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The Shadows

From Alfawiki
The Shadows
Company typeBand
IndustryMusic
Founded1958
FounderKen Pavey, Terry Smart, Norman Mitham, Ian Samwell, Harry Webb (Cliff Richard)
Defunct1968 (initial disbandment)
Headquarters
United Kingdom
Key people
Hank Marvin, Bruce Welch, Brian Bennett
ProductsInstrumental rock music, vocal tracks

The Shadows—initially known as the Drifters between 1958 and 1959—were a prominent English instrumental rock ensemble that led the British music scene before the Beatles emerged, spanning from the late 1950s into the early 1960s. They served as the backing band for Cliff Richard from 1958 until 1968 and collaborated with him again on various tours later.

Over five decades, The Shadows secured a total of 69 singles on the UK charts—35 released under The Shadows name and 34 as Cliff Richard and the Shadows. Their repertoire encompassed genres such as pop, rock, surf rock, and jazz-influenced ballads. As trailblazers of the UK beat-group movement, they were the first backing group to achieve notable star recognition.

The band's classic four-piece instrumental arrangement consisted of lead guitar, rhythm guitar, bass, and drums. They developed their distinctive sound primarily using Fender guitars paired with Vox amplifiers. Around 1964, due to tuning complications, they transitioned to Burns guitars.

Since 1958, key members have included guitarists Hank Marvin and Bruce Welch, alongside drummer Brian Bennett, who joined in 1961. Various bass players and occasional keyboardists supported the core lineup throughout their career.

The Shadows hits

Among The Shadows' chart-topping singles are "Apache", "Kon-Tiki", "Wonderful Land", "Foot Tapper", and "Dance On!". Although predominantly recognized for their instrumental pieces, they also produced vocal tracks; notably, "Don't Make My Baby Blue" reached the UK top ten in 1965. Additionally, four other vocal songs entered the UK charts. The group disbanded in 1968 but reunited during the 1970s to achieve further commercial success.

By 2007, The Shadows were ranked as the fifth most successful act on the UK Singles Chart, trailing only Elvis Presley, the Beatles, Cliff Richard, and Madonna. Both The Shadows and Cliff Richard & the Shadows released four EPs that reached No. 1 in sales.

Career

Originally formed as Cliff Richard’s backing band under the name The Drifters, the group was founded by Ken Pavey, Terry Smart (drums), Norman Mitham (guitar), Ian Samwell (guitar), and Harry Webb (later known as Cliff Richard) on guitar and vocals. At that time, they did not have a bass guitarist.

Their debut single, "Move It", was written by Samwell but is frequently misattributed to "Cliff Richard and the Shadows" rather than The Drifters. Producer and manager Norrie Paramor insisted on using session musicians Ernie Shear (guitar) and Frank Clark (bass) to strengthen the sound for "Move It/Schoolboy Crush". Although initially preferring only studio players for recordings, Paramor eventually allowed Smart and Samwell to perform after some persuasion. Later on, Welch expressed regret about not being involved at this foundational stage.

The Drifters secured a contract for Jack Good's Oh Boy! television show. Following Cliff Richard's signing with EMI, Norrie Paramor assigned Johnny Foster to find a more skilled guitarist. Foster discovered Hank Marvin at Soho's 2i's coffee bar, known for its skiffle talent; Marvin impressed with his guitar expertise and distinctive Buddy Holly-style glasses.

In early 1959, legal issues arose due to an American vocal group also named The Drifters, leading to withdrawal of "Feelin Fine" from the US market. To avoid further complications, their second single "Jet Black" was released in America under the name The Four Jets. Bassist Jet Harris later suggested adopting "The Shadows" as their new band name during a July 1959 meeting at the Six Bells pub in Ruislip, unaware that Bobby Vee’s backing band already used that title.

From The Story of the Shadows:

Facing legal challenges and buoyed by Cliff Richard’s first UK number one hit "Living Doll," which sold over one million copies, Norrie Paramor encouraged settling on a permanent name. On July 19, 1959, Hank Marvin met Jet Harris at Ruislip’s Six Bells pub where Jet proposed 'The Shadows'. This name first appeared on Cliff’s sixth single "Travellin' Light".

