The Hollies :: View topic

Joined: 26 Jul 2005 Posts: 9

Dennis, your description of the Hollies at Santa Monica Civic in 72 is amazingly accurate. Yes, I was there and remember it well. A few things I question, though you are probably correct. I don't remember that 40 percent of the audience was black and left after Billy Preston played. He really did know how to "work the room" and got a bigger response than the Hollies. (Didn't he once play a gig on a roof top with some other band? Wasn't it the B-Sharps on the roof at Mo's Tavern?) Also, was there possibly a third act that nite that opened the evening? I may be mixing this up with a few other shows I saw at Santa Monica Civic during that era but I keep thinking of Danny O'Keefe whose hit was "Good Time Charlie's Got The Blues".

I also seem to think that Rickfors did the lead vocal on "Look What We've Got" which The Hollies opened with. You mentioned that Tony did the lead. Again, I could be wrong but I expected to see Alan and when this blond guy on keyboards starts singing I was totally confused. Rickfors was impressive. I remember that he read from notes when he sang lead on some ballad, probably He Ain't Heavy. I remember Tony saying that many people have and will record "He Ain't Heavy". He then said something to the effect, "when you hear it many years from now we hope you'll remember where you heard it first". Yes, it was a very good show but I wonder Dennis, if you ever saw them with Alan?

My life was never same after I saw their U.S. tour in Oct. of 66 when I was in high school in western New York State. It was a club that held about 500 people in the middle of nowhere between Buffalo and Rochester, NY. I remember the DJ who introduced them saying that Bus Stop is now the #3 song in the world. I think the highlite was a song I had never heard of called "I'm Alive". I know now it was a hit in the UK but it never got air play in the states. If I had to pick one show out of the hundreds of groups I've seen, this is the one, and I've seen alot. I lived in Haight-Ashbury in the 60s and saw virtually every band that lived in and came thru San Francisco and I also experienced some great music in August of 69 at a festival called Woodstock.

I also saw The Hollies at The Roxy in Hollywood in 75. Alan was back and they were better than ever. I heard that Graham joined them on stage the nite before. I would have loved to have seen that. I also remember my date that particular nite. She and I have now been happily married for 28 years.

I was sad to see that Alan left the group over 5 years ago. I have no idea what they sounded like with Carl Wayne or the new lead singer but I'd love to find out. I wonder if they'd ever consider playing in California again. If they did, I'm sure Dennis and I would be in the front row!

Tommy

That's really interesting Tommy.

Were you aware in America that Allan had left and Mikael Rickfors had taken over? Did it get any press?

I'm very glad that Allan returned but I'm also very glad that the Rickfors years happened because they produced some interesting music and it's kind of amusing to see Mikael Rickfors fronting the band so talented and so incongrous!

Micheal

Joined: 26 Jul 2005 Posts: 9

Micheal, No I had no idea that Alan had left. I was in a state of confusion that nite until they introduced Rickfors.

Having researched! this a little bit further I'm going to add some thoughts.

I think they just needed Allan as the anchor to be The Hollies. The Rickfors Hollies were interesting but reviewers complained that on stage they moved about too much, switching instruments. I can see the point, it must have made the shows lack a bit of focus.

Also, I think Tony Hicks singing lead on Carrie Ann and Long Dark Road was a bad idea. He's not a lead singer, singing a verse or an album track OK, he's entitled but if you are out to impress America on ABC... leave it to somebody else. He seemed to be having a great time on the concert stage but at the same time he's a little nervous and his voice can't manage all of the words.

I can't understand why Terry didn't sing lead on all of the non- Mikael songs.

Rickfors reminded me of the Honey Monster for some reason! The two are not unalike.

Some notes about two ABC IN Concert songs:

Long Dark Road-- Tony sings lead but Mikael sings the final section. Tony plays bass, Bernie must be playing keyboards, Mikael plays lead and finishes the song with a cool solo.

