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Post by baz on Nov 15, 2020 19:25:24 GMT
...however their very look always dictated that comedy had to come first in their act which was inevitable of course but musically somewhat of a pity as to this day few music writers take their recordings seriously, I can't ever find a proper historical overview of the group so a book on their story seems unlikely in the forseeable future however their music speaks for them... The very problem from which they could never escape. One wonders what might had been had they opted for an anonymous stunt, issue a good "straight" single under a pseudonym kept under wraps and let the music speak for itself and see if it would get any attention minus the trappings of their name and image. Freddie did a one off single in 1973 on Jonathan King's UK label and when Freddie died, King was keen to point out that Freddie was a great pop singer. And he was.
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Post by sandy on Nov 16, 2020 9:19:22 GMT
...however their very look always dictated that comedy had to come first in their act which was inevitable of course but musically somewhat of a pity as to this day few music writers take their recordings seriously, I can't ever find a proper historical overview of the group so a book on their story seems unlikely in the forseeable future however their music speaks for them... The very problem from which they could never escape. One wonders what might had been had they opted for an anonymous stunt, issue a good "straight" single under a pseudonym kept under wraps and let the music speak for itself and see if it would get any attention minus the trappings of their name and image. Freddie did a one off single in 1973 on Jonathan King's UK label and when Freddie died, King was keen to point out that Freddie was a great pop singer. And he was. I always used to wonder about that , with the Hollies.... After a certain point past Air that I Breathe, their name became a block in a way, as they were still seen as 60's? So much of their later stuff never got past that, by public or radio. I had large numbers of friends,who,when played wildly different tracks like Another Night, and Hello to Romance, 48 hour Parole etc , first of all said how brilliant they were, second ,asked who it was, and third, expressed total disbelief that it was the Hollies 🎶. Sometimes the name is a hinderance. Playlists compilers look at a name and disregard before even listening. I'm sure it would happen with Freddie too, when he tried to leave the past behind....
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Post by Mevrouw Bee on Nov 16, 2020 17:06:26 GMT
The very problem from which they could never escape. One wonders what might had been had they opted for an anonymous stunt, issue a good "straight" single under a pseudonym kept under wraps and let the music speak for itself and see if it would get any attention minus the trappings of their name and image. Freddie did a one off single in 1973 on Jonathan King's UK label and when Freddie died, King was keen to point out that Freddie was a great pop singer. And he was. I always used to wonder about that , with the Hollies.... After a certain point past Air that I Breathe, their name became a block in a way, as they were still seen as 60's? So much of their later stuff never got past that, by public or radio. I had large numbers of friends,who,when played wildly different tracks like Another Night, and Hello to Romance, 48 hour Parole etc , first of all said how brilliant they were, second ,asked who it was, and third, expressed total disbelief that it was the Hollies 🎶. Sometimes the name is a hinderance. Playlists compilers look at a name and disregard before even listening. I'm sure it would happen with Freddie too, when he tried to leave the past behind.... The annoying part being that the Hollies' stuff was so much better than 90% of the garbage on the radio at that time...
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Post by craigomanion on Mar 21, 2021 20:37:11 GMT
My Derek Quinn story: as a 7 year old I saw the dreamers on tv in Atlanta Georgia. I noticed Derek right away because like me he had blonde hair! And sunglasses! And the gretch or Gibson he would be playing. I thought he was the coolest guitar player I had ever seen. I spent a lifetime playing guitar in bands His image was as influential as the stones, kinks, Beatles, zep, anyone then or thereafter. A few years ago I managed to friend him on Facebook. He was kind enough to listen to MY music! It came full circle. I was saddened to hear he has gone
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Post by moorlock2003 on Mar 27, 2021 20:08:13 GMT
Derek had a great look, what with the blond hair and dark glasses. Freddie & The Dreamers' appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show kicks up a whole lot of fun. RIP The Mighty Quinn.
I'd still like to know who sang lead on their cover of Little Richard's "He Got what he wanted". It's not Freddy. "Funny Over You" was the hit that got away.
