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Dennis Post subject:
Lead Guitar


Lead Guitar
Joined: 17 Feb 2004
Posts: 773
Location: Los Angeles

malco wrote:
The synthesizer is fine if used judiously.


"Take My Love and Run" is great, probably their best track of the '80s, I would say. Another electronica-based track that is first-rate is "Suspended Animation". These work because the songs are good.
PostPosted:Thu Oct 04, 2007 23:20 pm
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marko661 Post subject:
Banjo


Banjo
Joined: 12 Feb 2007
Posts: 49
Location: Dunstable

Dennis wrote:
malco wrote:
The synthesizer is fine if used judiously.


"Take My Love and Run" is great, probably their best track of the '80s, I would say. Another electronica-based track that is first-rate is "Suspended Animation". These work because the songs are good.


Totally agree with you Dennis: it is the song that matters. Having said that I prefer the synthesiser to mainly be used live, as a replacement for strings, ie: The Air That I Breathe, He Ain't Heavy etc....

I sometimes imagine songs that had guitar parts: Sorry Suzanne, The Air, Too Young... and thnk how awful they would sound if that part was replaced by a sunthesiser.

On the whole I prefer natural instruments, but can - very occasionally - see that the synthesiser can play a part
PostPosted:Fri Oct 05, 2007 8:25 am
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Gee Post subject:
Rythym Guitar


Rythym Guitar
Joined: 16 Jan 2007
Posts: 486

I like the current line up's version of 'The Baby' even more than the Rickfors version
PostPosted:Fri Oct 05, 2007 9:06 am

Last edited by Gee on Mon May 24, 2010 18:00 pm; edited 1 time in total
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Dennis Post subject:
Lead Guitar


Lead Guitar
Joined: 17 Feb 2004
Posts: 773
Location: Los Angeles

Geoff coles wrote:
Re "The Baby" - The current line up sing this on the new "Special Live Edition" DVD (MEDVD 0001), recorded at The Cafe de Paris, London.

While I was chatting to Bobby I did suggest that a good song for "Hicks-Lauri-Stiles" to sing during one of Peter's breaks in the show would be Tony's fine song "Blue in The Morning" from "Romany" , which is sung in close Harmony not unlike a CSN style....Bobby did seemed quite interested in the idea (so fingers crossed !)

There were distinct echoes of The "Rickfors Hollies" approach in the way Peter sang "Here I Go Again" solo with just his acoustic guitar (he's a fine guitarist too)...plus the way Ray joined the frontline for several songs, taking Lead vocal on "Tiger Feet", plus the "alternating" three part...and both four part and even five part vocal harmonies when ian Parker too joined in...thus giving the differing harmony teams of "Howarth-Hicks-Lauri"...."Hicks-Lauri-Stiles"...."Howarth-Hicks-Lauri-Stiles" then "Howarth-Hicks-Lauri-Stiles-Parker" together with the solo Howarth certainly made for a much fresher approach....and ensured NO one's vocal chords took all the strain...!

There were also more varied instrumentation with Acoustics, Banjo, Guitar/sitar,Accordion, plus very different sounding Electric guitars from Hicks and Lauri while Ray Stiles' Bass guitar is even more prominent now, Ray is singing alot now and clearly enjoying a much greater prominence and freedom within the band....again like as with The Rickfors Hollies you get the feel of a "Band" with all members of equal importance...a real "Team", rather than a set "Frontman" with support bass player and keyboardist...certainly Tony Hicks and Bobby Elliott both seemed very happy during the show...it was nice to see Bob stepping forward and addressing the audience....

It's so easy to NOW have hindsight....but I feel they ought to have RETAINED Mike Rickfors in the line up when Allan Clarke rejoined in summer 1973....Mike's talents as a Co-Lead Vocalist, Harmony vocalist, plus Acoustic & Electric guitars, Bass & Keyboards would have strengthened them considerably.....while Clarke, Rickfors & Sylvester could have alternated as Lead Vocalists both on record and in concerts.....(which might have saved Clarke's vocal chords....), Nash voice survived by both singing gentler harmonies and alternating with Crosby, Stills...and also sometimes Young...while if Terry Sylvester was still having his own Lead vocals and solo band songs this would highly likely have kept Terry happy....and perhaps then remain content within the band too...
Clarke could have sung a few sixties hits medleys...plus the 1969-71 era hits....Rickfors done the "Romany"/"Out on The Road" tracks plus "The Baby"....Sylvester sang a few of his songs...even Tony too if he wanted !
Paul Jones & Mike D'abo now share their respective sixties hits Lead vocal duties very successfully in "The Manfreds" don't they ....?

Plus any later album songs Lead Vocal duties would then have been duly shared between the THREE main Lead singers....CSNY, Beach Boys,Four Seasons, and The Eagles etc all managed to do this very successfully in the seventies....
Of course It might NOT really have been possible due to "Egos" maybe....although remember Mike was an old friend of The Hollies since 1967 ! (as Terry had also been since 1964/5)....but if CSN could add "Y"....plus The Eagles add Joe Walsh...then why not (?)

They might then have gone into Four part Harmonies...as IS happening now...while Bernie and Mike could have alternated Bass and Keyboard duties....Clarke could have played his guitar more too...rather than just "Long Cool Woman" and "Curly Billy"....indeed Clarke's later "Americanised Rocker" plus "Acoustic singer" style on his later...and stronger... more original solo albums (that utilised vocal harmonies more too)...saw him move towards the style of The Rickfors Hollies Acoustic/Electric Rock music style....thus it COULD have worked in my view.....and bear in mind Clarke DID then sing two recut Rickfors Hollies tracks "Out On The Road" and Bobby's
"Transatlantic Westbound Jet" with no problem...so the compatability between the two versions of The Hollies WAS there....