Carrie Ann-- Tony sings lead and plays guitar, Bernie plays bass and Mikael plays congas. The steel drum solo is replaced with a regular drum solo from Bobby which rocks! Bobby seems to have been the real star of the ABC concert.

The band seem to have a lot of fun, especially Tony and they sort of rock in a way you don't expect The Hollies to rock but they lack the vocal polish and perfection you would normally expect.

I'd like to see the rest of this show... come on Tony, release your moment in the middle mic on DVD!

Micheal C.

This sounds an interesting piece of footage - I seem to recall something being mentioned in the Carousel newsletter a few years ago about footage (probably this) being played at a convention. Tony is definitely not lead singer material - Born A Man is good, but the likes of Pegasus makes me cringe. I agree, it seems odd that Terry didn't do more lead vocals, although at times his voice also seems to lack Clarkey's or Rickfors' power.

Honey Monster - nice one Laughing

I agree about Terry sometimes his voice sounds kind of weak even knowing that he isn't as strong a singer as somebody like Allan but he still is a good singer. For example he gets a nice Rod Stewart sound on his solo Too Bad Lucy Jane. I find his singing on Hollies records generally very nice though his solo work has this ultra laid back vibe that gives me the impression that Terry was too relaxed to sing too hard!

I don't know if you've heard some of the live recordings of him from 1994 but I personally think they are very impressive...

Micheal

Joined: 26 Jul 2005 Posts: 9

I was actually impressed the way they constantly changed instruments on stage when they had Rickfors. I'm pretty sure that I still have the old reel to reel audio tape from the FM simulcast of that American ABC TV show. Maybe someday I'll get around to looking thru all of those boxes. I do remember the "enhanced" applause at the end of their songs. I don't recall the other acts on the show but it wasn't exactly a Hollies type of crowd.

Tommy in L.A.

The crowd seemed to be loving it a lot of people were up on their feet dancing.

Micheal

Hey Guys,
It's me, Dennis again. OK, let me try to answer some of what I've just read. I'm certain it was Tony singing lead on "Look What We've Got". Early in the tour, Rickfors opened the show singing it, but at some point they changed to Tony singing it. ("Long Cool Woman" had originally been sung by Rickfors instead of Terry Sylvester, if you can imagine that!) Tony's singing lead on "Look What We've Got" and "Long Dark Road" actually makes a lot of sense; he co-wrote both songs with Kenny Lynch, his songwriting partner during this period. I think Tony's singing is fine; of course he's no Clarke but who is? My complaint with the Clarke lineup live was that the band leaned too heavily on the old tunes. By '75, it wasn't necessary for them to still be playing "Just One Look". With Rickfors, they were forging ahead musically , which for a fan is much more satisfying. Yes, I also saw them in '75 with Clarke. It was great to see them for the first time with Clarke, but they were promoting the "Another Night" album, which found them getting a bit too somber. It's too bad that Epic didn't get them to tour the "Hollies" ('74) album instead, it being a far better collection of songs. As for the '72 show, I knew the band had a new lead singer; I was always getting magazines to read about groups I liked. I had heard "The Baby" on a UK compilation LP, so I knew what Rickfors sounded like. I just thought the band was superb live with Rickfors. I prefer it when a band takes chances and doesn't just do carbon copies of their records. Look at The Eagles; they've done that for years and are still doing it, and are still boring as hell. In 1972 The Hollies toured the US and Australia with a new lead singer, promoting an album with their original lead singer. What other band has ever done that? I can't think of any.

Joined: 26 Jul 2005 Posts: 9

So Dennis, you agree that Rickfors did open with the lead vocal on "Look What We've Got" at Santa Monica Civic that nite. You know, we really have too much time on our hands to be concerned with who sang what/when from a show we attended 33 years ago! With that said, do you remember if Danny O'Keefe opened prior to Billy Preston coming on, or am I confusing that with another nite at Santa Monica Civic?

