Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Tony Meehan won't mean much to most of you guys and gals across the oceans, but he was the original drummer with The Shadows, probably the world's biggest instrumental group except for US.

Tony played drums on first album and the classic Apache. He left due to personal differences some say and shortly after Jet Harris again the original Bass player left too.

Jet and Tony termed up a year later and rEleased 3/4 fine singles but their first together Diamonds was a classic without doubt, number one in UK.

Sadly Tony Meehan died as a result of an accident at his home yesterday.

I thought I'd share Tony's finest recording moment

Number one in UK in January 1963, Tony was only 19 at the time.



http://s45.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=3TH461SSUUK9U22FC8IDEYFUNJ

Sorry to hear that Roy. Wasn't he also a producer/arranger for Decca?

A bittersweet memory Roy. We are fortunate to have many of his recordings to remember him by. Diamonds is most appropriately chosen, back in the days when a drum solo was cherished.

Roy,

here's a true story for you about Apache. When I was in grammar school a friend of mine Roger bought his first guitar and immediately learned the lead to Apache. Meanwhile I was learning Smokestack Lightning and Walking the Dog. We used to use the music room at school for practise. So one day he asked me to play the chords to Apache while he played the lead. So I did. In the mean time a crowd gathered and started on at me to also play a lead bit. So I played Smokestack. Well our music teacher who supervised the music room after school was appalled. Apache was fair game but that devils music was off limits. That experience made me want to play blues even more. LOL

BTW I don't know why they called it the music room. Other than a piano which he used to demonstrate scales there was not an instrument in sight. We took music theory sans instruments, if you can believe that one. Ah those were the days!

Tony Meehan? his son went to my school - he sings in a band around here (london)

I just picked this up on the net

On November 29 2005 BBC News quoted Bruce Welch as saying that Meehan had died the previous day as a result of head injuries following a fall.

What a huge loss.

Brian

To answer some queries , yes he did become a producer for Decca, the sheet music above was the title of the "B" side of the only release, to my knowledge, credited to Tony Meehan only (Tony Meehan Combo) "a" side was Song Of Mexico (great track).

For those over the seas 2/6 was the price of these items before UK went decimal in terms of currency in mid seventies. In today's values 2/6 is equivalent of 13 pence. Happy days

Brian, your music teacher had good taste (only kidding)

My music teacher was so upset with me that he made sure that I did not become a Prefect. Remember those? Having a Beatle hairstyle got me into trouble too. My headmaster told me that I was going to amount to nothing just like the Rolling Stones. Boy was he wrong!!!