It's Only a thought....but it does seem more the direction they are actually now going in...

....but as I said it is SO easy now to have "Hindsight"....!


A friend of mine (and a longtime Hollies fan and collector) also brought up the notion of keeping Rickfors in the band when Clarke rejoined. Wouldn't that have been interesting? Two superb lead singers, what a concept.
PostPosted:Fri Oct 05, 2007 14:47 pm
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James Towill Post subject:
Lead Guitar


Lead Guitar
Joined: 16 Jan 2004
Posts: 928
Location: Dunfermline, Fife

Maybe they could have sang 'This Town Aint Big Enough For Both Of Us'! Laughing

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PostPosted:Fri Oct 05, 2007 15:13 pm
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Dennis Post subject:
Lead Guitar


Lead Guitar
Joined: 17 Feb 2004
Posts: 773
Location: Los Angeles

James Towill wrote:
Maybe they could have sang 'This Town Aint Big Enough For Both Of Us'! Laughing

In duet with Sparks. Smile
PostPosted:Fri Oct 05, 2007 18:52 pm
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carlane3 Post subject:
Banjo


Banjo
Joined: 06 Sep 2007
Posts: 45
Location: USA

Geoff coles wrote:
Bobby Elliott has told me that it is "Probable" that they WILL do a follow up to Staying Power" - so lts's all keep our fingers crossed.....!

At last night's show I was impressed by a fair few things....

Peter Howarth has a VERY powerful Concert voice indeed....he "Roared" out "Long Cool Woman"...and also a FULL length version of "Curly Billy" (which even the "Clarke Led" Hollies very rarely ever did....I only ever saw them begin to perform it just once...when Alan Coates was with them...and that despite going down great.....then just "Petered out" into a jokey chat...!!!),
Last night it was done all the way through.......

After a few songs They then went down to a basic Four piece of "Howarth-Hicks-Stiles-Elliott"....just the basic Guitar-bass-Drums...plus three singers to perform "Here I Go Again" and "Stay"in full ....just as done back in the sixties...with NO keyboards.....!

...While "I'm Alive" & "Look Through Any Window" were both done exactly as per the sixties Original singles' arrangements...notably Tony's great "echoy" guitarwork

"Hicks-Stiles-Lauri" took over while Peter had a break to Harmonise fine versions of "Listen To Me" , "Hey Willy" (another Clarke song the "Clarke Led" Hollies very rarely did...maybe even just once in Germany....) and "Gasoline Alley Bred"....each song done in full although each flowed into each other really well....there were NO "Hits medleys" this time... (which I much preferred as I hate mere "Snippets" of classic much loved songs !)

Peter sang a second version of "Here I Go Again" alone with Acoustic guitar...in "Don Maclean" singer/songwriter style....which rather reminded me of Mike Rickfors style actually....he also sang a fine version of "The Baby" very well with Tony on guitar/sitar...plus a virtually unaccompanied "Sandy" with just Ian's piano plus the Hicks/Lauri vocal harmonies...


The Band were vocally "Joined" by The late Great Buddy Holly on Lead vocal for "Peggy Sue Got Married"....

The whole band also powered through: "Yes I Will" /"Just One look" / "So Damm Beautiful" / "Jennifer Eccles"/ "I Can't let Go" / "Hope" /"On A Carousel"/ "Were Through"/ "Carrie Anne" (Ian Parker on accordion) / "Bus Stop" / "Weakness" / "Stop Stop Stop" (Tony on banjo of course) / "Emotions"/ "Air That I Breathe"/ and of course "He Ain't Heavy..." followed by a closing snippet of "Let Love Pass" to close the show....

it was interesting how much "Rockier" and more powerful the "Staying Power" songs all sounded with REAL Bobby Elliott drumming....which was first rate of course...plus Peter's far more dynamic Lead Vocal....he seems very confident fronting the band and there was, indeed, a real warmth between them most apparent....they were laughing and smiling throughout the concert....as I recall the band always were doing years ago too....!

for "Weakness" Peter, Tony & Steve all gathered together around the central Microphone to sing....

On quite a few songs there were FOUR part vocal harmonies by Howarth-Hicks-Lauri-Stiles.....while Ian Parker also joined in a a couple of songs too...

Bobby was on TOP form...really playing brilliantly...
while Steve Lauri is a fine Rock guitarist...also playing an acoustic guitar too...
Ray Stiles played a really powering Bass guitar throughout...and clearly enjoyed both joining the front line for several songs...plus taking centre stage for his Lead Vocal on "Tiger Feet" !
Ian Parker was on fine form too...both keyboards and Accordion..
Peter played subtle Acoustic guitar on a few numbers and a recognisable Harmonica on "He Ain't heavy..."
Tony was superb on Lead guitars , guitar/sitar, and banjo...he still plays EACH number Exactly as per the original recording...spot on...addding a few superb "extras" where and when he sees fit....!, while both "The Baby" and "Stop Stop Stop" had the expected "preamble" intro guitar/sitar and banjo parts as expected...Tony was grinning widely for much of the time...clearly enjoying himself immensley !

They received an enthusiastic standing ovation from the crowd at the end......while it was good to see people snapping up copies of "Hollies Greatest Hits", "Staying Power", and the new DVD, and even "Long Road Home" box set at the beginning and end of the show....
....at least they at last had some decent CD and DVD products on sale at the shows now !

I really enjoyed the show.....and would certainly recommend anyone who likes, or has liked the past various brilliant versions of The Hollies to go and see them in concert now....!


Fantastic post Geoff....I always enjoy reading them. Ever think of writing a Hollies Book? I'd certainly buy it!!!! Smile

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PostPosted:Fri Oct 05, 2007 21:55 pm
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