September 2011 will see the 50th anniversary of the release of The Shadows self titled debut album.
A much anticipated release at the time, The Shadows shot straight to Number One in the UK album charts coinciding with their single, Kon-Tiki and their EP The Shadows To The Fore topping the respective single and EP charts.
The Shadows: Britain's Premier Instrumental Group
Consisting of Hank Marvin (Lead Guitar), Bruce Welch (Rhythm Guitar), Jet Harris (Bass Guitar) and Tony Meehan (Drums), The Shadows had already been in existence as a backing group to singer Cliff Richard for over two years. They had also broken away as a separate music act as early as 1959. However; major success didn’t arrive until July 1960 when their recording of Apache reached Number 1 in the UK singles chart.
In October, 1960, The Shadows went into the Abbey Road studios to begin recording their debut album but due to touring commitments with Cliff Richard and filming their first feature length movie The Young Ones; the album would not be completed until June 1961.
Produced by Norrie Paramor, The Shadows would prove to be a groundbreaking album for Britain’s Premier Instrumental Group, spotlighting on the composing talents of the band as well as their unique sound.
Before the Beatles: The Shadows Also Wrote Their Own Compositions
Most artists at this time didn’t have the freedom to write their own material, producers usually insistent on material provided by Tin-Pan Alley writers or cover versions of popular American records.
It is often regarded that The Beatles changed this routine in late 1962 when they demanded they write original material for their records but as The Shadows debut album shows The Shadows had adopted this practice on their recordings much earlier.
Hank, Bruce, Jet and Tony contributed seven out of fourteen compositions to The Shadows under various permutations, preceding The Beatles own song writing contributions to their debut LP Please Please Me by nearly two years.
The Shadows Debut Album: Fifty Years On
Considering that The Shadows was recorded over fifty years ago, it still remains a strong debut album. The simplicity of featuring three guitarists and a drummer performing 14 tracks with little opportunity for retakes, gives the album a live and raw feel.
The album kicks off with the upbeat Shadoogie, featuring a lively guitar lead provided by Hank Marvin complimented with Bruce Welch’s tight rhythm, Jet Harris’s firm bass line and a sensational drum piece from Tony Meehan. Shadoogie would go on to be a signature number opening The Shadows live sets.
Another track destined to be a live favourite would be Nivram (Marvin spelt backwards) featuring Jet’s four string bass guitar solo which provides one of the defining moments of the album.
Two further tracks gave The Shadows chance to spotlight their specialist capabilities on individual instruments. Tony performs a thumping drum solo on See You in My Drums, while Hank Marvin swaps his Fender Stratocaster for a piano on Stand Up and Say That!, itself a cheekily nod to Floyd Cramer’s similarly styled On the Rebound, which hit Number 1 on both sides of the Atlantic in early 1961.
The Shadows Play Hoagy Carmichael and Santo & Johnny
Santo & Johnny’s 1959 Number One hit Sleepwalk is given a wonderfully gentle treatment, while Blue Star and Find Me a Golden Street have a laid back but enjoyable presence. Gonzales (an original track written by Bruce and Hank under the pseudonym McGlynn) has a dynamic Wild West feel reminiscent of The Shadows earlier recordings Mustang and Shotgun which were released on an EP in early 1961.
Not only does The Shadows showcase the bands instrumental professionalism, but three numbers also display the singing capabilities of Hank, Bruce and Jet. Jet’s warm version of the standard All My Sorrows is a stark contrast to Hank’s upbeat vocal on Sonny Curtis’ Baby My Heart, while Bruce’s vocal on That’s My Desire is a throwback to the crooner’s style of the 1940s.
Back to the instrumentals and The Shadows appear to have fun transforming Hoagy Carmichael’s My Resistance Is Low from a middle of the road jazz piece to an up-tempo instrumental in a vein similarly adopted in the playfully titled Theme From A Filleted Place. Finally, Big Boy brings the album to a close with expertly played excitable guitar riffs complete with ad-libbed screams.
The Shadows Available To Download Via iTunes
The Shadows was released in both Mono and Stereo by Columbia Records in September 1961. It has been reissued several times over the years on vinyl, cassette and compact disc formats and is also available to download as an album or individual tracks from iTunes.
Beyond the albums immediate success The Shadows was the only album released by the group that features their original line-up.
Tony Meehan had already left the band when the album hit number one in 1961 while Jet Harris would similarly depart in early 1962. Hank and Bruce were joined by Brian Bennett on drums in late 1961 and with various line ups on Bass would enjoy a a successful run of hits with and without Cliff Richard into and beyond the 1960s.
The Shadows Legacy and Influences
Ultimately The Shadows became the best selling instrumental group of all time and as acknowledged in their 1983 biography with Mike Read The Story Of the Shadows, influenced many guitar greats including Eric Clapton, Pete Townshend and Brian May.
A strong legacy indeed; attributed to the brilliance of the only British group of note before The Beatles – The Shadows!
Sources:
- The Shadows LP (Columbia, SX137 Mono,1961)
- Read, Mike The Story Of The Shadows (Sphere Books, 1983)
