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dcpurcell Post subject: Ron Richards
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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.
PostPosted:Tue May 20, 2008 17:15 pm
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SpartyScott Post subject:
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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.
PostPosted:Tue May 20, 2008 18:15 pm
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James Towill Post subject:
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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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PostPosted:Tue May 20, 2008 18:38 pm
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Neville Philpott Post subject:


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Does anyone know who else Ron Richards produced apart from the boys?
PostPosted:Tue May 20, 2008 19:15 pm
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James Towill Post subject:
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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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PostPosted:Tue May 20, 2008 20:56 pm
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Gee Post subject:
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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...
PostPosted:Tue May 20, 2008 21:15 pm

Last edited by Gee on Sun May 23, 2010 10:19 am; edited 1 time in total
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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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PostPosted:Tue May 20, 2008 22:32 pm
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Gee Post subject:
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Yeah The Late Great B.J.Wilson of Procol Harum played Drums on "Harlequin"
PostPosted:Wed May 21, 2008 11:24 am

Last edited by Gee on Sun May 23, 2010 10:20 am; edited 3 times in total
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shootthebusstop Post subject:
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Great stuff Geoff Very Happy Very Happy . A very comrehensive and fascinatinating answer (as usual). People may criticize Ron for certain decisions (isn't hindsight a wonderful thing Rolling Eyes ?) 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 Smile . Thanks again, Geoff Wink .

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PostPosted:Wed May 21, 2008 11:48 am
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MichealC Post subject:
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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.
PostPosted:Wed May 21, 2008 12:19 pm
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Gee Post subject:
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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" ?
PostPosted:Wed May 21, 2008 13:25 pm

Last edited by Gee on Mon Nov 23, 2009 18:05 pm; edited 1 time in total
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MichealC Post subject:
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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.
PostPosted:Wed May 21, 2008 14:00 pm
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SpartyScott Post subject:
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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.
PostPosted:Wed May 21, 2008 14:19 pm
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DistantLight Post subject:
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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.
PostPosted:Wed May 21, 2008 15:01 pm
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dcpurcell Post subject:
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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.
PostPosted:Wed May 21, 2008 17:29 pm
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