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Post by thejanitor on Apr 19, 2020 1:55:54 GMT
I've been going through a binge of PH's discography (currently up to the Broken Barricades album as of this post) and so far, really enjoying most of what I've heard. ๐ At some point though, I was reminded it was mentioned here a while back about frontman Gary Brooker being considered to fill in for Allan after his brief second exit from The Hollies in 1978, as well as contributing and playing on "Harlequin" for the 5317704 album around the same time. The Procol Harum fan site Beyond The Pale (an impressive and vast database/archive of almost everything the band and each individual member has done) has these two articles that might be of interest to some of you here: procolharum.com/99/gb_hollies.htmprocolharum.com/99/gb_hollies2.htmI'm guessing most already knew this by now and forgive me, but I was surprised to find out it was Gary who plays the organ on "Long Dark Road"! ๐
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Post by JamesT on Apr 19, 2020 8:00:24 GMT
I've been going through a binge of PH's discography (currently up to the Broken Barricades album as of this post) and so far, really enjoying most of what I've heard. ๐ At some point though, I was reminded it was mentioned here a while back about frontman Gary Brooker being considered to fill in for Allan after his brief second exit from The Hollies in 1978, as well as contributing and playing on "Harlequin" for the 5317704 album around the same time. The Procol Harum fan site Beyond The Pale (an impressive and vast database/archive of almost everything the band and each individual member has done) has these two articles that might be of interest to some of you here: procolharum.com/99/gb_hollies.htmprocolharum.com/99/gb_hollies2.htmI'm guessing most already knew this by now and forgive me, but I was surprised to find out it was Gary who plays the organ on "Long Dark Road"! ๐ It was me who sent them it! Check out PHs 'Grand Hotel' - my favourite album by the band.
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albatros
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albatros
Posts: 108
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Post by albatros on May 1, 2020 11:47:00 GMT
It exsists a not released version of HARLREQUIN with Gary Brooker on Lead Vocals. Very interesting. But whether Gary Brooker's voice would have matched the Hollies - I don't think so.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on May 1, 2020 11:56:37 GMT
It exsists a not released version of HARLREQUIN with Gary Brooker on Lead Vocals. Very interesting. But whether Gary Brooker's voice would have matched the Hollies - I don't think so. Gary Brooker can clearly be heard from about 3:10 (sounds great too):
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albatros
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albatros
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Post by albatros on May 1, 2020 12:09:44 GMT
Yes Peterc - ThanTs the voice of GARY BROOKER. Did yoiu know the complete song with GARY BROOKER on Lead Vocals ??
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Post by Stranger on May 1, 2020 12:42:14 GMT
I'd love to hear the GB version. He's probably my favourite singer after Allan Clarke.
No mention of his stint as the Hollies singer at all in Bobby's book.
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Post by gee on May 1, 2020 12:58:40 GMT
They knew Gary Brooker and co from the earlier sixties days when Ron Richards produced The Paramounts on Parlophone
Gary played keyboards for them on 'Distant Light' - also the piano on 'Look What We've Got' and played keyboards for Allan on 'Arold' solo album plus sang his 'Harlequin' with Procol's B.J. Wilson on drums as Bobby was unwell - Tony then had viewed Gary as the replacement for Allan in 1978 but Gary then got the chance to run a pub or boarding house whatever and opted out
Terry has said they also asked Dean Ford of Marmalade fame but he refused the offer to front The Hollies
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on May 1, 2020 13:07:52 GMT
Terry has said they also asked Dean Ford of Marmalade fame but he refused the offer to front The Hollies I don't know why, as he'd left Marmalade by then and his attempt at a solo career had floundered.
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Post by gee on May 1, 2020 13:21:27 GMT
EMI dropped Dean Ford after his 1975 solo album was not a big seller - he might have not wanted to get involved with The Hollies possibly as they were a rather 'closed shop' type outfit with a regimented managerial structure within the band where Tony and Bobby rather called the shots as Ford's friend and co-songwriter of Mr Heartbreaker Terry Sylvester well knew - Terry never got a lead vocal between 1974 and 1979 - so possibly Dean Ford didn't want to be in such a set up...and maybe seeing how Mike Rickfors fared didn't fancy stepping into Allan Clarke's shoes !
Carl Wayne apparently also turned down the chance to deputise for Allan when John Miles filled in but later changed his mind when Allan 'retired' from the band
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Post by Stranger on May 1, 2020 14:35:05 GMT
I assumed Dean Ford was offered the job around the Rickfors time.
He had a lot of personal issues and I guess had just given up on trying to make Marmalade a more serious, heavy band, refusing to sing the old hits on stage. He probably didn't want to go back to the same scene.
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Post by baz on May 1, 2020 14:52:42 GMT
Whilst Gary Brooker had a great voice and would have fitted in fine on some numbers, the idea of a whole show with him singing some of the cheery 60's hits was never gonna work or be convincing. Wasn't that one of the problems with Mikael Rickfors? He was comfortable singing the newer material he sang on in the studio but older "legacy" tracks he was more ill at ease with, so can imagine the scenario would have been similar with Gary Brooker fronting the band.
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Post by JamesT on May 1, 2020 16:47:35 GMT
And also worth noting that Brooker also covered 'Say It Ain't So, Jo[e]' on his superb debut solo album, 'No More Fear Of Flying', as with Five Three One - Double Seven O Four, also in 1979.
