The Shadows At Sixty

[JimTidmarsh]

A preview in today's Sunday Telegraph mentions Brian May & Dave Gilmour.

[Fenderman]

Probably the Beeb were 'unenthusiastic' because they know that the majority of people these days neither know who the Shadows were nor have any interest in finding out.

I also predict that most of us on here will end up disappointed, having got nothing out of the programme that we couldn't have got elsewhere.

I kind of feel the same but on the other hand i'm just glad that it was made at all - seems the BBC has to be persuaded to make it.

[drakula63]

Big preview and photo in today's Mail on Sunday. Pick of the Day again!

[Uncle Fiesta]

Well that's a bit more encouraging!

(PS - I too agree with the choice of narrator, I'm sure she'll be really good.)

[LONGPLAYER09]

Even mentioned on Radio 2 this morning - with a little excerpt!

[David Martin]

Maybe part of the "lack of enthusiasm" is that so many people don't understand the impact that The Shadows had on people like me. I'm 73 now, but I still remember vividly seeing and hearing them play for the first time. It was like a bolt of lightning... at the time I had my dad's old banjolele on a piece of string, but I looked at them and thought - unreasonably - "if they can do that... I can do that". They inspired me in all sorts of ways - too many to go into here - but my life would have been very different without them.

(Think I'm wrong? After getting to know him on a personal basis, it took me SO long to convince Bruce of the major influence The Shads had over so many young lives.)

Looking forward to the show...

[Hank2k]

i dont think the wider general public understands the impact the shadows have had and are still having all these years on. The Shadows guitar clubs are unique, as far as i know there arent groups of people meeting up all over the world having Beatles or Rolling Stones clubs and having been to a lot of the UK clubs its great to see a lot of younger people cutting their teeth on Shads tracks giving them that initial interest in playing guitar.

[Iain Purdon]

I looked at them and thought - unreasonably - "if they can do that... I can do that"

In 1963, the young, impressionable, teenage me saw Licorice thoroughly enjoying himself on stage and playing notes I thought I could play too. That was my introduction to the Shadows as performers, and it's what started me off.

When later I got to know him I had the pleasure of telling him so. He was pleasantly baffled. I remember talking about the bass part he'd devised for Dance On. "Anyone could have done it," he said "it just happened to be me!"

True. But I had learned only the half of it. Going on to do some stage shows in which he was starring, I learned so much from him about showmanship. That was the quality I had spotted in him as a teen, but it took me years to appreciate what an art it is.

[Kawarthabass]

I looked at them and thought - unreasonably - "if they can do that... I can do that"

In 1963, the young, impressionable, teenage me saw Licorice thoroughly enjoying himself on stage and playing notes I thought I could play too. That was my introduction to the Shadows as performers, and it's what started me off.

When later I got to know him I had the pleasure of telling him so. He was pleasantly baffled. I remember talking about the bass part he'd devised for Dance On. "Anyone could have done it," he said "it just happened to be me!"

True. But I had learned only the half of it. Going on to do some stage shows in which he was starring, I learned so much from him about showmanship. That was the quality I had spotted in him as a teen, but it took me years to appreciate what an art it is.

Iain: Well said.

[Tab]

My first inspiration came from hearing 'Bongo Blues' but when 'Apache' arrived, that was it! I had to learn how to do it. Still learning after 60 years!

Following on from the bass line comments, Jet's contribution to 'that sound' was immense. Those wonderful strolling bass lines, so inventive. Very apparent, also, on the early Cliff tracks. The 'Me and My Shadows' album, in particular, has some wonderful Jet basslines. 'She's Gone' an excellent example. When you listen to the one note on the chord bass lines of today, it makes you wonder where 'music' went!

In fact, when you analyse those early years, all four were creatively inventive. Who'd have thought of playing the chords in those positions and who else could have produced an instrumental break which is totally different to the main melody in 'Please Don't Tease'?

The inspiration goes on. I hear something new each time I go through my collection.