1960s

During the 1960s, The Shadows established themselves as a distinguished band independent of their work with Cliff Richard. Their 1960 instrumental hit "Apache", composed by Jerry Lordan, dominated the UK charts for five weeks. Following this success, they produced additional chart-toppers including "Kon Tiki" and "Wonderful Land", another Lordan composition enriched with orchestral arrangements that maintained the number one position for eight weeks. Throughout this era, The Shadows also continued to support Cliff Richard as his backing ensemble.

In October 1961, drummer Tony Meehan departed to pursue a production career at Decca Records, and Brian Bennett took over his role. By April 1962, Jet Harris was replaced by Brian "Licorice" Locking. Both Bennett and Locking had previously played with Marty Wilde's Wildcats and together released seven successful singles, including the number one hits "Dance On!" and "Foot Tapper". Locking exited the band in October 1963 to dedicate himself to his beliefs as a Jehovah's Witness.

Meanwhile, Harris and Meehan achieved chart success at Decca as a duo with the instrumental "Diamonds", which reached the top of the UK charts in January 1963. They followed this with popular tracks such as "Scarlett O'Hara" and "Applejack". Harris played lead using a six-string Fender Bass VI and subsequently acquired a Burns Barracuda Bass.

Between 1960 and 1963, The Shadows secured thirteen consecutive UK top 10 hits. In autumn 1963, they brought in John Rostill to replace Locking, solidifying their most enduring lineup. This period was marked by experimentation with various guitar sounds and musical styles, resulting in several albums despite a decline in singles chart performance. Nevertheless, they achieved ten further hits including "The Rise and Fall of Flingel Bunt". Starting in 1965, their releases alternated between vocal and instrumental tracks; vocal singles like "Mary Anne", "Don't Make My Baby Blue", and "I Met A Girl" reached the UK top 30, while instrumentals such as "Genie with the Light Brown Lamp", "Stingray", and "Maroc 7" also enjoyed chart success.

Films with Cliff Richard

Throughout the 1960s, The Shadows appeared alongside Cliff Richard in several films such as The Young Ones, Summer Holiday, Wonderful Life, and Finders Keepers. They were also featured as marionette characters in the Gerry Anderson production Thunderbirds Are GO and starred in the short B-movie Rhythm 'n Greens, which inspired both a music publication and an EP release.

Stage pantomimes

The group participated in stage pantomimes including Aladdin and his Wonderful Lamp (1964) and Cinderella (1966) at the London Palladium, where prominent members took on principal roles. Their involvement in film and theatre contributed to the development of their songwriting skills; by the time of 1966’s Finders Keepers, much of the soundtrack was credited to Marvin-Welch-Bennett-Rostill. In 1967, they featured Olivia Newton-John on the track "The Day I Met Marie" from their album From Hank Bruce Brian and John.

In October 1968, Marvin and Welch intended to disband The Shadows following a concert at the London Palladium. Ultimately, only Welch departed at that time; however, by the end of that year, The Shadows had officially disbanded.

1970s

The year 1970 began with the group appearing on the BBC program Pop Go The Sixties, where they performed "Apache" and provided backing for Richard on "Bachelor Boy". Marvin and a reconstituted Shadows also frequently featured on Richard's BBC television show, It's Cliff Richard!

In July 1970, Australian musician John Farrar became part of Marvin, Welch & Farrar, a vocal harmony trio often likened to CSNY and The Hollies. Farrar and Welch collaborated in writing and producing for Olivia Newton-John, who was engaged to Welch at the time.

Their sophomore album, Second Opinion (1971), produced by Peter Vince, earned acclaim from EMI sound engineers as one of Abbey Road's finest recordings. The band continued until 1973.

In 1975, a revitalized Shadows was chosen by BBC Head of Light Entertainment Bill Cotton to represent the UK in the Eurovision Song Contest 1975. Six songs were showcased on the TV series It's Lulu, with their entry "Let Me Be the One" achieving second place in Stockholm. This vocal performance stood out since the band was primarily known for instrumentals. Although public response was mixed, this event marked an important milestone in their career.

EMI issued a compilation titled Rarities (1976), featuring Marvin's solo material alongside The Shadows' tracks from 1962 to 1970. Following the release of the vocal single "It'll Be Me, Babe," John Farrar departed in 1976 to focus on producing for Olivia Newton-John in the United States, creating hits such as "You're the One That I Want" from Grease—which The Shadows later covered—and "Suddenly" from Xanadu.

