the one album above all that desperately needs a remix. I think it was proved that the mono mix is actually a fold-down of the stereo as well. Those songs deserve to shine and rescue that album from sonic oblivion and enable it to be enjoyed for the great album it really is. The Dylan album still bothers and underwhelms me. I will not purchase a new release of it, mono, stereo, quad, or whatever. Nothing will fix the fact that it was a mistake and literally jinxed their album credibility in the UK. It is especially frustrating, as the next album, Sing Hollies, is absolutely perfect. It is one of the bandâs very best albums. It is like a night and day difference.
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Post by peterc on Dec 13, 2023 18:13:49 GMT
I prefer the Dylan album to ALL later albums, with the possible exception of 'Distant Light'. None can top the Nash-era albums though.
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Post by moorlock2003 on Dec 15, 2023 6:43:57 GMT
I prefer the Dylan album to ALL later albums, with the possible exception of 'Distant Light'. None can top the Nash-era albums though. You and my longtime Hollies pal Mark Ritucci can crow about the Dylan album to your hearts content. I will continue to hate it not only for its lack of creativity but also for its ruining their album status in the UK. They never had another Top 20 album after that (except for, I believe, Live Hits, another album that sits on my shelf unplayed.)
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Post by peterc on Dec 15, 2023 7:58:45 GMT
I prefer the Dylan album to ALL later albums, with the possible exception of 'Distant Light'. None can top the Nash-era albums though. You and my longtime Hollies pal Mark Ritucci can crow about the Dylan album to your hearts content. I will continue to hate it not only for its lack of creativity but also for its ruining their album status in the UK. They never had another Top 20 album after that (except for, I believe, Live Hits, another album that sits on my shelf unplayed.) Some people have no taste.
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Post by Mevrouw Bee on Dec 15, 2023 9:59:57 GMT
Some people think chart success is the measure of quality.
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Post by downriver on Dec 16, 2023 1:52:54 GMT
There was a recent magazine interview with Bobby and one of the questions was "any reissues or releases planned?" and he replied with one word "no".
I was absolutely crushed when I read that.
I mean, never say never and "you never know" and all that. But woah. What a pisser.
So I dunno. I had been hoping for this thing for years.
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Post by dirtyfaz on Dec 16, 2023 5:14:26 GMT
As Fleetwood Mac played "Oh Well"
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Post by cameron on Dec 16, 2023 15:59:23 GMT
Where was this magazine article?
Terry said that âsomething exciting is in the worksâ following the BMG catalogue acquisition but I canât find the Tweet at the moment. Thereâs a print screen of it on the Hollies Facebook group.
Also, it may just be a coincidence, but as of this afternoon (Saturday 16th December), The Holliesâ back catalogue has stopped working on Spotify. It just fails to load any of the tracks, even ones that Iâve saved/downloaded, so Iâm wondering if BMG are at least having a little much needed tidy up of their digital catalogue? It would be nice to be able to stream âEvolutionâ without hearing âGasoline Alley Bredâ in the middle of it, for example!
Also, does anyone else remember reading the article in Shindig magazine in 2010 that Bobby and Tony talked about the Lewisham Odeon tapes and said how they hoped theyâd never see the light of day and they were released literally a few months later on the âClarke Hicks & Nash Yearsâ boxset? Just sayinâŚ
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Post by baz on Dec 16, 2023 16:09:53 GMT
There was a recent magazine interview with Bobby and one of the questions was "any reissues or releases planned?" and he replied with one word "no". I was absolutely crushed when I read that. Whilst I have had the distinct feeling for years that Tony and Bobby really don't give a toss about The Hollies' catalogue, I think BMG will have other ideas. I'm not sure of the specifics of the deal but no way would BMG invest a large amount of cash into acquiring a band's catalogue just so they can keep it sat in the vaults generating zero income and I would furthermore guess that BMG now have the power to do as they please with the catalogue regardless of what Bobby and Tony think or want. If ever there was a catalogue that urgently needs sorting out and tidying up, it's The Hollies. It's happened with The Kinks in recent years and The Hollies deserve the same treatment.
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