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One of the best and most commercially successful pop/rock acts of the British Invasion, when the Hollies began recording in 1963, they relied heavily upon the R&B/early rock & roll covers that provided the staple diet for countless British bands of the time. They quickly developed a more distinctive style of three-part harmonies (heavily influenced by the Everly Brothers), ringing guitars, and hook-happy material, penned by both outside writers (especially Graham Gouldman) and themselves, eventually composing most of their repertoire on their own. The best early Hollies records evoke an infectious, melodic cheer similar to that of the early Beatles, although the Hollies were neither in their class (not an insult: nobody else was) nor demonstrated a similar capacity for artistic growth. They tried, though, easing into somewhat more sophisticated folk-rock and mildly psychedelic sounds as the decade wore on, especially on their albums (which contain quite a few overlooked highlights).

Allan Clarke (lead singer) and Graham Nash (vocals, guitar) had been friends since childhood in Manchester, and formed the nucleus of the Hollies in the early '60s with bassist Eric Haydock. In early 1963, EMI producer Ron Richards signed the group after seeing them at the famous Cavern Club in Liverpool. Guitarist Vic Steele left before the first session, to be replaced by 17-year-old Tony Hicks. Drummer Don Rathbone only lasted for a couple of singles before being replaced by Bobby Elliott, who had played with Hicks in his pre-Hollies group, the Dolphins. The lineup changes were most fortuitous: Hicks contributed a lot to the group with his ringing guitar work and songwriting, and Elliott was one of the very finest drummers in all of pop/rock. Although their first singles were R&B covers, the Hollies were no match for the Rolling Stones (or for that matter the Beatles) in this department, and were much more at home with pop/rock material that provided a sympathetic complement to their glittering harmonies. They ran off an awesome series of hits in the U.K. in the '60s, making the Top 20 almost 20 times. Some of their best mid-'60s singles, like "Here I Go Again," "We're Through," and the British number one "I'm Alive," passed virtually unnoticed in the United States, where they couldn't make the Top 40 until early 1966, when Graham Gouldman's "Look Through Any Window" did the trick. In 1966, Eric Haydock left the group under cloudy circumstances, replaced by Bernie Calvert.

The Hollies really didn't break in America in a big way until "Bus Stop" (1966), their first Stateside Top Tenner; "On a Carousel," "Carrie Ann," and "Stop Stop Stop" were also big hits. Here the Hollies were providing something of a satisfying option for pop-oriented listeners that found the increasingly experimental outings of groups like the Beatles and Kinks too difficult to follow. At the same time, the production and harmonies were sophisticated enough to maintain a broader audience than more teen- and bubblegum-oriented British Invasion acts like Herman's Hermits. Their albums showed a more serious and ambitious side, particularly on the part of Graham Nash, without ever escaping the truth that their forte was well-executed pop/rock, not serious statements. Nash, however, itched to make an impression as a more serious artist, particularly on the "King Midas in Reverse" single (1967). Its relatively modest commercial success didn't augur well for his influence over the band's direction, and their next 45s were solidly in the more tried-and-true romantic tradition. By 1968, though, Nash really felt constrained by the band's commercial orientation, and by the end of the year he was gone, left for the States to help found Crosby, Stills, & Nash. His departure really marked the end of the group's peak era.

In 1969, the band tried to have its cake and eat it too by doing a whole album of Hollie-ized Dylan songs, which was received poorly by some critics, although it was a decent seller in Britain. Nash was replaced by Terry Sylvester (formerly of Liverpool bands the Escorts and Swinging Blue Jeans), and the hit streak continued for a while. "He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother," in fact, was one of their biggest international singles. But the group was really reaching a cul de sac; they'd managed a remarkably long run at the top considering that they hadn't changed their formula much since the mid-'60s, adding enough sophistication to the lyrics and arrangements to avoid sounding markedly dated. It was apparent they really weren't capable of producing long-playing works striking enough to appeal to the album audience, though, and their singles, though still hits on occasion, weren't as memorable as their best '60s work. A modest slide in the early '70s was arrested by "Long Cool Woman in a Black Dress," a Creedence Clearwater Revival-type rocker that made number two in the States in 1972. The timing wasn't ideal; by the time it became a smash, Clarke, who had sung lead on the single, had left to go solo, to be replaced by Swedish vocalist Mikael Rickfors. Clarke rejoined in mid-1973, and the group had one last international monster, "The Air That I Breathe," which made number six in the U.S. in 1974. The group went on to record a string of further albums in the second half of the 1970s.

