Daily Telegraph article...

[(nick_allen)]

... today.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/musi ... arade.html
(Hard-core Cliff fans may prefer not to look at the photo! On the other hand, the true "Peter Pan" or "Dorian Gray" seems to be Hank, who as far as I can tell hasn't changed since about 1970...))

[(admin)]

This is a nicely written article. Thanks for the link, Nick.

[(winston)]

What a great article. From my perspective at the time, Cliff and the Shadows as a unit were huge in the very early 60's. They had a wider following than Elvis in Britain and they were simply one of the best bands in the entire world. When they split and did their own thing they disappointed a lot of fans like me. But by then the Beatles and The Stones had taken over so we all just moved on.

It's good to see them back together but in truth, I wish they had listened to George. He was right on in my estimation.

[(royclough)]

Interesting if in my view flawed article in so far as as it is a soundbite.

The Shadows were well established as a instrumental act in 65, they did release a
number of vocal singles, in fact 2 out 5 singles that made the charts after this
conversation with GH were in fact vocals.

They basically spilt in 68 only to reform in 72 as Marvin Welch and Farrar, all
vocal and released two albums plus one by Marvin and Farrar without Welch, sadly
the public did not take to this new line up and style, they played Batley
Variety club, a Major cabaret venue as MWF and on the first night played no Shadows numbers at all, they walked off to the sound of their own feet and shouts for Shadows numbers.

Batley Mgt clearly told them to put some Shadows numbers in or probably would
have cancelled rest of week.

A pity because they were fine albums and Hank is correct they don't get enough
credit, back in 60 -62 a lot of kids who started groups wanted to be Hank
Marvin.

[(scotty)]

I dont know if you caught the interview with cliff Richard last night Roy but i thought it was really terrible.Piers Morgan In my opinion didnt ask any interesting questions.All very safe, I really got irritated by the sense of more interest in his home than the actual man.

[(royclough)]

Yes I did and it was poor as you say, Morgan went on too much about the sexuality thing, who cares, that in my view is his private matter.

Could not see the point of going back to Cheshunt to his old house he lived in form 57 to 60, if Cliff had wanted to return there he's had nearly 50 years to do so.

Some pad he has though in Barbados.

[(scotty)]

I completely agree Roy the point of going back to that house was of minimal interest.Nice pad in Barbados as you say.The sexuality matter is probably going to go on and on but as you say Who cares.

[(nick_allen)]

Roy wrote:
"back in 60 -62 a lot of kids who started groups wanted to be Hank Marvin."

...and later than that - including famously Mark Knopfler, whose oft-stated ambition was to play "Wonderful Land" with the Shadows, and finally did just that, in 1986 at the Dominion in Tottenham Court Road (London).
I have an interview somewhere with Joe Brown from the late 70s, in which he states, quite correctly, that Hank's sound and style were then totally out of fashion, but that he'd like to have a pound for every guitarist on the scene at that time who was originally influenced by Hank.
From a UK point of view, I think it would be fair to say that Elvis and Lonnie Donegan were the main inspirations for people to get a guitar, strum some chords and sing - but Hank Marvin was the primary role model for lead guitar instrumentalists (in the pop/rock field) - until Eric came along!

[(doctorno)]

It's good to see them back together but in truth, I wish they had listened to George. He was right on in my estimation.

I do not think so. With their instrumental work The Shadows have filled a niche in the market. At least over here in Germany their whole output with vocals including their recordings with Cliff Richard is almost forgotten, yet everyone who learns to play the electric guitar knows a few of the Shadows´ instrumentals.