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dcpurcell |
Post subject: Ron Richards |
Bass Guitar
Joined: 23 Apr 2008
Posts: 52
Location: Kentucky, USA
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I read an interview of Ron Richards and in it he pretty much stated that he alone was responsible for the Hollies success and he implied that he used only session musicians on the records. Other than Mitch Mitchell and Elton John what other session musicians were used? I always thought that Tony Hicks and Bobby Elliott were great musicians. |
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SpartyScott |
Post subject: |
Lead Guitar
Joined: 15 Oct 2004
Posts: 661
Location: Gahanna, Ohio USA
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dcpurcell wrote: |
My exerience has been the opposite. Over the past few months I've gotten 7 and 12 inch records of Shine Silently, Stand By Me, This is It among others, because of their B-sides and all of them have arrived from Europe in excellent shape. The only one I received damaged was a cd. It looked like an elephant had been tap dancing on it. I am really looking forward to hearing Naomi and 2 Shadows for the first time. It defies all logic what great music the Hollies put on B sides or went unreleased. How could Stand by Me not have been a hit? Oh, well! I wanted to put a question forward and I'm not sure in what category it lies: I read an interview of Ron Richards and in it he pretty much stated that he alone was responsible for the Hollies success and he implied that he used only session musicians on the records. Other than Mitch Mitchell and Elton John what other session musicians were used? I always thought that Tony Hicks and Bobby Elliott were great musicians. |
I've never either heard that Richards took the credit for the group's succes nor read that the group extensively used session men.
Considering this only through 1980, I would guess that, aside from the period when Haydock had yet to be replaced or when there was an illness to a band member (Bernie Calvert and Bobby Elliott each missed time during the recording of Distant Light and 5317704, respectively), the Hollies almost NEVER used a session musician for their regular instruments (guitar, bass, drums). And this is so even though Graham Nash was anything but a polished, professional guitarist (methinks Tony might have doubletracked his guitar a few times back in the day).
Yes, Elton John played piano on a couple of tracks, even though Calvert was a fine pianist. But aside from that sort of thing, isn't it true that the only outside musicians were those playing an instrument that the band members didn't perform with? I'm thinking of orchestra musicians, of course, along with Dixieland jazz musicians, sax players, keyboard guests like Rod Argent and Pete Wingfield, and that sort of thing. |
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James Towill |
Post subject: |
Lead Guitar
Joined: 16 Jan 2004
Posts: 928
Location: Dunfermline, Fife
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I think that Ron Richards might have been misquoted in that interview or you've got the wrong end of the stick...incidentally, is Ron still alive? |
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_________________ The Last Wind... don't eat curries late at night
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Neville Philpott |
Post subject: |
Guest
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Does anyone know who else Ron Richards produced apart from the boys? |
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James Towill |
Post subject: |
Lead Guitar
Joined: 16 Jan 2004
Posts: 928
Location: Dunfermline, Fife
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He might have said he used the top session men when needed, and not necessarily to record the basics which I believe The Hollies recorded. For example Herbie Flowers was used on Distant Light, in the '70's he was THE session bass player to have on your record. Can you remember where the interview was posted/published? |
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_________________ The Last Wind... don't eat curries late at night
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Gee |
Post subject: |
Rythym Guitar
Joined: 16 Jan 2007
Posts: 486
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Ron Richards produced The Paramounts (later Procol Harum) , P.J.Proby, & Co-Produced with George Martin Gerry & The Pacemakers....and Ron also helped acting as George Martin's Assistant at some early Beatles sessions... |
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hollies |
Post subject: |
Site Admin
Joined: 06 Nov 2003
Posts: 793
Location: Nottingham, England
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dcpurcell wrote
Quote: |
Thanks for the clarification and additional information, Geoff. After I read that interview I remember thinking what an egomaniac! However, he did say those things but perhaps I took them out of context or misinterpreted his words . And he may have been overcompensating for feeling that he hadn't been given proper credit for the Hollies success. In your list shouldn't you add B.J. Wilson on Harlequin? |
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_________________ Best wishes, Rob
Hollies Forum
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Gee |
Post subject: |
Rythym Guitar
Joined: 16 Jan 2007
Posts: 486
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Yeah The Late Great B.J.Wilson of Procol Harum played Drums on "Harlequin" |
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shootthebusstop |
Post subject: |
Rythym Guitar
Joined: 26 Aug 2007
Posts: 486
Location: UK
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Great stuff Geoff . A very comrehensive and fascinatinating answer (as usual). People may criticize Ron for certain decisions (isn't hindsight a wonderful thing ?) but without Ron The Hollies wouldn't have the sound they had and that is precisely what we love about them. People can always be mis-quoted , so maybe we should cut him some slack . Thanks again, Geoff . |
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_________________ I feel far from home and far from talented....
