I post a weekly diary of historical notes, arts & science items, foreign news (often receiving little notice in the US) and whimsical pieces from the outside world that I often feature in "Cheers & Jeers".
OK, you've been warned - here is this week's tomfoolery material that I posted.
CHEERS to Bill and Michael in PWM, our Wyoming-based friend Irish Patti and ...... well, each of you at Odds & Ends. Have a fabulous rest of the weekend .... and week ahead.
ART NOTES — an exhibition of the artwork, stagecraft and sound design for the English band Pink Floyd— entitled “Their Mortal Remains” — is at the Victoria & Albert Museum in London through October 1st.
in London, England to Oct 1stWITH ALL OF THE COMPARISONS to the Watergate scandal, there are two living figures worth noting: should there actually be a new White House taping system, it should be revealed to the public by Alexander Butterfield (who is now age 91) … and should a special Senate committee be convened: there should at least be a cameo role for former Sen. Lowell Weicker— the last surviving member of the 1973 Watergate Committee (who turned age 86 just this week).
SCIENCE NOTES — the National Academy of Sciences reported about a study finding that infants see red, yellow, green, blue, and purple as different color categories ... suggesting that at least some distinctions may be hardwired.
THURSDAY's CHILD is the late Great Catsby— the neighborhood cat of Duluth, Minnesota who was well-liked … and there will be a 5-k road race this coming weekend to finance a statue of the kitteh.
The Great Catsby of DuluthCHEERS to the musician Todd Rundgren— whom I profiled in this space recently — who has a new collaborative album titled “White Night,” with the anti-Trump song titled Man in the Tin Foil Hat….. and issued a trigger warning about attending his concerts: “If you’re a Trump supporter, don’t come to my show, because you won’t have a good time.”
FRIDAY's CHILDREN are Ringer the Cat and Chloe the Dog— who both survived a Michigan house fire two months ago (in different ways). Chloe nearly died in the blaze and was revived by an oxygen mask. Ringer went missing and was feared dead … then when Chloe returned to the house, she sniffed the kitteh hiding in a hole under the floor … malnourished, but alive.
Ringer and ChloeWEEKEND READS — try this essay by Matt Taibbi (in Rolling Stone) on the death of Roger Ailes— and Matt references a short essay by Joan Walsh in The Nation. Personally, I take no pleasure from Ailes’s death … he was a hemophiliac, and as I age, I am also nervous about having a major fall. I just want his full story told.
In Gabe Sherman's excellent biography of Ailes ("Loudest Voice in the Room"), Sherman noted that if Ailes had more successes on Broadway - in other words, to follow-up on the profitable Hot L Baltimore play - we may have been spared what followed. Not unlike George W .... who, if he had been offered the post of commissioner of Major League Baseball (rather than Bud Selig) in 1993 ... we may have been spared then, too.
BRAIN TEASER — try this Quiz of the Week's News from the BBC.
FATHER-SON? — the late TV star Robert Reed (“The Defenders”, “Brady Bunch”) and film star Bradley Cooper (“Silver Linings Playbook”, “American Sniper”).
Robert Reed (1932-1992) Bradley Cooper (born 1975)...... and finally, for a song of the week ...........................… one of the few early British Invasion bands that have never broken-up have been The Hollies— whose three-part harmonies (modeled on the Everly Brothers) enabled them to find a niche that has sustained them for over 50 years, with several Top Ten singles. That niche has also hampered them (causing its most famous band member to leave) yet they continue to perform for eager audiences around the world.
They were founded in 1962 by two childhood friends: singer Allan Clarke and singer/guitarist Graham Nash (yes, that one) who took their name Hollies from both Buddy Holly as well as a nod to the December, 1962 Yuletide. After some personnel changes, their classic line-up #1 included bassist Eric Haydock, lead guitarist Tony Hicks and drummer Bobby Elliott.
They began (as with many of their peers) doing cover versions of American R&B hits and having some success in Britain — their 1963-64 versions of The Coasters’ Searchin’ and Doris Troy’s hit Just One Look were prime examples — yet they came to realize that other UK bands were better at that style of music. They had some Top Ten releases in the UK … but had yet to break-it-open in North America.
In time, they came to record more pop-oriented songs written by their countryman Graham Gouldman (later to write for The Yardbirds and eventually co-founding the band 10cc). An example of that was their 1965 version of Look Through Any Window— a #4 in Britain and cracking the Top 40 (#32) for the first time in the US). The following year of 1966 saw their big breakthrough in the US: with Gouldman’s composition Bus Stop (#5 in the UK/USA and #2 in Canada).
