When people talk about the beat boom and the so-called British invasion they go on about the Beatles, Stones, Who, Small Faces and so on but the Hollies are often overlooked. They were easily one of the finest bands of the last forty years, with a run of hit singles (over 20) unmatched by anyone except the Stones and Beatles.
What a lot of people don't realise is that their albums in the sixties and seventies were real gems as well, packed with great songs and fantastic vocals. Bobby Elliott is one of rock's great drummers, Tony Hicks is a hugely imaginative and under-rated guitarist and the Clarke-Hicks-Nash and later Clarke-Hicks-Sylvester harmonies were exquisite.
Not only that but (speaking as someone who saw them many times) they were a fantastic hard rocking live band as well.
Best albums: Distant Light, Evolution, Another Night, Romany, Butterfly.
Originally Posted By Glenn Evans: When people talk about the beat boom and the so-called British invasion they go on about the Beatles, Stones, Who, Small Faces and so on but the Hollies are often overlooked. They were easily one of the finest bands of the last forty years, with a run of hit singles (over 20) unmatched by anyone except the Stones and Beatles.
What a lot of people don't realise is that their albums in the sixties and seventies were real gems as well, packed with great songs and fantastic vocals. Bobby Elliott is one of rock's great drummers, Tony Hicks is a hugely imaginative and under-rated guitarist and the Clarke-Hicks-Nash and later Clarke-Hicks-Sylvester harmonies were exquisite.
Not only that but (speaking as someone who saw them many times) they were a fantastic hard rocking live band as well.
Best albums: Distant Light, Evolution, Another Night, Romany, Butterfly.
Have you seen the 6 cd box-set that is available of the bands earlier work? I think it's called the Hicks, Clark and Nash years with them standing on the Canadian side of the falls on the cover. It retails for like $25.00???? I was along for the ride with the Hollies all the way along! Their harmony and ability to record catchy songs was always their strong point and yes they always get lumped in with all those other British invasion bands for some reason and never rise to the level of the Stones and Beatles. I think that may be because they did not get nearly as much press as the two other bands that I mentioned.
I haven't seen that particular box set but there have been some good compilations over the years. There was a Dutch one a few years ago that recycled all the hits but also included a DVD with a couple of hours of great rare footage. Worth buying for that alone!
I also bought just a great cd at one of our gas stations that had most of the Hollies hits on it like Carrie Ann, Bus Stop, On A Carosell (wrong spelling ) Girl In A Black Dress etc....
If you go to the Sundazed records website, they have also reissued all of the early 60's American Imperial records label versions of their albums on vinyl in glorious mono......
Oh, and as a side note, the British pressings of the Hollies albums that never saw a release here in America also has some amazing album tracks that we never got to hear in America......
If my memory serves me right then avoid the stereo versions of their early releases. Did not sound right at all. They had the backing on the left speaker and vocals on the right. The early Beatles LPs were like this as well. Also mono and stereo versions were different takes.
My No 1 fave of theirs is "yes I will" Sublime harmonies. Regards, Ron.
I agree Ron, the mono versions are much better to listen to. The Hollies' stereo Imperial versions, as were the early Epic versions of the Dave Clark Five used what both labels call/refer to as an "electronically re-channeled" (it was also called "electronically simulated") stereo technique, which was horrible and made both bands sound absolutely terrible! Both the Hollies and the Dave Clark Five mono versions have much more fidelity and a much clearer sound.
'Evolution' was the last album with poor stereo (they're all poor up to that point, as Ron says - vocals one side, instruments the other). After that, the stereo is fine. But the mono mixes on the early albums are nice and full.
One of my favourite Hollies albums of the sixties material is 'The Other Side Of The Hollies', a collection of their B-sides. Sounds like it would be second-rate but no way - it has some fabulous lost gems on it.
Ah the Romany album! W/Q one of their finest. Mikael Rikfors added a lot very talented indiviual. Met Terry Sylvester a few years back in Nashville Tn , had him sign a few Hollies albums. We talked bout MR. The label didnt want Rikfors to continue cost they wanted to write really crappy pop tunes that WERENT were the Hollies were at back then!
When Allan rejoined it seemed the Hollies got REAL tight even in the vocal realm. It was the best thing that ever happened to em!
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