• From: Newcastle-upon-Tyne, England
  • Registered: 2011-08-12
  • Posts: 4,615

Topic: The Hollies

Yes, they’re still alive; yes, they’re still touring. And you know what - they’re still amazing!

How many bands, can claim to have been going continuously since the 1960s? Okay, maybe a couple of line-up changes along the way, but no break-ups and reformations to top up the pension pot? Only these guys. And the thing is, the songs still sound fresh, the music is crisp, the 3 and 4 point harmonies are perfect. They may not run round the stage like their hair was on fire, apart from keyboardist Ian Parker (NOT that Ian Parker) nor rely on effects boards the size of train-sets, but quality will out.

These days the band consists of Tony Hicks, guitar/vocs; Bobby Elliott, drums; Peter Howarth, vocs/guitar;  Steve Lauri guitar/vocs; Ray Stiles, Bass/vocs & Ian Parker keyboards/vocs. Together, just so smooth, so professional, soo good.

Kicking off with Here I Go Again, the classics just kept rolling, through I’m Alive, Carrie Anne; Sorry Suzanne; Look Through Any Window; On A Carousel; Jennifer Eccles, The Day Curly Billy Shot Down Crazy Sam McGee; as well as one of the 1st bands to cover Springsteen - 4th July; Asbury Park (Sandy); before wrapping things up with the classics, He Ain’t Heavy & Air That I Breathe with encore Look Cool Woman (In a Black Dress).

Tony Hicks, one of the unsung guitar heroes pulled out some amazing licks & solos, especially on the Sitar/Guitar on The Baby and the electric banjo on Stop,Stop Stop. not bad for a “lad” of 70.

Really recommend you catch the band sometime (soon), the never touted themselves as a (new breed) R’n'B Band, but for perfectly sculpted pop masters from the golden age of the 1960s, they’re still one of the best, and still recording quality new material.

Stop, Stop,Stop - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5iUOULuVGAc
The Baby -  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NBTna9dyYvA
Curly Billy - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Y_Ys2D7zoA
Long Cool Woman - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lP94PlEtsEQ

Tour:-
Thurs 7th Wimbledon New Wimbledon Theatre 0844 871 7646
Fri 8th Kings Lynn Corn Exchange SOLD OUT 01553 764864
Sat 9th Malvern The Forum Few Seats Left 01684 892277
Sun 10th Portsmouth The Guildhall 0844 847 2362
       
Sat 16th Oslo, Norway Oslo Concert Hall SOLD OUT +47 23 11 31 11
Sun 17th Malmo, Sweden Malmo Live Tickets
Mon 18th Stockholm, Sweden Cirkus   Tickets
       
May     
Thurs 19th Bonn, Germany Beethovenhalle SOLD OUT   
       
September     
       
       
October     
Sat 1st Salford Quays The Lowry 0843 208 6000
Sun 2nd Leicester De Montfort Hall 0116 233 3111
       
Fri 7th Nottingham Royal Concert Hall 0115 989 5555
Sat 8th Norwich Theatre Royal Tickets on Sale in April NEW 01603 63 00 00
       
Tues 11th Canterbury Marlow Theatre 01227 787787
       
Fri 14th Glasgow Royal Concert Hall 0141 353 8000
Sat 15th Liverpool Philharmonic Hall 0151 709 3789
       
Wed 19th Cardiff St David’s Hall 029 2087 8444
Thurs 20th Barnstaple Queens Theatre NEW 01271 324242
Fri 21st Truro Hall For Cornwall Tickets on sale in June NEW 01872 262466
Sat 22nd Basingstoke The Anvil NEW   
       
Sat 29th Southend Cliffs Pavilion 01702 351135
Sun 30th Dartford Orchard Theatre NEW 01322 220000
November     
       
Sun 13th Eastbourne Congress Theatre   01323 412 000
Wed 16th Northampton Royal & Derngate 01604 624811
Thurs 17th Birmingham Symphony Hall 0121 345 0600
Fri 18th St Albans Alban Arena 01727 844488

When life gives you lemons; don't make lemonade.
Give back the lemons.  Why were the lemons free?  What's wrong with the lemons?
Do Not trust the lemons...

