In the early 1960s
British pop music came of age. Bands no longer regurgitated a pale
imitation of US rock'n'roll, but instead merged aspects of British
music culture - such as dance-hall, pop and skiffle -with American
R'n'B. The resulting confection, designated beat, saw a flourishing
of bands throughout Britain that challenged the States' stranglehold
on popular music. While the beat boom flourished on Merseyside,
Manchester developed its own quartet of contenders: Freddie and the
Dreamers, Herman's Hermits, Wayne Fontana and the Mindbenders and
The Hollies. And of these Mancunian candidates, it was The Hollies
who can claim to be the biggest and best.
The Hollies' recording career started in 1963 after signing to
Parlophone (who'd already snapped up the Beatles). And like many
emerging Beat combos, they played safe, serving up R'n'B standards
such as The Coasters' Searchin'.
Drummer Rathbone soon left to be their road manager and was replaced
by Bobby Elliot (Dec 8, 1942). And The Hollies began to develop
their own distinctive sound that blended Everly Brothers style
harmonising with chiming guitars.
Their third album release - The Hollies (1965) - contained their
first Number one hit I'm Alive. Their next single If I Needed
Someone (a George Harrison song) led to the Hollies and John Lennon
squabbling in the press over the failure of a Beatles cover in the
charts.
However, they topped
the charts again in 1966 with one of their finest songs I Can't Let
Go, which combined their now trademark harmonisation with strong,
driving guitar.
They received belated recognition in The States, scoring their first
Top Ten hit with Bus Stop in 1966. But their success in Britain
continued unabated. As bands such as The Beatles and Kinks began to
explore more experimental territory, The Hollies catered for
audiences hankering after a more poppy, accessible sound. Yet,
unlike contemporaries Herman's Hermits, they satisfied a broader
fan-base, insulating them from the fickle, faddism of a teen-fanbase.
But what the band couldn't be insulated from was one of the band
member's desire to be taken more seriously as an artist. In 1968,
singer Graham Nash - constrained by the band's commercial direction
- left to found Crosby, Stills and Nash. Whether it was the loss of
Nash or the changing musical climate, his departure marked the end
of the group's most successful era.
Nash was replaced by Terry Sylvester (formerly of The Escorts and
The Swinging Blue Jeans) and the band tried to adapt to new times by
recording an album of Bob Dylan songs. It smacked of the band
hitting a creative cul-de-sac, though hit singles still came - most
notably 1969's He Ain't Heavy He's My Brother.
The 1972 hit Long Cool Women arrested a brief slide in the
Seventies. But most of their mid-70s output onwards found favour
with only hardcore Hollies fans.
Instead, it is their finely crafted, harmonic songs, produced in the
mid-60s, that have secured the band's reputation as one of the
finest beat bands from the heyday of British pop music.
Allan Clarke (vocals)
Graham Nash (vocals/guitar)
Tony Hicks (guitar)
Eric Haydock (bass)
Bobby Elliot / Don Rathbone (drums)
January 1963
3 February 1963
27 March 1963
30 March 1963
12 July 1963
13 July 1963
20 July 1963
23 July 1963
2 August 1963
6 August 1963
30 October 1963
24 November 1964
Show recorded for Radio Luxemburg
With thanks to
:: Manchester
On Line
Additional information from Rob Haywood at Holliies.co.uk
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