In time, the trio of Allan Clarke, Graham Nash and Tony Hicks began to write their own songs. First, though, the band had disputes with their management about excessive fees being charged — enough for bassist Eric Haydock to leave the band in late 1966, replaced by Bernie Calvert. In 1967, they had their second major international hit Carrie Anne (#3 in the UK, #9 in the US) which many believe referred to Marianne Faithfull. The Hollies had found their niche — pop songs appealing to AM radio, yet with sophisticated harmonies that left their music several notches over bubblegum music.
At this time (1967) popular music was changing, and Graham Nash had written a song King Midas in Reverse— which sought to adapt to the changing times as part of their album Butterfly— with some psychedelia. It had middling success, and Nash found himself chafing to expand. The next year (1968) the band had a #7 hit in Britain with Jennifer Eccles— named after the wives of Graham Nash and Allan Clarke — which Nash disliked, and he was unsuccessful in convincing his bandmates to consider two tunes he had written (Marrakesh Express and Teach Your Children). At the peak of the band’s popularity, Graham Nash left to go to the USA … and was able to record those songs with his new band. He was replaced by Terry Sylvester, which formed the classic line-up #2 (that lasted until 1981).
The band did end the decade strong, with a cover album of Bob Dylan songs, and record another hit in 1969 with the Bobby Scott/Bob Russell tune He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother— w/future star Elton John on piano — #3 (UK) and #7 (USA).
The 1970’s saw the band have two final Top Ten hits — the first being a the Allan Clarke-written 1972 hit Long Cool Woman in a Black Dress— which I initially mistook for a Creedence Clearwater tune (#2 in the US and, surprisingly, only #32 in Britain) — and then in 1974 with the Albert Hammond/Mike Hazlewood song (All I Need is) The Air That I Breathe. Allan Clarke left the band briefly (replaced by Swedish singer Mikael Rickfors) before their record company pressured Clarke to rejoin.
The remainder of the 1970’s were a difficult time for the band, who were among the first British bands to cover the emerging Bruce Springsteen, and they tried their luck (unsuccessfully) at some disco-oriented tunes in the late 1970’s.
Terry Sylvester and Bernie Calvert left in 1981, and since that time the band transitioned into the classic rock/oldies circuit, though never abandoning new material. Graham Nash re-joined the band for a 1983-84 reunion album/tour, which had the band’s last Top 40 song in the US — a cover of the Supremes’ hit Stop! In the Name of Love that reached #29.
Since the retirement of Allan Clarke in 2000 (due to his voice losing range at age 58), guitarist Tony Hicks and drummer Bobby Elliott have carried on the band. In recent years, their 2006 album (their first new release in 23 years) was their first release in the CD era. Their most recent recording of new songs dates from 2010, there is a 2006 compilation album of their best-loved tunes from 1963-1974, and 2015 saw the first biography of the band.
The Hollies were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2010 (with the two classic line-ups represented) and guitarist Tony Hicks notes that with the band’s big (and small) hits, the band can live off royalties alone — yet continue to tour in their 70’s for the love of music, with European tour dates set for this year.
Classic line-up #1 (w/Nash) … and a more recent photoOf all of their songs: it is a tune from fifty years ago that remains my favorite. Stop Stop Stop was written by the trio of Allan Clarke, Graham Nash and Tony Hicks, and differs from other hits due to (1) the prominent use of a banjo by Tony Hicks, and (2) the subject matter (about a belly dancer). Both were unusual for a 1966 pop song, but it reached #1 in the UK, #2 in Canada and #7 in the US … and so I guess somehow, it worked. And below you can hear it.
See the girl with cymbals on her fingers Entering through the door Ruby glistening from her navel Shimmering around the floor
Bells on feet go, ting-a-ling-a-linging Going through my head Sweat is falling just-a-like-a tear drops Running from her head
Now she’s dancing, going through the movements Swaying to and fro Body moving, bringing back a memory Thoughts of long ago
Blood is rushing, temperature is rising Sweating from my brow Like a snake, her body fascinates me I can’t look away now
Stop, stop, stop all the dancing Give me time to breathe Stop, stop, stop all the dancing Or I’ll have to leave
x xYouTube Video