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Post by gee on Mar 30, 2021 17:35:45 GMT
Bass player Pete Birrell sang lead vocal in his 'rockier' style on 'He Got What He Wanted (But He Lost What He Had)'
Pete also sang their cover of 'Cut Across Shorty' in a higher tone in 1964
only Freddie, Pete and rhythm guitarist / keyboardist Roy Crewdson sang vocals, clearly it's not Freddie singing on 'He Got What He Wanted'...while Roy (who co-sings 'Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah' with Pete) also sounds nothing like the lead singer on 'He Got What He Wanted'
- curious that Pete got no lead vocal credit for this track but he did get a sole lead vocal credit on their cover of 'I'm A Hog For You Baby' which is mostly sung by Pete, Roy and Freddie overall...with Pete alone on just a few lines
Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah - Lead vocals: Pete Birrell & Roy Crewdson
Pete had the most 'aggressive' (tho' not very) sounding voice out of himself, Roy or Freddie which is probably why he took lead vocal on 'He Got What He Wanted'
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Post by metrolivia on May 22, 2021 10:59:35 GMT
Should we just start an RIP thread? Sigh... Found out on a Hollies Facebook group that Derek Quinn, guitarist for Freddie and the Dreamers died. Can't find anything in the news yet. Anyway, had a bit of a Hollies connection in that he also used to be the guitarist for the Fourtones. They shared this photo here from 1961...Quinn's on the far left...I think y'all can figure out who's on the far right... View Attachment
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Post by metrolivia on May 22, 2021 11:10:17 GMT
Am shocked to learn of Derek's death in October. I am his cousin . I would have expected something on TV or at least in social media. Most of his family have passed away too now, his step dad died Christmas 2019. To answer some of the questions posed. Freddie and the Dreamers were more famous in the USA than they were in the UK They adored them over there. Freddie wrote most of his own songs. It is lovely to read all these great comments about The Band, they will always be part of the UK music history. Freddie did move to Australia but returned to Wales and died there. Oddly enough, Derek's mum and stepdad moved to Wales also. A calling from the Welsh hills!!! So sad to hear this, I shall inform the cousins that are still with us and his step brother. Bit of a shock! Attachments:
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Post by Gralto on Jul 6, 2021 12:17:46 GMT
I had the great pleasure to meet and interview Derek Quinn alongside fellow Fourtone John ‘Butch’ Mepham some years ago in a pub in central Manchester one afternoon. Many good tales were told and much alcohol consumed. After a couple of hours Butch said his goodbyes to us and then perhaps 20 minutes later Derek said he was off to the toilet…and I then sat at our table and waited… and waited…maybe half an hour…and then checked the toilets to see if he was ok… and he’d obviously gone!! And that was it…I never saw him again! No hard feelings - you live for these sorts of occasions hearing stories from the past with musical heroes. Though I can’t profess to know him well, from our emails and the catch up, he seemed to be a loveable rascal, with a twinkle in his eyes and a great sense of humour.
One mystery remained - what happened to his copy of the Fourtones acetate with the 4 tracks. He said it was in his attic but neither he nor his wife could locate it. I believe Malc on this site had more recent contact with the Quinns and the disc still remained unaccounted for. Of the 6 copies made, only one is presently confirmed to exist.
RIP Derek Quinn - a man present and actively involved at the birth of contemporary popular music. An enjoyable life well lived.
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Post by sandy on Jul 6, 2021 13:01:27 GMT
I had the great pleasure to meet and interview Derek Quinn alongside fellow Fourtone John ‘Butch’ Mepham some years ago in a pub in central Manchester one afternoon. Many good tales were told and much alcohol consumed. After a couple of hours Butch said his goodbyes to us and then perhaps 20 minutes later Derek said he was off to the toilet…and I then sat at our table and waited… and waited…maybe half an hour…and then checked the toilets to see if he was ok… and he’d obviously gone!! And that was it…I never saw him again! No hard feelings - you live for these sorts of occasions hearing stories from the past with musical heroes. Though I can’t profess to know him well, from our emails and the catch up, he seemed to be a loveable rascal, with a twinkle in his eyes and a great sense of humour. One mystery remained - what happened to his copy of the Fourtones acetate with the 4 tracks. He said it was in his attic but neither he nor his wife could locate it. I believe Malc on this site had more recent contact with the Quinns and the disc still remained unaccounted for. Of the 6 copies made, only one is presently confirmed to exist. RIP Derek Quinn - a man present and actively involved at the birth of contemporary popular music. An enjoyable life well lived. I had contact recently with a lady who now lives in Helsinki, who new,and was close to the band in their Fourtones era?She mentioned that Allan had given her a copy of the Fourtones demo, doing ' Whimaway'? She kept it for a while, and then gave it to Graham, who has put it in the Rock and Roll museum in America.
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Post by Gralto on Jul 6, 2021 13:12:09 GMT
Yes I helped facilitate that and was fortunate to interview her (Angela) when she visited Australia - I flew up to Sydney from Melbourne just to meet her!
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Post by sandy on Jul 6, 2021 13:15:06 GMT
Yes I helped facilitate that and was fortunate to interview her (Angela) when she visited Australia - I flew up to Sydney from Melbourne just to meet her! 👍She seems very sweet 😊
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