Spurred by the success of EMI's 1977 compilation Twenty Golden Greats, The Shadows reunited for the 'Twenty Golden Dates' UK tour, supported by Francis Monkman (keyboards) and Alan Jones (bass). Monkman left after the tour, leaving Marvin, Welch, and Bennett as the core lineup, with Cliff Hall (keyboards) and Jones as additional musicians. This ensemble joined Cliff Richard for two concerts at the London Palladium in March 1978. Highlights were captured on the top ten album Thank You Very Much (1979).

Building on this momentum, The Shadows recorded an instrumental rendition of "Don't Cry for Me Argentina" from Evita, which climbed to number 5 on singles charts—their first top ten hit since the 1960s. In 1979, their version of "Cavatina" also reached the top ten. They recorded ten more tracks with Jones and keyboardists Dave Lawson and Alan Hawkshaw for String of Hits, which topped UK album charts. EMI followed up with Another String of Hot Hits (1980), compiling earlier covers plus one previously unreleased track from those sessions.

1980s

After two decades with EMI, The Shadows signed a decade-long contract with Polydor Records. Their inaugural Polydor album, Change of Address (September 1980), signaled a shift towards electronic instrumentation featuring keyboardist Cliff Hall, which reduced Welch's involvement.

To celebrate their 25th anniversary in 1983, they released the double album Shadows Silver Album via Tellydisc, combining recent recordings with new material. In July 1984, they reunited with Cliff Richard for commemorative concerts at Wembley Arena and Birmingham NEC.

The 1986 album Moonlight Shadows, consisting of cover versions, reached number 6 on the LP chart and remained there for sixteen weeks. However, singles such as "Moonlight Shadow" and "Dancing in the Dark" failed to chart. Due to Alan Jones's involvement in Dave Clark's musical Time, bassist Paul Westwood temporarily took his place. Released simultaneously on LP and CD, it was their third CD offering.

In June 1989, marking three decades in entertainment, The Shadows joined Cliff Richard for two performances at London's Wembley Stadium, entertaining an audience of 144,000. Former members Jet Harris and Tony Meehan appeared on stage during "Move It".

On 30 June 1990, Cliff Richard and The Shadows performed at Knebworth Park alongside artists such as Paul McCartney, Phil Collins, and Elton John. This charity event raised $10.5 million to support disabled children and young musicians. Shortly before embarking on their final tour—which lasted fourteen years—Brian Bennett resigned from the group. The band officially disbanded on 1 December after their concluding concert in Southampton. Their last studio album prior to disbandment, Reflection, was released that September.

Later career

In December 2004, all existing members were offered the Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) distinction; however, Marvin chose to decline the honor.

The band reunited in 2004 for a farewell tour, releasing "Life Story" (penned by Lordan) alongside a compilation of hits featuring newly recorded versions of their classic tracks from the 1960s and 1970s. Due to the tour’s popularity, it was extended into continental Europe in 2005 with a lineup consisting of Marvin, Welch, Bennett, keyboardist Warren Bennett (Brian's son), and bassist Mark Griffiths.

In May 2007, Marvin, Welch, and Bennett appeared as special guests at Marty Wilde's 50th anniversary concert at the London Palladium, performing "Move It" with Wilde. Former Shadows members Jet Harris and Brian Locking also participated.

On 11 December 2008, Richard and the Shadows took part in the Royal Variety Performance, where they announced an upcoming 50th anniversary tour commencing in September 2009 across the UK and Europe. The tour later expanded to include dates in Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa during 2010. Their 'final reunion' occurred at London's O2 Arena in November 2009; this event was recorded and released on DVD as The Final Reunion. The album Reunited, primarily composed of re-recorded hits, peaked at number four on the UK Albums Chart. The single "Singing the Blues," marking their first joint release in four decades, reached number 40 on the UK Singles Chart, representing Richard's latest top-40 entry. In 2010, Eagle Records issued The Final Tour on Blu-ray.

Welch, Bennett, Griffiths, and Warren Bennett performed Shadows classics at Albert Lee's 70th birthday concerts held in March 2014. The group also contributed an interpretation of John Barry’s "The Appointment" for Brian Bennett’s 2015 album Shadowing John Barry. Although speculation about a reunion tour with Richard emerged in late 2016, it ultimately did not come to fruition.

BBC4 broadcast The Shadows at Sixty on 1 May 2020, a documentary commemorating the band’s 60th anniversary since their first number-one hit "Apache". Marvin, Welch, and Bennett took part through interviews and performed a refreshed version of "Apache" for the program.

