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MichealC Post subject: Lewisham Odeon 1968
Rythym Guitar


Rythym Guitar
Joined: 12 May 2004
Posts: 299
Location: Ireland

Does anyone have any information about this Hollies concert? Does anyone know the setlist or if this was a "stand alone" Hollies show or part of some bigger event or package?

Also does anyone know if the Hollies had a string section with them? I know around this time they were touring with that sort of support.

Thanks in advance

Micheal
PostPosted:Wed Nov 02, 2005 23:50 pm
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Baz Post subject:
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Joined: 14 Aug 2005
Posts: 53
Location: Liverpool

Hello Michael!
Information pops up in the strangest places! This comes from of all books, Andrew Sandovals recently published day by day book on The Monkees (which I have to say is absolutely excellent and a stunning piece of research worthy of Mark Lewisohns' on The Beatles!)

If my memory serves me rightly, the Lewisham Odeon gig was on May 24th 1968. On that day, (a Friday) Monkees drummer Mickey Dolenz purchased a Rolls Royce in Paddington. That night, he attended the Lewisham Odeon gig... and though theres no detail as to what kind of gig it was, judging by the next bits of info, it was certainly some kind of special event...

Also in attendance that night were Paul McCartney, Jane Asher, David Frost and Bobbie Gentry and supporting The Hollies were The Scaffold and Paul Jones. Thats all the info there is and naturally it makes this event all the more intriguing! Since EMI recorded the Hollies set which we know for certain, would you also think its highly likely that they would have recorded Paul Jones and The Scaffold as well since they were both also signed to EMI at the time? Also given the turnout of important stars of the day, this gig must have been some kind of event!

Paul and Jane would have been there likely to cheer on Pauls brother Mike in the Scaffold, who incidentally went on to release a live album that year recorded at The Queen Elizabeth Hall.... Bobbie Gentry of course had them guesting on her BBCTV show not long after, whilst David Frost was hitting new peaks in the US and UK with his regular TV shows which no doubt the Hollies probably guested on at some point.

Of course its all too easy to speculate about that night but it certainly does sound rather interesting. I'm still baffled as to why we've had nothing from the gig except "The Times They Are A Changing" and in mono as well since it would have been recorded on one of Abbey Roads' portable 4 track machines so I would assume that the original 4 track masters are residing in the Abbey Road tape library.

I've often wondered why the gig was recorded in the first place and why it wasn't released since it was a rather costly exercise making remote live recordings at the time. My guess, based on what evidence we have is that a live album was possibly planned as a stop gap release when the 1968 studio album sessions were abandoned. Now... I haven't a clue when the "Hollies Greatest" album was released - the first of many compilations and a big seller though it was definitely after "Jennifer Eccles".

Either way, the live album would have clashed with the compilation since it would have duplicated some material. Also it was apparent by August that Graham would soon be leaving the band making the live album perhaps more redundant since I guess the Dylan album project had been decided upon by then, so the live album fell victim amongst all these changes and developments.

Like yourself, I wish I had even more info, but I do hope these bits are of interest.

Its intriguing to read they toured with a string section around this time... I wouldn't be too surprised if that caused problems. Denny Laine had attempted to tour with a string section the year before and it was a technical nightmare trying to get the strings heard above the amplified rock music and this problem was still unsolved by 1972 when ELO first hit the road and again had endless problems trying to get the string instruments heard... it was finally resolved in 1973, but again its interesting that The Hollies tried this idea themselves... and now one hopes and wishes that the strings may be on the Lewisham tapes!

Will contact you very soon regarding OOTR... am just recovering from a serious illness hence my absence for a while.
Take care,
BAZ
PostPosted:Thu Nov 03, 2005 10:33 am
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MichealC Post subject:
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Joined: 12 May 2004
Posts: 299
Location: Ireland

Sorry to hear that you were ill Baz. I hope you feel better.

Your post is very interesting. Given that the recording was made before their three biggest hits I guess there is less and less impetus to release it.

The same goes for Singapore, I suppose, it is pre- LCW and Air. I've been speculating about Singapore too listening to some other 60s/ 70s bands' live work. I think the '76 Live Hits is very good but a little bit thin and little bit keyboardy. It is however regarded as a very good live album. If Singapore was recorded OK one would presume it is a harder album from what we know about the Aussie TV show with a little bit more sparkle (the guys being five years younger). I'm just, again, guessing that if Singapore is a good show it would likely surpass Christchurch and say a lot about the live ability of The Hollies. Again all speculation.

Interesting to hear about Denny Laine and strings. I've often wondered how revolutionary and idea it was for the Hollies to tour with strings.

Micheal
PostPosted:Thu Nov 03, 2005 12:40 pm
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SpartyScott Post subject:
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Joined: 15 Oct 2004
Posts: 661
Location: Gahanna, Ohio USA

I'll also guess that the recording remained in the can by in '68 because by the time it would have been made ready for release, it was known that Graham was leaving the band. What's worse (and in retrospect, rather silly) was the uncertainty that the band could even carry on and be successful in Graham's absence. I know that the band members themselves were unsure of their future until Sorry Suzanne proved that they still had an audience.

As for not having yet recorded "their three biggest hits" at the time of the concert recording, I seriously doubt that this has anything to do with the concert remaining unreleased. There has always been a huge interest in the Graham Nash lineup of the Hollies (that's definitely the case in the U.S., and I'll guess the same holds true in the U.K. and worldwide), particularly since those days coincided with Beatlemania and all the wonderful sounds that came out of Britain in the mid-60's. It's defintely true that the Hollies were on the charts during the 1963-68 period than they ever were afterward, for whatever that observation is worth.

Of course, any Hollies fan worthy of the name would have preferred that the 1968 concert be included on the Hollies box set rather than re-issuing the Christchurch disc, which is easily obtainable on its own to anyone who cares to seek it out (a copy is usually on Ebay, for example). I wonder if I'll EVER hear that '68 show, to say nothing of the Singapore concert. Ah well, maybe I shouldn't get into the shortcomings of the selection of material for the box set again -- I don't think that my comments on that were too well received first time around. Laughing
PostPosted:Sun Nov 06, 2005 22:22 pm
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