The Hollies :: View topic

HI Chig

One question!

When has there ever been a Hollies Convention North of the Border

I know a lot of people who are able to travel and yup it's great that people from overseas get to them, but, when it comes to Scotland you'll find it's difficult to get them to appear here.... Sad

The last time they did a gig in Scotland, was in 1999, just before Allan Clarke retired Crying or Very sad

.....
Yup, it's a personal thing with me but I'm not the only Scot who feels like that! Come on my Scots neighbours back me up here Exclamation

Yes Indeed Shells Very Happy

I'll back you up to the hilt. The Hollies may be an English band just as Marmalade are a Scottish band but that makes them both UK bands and as I've said many times before, people in Scotland have bought hollies records throughout the years so why can't we have a turn of the convention Question

And don't say cos nobody would go Rolling Eyes

It's been held on the South Coast of England before and people from all over attended. Central Scotland (east or west) would be a lot easier for a lot of people to get to than the very bottom (and if I was on another site I'd have put that in a more West of Scotland dialect)of the United Kingdom, so there's no excuse. I'm not suggesting the band have any obligation to hold a convention in Scotland any more than anywhere else. I'm just saying there's no reason why North of the Border would not be as good as anywhere else to hold such an event.
All the best
GordonJ

I am so far away and may never get to see the Hollies again but my two cents won't hurt. From my personal point of view I intend to agree with Chig and Helen. I would love to meet the Hollies but in my mind's eye they don't owe me anything. I pay them some of the money I hand over in exchange for them to sing a set of songs. But I do understand that the fans want to meet their idols and tell them how much they appreciate their music and perhaps ask the Hollies some questions that they have wanted to know answers to.

I'm very happy just to come to the different Hollies sites and read all of your great reviews to find out what a show is like and any funny tidbits that you can add to make us others feel that we're not missing out. If the Hollies could contribute to this official site that would be even better.

It was mentioned that Tony was bailed up against the wall. That in itself must be quite frightening. It just takes one silly fan to spoil it for everybody. But I do really appreciate that you all want to meet 'the boys'. Who doesn't.

I'll shut up now.

Hi Kathy, Gordy and all Laughing

I'm feeling a bit ill today so bear with me here. Crying or Very sad

Kathy, you seem to think that I think the Hollies owe me something. but as far as the gig is concerned, we pay to see them perform and get our money's worth but I have to say that they do owe the fans something Remember that if the fans didn't buy tickets, recordings etc, they wouldn't be still around so in a way they have to remember who made them popular. If fans didn't buy tickets, etc they'd be playing to an empty hall wouldn't they Question

It's a catch 22 situation cos we are all looking at it from slightly different ways.

Gordy thanks for your support here cos it appears there aren't that many Scottish fans in the forum, but then, not everyone has access to a computer, even in this day and age.

You know, it's soo difficult to get to the South of England for a convention. If you go by train you have at least two changes and almost two days travelling. ... at least

By car it can be done in a day but I'm talking a 12 hour drive which isn't always easy... I think any time I've been driven to the South of England we've had an overnight stop and then by the time we get to the final destination you're totally exhausted! Crying or Very sad

Flying

I don't think there's a direct flight to the South so you've gotta change transport modes.. bussing it down.... NO WAY!. ... you'd need to leave at least two days in advance!

It's expensive and not always reliable... then you have hotels, food etc before you even get to the convention.. So from Central Scotland it's a 3 or 4 day break away from work, home, families etc... not really practical is it Question

It would be fairer if at least one Convention out of 3 were up here... the majority of fans would be able to get to West Central or Central Scotland with no bother and the facilities up here are perfect.... look how many big bands from all over the world always make sure that they have at least one Scottish gig, so why not the Hollies? The number of people up here who would give their eye teeth for the Hollies Convention to be up here is amazing... after all this time around there are 3 Scottish gigs, or is it 4? Would the Hollies appear here is they weren't going to sell tickets I doubt it very much

No the Hollies aren't obliged to appear here or have a Convention here but it would be nice to have the opportunity to meet them and for them to consider their faithful Scottish fans, wouldn't it Question

Nope North of the Border would be easy enough to do... if they need any help, they know where I am....

Just as a point to back up my post... I was involved with a Youth Organisation from right to the Tip of the South of England right up to here.... we regularly arranged BIG conventions with well over 500 people.. and that's a small compared with a Hollies Convention but you know what? The Glasgow dates were the best... Scottish hospitality at it's best.... Ask any performer where the best audiences are... they all say Glasgow or any Scottish venue.. that says it all I think.

Kathy re your message about Tony being mobbed.... I've yet to see him actually come out of the stage door to talk to the fans...maybe if he did they wouldn't mob him!

That's my opinion... I promise I won't mob ANY of the band if they appeared after the show Laughing

[/b]

All these complaints from faithful Scottish fans are ridiculous. The Hollies haven´t been visiting Sweden for about twenty years, but if you look att the Hollies petition for RnR Hall of fame, the archived signatures page 1 - 4, http://www.suitelorraine.com/suitelorraine/Pages/holliesarchivedsigs.html hundreds of Swedes now have been voting for their favourite band. If you count I guess two or three fans from Scotland have been voting. Where are all the faithful Scottish fans? If you also look at the comments from the Swedish fans most of them have the best things to say about the Hollies without any demands about convention in Sweden or other demands about to talking with the Hollies after the show.
I hope for your sake that the shows in Scotland will be sold out. See you in Glasgow and Stirling. // Göran with other fans from Sweden

