The Hollies :: View topic

To my mind considering the repertoire of songs on the Midas Touch included ones from the Staying Power and Then, Now Always , it would have been appropriate to have one or two songs from the other past lineups for a definitive history.eg., 'How Do I Survive' (Carl Wayne) and something from the Rickfors years for example. An opportunity lost.

I heard about an hour ago that the Midas Touch has already charted at Number 31 in the UK which means they have charted in six different decades, well done lads Very Happy

It's good what promotion can do Smile

I picked up my copy yesterday.

Make sure you read Bobby's notes on the inside cover.

It starts off with "Love yer band man - You've got the songs" Noel Gallager recently shouted to Tony Hicks in their local supermarket.

Great stuff. How right he is!

Rythym Guitar Joined: 16 Jan 2007 Posts: 486

I only wish they had used the CORRECT version of "I Can't Tell The Bottom from The Top" - WITH the Acoustic guitar commencing from middle 8 'Bridge' section to ending....

overall it's a GREAT CD Set...but it could have been even better I feel.

Here's a nice review of Midas touch on the BBC pages:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/music/reviews/f8rj

The album is released in Norway this Monday 1st March! EMI Norway will promote it and the extra Oslo concert in the national newspapers.

Just had a listen to King Midas The Very Best Of.. on Spotify since I have not received my CD copy yet. In my ears the new mix of King Midas In Reverse is fresher than on the box set, and I prefer the vocals placed in the middle, like here. Good job, Paul.

The two live tracks really stand up too, proving that Peter Howarth ranks up there with other great vocalists from the long and winding historic road of the Hollies. He does The Baby maybe better than Rickfors and surely Wayne. I Would Fly is a personal favourite of mine from the latest album, in addition to the title track and Hearts Don't Lie. Perfect live recording and Pete does the Mark Read (A1 - the band with a Norwegian if I may add) song with a warm feeling.

The magazine Q has a review in the April issue (don't bother to buy it, there is mostly sex scandals and drug using artists covered) - the album gets 4 stars out of 5. It reads as this:

TWO CDs OF MANCHESTER'S GREATEST 60's EXPORT
10CC aside, until punk the Hollies were the sum of Manchester's musical heritage, a beat group to once rival the Beatles and the Stones but who never crossed the artistic rubicon the other two managed. Before Graham Nash's departure in 1968 to form Crosby, Stills & ..... they racked up 13 top 10 singles, including I'm Alive and the tip-top Bus Stop, mostly based around the three-part harmonies that peaked on the final stunning note of Listen To Me. He Ain't Heavy He's My Brother and The Air That I Breathe almost sustained their success in the 70's but it's the 60's hits that are their lasting legacy. (Andy Fyfe)

Bus stop by the Hollies is no. 38 among the 50 essential tracks to download this month. Q writes: "A 1966 Top 5 single for the "Manc Beatles" two years before Graham Nash left to join Crosby and Stills. Nice Eastern guitars, too."

Good news!

The Midas Touch has entered the official UK Album Chart at number 23 this evening.

Great news, John! Thanks for the info.

Here's the review in Uncut April issue:

The Hollies Midas touch: The Very Best Of EMI **** (Four stars out of five.)

CLOSING IN ON A HALF-CENTURY OF HARMONY

Freshly induced into the Rock'N'Roll Hall Of Fame, Manchester's pop maestros always had more to them than a neat line in harmonies. They pushed the boundaries of the beat group sound with inspired instrumentation (banjo on "Stop Stop Stop", steel drums on "Carrie Anne"), and even survived the departure of Graham Nash by sticking in the US charts long after the British Invasion had fizzled out, hitting the top with the John Fogerty swamp-strut of "Long Cool Woman In A Black Dress". There's too much from the latter half of their career, although "Laughter Turns To Tears" retains the sparkle of earlier triumphs. Terry Staunton

Knut's comment: Nice that LTTT is mentioned, it was supposed to be an A side, I remember, it's a personal favourite of mine. I would also have added "I Would Fly". At least.

Knut's comment: Nice that LTTT is mentioned, it was supposed to be an A side, I remember, it's a personal favourite of mine. I would also have added "I Would Fly". At least.[/quote]

Ditto for me on LTTT. Certainly a missed opportunity at the time.

I looked at the Album charts this morning and it appears that Midas Touch has dropped out of the Top 40. That's a shame. Still, one week in the charts is better than none at all.

It's gone back up to number 43 this week!

Acoustic Guitar Joined: 06 Jun 2005 Posts: 107

ever notice how "Stop In The Name Of Love", (US top 30) gets no love ? Confused