Curiously, mostly thanks to Clarke, they did pick up on Bruce Springsteen's work as a songwriter earlier than a lot of other acts, but not even their beautiful rendition of "Sandy" could avert their slide from the public's consciousness. Most of their late-'70s releases were heavily influenced by the prevailing disco and dance-rock sounds of the era, although they never entirely abandoned their harmony vocal sound. Under other circumstances they might have pulled off a career conversion similar to that achieved by the Bee Gees after 1974, but luck wasn't with them and their output in this period was ignored, passed over by fans of their old sound and the disco audience alike. This coincided with a decision by their American label, Epic Records — apparently conceding that the Hollies would never sell large numbers of LPs regardless of how big their hits ever were — to minimize the marketing efforts invested in the band's records, essentially running out the clock on their contract. Ironically, the label ended up passing on the one LP the group issued in the late '70s that would have reached out to old and new audiences, the concert album originally titled Hollies Live. It ended up getting reviewed enthusiastically in numerous American magazines and newspapers as a Canadian import. The group seemed to reach a dead end in the early '80s, with Sylvester and Calvert exiting suddenly during that period.

The Hollies received a boost in press interest in America during 1983, however, when Graham Nash rejoined for one LP (What Goes Around... on Atlantic Records), but even this proved a false start. A new generation of rock music critics, accustomed to looking askance at longtime acts such as the Hollies attempting to bring their sound into the 1980s, proved especially hostile to the group's British invasion-style gambit of re-interpreting a Motown standard like "Stop! In the Name of Love," which became the single off the album. In a sad piece of irony, What Goes Around... received more press attention than any long-player they'd ever released in America, but most of the reviews were lukewarm or outright negative; worse still, this was a dozen years past Crosby, Stills & Nash's heyday, and even Graham Nash's star had faded considerably by then. Additionally, it turned out that a lot of his remaining American CSN fans were simply not prepared to accept — or, at least, get excited by — the idea of his returning to the Hollies. They got lots of print and radio exposure, but the public just didn't care that much; as an example, an autograph signing at Tower Records in New York's East Village was ended an hour earlier than its scheduled 90 minutes when hardly anyone showed up to meet the band. And the tour by this lineup had to be hastily rebooked into smaller halls when ticket sales didn't meet promoter expectations.

The group continued to play concerts and make beautiful records, but there was no public demand for new releases, and by the 1990s they'd ceased making new studio recordings. As the 21st century beckoned, Allan Clarke — after nearly 40 years as the lead vocalist for the band — found that his singing didn't come to him as strongly or as well as he was used to, and he decided to retire, leaving Hicks and Elliott as the last two core members of the group. Clarke's first successor was Carl Wayne, the onetime lead singer of the 1960s Birmingham-spawned band the Move, who fronted the band on-stage for the next couple of years. In 2003, EMI Records recognized the Hollies' musical significance with a huge (and hugely satisfying) six-CD box set, The Long Road Home: 1963-2003, covering every era and major lineup in the group's history, and containing a huge number of previously unreleased and unanthologized tracks.

Wayne's death in 2004 led to another shift in their lineup, but in 2006 the group bounced back with its first new studio album in 23 years, appropriately entitled Staying Power, which featured Hicks and Elliott at the core of a lineup that included Peter Howarth on lead vocals, with Ian Parker on keyboards, Steve Laurie on guitar, and Ray Stiles on bass. Although not widely distributed outside of England, the record — ironically, their first CD-original studio album — proved to be a very fine updating of the group's sound, retaining enough of their traditional pop/harmony elements to satisfy longtime listeners. A live DVD derived from a December 2006 concert in Belgium was issued in 2007, a year that also saw a big chunk of their vintage catalog get further CD re-releases, principally through EMI. And as of 2008, the group was preparing another album of new material, with a U.K. tour tentatively planned for 2009.

