Allan Clarke - My Real Name Is 'Arold

Allan Clarke - My Real Name Is 'Arold - 1972 (RE 2009)

Singer/guitarist/songwriter Allan Clarke is one of the founders of THE HOLLIES ; intermittently, he also has maintained a solo career. Clarke and his childhood friend, , began singing together in Manchester in the '50s. Adding  (bass) and Don Rathbone (drums) (replaced by Bobby Elliott in 1963), they became the Fourtones in 1961 and then  in 1962. By early 1963, when they added Tony Hicks (guitar) and signed a record contract, they had become . Their initial repertoire consisted of American R&B songs (though they soon began to write original material), and their defining characteristic was a strong vocal style, usually with Clarke in the lead and  and Hicks providing harmonies. In the U.K.,  enjoyed consistent singles success, starting with "Just Like Me," the first of 29 chart singles, 17 of which made the Top Ten, with two -- "I'm Alive" and "He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother" -- reaching number one. Their appearances on the U.S. charts were less successful, though they managed to rack up 23 chart singles, six of which hit the Top Ten.  decamped at the end of 1968 to form , but  continued.

Clarke quit in August 1971 and launched a solo career, during which he made three albums: My Name Is 'arold (1972), Headroom (1973), and Allan Clarke (1974). He rejoined  in July 1973, but maintained his solo career, releasing I've Got Time in 1976. He left a second time in March 1978 and made I Wasn't Born Yesterday (1978), but returned in August. His subsequent albums included Legendary Heroes (1979) and The Only One (1980), plus a Best Of compilation in 1981. In 1983,  rejoined Clarke, Elliott, and Hicks in  for the album What Goes Around ... and a reunion tour, after which Clarke, Elliott, and Hicks carried on as .

01. Ruby

02. Mary Skeffington

03. Baby It's Alright With Me

04. Moonshine Whiskey

05. Goodbye

06. You're Losing Me

07. Le Us Prey

08. Patchwork Quilts

09. Walpurgis Night     

10. Bring On Your Smiles

11. Oh ! Granny (Bonus Track)

Allan Clarke - Vocal, Acoustic Guitar, Harmonica

Ray Glynn - Guitar, Slide Guitar, Acoustic Guitar, Vocal, Mandolin

Roger Coulam - Organ, Piano

Alan Parker,Joe Morreti - Acoustic Guitar   

Dee Murphy, Herbie Flowers - Bass

Eric Dillan - Drums, Percussion

Tony Newman - Bass, Timbales

Gary Booker,  Herbie Flowers, Joe Egan - Piano

+@320 CD RIP