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Post by calvertbesseralseric on May 2, 2020 0:54:26 GMT
They knew Gary Brooker and co from the earlier sixties days when Ron Richards produced The Paramounts on Parlophone Gary played keyboards for them on 'Distant Light' - also the piano on 'Look What We've Got' and played keyboards for Allan on 'Arold' solo album plus sang his 'Harlequin' with Procol's B.J. Wilson on drums as Bobby was unwell - Tony then had viewed Gary as the ย replacement for Allan in 1978 but Gary then got the chance to run a pub or boarding house whatever and opted out Terry has said they also asked Dean Ford of Marmalade fame but he refused the offer to front The Hollies I was actually pretty sure it was Bernie playing on Look What We've Got - it sounds a fair bit like his playing on other album tracks. Can you verify it being Gary? It also wouldn't entirely shock me as he has a similar, rather primitive emotion to his playing that I like.
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Post by Mevrouw Bee on May 2, 2020 1:38:31 GMT
Whomever played keyboards, "Look What We've Got" is in my Top 10 of favourite Hollies tracks and Allan's vocals.
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Post by JamesT on May 2, 2020 7:53:36 GMT
I think I saw the credits for 'Distant Light' somewhere years back. Gary Brooker played organ on 'Long Dark Road', and I think that's also a track with Herbie Flowers on bass. I also think it's Gary Brooker on piano on 'What A Life I Led' but Bernie on piano and Tony on bass on 'Look What We've Got'. I'll dig out the insert which came with the Magic Records release of 'Distant Light' a few years back, but I think it only mentions what members of the band contributed.
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Post by cameron on May 2, 2020 15:35:11 GMT
The official credits on the original LP are very flaky, lots of parts aren't accounted for. I thought we had a thread on this here some years ago?
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Post by cameron on May 2, 2020 16:31:11 GMT
Here you go, the updated list of contributions to 'Distant Light':
1) What A Life I've Lead (Tony Hicks/Kenny Lynch) Harmonica: Allan Clarke - Bass Guitar: Tony Hicks - Backing vocals: Madeline Bell and Clare Torry [recently confirmed by Bobby in his book, previously said to be Doris Troy]
2) Look What We've Got (Tony Hicks/Kenny Lynch) Sax: Jim Jewell [later of Gallagher & Lyle's band]
3) Hold On (Allan Clarke) Bass Guitar: Tony Hicks - Keyboards: Elton John
4) Pull Down The Blind (Terry Sylvester) Cowbell: Allan Clarke
5) To Do With Love (Tony Hicks/Kenny Lynch) Bass Guitar: Tony Hicks - Harmonium: Bernie Calvert
6) Promised Land (Tony Hicks/ Kenny Lynch)
7) Long Cool Woman (Allan Clarke/Roger Cook/Roger Greenaway) Lead Guitar: Allan Clarke
8) You Know The Score (Allan Clarke/Terry Sylvester)
9) Cable Car (Terry Sylvester) Stings arranged by Johnny Scott
10) A Little Thing Like Love (Allan Clarke/Tom Macaulay) Stings arranged by Johnny Scott
11) Long Dark Road (Tony Hicks/Kenny Lynch) Bass Guitar: Tony - Organ: Gary Brooker
Unless otherwise noted: Drums: Bobby Elliott Bass guitar: Bernie Calvert Keyboards: Bernie Calvert Lead guitar: Tony Hicks Rhythm Guitar: Terry Sylvester
Produced by Ron Richards except tracks 4, 6, 7 - 11 by the Hollies Recording Engineer: John Punter Assistant Recording Engineers: Alan Harris, Alex Harding and Simaen Skofield Sleeve design and photos: Hipgnosis
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Post by Mevrouw Bee on May 2, 2020 16:40:48 GMT
Interesting that Tony was playing bass on Hold On when Elton was contributing the keyboards...
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Post by JamesT on May 2, 2020 18:52:18 GMT
Not sure about "More cowbell", but could certainly be doing with more Allan Clarke!
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Post by dirtyfaz on May 3, 2020 7:01:39 GMT
I had a listen to a copy of Harlequin with Gary Booker vocals today. I notice that at 1.31 there is a skip in my copy. This was no doubt copies from an acetate and hence the skip. Does anyone have a clean copy without the skip? I thought his voice was a lot similar to that of Mikaels.
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Post by dirtyfaz on May 13, 2020 23:45:32 GMT
Guess not.
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poco
Junior Member
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Post by poco on May 14, 2020 0:50:01 GMT
I had a listen to a copy of Harlequin with Gary Booker vocals today. I notice that at 1.31 there is a skip in my copy. This was no doubt copies from an acetate and hence the skip. Does anyone have a clean copy without the skip? I thought his voice was a lot similar to that of Mikaels. Dirtyfaz, I have it somewhere. When I find it i will send it to you. My God I have not played it in almost 40 years.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on May 14, 2020 5:32:48 GMT
I haven't even heard a dirty copy! Feel free to put it on youtube though.
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Post by dirtyfaz on May 14, 2020 8:47:02 GMT
Poco I have it on a CD called The Hollies Vol 1 Rarities. It's a great little boot with Maureen, Snow On Heather Moor and others on it. Unfortunately the version of Harlequin on it has a skip at about 1.30. If that is the one you have then no need to consider sending it. Notice it was made by Albatros Music Ltd. Copyriht 1995.
Hey that wasn't you a long time ago was it Albatros?
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Post by thejanitor on May 29, 2020 19:27:26 GMT
It was me who sent them it! Check out PHs 'Grand Hotel' - my favourite album by the band. I got around to this album at last yesterday and wow - haven't stopped listening to it since! ๐ Every song is an earworm (my particular favourites are the title track, "A Souvenir Of London", "Fires ( That Burn Brightly)" and "Robert's Box") and a lot of them sound a decade ahead of their time. I think it may just be my favourite album of theirs now as well! โบ
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