Props for Bruce

sir_andrew_of_left_coast · Fri Aug 10, 2007 11:50 am

While I realize that noodling along and trying to get "that sound" of Hank's is the goal of virtually all guitar-playing Shadows fans... I think Bruce Welch's rhythm playing is very much overlooked and/or under appreciated.

One big "high five" to Bruce!

admin · Post by **admin** » Fri Aug 10, 2007 12:23 pm

Without a doubt Welch has been under-rated or perhaps ignored altogether by many admirers of the Shadows' music.

His rhythms are purely outstanding and add wonderful texture to the groups' sound. I especially like the early days when he used the acoustic for many of the recordings.

A great observation, Andrew. Thanks for the reminder.

goran · Post by **goran** » Sat Aug 11, 2007 12:55 am

I, sorry but I'll have to disagree to some extent. Bruce was (and still is) a quite competent guitarist and there is absolutely nothing wrong with his playing. - But there are (and were at the time) literally thousands of guitarists which are quite capable of hypothetically filling his place in the Shadows ( when it comes to the playing itself, there are more aspects to consider). Many of them are probably members of this forum and other guitar-related fora (forae?). His strumming patterns are very standard and not very innovative (but highly effective nevertheless, especially the small breaks between chord-changes when strumming at high speed which accentuates the harmonies and also makes the strumming a little easier).

And yes, I also like the acoustic better

But he is a great composer and a great stage personality.

goran · Post by **goran** » Sat Aug 11, 2007 12:57 am

Forgot to mention - posting like this would stir up a hornets' nest if posted on a Shadows forum, hopefully the members here are a little more unbiased........

admin · Post by **admin** » Sat Aug 11, 2007 1:22 am

Goran, I appreciate your opinion.

I too agree that Bruce Welch is a good performer but sometimes feel that listeners take rhythm guitar for granted. Perhaps too it is only natural to focus on the lead guitar to the exclusion of other aspects of the group work. In many respects the lead guitar may be interpreted along the same lines as the lead vocalist.

At the end of the day, when considering the Shadows music as a body of work, I consider that the whole is greater than the sum of the parts. Sometimes the background allows the lead to shine which you have touched on to a slight degree.

royclough · Post by **royclough** » Sat Aug 11, 2007 1:32 am

Don't think Welch has been ignored Shadowmania always sells out, though rather disappointingly a few years back he had a tour organised in which he was going out as Bruce Welch -Life in he Shadows or something like that, tour was cancelled.

Goran from a musical perspective is correct but Peter's point on sum of the parts is spot on.

Would they have been a Shadows without Welch, who knows Marvin and Welch were such god friends though chalk and cheese to some degree that when Marvin was asked to join Cliff Richard's backing group, he would only do so provided Welch was in too.

It is disappointing that over the years their relationship got to the point where they did not speak to each other for years.