_________________
Paula
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MichealC |
Post subject: |
Rythym Guitar
Joined: 12 May 2004
Posts: 299
Location: Ireland
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In the liner notes where he makes the comment about Calvert (which is often very prominent) he also says that many top session guitarists of the day played on the Hollies records, maybe someone can find the actual quote.
Interestingly Alan Parsons said of the '70s Hollies that all the producing Richards really did was sit a the faders and control the levels of the vocals for the harmonies. |
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Gee |
Post subject: |
Rythym Guitar
Joined: 16 Jan 2007
Posts: 486
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We need to bear in mind how many of these "Quotes" ARE actually REALLY said by the person in question....and if so...are they accurate......or just "Spin" ? |
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MichealC |
Post subject: |
Rythym Guitar
Joined: 12 May 2004
Posts: 299
Location: Ireland
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Well any comment about Alan Price and that song is bound to be highly political.
Incidentally, Parsons also said as far as he can remember Terry never played electric guitar in the studio. But Parsons was really only involved with Hollies '74 and not much else or was he? I have no doubt Terry is well able to play the guitar but it's quite possible Tony Hicks did most all of the lead guitar work on the records.
Did Big Jim Sullivan play on any early Hollies records I wonder? I would be highly surprised to discover anyone other than Tony Hicks played 98% of the guitar on their records but at the same time if there were some session men in on the first couple of albums I wouldn't be surprised. |
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SpartyScott |
Post subject: |
Lead Guitar
Joined: 15 Oct 2004
Posts: 661
Location: Gahanna, Ohio USA
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MichealC wrote: |
Well any comment about Alan Price and that song is bound to be highly political.
Incidentally, Parsons also said as far as he can remember Terry never played electric guitar in the studio. But Parsons was really only involved with Hollies '74 and not much else or was he? I have no doubt Terry is well able to play the guitar but it's quite possible Tony Hicks did most all of the lead guitar work on the records.
Did Big Jim Sullivan play on any early Hollies records I wonder? I would be highly surprised to discover anyone other than Tony Hicks played 98% of the guitar on their records but at the same time if there were some session men in on the first couple of albums I wouldn't be surprised. |
Terry clearly played rhythm electric guitar on "Do You Believe In Love." But yes, it's quite possible that Parsons would have no way of knowing that. |
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DistantLight |
Post subject: |
Rythym Guitar
Joined: 10 Apr 2004
Posts: 371
Location: Germany
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I often wonder if Tony really played the acoustic solo in Too Young To Be Married after listening to the live version. I've written somewhere else that the solo is complex but not too hard to play with a little practise... I'm not too sure now because on record it is not just played correctly but also very fluently. I won't say Tony Hicks isn't able to play it but I think this is the only solopart that I would say he couldn't (or didn't) really recreate well on stage at that time... at least on the 1976 concert. |
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dcpurcell |
Post subject: |
Bass Guitar
Joined: 23 Apr 2008
Posts: 52
Location: Kentucky, USA
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The Hollies use of session musicians has been especially sensitive. If anyone remembers the Elton John issue when he criticized the Hollies for claiming that Bernie Calvert played on He Ain't Heavy instead of him. John said that he was upset because at that point of his career he was struggling and could have used the recognition. One does see his point but I would guess that the Hollies were being very defensive since this was not long after Nash's departure and they were still dealing with the negative reaction. As for the Ron Richards issue that seems pretty well settled that the Hollies played on their records. Having seen them live a number of times I really couldn't believe otherwise. I strongly agree that the Hollies needed a first class producer in the 70's and 80's to bring out their strengths and give them an commercial focus. Sometime in the late 70's I read a notice in one of the British music magazines like MM that the producer of the Little River Band, I think his name was Boylan, was going to produce the next Hollies album. Whatever became of that?
I have never come across a single mention or reference to it since. At that time the Little River Band was hot with several hits which I have completely forgotten but the Hollies could have used a producer like him. |
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