Sunday Telegraph Hank Interview

[Didier]

Not that he actually PLAYED the bass live, of course. Just (sort of) mimed to Alan Tarney who, in turn, sat at the piano and mimed to either John Farrar or Brian Bennett.

The pics I have seen From Bruce with the bass shows that it wasn't plugged...



Didier

[Fenderman]

If/when he comes over if the interviewer asks him 'How did you meet Cliff?' or 'How did you manage to get the Fender?' I will smash my TV and run screaming into the night

[drakula63]

Yeah!

You see I would make a list of all the most obvious questions and then cross them all out and make damn sure they were never asked again! I have a friend who works at the BBC and he was once telling me about the sheer stupidity of the researchers - mostly 'young' girls. Mind you, that might be a good reason for Hank's management to provide their own questions! Let's think of a few that I might ask...

1) When did you first meet Cliff?

OOOPS! Sorry!!!

1) At what point did you realise that you (and the Shadows) had become influential. (OK, not a great one, but a good starter).
2) Why did you decide to change from the American Fender guitars to guitars made by Burns, a British company?
3) Was there a point at which you worried that The Shadows might be getting 'left behind' as the trend for instrumentals waned?
4) How well did you know the Beatles? (Always a good one to get people's ears pricking up!) Any amusing stories?
5) Who's idea was it to add Alan Hawkshaw (on organ and piano) to the band after Bruce Welch left? And why was this line-up so short-lived?
6) How do you rate the Shadows come-back album 'Rockin' With Curly Leads'? And how did the fact that the band now had two 'lead' guitarists work?
7) Did you appreciate the irony of an 'instrumental' band representing the UK in the Eurovision Song Contest?
8) Why did you (as the Shadows) tour so rarely between 1973 and 1977?
9) Did the success of The Shadows 20 Golden Greats take you all by surprise?
10)Your favourite 'Hank Marvin' or 'Shadows' composition?

That's ten fairly good ones which I think I'd like to hear the answers to and the accompanying music clips!

[dave robinson]

Thank for that Keith, it's the only way I could have read it.

[Fenderman]

Those questions would probably be best suited to a 'Needle Time' or more indepth style interview, hopefully Hank will do one or two soon.

[drakula63]

Those questions would probably be best suited to a 'Needle Time' or more indepth style interview, hopefully Hank will do one or two soon.

True. But remembering the interview on The One Show from a few years back I honestly think that they could get away with asking him absolutely anything, just so long as the new album gets a plug. It seems to me that the general viewing public are not interested in anyone other than big movie stars, members of the latest rubbish boy band and empty-headed reality TV stars. Hank could sit there and recite the telephone directory and I bet most viewers wouldn't even notice. Conversely, he could be giving the most riveting interview ever, revealing all manner of previously unknown details and I bet most people watching couldn't care less. Personally, I think that doing these kinds of shows (prime time dross) is a waste of time. Better to make a really good advert and just get that played. But, yes, a really good in depth interview on a proper music show would be good. But I bet it wouldn't help sell the new album!

[Fenderman]

I like interviews where he's asked his views on non music items, sadly he doesn't really get asked much, for example i have no idea what Hank's favourite food is, what he thinks about the state of Britain or what his all time favourite film or movie star is. The same goes for Bruce and Brian.