In Malc's Book

[jimmy19029]

From page 312:

For the first time, the band also recruited some additional sidemen to fill out the stage production, with an organist and two saxophonists adding to the sound (circa 1971).

Would this have included Jimmy Jewell (sax) and John Peter Robinson (keyboards) who appeared on the Confessions album, I wonder? Probably no one remembers since it's not stated.

[Malc]

That's a mighty fine question and one that I know I should have followed up on, but never found a lead. If anyone out there does recall I'd be mightily interested too !

[gee]

Details are scant tho' of course we know Elton John played organ on 'Perfect Lady Housewife' - and very possibly it was Peter Robinson playing organ on 'Frightened Lady' and 'I Wanna Shout'- assuming it's the same Peter Robinson of the band Quatermass who later played organ on the Distant Light track 'Hold On' then the Romany Tracks; 'Slow Down' and 'Won't We Feel Good'

Jim Jewell was an old friend of Bobby's and was in Gallagher & Lyle's band later, we know he plays sax on 'Look What We've Got' and later on a few Polydor albums

- Tony Coe (later featured on 'Hello To Romance') was in C.C.S. along with Blue Mink's guitarist Alan Parker (who played on 'I Shall Be Released'), and bassist Herbie Flowers (who contributed to 'Distant Light' so I have heard plus Allan's solo albums) - fellow C.C.S. member Ronnie Ross played brass on 'Blowin' in The Wind' (with Ronnie Scott) so a clear Hollies / C.C.S. link exists and Tony Coe might well have helped out uncredited

Henry Lowther (of Manfred Mann, MM Chapter Three) later plays brass on the 'Russian Roulette' album for them so he too might figure (earlier Henry being a colleague of 'one off' Hollies bassist Jack Bruce in The Manfreds in 1966) so an old link back to the sixties with The Hollies probably existed and Henry (who played Trumpet if I recall correctly) might have been another uncredited friend - mostly it's just a blanket credit going to Johnny Scott, Mike Vickers (another former Manfred who played saxophone besides guitar and flute), Lou Warburton or Alan Tew for providing 'additional accompaniment' etc...

Clearly The Hollies had many 'name' musical friends going right back to the early sixties so those I've mentioned were possibles each being 'veterans' of the sixties music scene - but as I said besides those credited later or what was later advised in many instances the actual details remain scant especially over that 1970-71 period


- Blue Mink's keyboardist  Roger Coulam played piano on 'Hey Willy' of course so he might well have contributed further than is credited...

They did work with some famous figures on recording sessions that we know little of - for example I have a handwritten note from Tony Hicks in 1981 stating;

'we have recently been recording with Graham Nash ('Somethin Ain't Right'), John Miles ('Carrie') and Phil Lynott (??) ...'

What the Phil Lynott connection was remains unknown maybe Phil was just playing some bass guitar for them - but there is no 'official' credit for Phil Lynott playing with The Hollies tho' per Tony back in 1981 he was...

there are photos of Tony with Phil Collins, Bobby and Paul Weller etc...

[sandy]

Dec 15, 2021 23:18:54 GMT gee said:

Details are scant tho' of course we know Elton John played organ on 'Perfect Lady Housewife' - and very possibly it was Peter Robinson playing organ on 'Frightened Lady' and 'I Wanna Shout'- assuming it's the same Peter Robinson of the band Quatermass who later played organ on the Distant Light track 'Hold On' then the Romany Tracks; 'Slow Down' and 'Won't We Feel Good'

Jim Jewell was an old friend of Bobby's and was in Gallagher & Lyle's band later, we know he plays sax on 'Look What We've Got' and later on a few Polydor albums

- Tony Coe (later featured on 'Hello To Romance') was in C.C.S. along with Blue Mink's guitarist Alan Parker (who played on 'I Shall Be Released'), and bassist Herbie Flowers (who contributed to 'Distant Light' so I have heard plus Allan's solo albums) - fellow C.C.S. member Ronnie Ross played brass on 'Blowin' in The Wind' (with Ronnie Scott) so a clear Hollies / C.C.S. link exists and Tony Coe might well have helped out uncredited

Henry Lowther (of Manfred Mann, MM Chapter Three) later plays brass on the 'Russian Roulette' album for them so he too might figure (earlier Henry being a colleague of 'one off' Hollies bassist Jack Bruce in The Manfreds in 1966) so an old link back to the sixties with The Hollies probably existed and Henry (who played Trumpet if I recall correctly) might have been another uncredited friend - mostly it's just a blanket credit going to Johnny Scott, Mike Vickers (another former Manfred who played saxophone besides guitar and flute), Lou Warburton or Alan Tew for providing 'additional accompaniment' etc...

