Thursday 6th November

There was a time in the early sixties when The Hollies were almost as popular as The Beatles, right up there with The Searchers and Gerry and The Pacemakers anyway.  They were from Manchester and had a string of hits which were all top ten but never quite made it to number 1.  They were very “Pop” and always smiling and as the sixties progressed they got left behind somewhat, musically at least.  Graham Nash was in the Hollies and was one of the singers but also played guitar.  He left the band and England in 1968 and rapidly became a part of the West Coast community of California.  He lived with Joni for a while and became part of Crosby Stills Nash and occasionally Young, one of the Supergroups of the time.

His book Wild Tales starts off pretty well, detailing his poor upbringing in Salford and the rise of the Hollies and the move to America.  But about half way through you get the feeling it is being written by a saint, or at least someone who thinks he is a saint.  All the success is down to him, and the failure down to others.  Even The Hollies who went on to make quite a few hits after he left in the Seventies didn’t listen to him, and Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young could have been far better if it wasn’t for Crosby, Stills and Young apparently.  Through it all he comes out as being quite selfish, his treatment of women pretty awful and his own ability is never doubted.  The book was quite unsatisfactory really, despite giving me a few more insights into a period of great music.  A pity because he did make some great music, especially his first couple of albums with CSN, his first solo record “Songs for Beginners” and a few he made with Crosby.

Actually I have never liked Autobiographies; they are always self-serving, rarely honest and usually boring.  Still I am glad I read it, even so. “I give it foive” as Janice might have said.  (extra points for recognizing that quote)