TOP 10 ALL TIME BANDS

1. The Beatles
Essential Album: Revolver

With record sales estimated at more than a billion worldwide, no other band had a greater influence on the course of rock music.

2. Pink Floyd
Essential Album: Wish You Were Here

At the vanguard of the Progressive Rock movement, they have sold more than 200-million albums since 1967. One of the first bands to use light shows and fireworks in their live performances.

3. The Who
Essential Album: Who's Next

One of the first, most successful, and longest lasting power bands, The Who were innovative both musically and technically.

4. Rolling Stones
Essential Album: Sticky Fingers

The original "bad boys" of rock, the Stones are among the most durable bands, recording and touring with few breaks since they began in 1961.

5. Led Zeppelin
Essential Album: Led Zeppelin IV

Their "Stairway To Heaven" is believed to have received more radio airplay than any other song in history, even though it was never released as a single.

6. Eagles
Essential Album: Their Greatest Hits

Another of rock's longest-lasting acts, their 1976 greatest hits album is the biggest selling album of all time.

7. Grateful Dead
Essential Album: Anthem Of The Sun

One of San Francisco's first "flower power" bands, their fan following is nearly as strong today as it was when the group disbanded in 1995.

8. Jefferson Airplane
Essential Album: While Bathing At Baxter's

Pioneers of the Psychedelic Rock genre, they were in the vanguard of the counter-culture of the '60s and '70s.

9. The Doors
Essential Album: The Doors

In spite of a short life and limited discography, they became one of rock's most popular and influential groups.

10. Moody Blues
Essential Album: Days Of Future Passed

With the exception of a few years in the mid-70s, this Progressive/Psychedelic group has toured and recorded since 1964.


The WOODSTOCK STORY- 1969

"I'm going on down to Yasgur's farm,
I'm going to join in a rock 'n' roll band,
I'm going to camp out on the land,
I'm going to try and get my soul free"

During one long, hot, rainy weekend in August of 1969, what happened on a dairy farm in upstate New York changed the course of rock music, and stamped an indelible image on American culture. But it didn’t start out that way.

John Roberts, Joel Rosenman, Artie Kornfeld, Michael Lang. A military man, a lounge band guitarist, a record label executive, a rock band manager. The business venture of these unlikely partners became part of the fabric of American history primarily because it was such a huge failure.

Who Was Who

Roberts, in addition to being a commissioned Army officer was heir to a multi-million dollar trust fund. Rosenman, the musician, had a law degree but no specific plans for how to spend the rest of his life. Kornfeld was a successful songwriter and record producer.

Lang and Kornfeld became pals at their first meeting, in which Lang was looking for a record deal for a band he managed. The two began brainstorming plans for a recording studio in the pastoral setting of upstate New York in a little town called Woodstock. To introduce it, they envisioned a small festival that would include a rock concert and an art fair.

Roberts and Rosenman, meanwhile, were brainstorming ideas for a TV sitcom they hoped to produce. In search of money to fund their Woodstock venture, Lang and Kornfeld were introduced by their lawyer to Roberts and Rosenman.

Why Woodstock?

Artists and craftspeople had long considered the quiet, peaceful surroundings of Woodstock to be the ideal place to live and work. By 1969, it was also attracting a growing number of musicians who liked the “back to the earth” life there, but had to travel a long way to the nearest recording studio. Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Bob Dylan, Van Morrison and The Band were among those who were calling Woodstock home.

Thus it was that the proposed recording studio was the centerpiece of the original plan in which a concert and cultural exposition would play only a small role. The more the four men talked, however, the more the plan changed. They emerged from their third meeting with a plan to raise the money to build the studio by staging the largest rock concert ever.

The Way It Was Supposed To Be

The organizers thought they could attract between 50,000 and 100,000 people, which was ambitious by even the most optimistic standards. The Miami Pop Festival in 1968 had been considered a huge success when it attracted a crowd of 40,000.

From the beginning there were problems. There was no place in Woodstock that could accommodate the expected crowds. The organizers secured a site in nearby Walkill, but were denied a permit to stage the concert. Officially, it was because outdoor toilets were illegal there. Unofficially, it was because Walkill residents didn’t want three days of hippies, drugs and loud music in their town.

