Hollies to go East

Press, 21 May 1987, Page 18

Hollies to go East

The Hollies are planning to go behind the Iron Curtain again, almost 20 years since they did the last time.

Tony Hicks, the original guitarist in the band, having been with them since 1962, said that The Hollies had been in Czechoslovakia and Poland in 1968/69.

They had found the places depressing, but the concerts were wonderful. The people really enjoyed themselves, he said. The band were actually looking forward to going back to see what parts of Eastern Europe were actually like, and what had changed. The British band appear to have things down to a fine art now. They

even have their own promotion and booking firm, Jimmy Smith, named after the man that runs it. It meant that all the hassles which occurred before and during tours could be easily sorted out by using the firm.

Besides Hicks, the other original is Allan Clarke, who has left the band twice, only to return. The next longest server is Bobby Elliott, the drummer, who took Donald Rathbone’s place in 1963.

So if the swinging 60s and singing 70s is your scene with songs from “Carrie-Anne” to "The Air That I Breathe,” then the Christchurch Town Hall concert on Saturday evening is beckoning.