On 17 December 2022, BBC2 aired Cliff at Christmas, featuring Welch and Bennett as guests performing "Move It".

Style and image

Due to their diverse musical approach encompassing pop, rock, surf rock, and ballads influenced by jazz, The Shadows resist easy classification. Their repertoire predominantly consists of instrumental rock tracks with only a handful of vocal songs. Their rhythmic emphasis lies heavily on the beat, characterized by minimal use of syncopation. In a 1992 statement, they acknowledged that "Apache" established their signature surf guitar sound.

The Shadows and their management chose not to pursue commercial branding extensively. Vox manufactured metallic badges bearing the band’s name in a script font for Vox amplifier cabinets during the early 1960s; this design became recognized as their "default" logo but was never actively marketed by the band.

They refrained from placing this logo on bass drums, opting instead to display Meehan’s and Bennett’s names. The logo appeared only once on a studio album cover—1975's Specs Appeal. As of 2009, no trademark or copyright has been registered for this emblem.

Rather than adopting an official logo, four silhouettes representing the original lineup served as an informal emblem on concert programs and album artwork. This visual motif evolved alongside lineup changes until it concluded with Brian Bennett and Rostill in the late 1960s. During the 1970s, EMI replaced these silhouettes with images such as guitar necks or color photographs, while Polydor used a red Fender Stratocaster symbol during the late 1980s.

The Shadows' signature walk

In 1958, Bruce Welch drew inspiration from the coordinated choreography of the African American group the Treniers during their UK tour, which led The Shadows to create synchronized movements involving their bodies and guitars in rhythm with the music, a routine known as 'the walk'. This distinctive gesture was later embraced by bands like Mud, the Rubettes, and Showaddywaddy during appearances on Top of the Pops. The walk consists of three steps arranged to form a 60–60–60-degree triangle, incorporating a backward right-heel kick and sometimes concluding with a can-can style flourish; variations of this move appeared in performances such as "FBI."

During the 1980s, The Shadows further enhanced their stage presence by integrating synchronized guitar gestures aligned with chord or note transitions. For instance, in "Shadoogie," Hank Marvin and Bruce Welch would advance forward while the bassist retreated, alternating these movements throughout the song.

Adoption of stage names

In the late 1950s British pop scene, it was customary for artists to assume stage names. Members of Cliff Richard and the Shadows followed this practice: Harry Webb became "Cliff Richard," Brian Rankin adopted "Hank B. Marvin," Terence Harris took on "Jet Harris," and Bruce Cripps changed to "Bruce Welch." Both Cliff Richard and Hank Brian Marvin eventually legalized their stage names through deed poll.

Impact and legacy

The Shadows left a profound mark on prominent guitarists including Brian May, Eric Clapton, Mark Knopfler, Andy Summers, Ritchie Blackmore, David Gilmour, Tommy Emmanuel, Andy Powell, and Tony Iommi. A tribute album released in 1996, Twang! A Tribute to Hank Marvin & the Shadows (Capitol 33928), featured artists such as Blackmore, Iommi, Peter Green, Randy Bachman, Neil Young, Mark Knopfler, and Peter Frampton performing Shadows classics. Early in their career, Queen included a rendition of Cliff and the Shadows' "Please Don't Tease" in their setlist.

The Shadows also significantly influenced 1960s Yugoslav beat groups like Atomi, Bele Višnje, Bijele Strijele, Crni Biseri, Crveni Koralji, Daltoni, Delfini, Elektroni, Elipse, Iskre, Samonikli, Siluete, and Zlatni Dečaci, who were pioneers of the Yugoslav rock movement. Vladimir Janković "Jet" from Crni Biseri remarked that at one time, The Shadows surpassed even The Beatles in popularity within Belgrade. The Serbian documentary series Rockovnik dedicates its second episode to examining The Shadows' influence on Yugoslav musicians.