The organizers were also finding it difficult to attract big name talent, who were skeptical because the group had no track record for pulling off an event of this magnitude. Eventually, they managed to secure 600 acres on a dairy farm near a little town called Bethel, and succeeded in booking major acts by paying them twice what they usually got for a concert appearance. The festival’s original name was retained because it was already being heavily promoted as the Woodstock Music & Art Fair.

What Went Wrong … and Right

The business plan was based on sales of tickets and concessions to 50,000 or so people. When ten times that many people showed up, the meager security contingent couldn’t keep them from climbing fences or simply walking in without paying.

It didn’t take long for food supplies to run out, and for sanitary facilities to become completely overwhelmed. And nobody had counted on rain falling throughout much of the festival, rendering the pasture a muddy mess and delaying or shortening performances.

Largely undaunted, attendees happily shared their food, drugs, booze and sexual partners with those who were without, and frolicked in the mud. The organizers eventually made back the $2.4-million they spent on the festival, but only when they started getting money from record sales and a successful film documenting the event.

The owner of the farm where Woodstock took place in 1969, Max Yasgar, died after a heart attack in 1973.

Top 10 1955

1. Cherry Pink and Apple Blossom White - Perez Prado
2. Sincerely - McGuire Sisters
3. Rock Around The Clock - Bill Haley & The Comets
4. Sixteen Tons - Tennessee Ernie Ford
5. Love Is A Many Splendored Thing - Four Aces
6. The Yellow Rose of Texas - Mitch Miller
7. The Ballad of Davy Crockett - Bill Hayes
8. Autumn Leaves - Roger Williams
9. Let Me Go Lover - Joan Weber
10. Hearts of Stone - Fontane Sisters

Top 10 1956

1. Singing The Blues - Guy Mitchell
2. Don't Be Cruel - Elvis Presley
3. The Wayward Wind - Gogi Grant
4. Heartbreak Hotel - Elvis Presley
5. Hound Dog - Elvis Presley
6. Rock and Roll Waltz - Kay Starr
7. Memories Are Made Of This - Dean Martin
8. The Poor People Of Paris - Les Baxter
9. Love Me Tender - Elvis Presley
10. My Prayer - Platters

Top 10 1957

1. All Shook Up - Elvis Presley
2. Love Letters In The Sand - Pat Boone
3. Jailhouse Rock - Elvis Presley
4. Let Me Be Your Teddy Bear - Elvis Presley
5. April Love - Pat Boone
6. Young Love - Tab Hunter
7. Tammy Debbie - Reynolds
8. Honeycomb - Jimmy Rodgers
9. Wake Up Little Susie - Everly Brothers
10. You Send Me - Sam Cooke

Top 10 Songs 1958

1. At The Hop- Danny & Juniors
2. It's All In The Game- Tommy Edwards
3. The Purple People Eater- Sheb Wooley
4. Don't- Elvis Presley
5. Tequila- Champs
6. All I Have To Do Is Dream- Everly Brothers
7. Nel Blu Dipinto Di Blu (Volare)- Domenico Modungo
8. Sugartime- McGuire Sisters
9. He's Got The Whole World (In His Hands)- Laurie London
10. The Chipmunk Song- David Seville & Chipmunks

Top 10 Songs 1959

1. Mack The Knife- Bobby Darin
2. The Battle Of New Orleans- Johnny Horton
3. Venus Frankie- Avalon
4. Stagger Lee- Lloyd Price
5. The Three Bells- Browns
6. Come Softly To Me- Fleetwoods
7. Lonely Boy- Paul Anka
8. Smoke Gets In Your Eyes- Platters
9. Heartaches By the Number- Guy Mitchell
10. Sleep Walk- Santo & Johnny

Top 10 Songs 1960

1. The Theme From "A Summer Place" - Percy Faith
2. Are You Lonesome Tonight- Elvis Presley
3. It's Now Or Never- Elvis Presley
4. Cathy's Clown- Everly Brothers
5. Stuck On You - Elvis Presley
6. Running Bear- Johnny Preston
7. I'm Sorry- Brenda Lee
8. Save The Last Dance For Me- Drifters
9. El Paso- Marty Robbins
10. Teen Angel- Mark Dinning

