manofmystery wrote:When "Love Deluxe" was due for release, Tony Blackburn played the record but did not name the artist. He then asked people whether they thought it would be a hit or a miss.
There was a lot of responses and it was voted a big hit by almost everyone. Then Tony announced the artist and as expected they all changed their mind!
That's terrible, when you think about it! It's either gonna be a hit or it's not! Then again, seems like they were right! I remember it being played on a radio documentary about Cliff and Cliff said much the same thing, along the lines of "It's almost worth them changing their name, because then I think it would be a smash!"
On a broader scale; it could be said that almost everything on Shades of Rock, Rockin' With Curly Leads and Specs Appeal doesn't really sound like 'classic' Shadows. Try playing any song off any of those albums to anyone and I bet the first name they pluck out of the either, when you ask them to identify the artist, is
not the Shadows. Think Jumpin' Jack Input, or Honourable Puff Puff, or Stand Up Like a Man, It'll Be Me Babe or even Let Me Be The One (for those who don't remember the Eurovision). The Shads got a long way away from their established sound during the 1970s and I'd say that a good 70% of what they recorded between 1970 and 1979 didn't really sound like them.
Oh and I'll add Tomorrow's Cancelled to the list!