Principal members

Past members

Recording chronology

Year Singles Albums Lead guitarist Rhythm guitarist Bass guitar Drums Keyboards
1959 "Feelin' Fine" Hank Marvin Bruce Welch Jet Harris Tony Meehan
"Jet Black"
"Lonesome Fella"
1960 "Apache"
"Man of Mystery"
1961 "F.B.I."
"The Frightened City"
"Kon-Tiki" The Shadows
"The Savage"
1962 "Wonderful Land"
"Guitar Tango" Brian Locking Brian Bennett
"Dance On!" Out of the Shadows
1963 "Foot Tapper"
"Atlantis"
"Shindig"
"Geronimo"
1964 "Theme for Young Lovers"
"The Rise and Fall of Flingel Bunt" Dance with the Shadows John Rostill '’Norrie Paramor’’
'’Rhythm & Greens’’' '’(four albums)’’'
'’Mary Anne’’'
'’Stingray’’'
'’Don't Make My Baby Blue’’' '’The Sound of the Shadows’’' '’Norrie Paramor’’'
'’The War Lord’’'
'’I Met a Girl’’'
'’A Place in the Sun’’' '’Shadow Music’’'
'’The Dream I Dream’’'
'’Maroc 7’’' '’Jigsaw’’'
'’Tomorrow's Cancelled’’' '’From Hank, Bruce, Brian and John’’'
'’Dear Old Mrs Bell’’'
'’Shades of Rock’’'
'’Turn Around and Touch Me’’' '’Rockin' with Curly Leads’’'
'’Let Me Be the One’’' '’Specs Appeal’’'
'’Run Billy Run’’'
'’It'll Be Me Babe’’'
'’Another Night’’' '’Tasty’’'
'’Don't Cry for Me Argentina’’'
'’Theme from 'The Deer Hunter' (Cavatina)’’' '’String of Hits’’'
'’Rodrigo's Guitar Concerto de Aranjuez’’'
'’Riders in the Sky’’'
'’Heart of Glass’’'
'’Equinoxe (Part V)’’' '’Change of Address’’'
'’Mozart Forte’’'
'’The Third Man’’'
'’Telstar’’'
'’Imagine/Woman’’' '’Hits Right Up Your Street’’'
'’Theme from Missing’’'
'’Treat Me Nice’’' '’Life in the Jungle’’'
'’Diamonds’’'
'’Going Home (Theme from Local Hero)’’' '’XXV’’'
'’On a Night Like This’’' '’Guardian Angel’’'
'’Moonlight Shadow ’’ '
"Dancing in the Dark" "Themes from EastEnders and Howards Way" "Pulaski" "Walking in the Air" "Mountains of the Moon" "Shadowmix" "Reflection"


Discography

Main article: The Shadows discography

References

Further reading

  • Driftin' with Cliff Richard, by J. Harris, R. Ellis and C. Richard. 1959.
  • The Cliff Richard Story, by G. Tremlett, Futura Pub Limited, London, 1975.
  • The Shadows by Themselves, by Royston Ellis with the Shadows. Consul Books. 1961.
  • The Story of the Shadows, by Mike Read. 1983. Elm Tree books.
  • Rock 'n' Roll, I Gave You The Best Years of My Life—A Life in the Shadows, by Bruce Welch. Penguin Books.
  • "That Sound" (From Move It On, The Story of the Magic Sound of the Shadows), by R. Pistolesi, M. Addey & M. Mazzini. Vanni Lisanti. June 2000.
  • A Pocket Guide to Shadow Music, by M. Campbell, R. Bradford, L. Woosey. Idmon.
  • A Guide to the Shadows and Hank Marvin on CD, by M. Campbell & L. Woosey. Idmon.
  • The Shadows at Polydor, by M. Campbell. Idmon.
  • The Shadows at EMI, by M. Campbell. Idmon.
  • The Complete Rock Family Rock Trees, by Pete Frame. Omnibus.
  • 17 Watts, by Mo Foster.
  • The Shadows Discography, by John Friesen.
  • The Shadows Discography, by George Geddes.
  • Guinness World Records: British Hit Singles & Albums (19th Edn), David Roberts.
  • The Complete Book of the British Charts Singles and Albums, by Neil Warwick, Jon Kutner & Tony Brown, 3rd Edn.
  • John Farrar—Music makes my day, (A Shadsfax-Tribute-40pp-booklet), by T. Hoffman et al.
  • John Rostill—Funny old world, (Tribute-60pp-booklet), by Robert Bradford.
  • Jet Harris—Survivor, by Dave Nicolson, 31 Oct 2009.
  • Meet the Shadows
  • Meet Jet and Tony
  • The Shadows Complete
  • Revolution in the Head, by I. MacDonald.

External links

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