Suggested Polydor covers compilations

[Iain Purdon]

Anyway, getting back to the topic, I would be interested in people's thoughts on pulling together a collection of the best 80s Shads instrumental versions of known songs. I know the Polydor era disappointed many Shadows fans and I admit not taking much interest in it myself. However, I'd be glad to listen to a well-chosen selection from it. Most of Shadstrax was pretty good. I'd like to think the same is true of the non-Shads material, but I don't know it.

[howarddobson]

A hit single theme theme would do - Warren could write it

[iefje]

I think the following tracks are quite representative of the 'derivative' tracks:

1. Mozart Forte.
2. Indigo.
3. Hello Mr. W.A.M.
4. Equinoxe (Part V).
5. Telstar.
6. Chi Mai.
7. Misty.
8. This Ole House.
9. The Third Man.
10. Nut Rocker.
11. The Theme From 'Missing'.
12. Chariots Of Fire.
13. Johnny B. Goode.
14. Africa.
15. Going Home.
16. Time Is Tight.
17. Memory.
18. I Will Return.
19. Every Breath You Take.
20. Dancing In The Dark.
21. Moonlight Shadow.
22. Three Times A Lady.
23. I Knew You Were Waiting (For Me).
24. Walking In The Air.
25. The Skye Boat Song.
26. You Win Again.
27. He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother.
28. You Keep Me Hangin' On.
29. Eye Of The Tiger.
30. Crockett's Theme.
31. Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic.
32. Bilitis.

As you can see, I have followed the chronological order of the albums, from "Change Of Address" in 1980 to "Reflection" in 1990. The order of the tracks can be approved upon.

[Hank2k]

i guess because i was brought up on the 80's,90s Shads covers being of a younger age than some a lot of these tracks mentioned are my personal favourites. I didnt actually hear Apache, Wonderful Land etc until well in to the 90s when i saw the Rapiers play as my dad only had these on Vinyl and the record player wasnt working.

Equinoxe V
Fender Bender
Mozart Forte
Crocketts Theme
Dancing in the Dark
When the going gets tough
You Win Again
Moonlight Shadow (This is better than the original in my opinion)
Telstar

[howarddobson]

I wouldn't be surprised if we saw a compilation of the rerecordings of 1989 mixed with the rerecordings of 2009 - a sort of Cliff and the Shads number ones but with the new versions.

You know what though - they could do something like the Hank Plays AL Webber album where they record 8 new ones and re-issue a few others with them. Wouldn't need to be a full album of new stuff. It would just be a case of deciding on the theme - Shadows play ballads, 80s number ones...

[Uncle Fiesta]

... a belief that musicians are somehow lesser beings if they don't write their own material ...

I would not call this a belief, I would call it a fact. The ability to copy is galaxies short of the ability to create.

[JimN]

... a belief that musicians are somehow lesser beings if they don't write their own material ...

I would not call this a belief, I would call it a fact. The ability to copy is galaxies short of the ability to create.

Well, that would be news to fans of Vladimir Ashkenazy or Jacqueline Du Pré, let alone the cadre of superlative musicians who used to sight-read brand-new scores in London and Hollywood recording studios.

Lightweights, eh?

Couldn't even write their own piano or cello concertos and had to rely on old tat from the nineteenth century.

[Uncle Fiesta]

Precisely, they only had to read one part ... not write all of them.

Admittedly that level of reading does take a certain type of genius (perhaps that's why I could never do it!). But surely any rational person would agree that to create the music in the first place requires a genius many magnitudes above that.

[JimN]

Precisely, they only had to read one part ... not write all of them.

Admittedly that level of reading does take a certain type of genius (perhaps that's why I could never do it!). But surely any rational person would agree that to create the music in the first place requires a genius many magnitudes above that.

I agree - without allowing in any way that the average singer-songwriter in pop music has even 2% of the genius of a Tchaikovsky or an Elgar.

[drakula63]

Not a huge fan of the Polydor years myself.

However, ANY Shadows compilation would be incomplete, in my opinion, without the following:

THE THIRD MAN

EQUINOXE V

MOONLIGHT SHADOW

HELLO MR W.A.M.

...so these would definitely go on!!!