2 Reply by RoadcaseBoy (edited by RoadcaseBoy 2016-04-04 11:16:04)

  • From: Seymour Duncan's Hometown, NJ
  • Registered: 2012-03-05
  • Posts: 2,309

Re: The Hollies

Thanks for your post.

For my 5th birthday, I received my first "rock 'n roll album" ... The Chipmunks Sing The Beatles smile ... but a couple of years later (1972) ... my older sister had purchased one of K Tel's compilation LP's that had just come out ... I guess for the Donny Osmond and Cher songs ...

I remember it like it was yesterday ... she was playing the LP in her room ... I was playing with toys in my room ... when I heard those opening notes of Long Cool Woman for the first time in my life ... the fast paced string of lyrics at the end ... I was hooked ... and remember thinking ... I LOVE THIS MUSIC (rock 'n roll)!! ... it's been a love affair ever since! (some other great songs on that album.)  I still have her LP in my records stash

K-tel Records "Believe In Music" commercial - 1972 (KTelClassics)
https://youtu.be/k7oVP-NWJxQ


a PS Edit ... since I saw this link as well ... (apologies to big Beatles fans)
The Chipmunks sing the Beatles Hits All My Loving (Chipmunks1958)
https://youtu.be/ZR1tKI10bX0

"I was in Space for less than 2 weeks … and suddenly Jeaniene’s back … half the Band is off the gd wagon … we have comedians opening for us … and the nice kid that ran our website is now a kleptof’nmaniac.  Boy ... did you guys miss me!!"  Phil Valentine - Road Manager - Staton House Band

JBLP#251 (unaged) ... thank you Ron.
  • From: Newcastle-upon-Tyne, England
  • Registered: 2011-08-12
  • Posts: 4,615

Re: The Hollies

You're more than welcome; always happy to post about good music and good to know it's sparked some great memories.

If anyone is interested, The Hollies have a recently (well, last couple of years...) double Live CD available only via their website or their shows; well worth picking up.

Hopefully I'll have some video from Gateshead ready next week.


PS - K-Tel records; now that takes you back, Ronco too.....

When life gives you lemons; don't make lemonade.
Give back the lemons.  Why were the lemons free?  What's wrong with the lemons?
Do Not trust the lemons...

4 Reply by BansheeUK (edited by BansheeUK 2016-04-11 05:17:05)

  • From: Newcastle-upon-Tyne, England
  • Registered: 2011-08-12
  • Posts: 4,615

Re: The Hollies

Couple of clips from last Sunday's show

He Ain't Heavy - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gYmZk8agWEk

Air That I Breathe / Long Cool Woman - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vf9EUpHAdCc

When life gives you lemons; don't make lemonade.
Give back the lemons.  Why were the lemons free?  What's wrong with the lemons?
Do Not trust the lemons...
  • Registered: 2008-06-16
  • Posts: 4,021

Re: The Hollies

One of my favs growing up but when Nash left I kind of lost touch with them. Long Cool Woman only reminded me of CCR but still a great song. I didn't have a lot of money at age 12 so I bought their greatest hits album and flat wore it out. The vocals were what impressed me most........ singing On a Carousel in my head now.....good to see them out and about and still kicking it.

As corn through a goose, so are the days of our lives
  • From: Seymour Duncan's Hometown, NJ
  • Registered: 2012-03-05
  • Posts: 2,309

Re: The Hollies

BansheeUK wrote:

Couple of clips from last Sunday's show ...

Thank u for sharing!!

