The Hollies Sky Arts

I watched this recently as I was a big Hollies fan pre and post Graham Nash - and a big Crosby, Stills, Nash (and Young) fan too. A fascinating documentary from which I learned a lot. I'd always thought of Tony Hicks as "just the cute one" but now understand his role in their three-part harmonies, how many of the songs they recorded were co-written or found by him and what a talented guitarist he was and is.

Thank you. I didn't realize it was a repeat. Tony was my favourite after George Harrison.

Enjoying it.

Tony Hicks intro to The Air That I Breathe must be one of the most recognisable in pop history along with Johnny Marr's riff in The Smith's How Soon Is Now?

I recall in the programme that Nash expresses faux indignation at the success the band had after he left but I wondered if he really was miffed. Still, he had huge success with CSN. I was lucky enough to see CSN a few years ago and they were brilliant.

George Harrison's All Things Must Pass is still one of my favourite albums. What is Life? We all ask that!

Alan Clarke was my favourite singer in the Hollies, and loved all their hits.

I have just finished watching this and enjoyed it very much. I saw them on Glasgow a few years ago and they put on a great show. He ain't heavy is a song that is very relevant for what is going on in the world today.

I read Graham Nash’s autobiography, let’s just say modesty isn’t his strong point. I could easily imagine he thought the band wouldn’t survive without him.

The Air That I Breathe. One of my favourite songs ever.

I get that impression too Jane. Very full of himself.

I loved the Hollies . All their songs were good. My favourite was Long Cool Woman in a Black Dress. Sung byAlan Clark. What a voice

Just One Look. The first single I bought.

I saw the programme a while back and it was fascinating. They were such an iconic band and their hits were such a part of our lives back then. Their sound was instantly recognisable.

Here's a little bit of info. Carl Wayne joined the group in 2000 when Allan Clarke retired. He was originally with The Move and later married Miss Diane of Crossroads! He had a lovely voice. Sadly he died in 2004 aged 61.

Alan Clarke married a woman from my home town, in our local church, in 1964.
They're still married.

Oh I missed this. I saw the programme the other day that mentioned that Graham Nash had a relationship with Joni Mitchell. For some reason thinking about The Hollies made me think of No Milk Today by Herman’s Hermits which I have just watched several times having remembered how madly in love I was with Peter Noone. And I’ve just watched a ‘were they playing live’ thing on utube which pointed out what an amazingly good song it was, what good musicians The Hermits were and what a brilliant vocalist Peter Noone was. I watch Sky Arts most of the time now. I hope they don’t start charging for it.

Chestnut

I saw the programme a while back and it was fascinating. They were such an iconic band and their hits were such a part of our lives back then. Their sound was instantly recognisable.

Here's a little bit of info. Carl Wayne joined the group in 2000 when Allan Clarke retired. He was originally with The Move and later married Miss Diane of Crossroads! He had a lovely voice. Sadly he died in 2004 aged 61.

Carl Wayne was a really good singer. I remember seeing him in the midlands when he was with the band Carl Wayne and The Vikings. As you say Chestnut he joined The Move and was lead singer for some of their hits. We saw him in the musical Blood Brothers in 1993, he played the part of The Narrator. He was also the voice of the theme tune to New Faces - ‘You’re A Star’.

MayBee70

Oh I missed this. I saw the programme the other day that mentioned that Graham Nash had a relationship with Joni Mitchell. For some reason thinking about The Hollies made me think of No Milk Today by Herman’s Hermits which I have just watched several times having remembered how madly in love I was with Peter Noone. And I’ve just watched a ‘were they playing live’ thing on utube which pointed out what an amazingly good song it was, what good musicians The Hermits were and what a brilliant vocalist Peter Noone was. I watch Sky Arts most of the time now. I hope they don’t start charging for it.

Graham lived with Joni Mitchell in her house situated in Laurel Canyon, Los Angeles, he wrote the song ‘Our House’ about it (not the Madness song). The house was featured recently in This Is Us when Kevin took his mother Rebecca to see Joni Mitchell’s house because Rebecca is a singer and a huge fan of Joni Mitchell.

granzilla

Alan Clarke married a woman from my home town, in our local church, in 1964.
They're still married.

Yes her name is Jennifer and the song Jennifer Eccles was inspired by her first name and Graham Nash’s first wife’s surname which was Eccles. She has had cancer twice and Alan Clarke took time off from the band to care for her.

I am a huge Hollies fan and I’m so pleased I saw that this programme was on tv yesterday.

Despite my username, Jennifer Eccles isn’t my favourite of their songs, although I would really struggle to come up with just one song as I loved so many of them.
The Air That I Breathe would be up there and most certainly Stop Stop Stop for the simply outstanding banjo playing.
I love the lyrics of that song too, especially after learning of its origin in the programme !
I wonder if it was frowned upon in some quarters when it was released?!!

DH and I like ‘Long, Tall Woman In A Black Dtess’.

Thank you SO much for telling us about this-just started watching it on catch up. They were absolutely brilliant weren’t they? Such fabulous harmonies.