The Hollies are an iconic British band from the 1960s. This is one of the most successful projects of the last century. There is speculation that the name Hollies was chosen in honor of Buddy Holly. The musicians talk about being inspired by Christmas decorations.
The team was founded in 1962 in Manchester. At the origins of the cult group are Allan Clark and Graham Nash. The boys went to the same school. After meeting, they realized that their musical tastes coincide.
In middle school, the guys started playing together. Then they created their first group, The Tow Teens. After graduation, Allan and Graham got a job, but did not leave the common cause. The musicians performed like The Guytones in various cafes and bars.
In the early 1960s, on the wave of interest in rock and roll, the musicians turned into the quartet The Fourtones. Later they changed their name to The Deltas. Two more members joined the team - Eric Haydock and Don Rathbone.
The quartet continued to play in local bars, periodically visiting Liverpool. The band performed at the famous Cavern. The musicians became stars in their hometown.
In 1962, the quartet began to be called The Hollies. A year later, the musicians were noticed by EMI producer Ron Richards. He invited the guys to audition. Later, the place of the soul guitarist was taken by Tony Hicks. As a result, he became a permanent member of the team.
The creative path of The Hollies
Cooperation with the producer gave the musicians a lot of experience. The members of the group began busy weekdays. Constant moving, performances and days on end in a recording studio.
The band has been hailed by critics as one of the most prolific hit-makers since The Beatles. The musicians of the group managed to work with such famous personalities as Jimmy Page, John Paul Jones and Jack Bruce.
In the mid-1960s, the band performed at the same venue with rock and roll legend Little Richard. The team was recognized as world-class musicians.
The band's tracks have undergone only minor changes for almost 30 years. In the late 1960s, the band members tried to move away from their traditional sound. To feel the changes, just listen to the compositions of the Evolution and Butterfly albums. Interestingly, the fans did not appreciate the efforts of the Hollies in this capacity.
The 1970s passed without major changes for the group. In 1983, Graham Nash joined the musicians to record a new record.
Music by The Hollies
The musicians presented the first single in 1962. We are talking about the composition (Ain't It) Just Like Me - a cover version of Coasters. A few months later, the track took 25th position in the UK chart. This opened up great prospects for the group.
In 1963, the Hollies made The Coasters, Searchin, their calling card. And a year later, the band quickly "burst" with the track Stay Maurice Williams & The Zodiacs.
In March 1963, the band hit #2 on the charts with Stay With The Hollies. In April, the band members successfully rose by covering Doris Troy's hit Just One Look.
In the summer, Here I Go Again turned the Hollies into real idols of the youth. On the wave of popularity, the musicians presented another novelty - the composition We're Through.
For the next four years, the band members attacked the charts with melodic and powerful tracks, as well as effective polyphony. They became the most productive hit makers since The Beatles.
In the mid-1960s, the hit parades included tracks by musicians: Yes I Will, I'm Alive and Look Through Any Window. The group did not forget about the concerts either. Musicians are frequent guests of European countries.
In 1966, the Hollies presented one of the most recognizable tracks. We are talking about the musical composition Bus Stop. The song was followed by musical experiments that resulted in the tracks: Stop Stop Stop, Carrie-Anne and Pay You Back With Interest.
Company change
In 1967, the team changed their American company Imperial to Epic. At the same time, the musicians began recording the Butterfly album. During this period of time, musicians experimented with sound.
In January 1969, a new guitarist, Terry Sylvester, joined the band. The debut of the musician took place in the single Sorry Suzanne and the album Hollies Sing Dylan.
The band members tried to stay productive and released the album Hollies Sing Hollies that same year. Despite the efforts of the musicians, the fans greeted the new collection very coolly. The hits of the late 1960s were the tracks: He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother and I Can't Tell The Bottom From The Top.
1971 began for the team with losses. Clark considered staying in the group unpromising. The musician left the group. His place was taken by Mikael Rickfors.
In addition, the band also changed the British recording studio, leaving Parlophone Polydor. This period is marked by the hit The Baby. Despite the fact that Clark vowed that he would never return to the group, in 1971 he was in the group The Hollies.
Decrease and increase in popularity of The Hollies
1972 was marked by a number of unsuccessful singles and albums. On this wave, Ron Richards decided to leave the group. This period was not the best for the life of the team. The Hollies briefly went into the shadows. But the return of the musicians to the stage was worth several years of almost absolute calm.
In the spring of 1977, the band recorded their first live at a concert in New Zealand. We are talking about the collection The Hollies Live Hits. The live album was a significant success in England.
A great start after the rest was overshadowed by the presentation of the new album A Crazy Steal. The collection turned out to be a "failure" and Clark left again. After 6 months, the musician returned to the group again.
In 1979, the Hollies reunited with Richards to record Five Three One's juicy Double Seven O Four. A year later, the band left the musician Sylvester. Calvert followed a few weeks later.
Four years later, the band's discography was replenished with a new collection, What Goes Around. The record was an absolute success in the United States of America. But English music lovers did not like it. In support of the collection, the team went on tour. They returned home without Nash. The musician left the band.
Hollis signing with Columbia-EMI
In 1987, a group consisting of Clark, Hicks, Elliott, Alan Coates (vocals), Ray Stiles and keyboardist Denis Haynes re-signed with Columbia-EMI. For three years, the musicians released singles, which, alas, did not attract the attention of potential fans.
During the late 1980s and the first half of the 1990s, the band released several successful albums. The release of each collection was accompanied by a tour.
In 1993, EMI released The Air That I Breathe: The Best of the Hollies. At the same time, the new album Treasured Hits and Hidden Treasures was released. The record mainly consisted of old hits.
The Hollies today
The musicians presented their last studio album in 2006. During this period of time, musicians actively tour.
A tragic event happened in 2019. Eric Haydock (the "original" bass player of the legendary Manchester beat band The Hollies) died on January 5th. Doctors specified that the cause of death was a long-term illness, but they did not say which one.
In 2020, the musicians were supposed to have a big tour. The band has postponed the tour due to the coronavirus pandemic. The latest news from the life of the team can be found on the official website.
