The Hollies :: View topic

Most of Europe, the last I checked, has also gone the way of capitalism, and even though they are not capitalist to the same degree as America is, can they say that their lifestyle is the direct opposite? I don't think that would be an accurate way to describe Britian or the rest of Europe in general. I do see a lot of materialism, a celebrity-obsessed media, and fast and furious lifestyle which I don't like in the U.S., and it's sad to see that things have not even changed that much in twenty years. Sad

And for that matter, I think it fair to say that the vast majority of Americans don't give a flip about what Britney Spears is doing, couldn't care less about what Hollywood star is having sex with some other Hollywood star, and are pretty much just like people in England (only without the funny accents (just kidding).

Yeah Sparty, I know what you mean about those accents Wink

When I'm up the hills in my kilt hunting haggis, I can't stand those Londoners walking by in their bowler hats shouting 'I say Jock, what are you doing up there?' Laughing

That stereotype of Londoners has been hammered into everyone's conscious by Hollywood and even British films.

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

Last time I looked this was a section about Allan Clarke, not about the merits of Republicans and Denocrats (Amazed that you seem to think Clinton did a good job).

Did Allan Clarke say what he disliked about USA? I suspect your political biases made you want to believe it was the political situation, wheras just as likely it was the supposed gun culture. Mind you as the Hollies come from Manchester ( the UK's gun capital) I suspect he would prefer USA nowadays.

I would be dissapointed if he was making any form of political reference as any celeb going on about politics is a real turn-off for me, as if they somehow have a more intelligent opinion than the general public; in fact as we have to cope with everyday matters the odds are that they know far less.

Look at Bono: going on about fair trade, then as soon as the Irish government ask him to pay the same amount of tax as ordinary citizens, he clears off to a tax-haven.

Anyway I have gone off topic, so let's agree not to bore others with platitudes

Guest

Good post, totally agree...............

OK, enough of all this. I'm not sure why anyone is equating what I wrote that Allan said about 15 to 20 years ago as any endorsement or criticism of either U.S. political party.

But let's stop with that politicing, please.

I'll make an effort to find the interview on a couple of old VHS tapes of mine, and try to track down the source. I'm a bit surprised that nobody here recognizes the interview, but that's neither here nor there.

I'll hopefully have a post up putting Clarke's comments into some kind of context in a few days - that is, if continued political comments haven't forced this thread to get locked or deleted!

I've seen the interview, Sparty. Allan is pretty matter-of-fact in it. The banter in this thread is light hearted so for fear of WWIII we better shut up Rolling Eyes

I'm not putting any political spin on Allan's comments, but I am curious to know why he said he would never want to live in the U.S. There is nothing of a political nature in wanting to clarify that. It could simply be that all Allan's relatives, friends, and work are in England, and he has no reason to live in the U.S. I don't think he had a political reason, either, and the political comments on this thread were thrown around in a humoruous way, so let's keep on that level.

The interview is from a UK TV programme called London Night Out shown in 1982, and hosted by Russell Harty. The band perform/lipsynch Holliedaze and Take My Love and Run and are interviewed. Harty asks why Bobby is wearing a hat, Bobby lifts it off to show is bald head and the audience and band laugh to which Tony says to Harty 'Get out of that!'.

Harty:
'Were any of you tempted to join the high lights on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean?'

Clarke:
'One time I went over with my family and spent two months there. I didn't like it, I didn't like the American way of life, and I didn't want my children to be brought up in that environment, so I came home'.

Interestingly, another interview on TVAM (UK breakfast time programme) from 1984 in which Tony and Allan are interviewed by Henry Kelly has most of the very American, superb video for Stop! In The Name Of Love showing atom bomb blastwave footage, bombers and a pilot pondering carrying out a mission. Allan says that they wanted to put a message across with the video but that performers have to be careful in expressing points of view [as not everyone may agree].