"I was in Space for less than 2 weeks … and suddenly Jeaniene’s back … half the Band is off the gd wagon … we have comedians opening for us … and the nice kid that ran our website is now a kleptof’nmaniac.  Boy ... did you guys miss me!!"  Phil Valentine - Road Manager - Staton House Band

JBLP#251 (unaged) ... thank you Ron.
  • From: Salem, Oregon
  • Registered: 2010-01-07
  • Posts: 844

Re: The Hollies

Long cool Woman... One of my top 10 songs ever

Murfdog
  • From: Norddeutschland
  • Registered: 2008-12-03
  • Posts: 1,458

Re: The Hollies

Nice to see again. Can still remember most of the words to the songs. Grew up with them and really used to like Tony Hicks. They had great songs which were actually quite difficult to sing. Allen Clarke had one of thos distinctive voices and this guy does a good job.
It all looks a bit 'end of the pier' show but I suspect a good time was had by all and thats the most important thing. It all looked pretty slick which is what years of the chicken in a basket circuit brings.

I don't expect any of them thought they would still be doing it 50 years on! Well done them.

No Hits, No Hype.......................Classic Rock Jan 2012
  • From: Newcastle-upon-Tyne, England
  • Registered: 2011-08-12
  • Posts: 4,615

Re: The Hollies

They did include a couple of newer (i.e. recorded in the last 12 or so years) as well as a new-ish (only a couple of years old) songs in the mix, so there's still life in the ol' dogs yet. On the whole, very slick, very competent and very entertaining. I think folk are waiting for drummer Bobby Elliott's memoirs to be published; THAT should be very entertaining....

Don't know so much about "chicken in a basket" circuit, Gateshead Sage main-hall is a 2,000 seater and almost sold-out, if other venues are similar, they can still pull.

When life gives you lemons; don't make lemonade.
Give back the lemons.  Why were the lemons free?  What's wrong with the lemons?
Do Not trust the lemons...
  • From: Norddeutschland
  • Registered: 2008-12-03
  • Posts: 1,458

Re: The Hollies

No that comment was aimed at the period in the '80's/90's when their mainstream recording career seemed to be over and the majority of their fans were bringing up families and the like. Maybe the Hollies avoided that circuit but lots of their contemporaries were playing largish cabaret style venues to supplement their normal venue activities.

The market has changed again now, with those same fans bringing their kids to the show and enjoying a 'heritage' act with still a large part of the original (ish) line up intact. Blimey Tony Hicks and the drummer are there since 1963...............

No Hits, No Hype.......................Classic Rock Jan 2012
  • From: Newcastle-upon-Tyne, England
  • Registered: 2011-08-12
  • Posts: 4,615

Re: The Hollies

Tony Hicks has turned 70, Bobby Elliott is 74 (still young by "Blues" standards....)

Yeah, there are a lot of 1960's acts touting round the UK about twice a year on a "Golden" or "Silver"  Hits nostalgia package; think the upcoming one features Peter Noone, Bryan Hyland, The Merseybeats, Dave Berry & Amen Corner. Maybe The Hollies escaped this either by the number of hits they had, (would have thought Herman's Hermits be included in this) or because as a band they never split/reformed. As you say, the market has changed, certainly there aren't the holiday camps there were 40 or 50 years back, to provide a comfortable summer season, and I'm not sure how many resorts still do summer shows.

Just good to see that The Hollies still have the touch, and still enjoy what they're doing.

When life gives you lemons; don't make lemonade.
Give back the lemons.  Why were the lemons free?  What's wrong with the lemons?
Do Not trust the lemons...
  • RickB
  • RickB
  • BONAMEGAMETAL
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  • From: San Diego
  • Registered: 2009-10-30
  • Posts: 12,198

Re: The Hollies

Thanks for that blast from the past. Great music that still sounds fresh. Glad to see them hooked up and doing it.
Rick

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  • Curby
  • Curby
  • BONAMETAL
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  • Registered: 2008-12-19
  • Posts: 2,603

Re: The Hollies

Via @nprmusic: Graham Nash: Tiny Desk Concert http://n.pr/1QAMDjQ

You're right Mike.