Hi Goran. I have to say that I feel the word "ridiculous" is a bit strong. You're entitled to your opinion like any of us but I would point out that the hollies are a United Kingdom band which includes Scotland. Neither have we "demanded" a convention in Scotland but simply said it would be nice to have one and see no reason why there should not be one. I sympathise with you that you have not had the chance of seeing the band in your own Country and think it's brilliant that you think so much of the band to come to Scotland for two shows. (if the shows don't sell out, they certainly won't be the only ones) The hollies for reasons best known to themselves only toured the UK throughout the late eighties and nineties with the exception of a couple of visits to Germany. There are other bands based in other Countries that seldom if ever come to the UK. IE Crosby,Stills and Nash have not been to the UK for 12 years and their visits were not too frequent before that. So as the Stones said in 69 'You Can't Always Get What You Want' (Brilliant track) As I have said the hollies are a UK band and too many times in the past Scotland has been left out of a United Kingdom tour thus making it an English tour (? Trade Discription Act)
Anyway, now that I've got that off my chest, I hope you enjoy you're visit to Scotland and I know you'll thoroughly enjoy the shows. Look forward to seeing you at Glasgow and Stirling.
All the best
GordonJ

Many thanks to your polite answer Gordon, but the Hollies aren´t just a UK-band nowadays (since 40 years for me ). The Hollies are a band , like the Stones, BeeGees, Abba, Kinks, and perhaps Marmelade famous all around the world, not belonging to a special country for their fans a //See you before the shows? Göran

Aye, that's true enough Goran, but I just wish the hollies had taken themselves as seriously as the Stones, then there may still be a lot more World tours. I've always said with regard to the Hollies "better than the Beatles" but I have to admit, today I bought 'Let It Be....Naked' and as I was listening I thought in the same six years the beatles had gone from 'Please Please Me' to 'Get Back' and the hollies had gone from 'Ain't That Just Like Me' to 'Sorry Suzanne' Question

Made me think.
Look forward to seeing you before the show. I'll be the one with the long blonde hair and the beard drinking Cocacola........Honestly Exclamation

GordonJ

You always anwer on other things, Gordon. For me the Hollies have been more seriously than other bands against the fans. The difference are that the members of the Hollies since King Midas haven´t been using a lot of smile for creating good music.
Any comments about the voting for the Hollies into the Rockn Hall of fame from the Scottish fans? //Any special pub? Göran

I didn´t write smile, I wrote sh*t// Göran

Hi Shells

No I don't think that you think that I think that the Hollies owe you and the fans something. I wrote that they don't owe ME anything. Me - Kathy.

Yes, you are right it is a Catch 22 situation. Everybody feels different. There are fans who wait around patiently and others who just go home. I tried to be very careful with what I wrote not to offend anybody and that's why I kept saying ME. If the truth be known, I admire you all for your patience in waiting for the band to appear after shows and your dedication to the band by going to as many shows as you are possibly able to. And I do agree, you are absolutely right with saying that the Hollies got where they did because of the people who have bought their recordings and gone to see their shows. For as you say, without the public there would be no shows. And that goes for any singer or band.

I don't know the answer to this so maybe somebody can tell me. Do the Hollies go out to meet the fans after a show or are fans just lucky to catch them by chance as they leave?

Hi Shalls and Kathy,
Yes you both have great points. I also feel the Hollies owe us nothing, hey I have said this on other sites and people know my point of view.
Okay we do buy the records and the lucky ones go to the concerts and have a great time and yes I'm sure the Hollies have all done well because of it. Yes I would like to walk up to Tony or Bobby and Allan and say thanks for all the wonderful times and memories. But lets be honest if we did not buy the records ets and the Hollies never made it big then Tony would be still putting in power points, Bobby doing what ever and so on.
We all love the hollies and 60's music. One other thing they don't make us buy their records, it's our choice. It's like my job, I hear lots of fellow workers saying the council owes them big time, well crap, we work they pay us so we owe eachother nothing really.
If we are really honest, what price does fame come at, I'm happy I can walk down the street and do normal everyday things.

Hi Goran and Gordy....

Gawd! I wish I'd been back here yesterday cos I seem to have a lot of catching up to do.... ah well, I'm feeling better today so here goes...

Please don't take offence here cos it's not meant, but, I think you need a little lesson in the geography of the UK Goran.... The United Kingdom is made up of FOUR countries... Scotland, England, Ireland (Northern) and Wales and it always has been, that is why when you see votes for The Hollies in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame you may only see UK on the entry... you see, on a lot of websites, the UK is lumped together so that is probably why you don't see Scotland when they sign..... simple really.

I don't think I have ever been to a gig in Glasgow and not met everyone I know there... NOW, I come from a suburb on the Southside of Glasgow, but I say I live in Glasgow, simpler than explaining it, and that's probably why you're not seeing the Scottish Fans..

I see you are going to be at the Pavilion in Glasgow... well look out for me too... short auburn hair walks with crutches about 6 rows from the front... won't be in the pub... meds don't allow it but come over and say hello, it'll be nice to meet you Smile

We always go straight to our seats cos I can't stand for long.... so come on over and say hello.... I'll look forward to seeing you there.

The Hollies are a UK band and are well known all over the world, Goran.. the Stones, Kinks and Marmalade are all UK Bands too although, Marmalade are a Scottish band... They don't forget their roots just cos they are famous the world over... why look at Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr the two remaining Beatles.... they've never lost their Liverpool accents so no matter where in the world they go they can't deny their heritage... once a Brit always a Brit in my opinion.....

We're not being ridiculous as you put it Goran. We just want to be able to join in and go to conventions/gigs and/or meet our idols. A lot of people are happy to go straight home after the show, but some of us like to say hi and tell them just how much we enjoyed the evening... is that too much to ask Question