The Shadows - 50 years in music industry - an autograph article

Written by Rune Moe
for http://www.autograph-club.org

Monday, 05 April 2010

The Shadows - 50 years in music industry

I first became a real fan of The Shadows 11 years ago at a Shadows festival in Oslo. There I met Bruce Welch (b 1941), who is the rhythm guitarist of The Shadows. What a style, what a sound and what a stage show! Since then I have
became a fan for life of the Shadows and their instrumental music.

The Shadows was Cliff Richard’s backing band in the period of 1958-1968. This was the big revolution era of the british pop industry. Hank Marvin (b 1941) and Bruce Welch were friends in Newcastle, but left school and traveled to London,
only fifteen years old, to possibly join a professional music career. They
didn’t made any luck until they met Cliff Richard at the 2 I’s Coffee Bar in
Old Compton Street in Soho, London. Hank and Bruce were invited on a tour in
September 1958 with The Drifters, which was the name of Cliffs backing group.
Jet Harris (b 1939) joined on bass guitar and January 1959 Tony Meehan
(1943-2005) joined on drums. This was the classic and famous lineup of The
Shadows. They had to change the name from The Drifters to The Shadows because of
a famous American band with the same name.

The Shadows backed Cliff on all hit hit singles in the 60’s and also wrote some of the tunes that went to number one in UK. The Shadows also made their own career with five number 1 instrumental hits in the UK. They also got famous in
Europe and Asia, but never did it in USA. The most famous tune was Apache, which
was their first number one, released in July 1960. Jet Harris and Tony Meehan
left The Shadows in the early 60s and made their own career, and got big
instrumentals on their own.
The drummer since 1961 is Brian Bennett (b 1940), and is beside Hank and Bruce from 1977 “The Shadows” now. They have
changed bass player often,. and used session musicians on albums and tours since
then. They have released over 20 albums and a bunch of hit singles.

Their trademarks is the red Fender stratocasters they use on stage, and the clean lead guitar sound of Hank Marvin with echo box. They also do syncroned dance steps on the stage.

In 2004 The Shadows reunited as band after 14 years rest and in 2009-2010 they went on world tour with Cliff Richard.

I have seen the Shadows nine times alone, traveling to England, Germany and Denmark outside Norway, and six times on the last tour with Cliff, visiting Scotland, Denmark and Sweden outside Norway.

The Shadows has became the most important music in my life, and I also play this music in different bands. I have also met the members, most times Bruce Welch who is a gentleman. He arrange Shadowmania in Camberley, Surrey almost
every year, with performances of former Shadows members. He also has his own
“Bruce Welch’s Shadows” which not include Hank because he lives in Australia. I
have been to Cologne and Stuttgart to see their amazing Shadows show.

The Shadows - Some hits:
Apache
Wonderful Land
FBI
Atlantis
Foot Tapper
Dance On
Let Me Be The One (Eurovision songcontest 1975).

The Shadows and related musician autographs I have:
Hank Marvin, lead guitar 1958-
Bruce Welch, lead guitar 1958-
Brian Bennett, drums 1961-
Tony Meehan, drums 1959-1961
Jet Harris, bass guitar 1958-1962
Brian Locking, bass guitar 1962-1963
Alan Hawkshaw, piano 1968-1969
John Farrar, 2nd lead guitar 1973-1977. He also wrote “You’re The One That I Wan’t” from Grease
Alan Jones, bass guitar 1977-1986, and present in “Bruce Welch’s Shadows”.
Francis Monkman, keyboards 1977 (only on a half tour)
Cliff Hall, keyboards 1977-2004, and present in “Bruce Welch’s Shadows”.
Mark Griffiths, bass guitar 1986-
Warren Bennett, keyboards 2005- (son of Brian Bennett)
Phil Kelly, lead guitarist in Bruce Welch’s Shadows
Bob Watkins, drummer in Bruce Welch’s Shadows
Ben Marvin, rhythm guitarist in Hank Marvin’s band 1990-2002. He is son of Hank.

Autographs I miss and looking for:
John Rostill, bass guitar 1964-1973. Died only 31 years old. He also toured with Tom Jones.
Norrie Paramour, The Shadows producer 1958-1979. Also penned some instrumentals for The Shads
Alan Tarney, bass guitar 1973-1977. He is probably living in London. He has also written big hits for Cliff
Richard.
George Ford, bass guitar on the European tour 1980. He died a couple of years ago and was also a member of Steve Harley’s Cockney Rebel in the
70’s.

Pictures:

Shad1: signed by the original Shadows members; Bruce Welch, Hank Marvin, Tony Meehan and Jet Harris. I have met them all in person. Sadly Tony Meehan passed away, but I was lucky to meet him before he died.