Ed Sullivan Show

[Iain Purdon]

I once spotted a date of October 29th, 1962, but I also saw another one of April, 1962.

If it had been April 62 I think it would have had Jet on bass

[JimN]

I once spotted a date of October 29th, 1962, but I also saw another one of April, 1962.

If it had been April 62 I think it would have had Jet on bass

Licorice played significantly more dates with The Shadows in April 1962 than Jet did...

JN

[JimN]

Interesting on the second clip Licorice is playing a Jazz Bass!!
Regards
Stuart

Hi, Stuart,

I'm sure I don't need to tell you that glossy stills (some from that performance) were available for sale during the era, and I certainly had one or two bought from a stall in the old St John's Market in Liverpool. I was only learning about the different makes of guitar and bass at the time, and in the picture I had, not all of that bass was visible (certainly not the metal control panel), meaning that I superficially assumed that it was Lic's wonted Precision.

On seeing other pics from the same performance, and even, eventually, a video clip or two (The Shads played Wonderful Land before Bruce introduced ...our vocalist, Cliff Richard), it became clear that it was a Jazz Bass (offset body shape, narrow neck, distinctive control panel and longer bridge cover) that Licorice was playing. When I pointed this out to some Shads fan friends, they refused to accept it, saying it was some trick of the light!

I've been lucky enough to be able to ask Licorice about this directly, and he confirmed that it was a Jazz Bass, in red, supplied by Jennings as part of a replacement batch of guitars for the whole group. He accepted it with some misgivings, played it at the Royal Variety Performance and disliked it so much that he immediately insisted on it being swapped for another Precision. That was the only performance with the Jazz (a fact also recorded in the "VoxAmps" book, since it is also part of Jennings history...

JN

[Iain Purdon]

Thanks for the Jet clarification, Jim, that'll teach me to be a smart *rse

What is it with the Shads and the RV Show? A one-off appearance by a Fender J-bass in 1962 and a one-off appearance of a Sue Ryder P-bass in 2008!

Oh, am I remembering rightly, and a one-off non-appearance by one Shadow?

Iain

[StuartD]

Interesting on the second clip Licorice is playing a Jazz Bass!!
Regards
Stuart

Hi, Stuart,

I'm sure I don't need to tell you that glossy stills (some from that performance) were available for sale during the era, and I certainly had one or two bought from a stall in the old St John's Market in Liverpool. I was only learning about the different makes of guitar and bass at the time, and in the picture I had, not all of that bass was visible (certainly not the metal control panel), meaning that I superficially assumed that it was Lic's wonted Precision.

On seeing other pics from the same performance, and even, eventually, a video clip or two (The Shads played Wonderful Land before Bruce introduced ...our vocalist, Cliff Richard), it became clear that it was a Jazz Bass (offset body shape, narrow neck, distinctive control panel and longer bridge cover) that Licorice was playing. When I pointed this out to some Shads fan friends, they refused to accept it, saying it was some trick of the light!

I've been lucky enough to be able to ask Licorice about this directly, and he confirmed that it was a Jazz Bass, in red, supplied by Jennings as part of a replacement batch of guitars for the whole group. He accepted it with some misgivings, played it at the Royal Variety Performance and disliked it so much that he immediately insisted on it being swapped for another Precision. That was the only performance with the Jazz (a fact also recorded in the "VoxAmps" book, since it is also part of Jennings history...

JN

Hi Jim

I do remember those pics and I am sure that there was a VOX advert featuring the Jazz Bass with Licorice.

Regards

Stuart

[Iain Purdon]

A good thing they didn't ask him for a quote then!

[JimN]

What is it with the Shads and the RV Show? ... and a one-off non-appearance by one Shadow?
Iain

I think you are probably referring to a "Royal Gala" performance (not the actual Royal Variety Show) in late 1966, networked by ATV (and part of it eventually released as an audio recording on the Fremus CD "Atlantis", Fremus (I) CDFR 0543, in 1994).

Bruce was taken ill on the morning of the show and did not perform. Instead, John Rostill (playing a chordal bass style on Hank's Fender Bass VI) and Hank (playing an alternative lead/rhythm style) covered all three parts on The Rise And Fall Of Flingel Bunt, before going on to back Cliff in a number or two.

After Flingel, Hank said:

"Some of you may have noticed that there are only three of us here tonight. Well, that's because one of us is missing. [pause for laughter] Unfortunately, Bruce was taken very ill this morning and was unable to play tonight. But we'd like to carry on without him and introduce you to... Cliff Richard...".

I wonder whether that's on Youtube?

No... no trace...

JN

[UlrichS]

I think you are probably referring to a "Royal Gala" performance (not the actual Royal Variety Show) in late 1966, networked by ATV (and part of it eventually released as an audio recording on the Fremus CD "Atlantis", Fremus (I) CDFR 0543, in 1994).

JN

You mean this one?

Ulrich

[JimN]

I've not seen those before, Ulrich, but that must be it!

I tape-recorded the Shadows' contribution. And it seems that I wasn't the only one...

Best wishes,

JN

[Iain Purdon]

I didn't record it but "that's because one of us is missing" is etched in my mind forever.
Marvinesque, if that's a word.
And if it isn't, it is now!