The Hollies :: View topic - "Hollies Greatest Hits" [2003] / "Long Road H

Rythym Guitar Joined: 16 Jan 2007 Posts: 486

I think re Lewisham it was largely down to the imminent departure of Graham Nash,it was known he was going prior to his final show at the London Palladium in December 1968,unlike Terry Sylvester's shock exit in summer 1981.

This is one of the most interesting threads here in a long time. I'd have to disagree with Geoff Wink

and say that I really like the live album. I think basically Wingfield's synth was not up to the job required on Another Night (I hate the sound of it too). The original was recorded using a Moog, and it looks like an ARP that Wingfield uses. I actually think a stylophone would have sounded better!

On the Long Road Home box set, yes, the rehash of the '76 live album is surplus to requirements (maybe two or three tracks could have been included - I Can't Tell The Bottom From The Top, I'm Down and Too Young To Be Married) and could have freed up space for other hitherto unreleased gems to be included.

Interesting re: Bobby wanting Papa Rain included. Was this sung by Rickfors or was at a Terry/Tony lead I wonder? Bobby really doesn't seem to be a fan of that period from comments he's made so this is an intriguing one.

Rythym Guitar Joined: 16 Jan 2007 Posts: 486

The "live Hits" was certainly very succeesful at a most important time for the band,thus it was an essential release...and I'm sure many people agree with you that they really do enjoy the set...however having seen the "Mark two" Hollies many times I just think a better "Acoustics" venue or a superior mix would have done The Hollies more justice, as they seem to sound rather "distant" to me compared to say the 1983 Nash "Reunion" set,the "live" " Purple Rain" ,or the Stockholm 1966,tracks etc.

Yes, there's great sound on the 'Reunion' album. A bit too much synthesizer though, although it was all the rage at the time!

Rythym Guitar Joined: 16 Jan 2007 Posts: 486

I agree totally !,as you said the synth' was "all the rage"...and indeed what made the superb "Another Night" studio track so memorable, aside from the vocals,was Paul McCartney's distinctive Moog synth' of "Band on the Run" fame,which the great Alan Parsons played for The Hollies.

Geoff, here is a solid list songs that deserve a CD release, listed more or less in chronological order. Here I tried to list items that I don't believe have had a legit CD release or those that remain in the can:

UNRELEASED TRACKS

1967 Ashes To Ashes
1968 You Were A Pretty Little Girl
1968 Survival Of The Fittest (first version, with Nash)
1969 Angel Of The Morning
1969 The Race Is On
1969 Dang Me
1969 Kentucky Woman
1970 Wings (Sylvester Version)
1971 Salvation Band
1971 Father Machine
1972 Papa Rain
1972 Heaven In Her Heart
1972 On The Summer Side Of Life
1973 Witchy Woman
1973 Nearer To You (Ver. 2)
1974 Burn Fire Burn
???? Maureen (this was more or less a demo for Corrine)
1975 Untitled Track (Another Night Sessions)
1976 I’d Like To Be That Man
1978 Is It True
1979 Get Up
1979 Stormy Waters (No Harmonies)
1979 Is It True (Ver. 2)

These concerts deserve to be heard - by me, if by no one else. Laughing

Live Concerts

1968 London Lewisham Odeon (this truly deserves a CD release)
1970 Sinapore (this was allegedly professionally recorded and sounds great)
1972 Anything With Rickfors, like that California show from which we've seen video
BBC recordings that remain unreleased

Non CD Tracks

We're Alive - the original release from Italy, without backing vocals
Crossfire
Purple Rain (Studio)
Jennfer Eccles (Mono)
All The World Is Love (Stereo)
Let Her Go Down (other than as a vinyl b-side, it's avail. only as a boot)

And naturally, any studio outtakes, particularly those that sound very different in style or arrangement as compared to the final, released versions.

For that matter, if you need an early Hollies song, perhaps the Searchin' version that is unreleased or the version that I discussed in another thread here and which you replied to today would be a good one. Little Bitty Pretty One and Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah are CD releases that have not gotten wide distribution (on a fairly obscure compilation CD called "The Gold Collection," I think) and would be far better to use as "filler" for a CD than any album tracks or b-sides would be.

Finally and least important to me, any of the post What Goes Around released songs from the Clark/Hicks/Elliott era that have yet to see a CD release.

And as for DVD releases, clearly that "Capital Gold" concert from last year could be released.

http://www.capitalgold.com/Article.asp?id=182400

If I knew how to download streaming video, I'd have it on my computer right now!

Plus, a concert with Carl Wayne was professionally videotaped some years ago. That would be great to have on DVD as well.

Rythym Guitar Joined: 16 Jan 2007 Posts: 486

Nice list of Rarities ,"Burn Fire Burn" is a Bobby Elliott/ Bernie Calvert song.

There is certainly scope for a "Rarities vol 2" 2 or 3 CD set ,which could include unissued songs.

Hi Geoff

I'm not wanting to resurrect the nastiness when this was a hot topic on here, but I feel that the comment you make about some self-written material is very valid. At this moment in time, I'd rather have some archive material though!

Rythym Guitar Joined: 16 Jan 2007 Posts: 486

I quite understand...and certainly there IS a very big demand for both "Vintage" and "New" Hollies material [anyone from EMI reading these posts ?]
I must say looking at the earlier notes from people it was a bit of a surprise how upset some folk got....with Allan Clarke retired and Alan Coates gone,it was bound to be a totally "new sound" and era.... as it was with Carl !

Rythym Guitar Joined: 16 Jan 2007 Posts: 486

there are a number of other tracks...

I wonder what radio sessions the BBC actually hold.

I know they have Look Through Any Window, Bus Stop and Listen To Me. They also have three Distant Light tracks but these are actually different studio versions.

Do they hold a copy of those live tracks from '68 with Brian Matthew? That would be a great release if there was a proper copy of it. Surely if Marmalade can have 20 something tracks of BBC sessions, we can too! The '74 radio concert sounds cool too.. if it exists.

The trouble with all of this is somebody has to look for it. It's a question of will, Im sure internationally the boys must have appeared on scores of shows in different countries but somebody has to get out there and spend time and money looking. Look at all the bits and pieces missing from the BBC TV archives that have turned up over the years but that is because of dedicated people searching. Understandbly things from more famous groups turn up more easily, because more people care.

On a related/unrelated note. Does somebody hold alternate takes from the studio sessions or are these dumped over time? For example might a version of Lullaby To Tim exist with a different vocal? An undistorted guide vocal or a Clarke demo or version?

Michael

Rythym Guitar Joined: 16 Jan 2007 Posts: 486

The Excellent Australian fanzine "Look What Weve Got" had a "delve" into the BBC recordings a while back:

It is known The Hollies did quite a few BBC recordings.