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The Hollies Forum Index » Words and Music » "Staying Power": Is it Rock & Roll?
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Dennis Post subject: "Staying Power": Is it Rock & Roll?
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I still haven't heard one bit of "Staying Power", but I've read the mixed reviews with great interest. My longtime Hollies pal Mark gave me a 3 word comment: "All lame ballads". Is this true? I thought there were at least a few upbeat numbers that could be called rock & roll, but is Mark correct? I'm honesty not in any hurry to hear the new CD because I think I will be sorely disappointed. I've never been so unenthusiastic about a Hollies release before. But then it was over 20 years ago when "What Goes Around" came out, and even though I only liked a few tracks, at least The Hollies were heard on the radio again. I wish they would be a rock & roll band again, like they were in the '60s and '70s. It sounds like they are trying to fit into the bland "power ballad" scene of today, and it's not working out. Better that they go back to their roots, but I doubt that will happen. Say what you like about The Rolling Stones, at least they've remained a rock band.
PostPosted:Mon Apr 24, 2006 5:22 am
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James Towill Post subject:
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I wouldn't go as far as to say that they are 'power ballads'. Hell, there's most definitely only room for one Peter Cetera on this planet Shocked Shocked Laughing

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PostPosted:Mon Apr 24, 2006 6:20 am
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DistantLight Post subject:
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Joined: 10 Apr 2004
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It's not all ballads but it's certainly not Rock'n'Roll! There are two rockier tracks (Touch Me, Break Me), some poppy uptempo songs (Hope, Live It Up). But even the rockers are relatively tame so it can't be called Rock'n'Roll at all. It's a clean pop album.
PostPosted:Mon Apr 24, 2006 7:27 am
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Dennis Post subject:
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I don't understand why they don't do an album with guitar-based songs. Forget the keyboard mush. They've got one of the great lead guitarists in British Rock history (Hicks), one of the great drummers (Elliot), and yet they insist on doing music that is bland and unexciting? What is the point? Haven't they listened to ANYTHING in the last 15 years? Bands have been rocking out. If they really wanted to be contemporary, they would do just that, ROCK OUT.
PostPosted:Tue Apr 25, 2006 16:19 pm

Last edited by Dennis on Tue Apr 25, 2006 16:25 pm; edited 1 time in total
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James Towill Post subject:
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Dennis wrote:
They've got one of the great lead guitarists in British Rock history (Hicks), one of the great drummers (Elliot)


Most definitely.

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PostPosted:Tue Apr 25, 2006 16:22 pm
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holliesfan Post subject:
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Dennis wrote:
I don't understand why they don't do an album with guitar-based songs. Forget the keyboard mush. They've got one of the great lead guitarists in British Rock history (Hicks), one of the great drummers (Elliot), and yet they insist on doing music that is bland and unexciting? What is the point? Haven't they listened to ANYTHING in the last 15 years? Bands have been rocking out. If they really wanted to be contemporary, they would do just that, ROCK OUT.


I totally agree Dennis, however I must accept that the Hollies will continue recording the type of music they feel suits them best. I for one would love to see them take a more guitar based approach to their new material...but alas, at the end of the day, it does come back to the band knowing where they do (or do not) "fit" into today's music scene.
PostPosted:Tue Apr 25, 2006 16:37 pm
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DistantLight Post subject:
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Exactly my opinion, Dennis!
PostPosted:Tue Apr 25, 2006 16:57 pm
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KingRickfors Post subject:



Joined: 18 Apr 2006
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I think that's where most of us differ to the "Official Line" ...... the Hollies clearly see themselves competing in a certain area whilst many of us appear to want them to be in a completely different place altogether. I'm sure some shall say that it is their decision, not ours ..... but it's very surprising that Hicks & Elliott don't want to be able to stretch out further musically. When we talk about a Rock and Roll album, we are not talking just about rockin out, we are also talking about the right mixture of Rocker's and ballads, and mid pace songs but they should be mixed in such a way that it is not the mushy sound of Staying Power where everything sounds the same. I say let the rockers rock and let the ballads breathe.
PostPosted:Tue Apr 25, 2006 21:54 pm
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holliesfan Post subject:
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KingRickfors wrote:
I say let the rockers rock and let the ballads breathe.


Now there's an excellent description for new Hollies album material. Very well said King.
PostPosted:Tue Apr 25, 2006 22:12 pm
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DistantLight Post subject:
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KingRickfors wrote:
I think that's where most of us differ to the "Official Line" ...... the Hollies clearly see themselves competing in a certain area whilst many of us appear to want them to be in a completely different place altogether. I'm sure some shall say that it is their decision, not ours ..... but it's very surprising that Hicks & Elliott don't want to be able to stretch out further musically. When we talk about a Rock and Roll album, we are not talking just about rockin out, we are also talking about the right mixture of Rocker's and ballads, and mid pace songs but they should be mixed in such a way that it is not the mushy sound of Staying Power where everything sounds the same. I say let the rockers rock and let the ballads breathe.


I couldn't have said it any better! Very Happy
PostPosted:Wed Apr 26, 2006 13:30 pm
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carol7cat Post subject:
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Who knows that might be their next project.
I remember when they did the Rock and Roll numbers at the end of each concert it seemed to really get the audience to their feet!!
PostPosted:Wed Apr 26, 2006 13:39 pm
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James Towill Post subject:
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It's all about balance and diversity - if you look back in their catalogue, many of the great albums featured a good balance between ballads and rockers, eg, Distant Light, Romany, Hollies 74, A Crazy Steal. 5317704 mostly featured ballads, but somehow they did pull it off well in my opinion.

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PostPosted:Wed Apr 26, 2006 15:45 pm
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Dennis Post subject:
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Right. Their best albums offered a balance of moods, and didn't stick to one sound throughout. But a band with such stellar talent as the two original members of The Hollies squanders it when trying to fit into a contemporary music scene. But the question is, what IS a contemporary sound? There really isn't one. Music is all over the place now, and artists have free reign to do whatever they want. You'd think that 2 musicians from the 1960s such as Hicks and Elliot would want to be true to their roots and do something more basic in approach. I think about The Hollies when they were on that German TV show in 1966, playing "Look Though Any Window", "Very Last Day", and "I Can't Let Go". Just guitar, bass, drums, and vocals. Oh, and some great songs. Why can't they do that again, like so many young bands do now? Talk about "What goes around comes around"...All this trying to sound like some lame boy band like Westlife, or whatever they're called. This is not where The Hollies should be right now. I'd rather hear them doing some cover tunes from the '60s and '70s than embarrassing themselves by trying to appeal to teenage girls of today. It seems that most of their fans are guys anyway, like with most bands of any worth.
PostPosted:Thu Apr 27, 2006 0:17 am
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carol7cat Post subject:
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You cheeky devil!!!
PostPosted:Thu Apr 27, 2006 8:26 am
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Beebs Post subject:



Joined: 18 Jan 2004
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Location: Halfweg Huis, The Netherlands

I have been thinking about this for awhile...Wouldn't it be awesome if they could hire on Rick Rubens to work his magic like he did with Johnny Cash and Neil Diamond?

He allowed both artists to stay true to themselves...and their musical roots...Yet updated their sound and showed them at their best. And, in the case of Cash, it wasn't a matter of writing new material, but choosing the best that was out there.

And they each sold more records to boot!

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PostPosted:Thu Apr 27, 2006 12:15 pm
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