Clearly The Hollies had many 'name' musical friends going right back to the early sixties so those I've mentioned were possibles each being 'veterans' of the sixties music scene - but as I said besides those credited later or what was later advised in many instances the actual details remain scant especially over that 1970-71 period


- Blue Mink's keyboardist  Roger Coulam played piano on 'Hey Willy' of course so he might well have contributed further than is credited...

They did work with some famous figures on recording sessions that we know little of - for example I have a handwritten note from Tony Hicks in 1981 stating;

'we have recently been recording with Graham Nash ('Somethin Ain't Right'), John Miles ('Carrie') and Phil Lynott (??) ...'

What the Phil Lynott connection was remains unknown maybe Phil was just playing some bass guitar for them - but there is no 'official' credit for Phil Lynott playing with The Hollies tho' per Tony back in 1981 he was...

there are photos of Tony with Phil Collins, Bobby and Paul Weller etc...

The Phil Lynott thing you mentioned is interesting. I too had heard that he was doing some recording with them at some stage, and wrote to Tony to ask if it was true, but Tony wrote back saying no recording with Phil was planned. However,you know Tony, he may just have been deflecting the rumour, which had obviously come to nothing solid produced.

[cameron]

This thread answers some of these questions: elevatedobservations.proboards.com/thread/97/distant-light-appreciation

[gee]

Yeah there were a few conflicting posts by each of us on who played what especially re Distant Light where we had all read or heard differing things over the years

A reply to a fan's query in Record Collector mag re 'Look What We've Got' stated Jim Jewell was on sax and Gary Brooker on echoed piano I recall

I think Malc established it was Peter Robinson rather than Elton on organ on 'Hold On' and also that ex-Tull man Mick Abrahams contributed the guitar on 'What A Life I've Led'

I have heard that Herbie Flowers played some bass guitar uncredited which as Bernie was unwell during the sessions sounds very probable given that fellow Blue Mink guys Alan Parker and Roger Coulam we know did play on Hollies tracks around that time plus Allan was writing with Roger Cook etc...

[The Dude]

Dec 15, 2021 23:18:54 GMT gee said:

Details are scant tho' of course we know Elton John played organ on 'Perfect Lady Housewife' - and very possibly it was Peter Robinson playing organ on 'Frightened Lady' and 'I Wanna Shout'- assuming it's the same Peter Robinson of the band Quatermass who later played organ on the Distant Light track 'Hold On' then the Romany Tracks; 'Slow Down' and 'Won't We Feel Good'

Jim Jewell was an old friend of Bobby's and was in Gallagher & Lyle's band later, we know he plays sax on 'Look What We've Got' and later on a few Polydor albums

- Tony Coe (later featured on 'Hello To Romance') was in C.C.S. along with Blue Mink's guitarist Alan Parker (who played on 'I Shall Be Released'), and bassist Herbie Flowers (who contributed to 'Distant Light' so I have heard plus Allan's solo albums) - fellow C.C.S. member Ronnie Ross played brass on 'Blowin' in The Wind' (with Ronnie Scott) so a clear Hollies / C.C.S. link exists and Tony Coe might well have helped out uncredited

Henry Lowther (of Manfred Mann, MM Chapter Three) later plays brass on the 'Russian Roulette' album for them so he too might figure (earlier Henry being a colleague of 'one off' Hollies bassist Jack Bruce in The Manfreds in 1966) so an old link back to the sixties with The Hollies probably existed and Henry (who played Trumpet if I recall correctly) might have been another uncredited friend - mostly it's just a blanket credit going to Johnny Scott, Mike Vickers (another former Manfred who played saxophone besides guitar and flute), Lou Warburton or Alan Tew for providing 'additional accompaniment' etc...

Clearly The Hollies had many 'name' musical friends going right back to the early sixties so those I've mentioned were possibles each being 'veterans' of the sixties music scene - but as I said besides those credited later or what was later advised in many instances the actual details remain scant especially over that 1970-71 period


- Blue Mink's keyboardist  Roger Coulam played piano on 'Hey Willy' of course so he might well have contributed further than is credited...

They did work with some famous figures on recording sessions that we know little of - for example I have a handwritten note from Tony Hicks in 1981 stating;

'we have recently been recording with Graham Nash ('Somethin Ain't Right'), John Miles ('Carrie') and Phil Lynott (??) ...'

What the Phil Lynott connection was remains unknown maybe Phil was just playing some bass guitar for them - but there is no 'official' credit for Phil Lynott playing with The Hollies tho' per Tony back in 1981 he was...

there are photos of Tony with Phil Collins, Bobby and Paul Weller etc...

Didn't Henry Lowther play the trombone solo on "Daddy Don't Mind"?