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Thread: The Hollies - Look Through Any Window

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    Professional Dreamer journeybear's Avatar
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    Default The Hollies - Look Through Any Window

    I am in the middle of an interweb game of tag - for ten days in a row, post an album that influenced you, and each day nominate someone to do the same - and I posted today about the effect "Needles And Pins" by The Searchers and "Look Through Any Window" by The Hollies had on my education in sonic textures. And then I went looking for videos on the youtube to help me figure out how to actually play "Look Through Any Window" because Ultimate Guitar doesn't have it quite right ... and I found an actual live version. Not one of these lip-sync to the recording clips, but an actual live performance. And much to my surprise, the lead guitarist is playing a twelve-string! But is it just me, or does that neck look a little shorter than usual? What is he playing here?



    Just so you know, The Searchers did not use a 12-string, even though it sounds like it. They had two guitarists who had worked out how to make their guitars sound that way. So I've been told. And then here's The Hollies actually using one. How about that?

    Oh - if you're trying to play along, they're in B, and modulate to C near the end.
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    Default Re: The Hollies - Look Through Any Window

    Looks like a 12 Strings VOX Phantom XII which would be 1963 the first year that model was available. It is said to have 25.5 inch scale length so not that unusual for an electric 12 string scale size.
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vox_Phantom

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    Default Re: The Hollies - Look Through Any Window

    Yes, definitely the Vox, although my first thought was possibly an Eko.

    Doesn’t Graham Nash look young!? A friend of mine shared a desk with him at school in Salford and I was at school with “Jennifer Eccles” although probably not the same one!

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    two t's and one hyphen fatt-dad's Avatar
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    Default Re: The Hollies - Look Through Any Window

    cool video Steve! As time goes by, I'm realizing I'm sort of a closet Hollies fan.

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    mandolin slinger Steve Ostrander's Avatar
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    Default Re: The Hollies - Look Through Any Window

    I always liked the Hollies. Graham Nash could have been a bluegrass singer with that high tenor of his.

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    Registered User tree's Avatar
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    Default Re: The Hollies - Look Through Any Window

    So by the time of this clip (1965) they must've been either strongly influenced by the Beatles or managed by someone who encouraged a similar look. Never could get used to the jackets without collars or lapels, thankfully that trend was short-lived.

    Good song, though!
    Clark Beavans

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    Default Re: The Hollies - Look Through Any Window

    Quote Originally Posted by journeybear View Post
    ... a twelve-string ... does that neck look a little shorter than usual?
    I suspect it's the body that's a few inches shorter, with less meat south of the tailpiece than on many solidbodies. "Optional delusion", maybe? The markers at frets 15 & 17, around 1:23 in the video, seem to agree w/ those pictured in the Wiki entry above, so I'm guessing that the neck is standard length.

    Almost ashamed to ask as I've been a CSN fan forever, but which one is Nash?
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    Notary Sojac Paul Kotapish's Avatar
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    Default Re: The Hollies - Look Through Any Window

    Quote Originally Posted by tree View Post
    So by the time of this clip (1965) they must've been either strongly influenced by the Beatles or managed by someone who encouraged a similar look.
    The Hollies were one of many Merseybeat bands who came up at roughly the same time as the Beatles. They were from Manchester, mainly, but as early as '63 they were playing the Cavern Club in Liverpool. I'm guessing there was a lot of cross-influence going on at time, in both music and fashion. A bunch of bands over there were wearing quirky suits with velvet collars or no collars. It was the style of the times, and not necessarily a Beatles-copycat thing.
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  9. #9
    Notary Sojac Paul Kotapish's Avatar
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    Default Re: The Hollies - Look Through Any Window

    Yep. Here's a page about Tony Hicks and that guitar.

    I remember seeing the Hollies do that show on one TV show where they actually did an instant close-up replay of that riff. It was enough for me to get the basic structure of what Hicks was doing and then figure it out on my own guitar.

    Click image for larger version. 

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    Last edited by Paul Kotapish; May-04-2020 at 5:58pm.
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    Mando accumulator allenhopkins's Avatar
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    Default Re: The Hollies - Look Through Any Window

    My old bluegrass band used to do Look Through Any Window, including the modulation to a higher key. Made a really good BG song.
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    Default Re: The Hollies - Look Through Any Window

    So last night I watched S1E4 of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (and one of the things I really like about this series is the music - wide ranging, excellent production values, consistently makes me want to turn it up). The song that played over the ending credits was brand new to me, but my first thought was "this can't be The Hollies but it sure sounds like them". So I racked my brain, because the vocals are vaguely familiar and, to my ear, irresistible. I guessed XTC, and immediately started looking it up. Bingo - "Dear Mrs Barnum", from the album Nonesuch.

    Here is the remastered version that I heard over the ending credits. There is also a performance version on youtube where at the beginning Andy Partridge says something to the effect of "I'm trying to look like ALL The Hollies", so I guess they were actually striving for that sound. To my ear they were remarkably successful.

    And thanks for the ear worm - now I am unable to get this out of my head!
    Clark Beavans

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    Notary Sojac Paul Kotapish's Avatar
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    Default Re: The Hollies - Look Through Any Window

    Quote Originally Posted by tree View Post
    So I racked my brain, because the vocals are vaguely familiar and, to my ear, irresistible. I guessed XTC, and immediately started looking it up. Bingo - "Dear Mrs Barnum", from the album Nonesuch. Here is the remastered version that I heard over the ending credits. There is also a performance version on youtube where at the beginning Andy Partridge says something to the effect of "I'm trying to look like ALL The Hollies", so I guess they were actually striving for that sound. To my ear they were remarkably successful.
    I think the actual title is "Dear Madame Barnum," not "Mrs." Great song from one of my favorite XTC albums. Seems like XTC has remained in the shadows over the years because Andy Partridge stopped live performances early on (for a variety of reasons, apparently). They sure recorded some great music, though.

    And agreed about The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. Well-written, well-acted show with a great soundtrack.
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    Default Re: The Hollies - Look Through Any Window

    Quote Originally Posted by EdHanrahan View Post
    Almost ashamed to ask as I've been a CSN fan forever, but which one is Nash?
    Graham Nash is on the far left playing the acoustic guitar. Check out those Beatle-boots(Winklepickers)!

    Yep he looked young then(50 years ago!?) because he was young. He's totally grey-haired now.

    Had some choice girlfriends.

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