Top 10 Songs 1961

1. Tossin' And Turnin'- Bobby Lewis
2. Big Bad John- Jimmy Dean
3. Runaway- Del Shannon
4. Wonderland By Night- Bert Kaempfert
5. Pony Time- Chubby Checker
6. Take Good Care Of My Baby- Bobby Vee
7. The Lion Sleeps Tonight- Tokens
8. Blue Moon - Marcels
9. Will You Love Me Tommorrow- Shirelles
10. Michael- Highwaymen

Top 10 Songs 1962

1. I Can't Stop Loving You- Ray Charles
2. Big Girls Don't Cry- Four Seasons
3. Sherry- Four Seasons
4. Rose's Are Red- Bobby Vinton
5. Peppermint Twist- Joey Dee & Starliters
6. Telstar- Tornadoes
7. Duke Of Earl- Gene Chandler
8. Hey Baby- Bruce Channel
9. Soldier Boy- Shirelles
10. The Twist- Chubby Checker

Top 10 Songs 1963

1. Sugar Shack- Jimmy Gilmer & Fireballs
2. He's So Fine- Chiffons
3. Dominique- Singing Nun
4. Blue Velvet- Bobby Vinton
5. Hey Paula- Paul & Paula
6. Fingertips - Part 2- Stevie Wonder
7. Sukiyaki- Kyu Sakamoto
8. I Will Follow Him- Peggy March
9. My Boyfriend's Back- Angels
10. Walk Like A Man- Four Seasons

Top 10 Songs 1964

1. I Want To Hold Your Hand - Beatles
2. Can't Buy Me - Love Beatles
3. Baby Love - Supremes
4. There! I've said It Again - Bobby Vinton
5. Oh, Pretty - Woman Roy Orbison
6. Chapel of Love - Dixie Cups
7. The House Of The Rising Sun - Animals
8. I Feel Fine - Beatles
9. She Loves You - Beatles
10. I Get Around - Beach Boys

Top 10 Songs 1965

1. Satisfaction - Rolling Stones
2. Yesterday -Beatles
3. Turn! Turn! Turn! - Byrds
4. I Got You Babe - Sonny & Cher
5. Help! - Beatles
6. Mrs. Brown You've Got A Lovely Daughter - Herman's Hermits
7. You've Lost That Lovin' Feelin' - Righteous Brothers
8. Downtown - Petula Clark
9. I Can't Help Myself - Four Tops
10. Help Me Rhonda - Beach Boys

Top 10 Songs 1966

1. The Ballad Of The Green Berets - SSgt Barry Sadler
2. Winchester Cathedral - New Vaudeville Band
3. Cherish -Association
4. (You're My) Soul And Inspiration - Righteous Brothers
5. We Can Work It Out - Beatles
6. Monday, Monday- Mama's & Papa's
7. Summer In The City - Lovin' Spoonful
8. Reach Out I'll Be There - Four Tops
9. The Sounds Of Silence - Simon & Garfunkel
10. You Can't Hurry Love - Supremes

Top 10 Songs 1967

1. I'm A Believer- Monkees
2. To Sir With Love - Lulu
3. The Letter - Box Tops
4. Ode To Billie Joe- Bobbie Gentry
5. Windy- Association
6. Groovin' Young- Rascals
7. Somethin' Stupid - Nancy & Frank Sinatra
8. Daydream Believer - Monkees
9. Light My Fire - Doors
10. Happy Together - Turtles

Top 10 Songs 1968

1. Hey Jude - Beatles
2. I Heard It Through The Grapevine - Marvin Gaye
3. Love Is Blue- Paul Mauriat
4. Honey Bobby -Goldsboro
5. People Got To Be Free- Rascals
6. (Sittin' On) The Dock Of The Bay - Otis Redding
7. This Guy's In Love With You - Herb Alpert
8. Mrs. Robinson - Simon & Garfunkel
9. Love Child - Supremes
10. Judy In Disguise (With Glasses)- John Fred & Playboy Band