I remember around the same time period spending a rainy Topanga Canyon afternoon playing guitar with a guy named Seymour Duncan. He played on a Hollies cut called Blue Morning (?) on the album which featured Rickfors. Seymour went on the make a name for himself in the guitar pick-up world.

I love the reference to the Eagles. I saw them recently on TV and yes, they sound great but are not exciting to watch. Timmy Schmidt looks like he wants to break out and bring back that Poco energy but seems to be thinking, "don't upstage to these 2 hotshots or I'll end up like Don Felder!"

Dennis and I (who have never met) are the only 2 Hollies fans in L.A. That's why they haven't been back since the 70s. They also must have bad memories of one particular L.A. visit when they lost Graham to those 2 large American mammals.

Tommy in L.A.

Tommy, I guess you misinterpreted my post. Rickfors sang "Look What We've Got" and "Long Cool Woman" when they first started the tour on the East Coast. As they progressed, playing more shows, it was changed to Tony singing "Look...", so by the time they played Santa Monica, Tony was singing it. I feel certain of this. Yes, it was a concert from 32 1/2 years ago, but it is burned in my memory as being the most ear and eye opening show I ever saw. Yes, Danny O'Keefe opened. Billy Preston was, in a word, obnoxious. It was a poor choice as an opening act for The Hollies. I don't care what kind of reception he got from the blacks who came to see him, he bored me. I was there for The Hollies, and they delivered for me. As for the "In Concert" show, the live version of "Long Dark Road" is electrifying; but I feel the same about "He Ain't Heavy.." as sung by Rickfors. His voice is a perfect fit for the song. It is very sad that the band, as it exists today, has no desire to treat their own history with respect. Bobby, in particular, disparages this period in the group's past. Only Clarke, ironically, has a good opinion about it, saying that Rickfors was "picking up where Scott Walker left off". Quite a compliment.

Joined: 26 Jul 2005 Posts: 9

I trust Dennis' memory more than my own regarding that nite at the Santa Monica Civic in 72. I remember that we ate some brownies that we had frozen from a previous party. Hardly worth saving but for some reason the freezing process brought them up to a new level. The effect luckily began after we arrived. Thanks for confirming that Danny O'Keefe did open the nite. It assures me that I still have somewhat of a memory.

Joined: 26 Jul 2005 Posts: 9

Dennis wrote: "Billy Preston was, in a word, obnoxious. It was a poor choice as an opening act for The Hollies. I don't care what kind of reception he got from the blacks who came to see him, he bored me."

He certainly knew how to "work the room" and the audience bought it. However, I don't recall his reception divided among racial lines as he had a large white following. I thought the charm of the evening was the fact that the 3 acts were very different. Those were the days when diversity was hip. Remember the Fillmore? Bill Graham would put the Stan Kenton Orchestra on stage to open for The Grateful Dead. When today's concerts have opening acts its not too far of a stretch from the main act. It's as if they promoters are going out of their way not to upset anyone. Well, I miss being upset!

Tommy in L.A.

Tommy,
Say what you will about Billy Preston, his Black church revival act didn't impress me.
Now about your "brownies". Funny you should mention that; at the show, a couple of guys in the row in front of me were passing a funny cigarette around, which made its way to me. Very nice way to enjoy The Hollies even more!
James,
Glad you have enjoyed reading about this still very interesting period of the band's history. Oh, check out Post #6 on page 1 of this topic for a rundown of the evening's tunes. Interestingly, they were still performing "Amazing Grace" and "Only Love Can Break Your Heart", two tunes that had been in the set list when Clarke was still with them. I agree about the recordings with Rickfors; they are among the band's very finest. Yes, "Romany" is a gem of understatement and beauty, both the song and the entire album. And to think, they recorded it and everything else with Rickfors (except "The Baby") minus grandaddy Ron hovering over them in the studio. Shows what can happen when you let musicians produce themselves.