Longest serving Bass Player

[George Geddes]

Quite fascinating to revisit this topic, though quite how and why it was resurrected is another matter.

I believe that after Bruce left at the end of 1968, Hank persuaded Brian and John that the Shadows could continue as a three-piece for recording purposes. An album of film themes was mooted with Chitty Chitty Bang Bang being one, before the other two suggested firmly to Hank that this was not going to work...

Subsequently, Hank recorded his first solo album, the Hawkshaw lineup played some gigs, then recorded SofR in 1970, before MWF appeared in 1971 (playing Shads numbers on stage...) In my mind, there is a degree of continuity there.

George

[Moderne]

An often-used way of edging someone out of a band without too much argy-bargy/confrontation is for the band to 'split up' and then reform without the person they wanted out (and sometimes with new members). I remember this from sixth-form bands at school and it could be argued that that's what The Shads did in the early 90s when 'Marvin, Bennett and Sons' went on tour...

[drakula63]

Quite fascinating to revisit this topic, though quite how and why it was resurrected is another matter.

I believe that after Bruce left at the end of 1968, Hank persuaded Brian and John that the Shadows could continue as a three-piece for recording purposes. An album of film themes was mooted with Chitty Chitty Bang Bang being one, before the other two suggested firmly to Hank that this was not going to work...

Subsequently, Hank recorded his first solo album, the Hawkshaw lineup played some gigs, then recorded SofR in 1970, before MWF appeared in 1971 (playing Shads numbers on stage...) In my mind, there is a degree of continuity there.

George

I had completely forgotten that. I believe that 'Chitty Chitty Bang Bang' was recorded on 30th December 1968 - so two weeks after they 'split up'. Maybe they got so merry over Christmas that they all 'forgot' that they had split up two weeks earlier and just turned up at Abbey Road?

But to return again to the longest serving bass player topic...

Apparently when playing in a band called Bobby King & the Sabres (circa 1962), Alan Jones phoned up David Bryce and asked for an audition, having heard that Jet had left the Shads. Apparently, he was just too late (obviously) and was told that Brian Locking had got the job. So, Mr Jones could have ended up as a very, very, very long serving bass player indeed!

[Monty]

Re the 1968 breakup, both 'Hank Marvin' 1969 solo album and the later 'Would You Believe it...Plus' album's linear notes openly refer to The Shadows as actually 'breaking up' at the end of 1968 - December 1968 is stated in the latter album's linear notes

Hank is stated as 'emerging as a solo artist' then too, so it was presented to the public as the group formally disbanding

They of course very quickly reformed minus Bruce with Alan Hawkshaw on keyboards and that 'Live in Japan' album dates from October 1969 I believe (John Rostill doing the 'frontman' audience duties)

'Chitty Chitty Bang Bang' was recorded then next up came 'Shades of Rock' in 1970 apparently done just for the money (and due to record company contract I think) by which time John had departed the group

they seemed to do occasional TV appearances too - one with Alan Hawkshaw was up on youtube (sadly not a complete song)

as a full time band they appear to have finished in December 1968 and reformed later with John Farrar in 1973 for RWCL tho' even then were a 'part time' concern as each of the four had other musical projects, chiefly producing others thereafter...

[drakula63]

Re the 1968 breakup, both 'Hank Marvin' 1969 solo album and the later 'Would You Believe it...Plus' album's linear notes openly refer to The Shadows as actually 'breaking up' at the end of 1968 - December 1968 is stated in the latter album's linear notes

Hank is stated as 'emerging as a solo artist' then too, so it was presented to the public as the group formally disbanding

They of course very quickly reformed minus Bruce with Alan Hawkshaw on keyboards and that 'Live in Japan' album dates from October 1969 I believe (John Rostill doing the 'frontman' audience duties)

'Chitty Chitty Bang Bang' was recorded then next up came 'Shades of Rock' in 1970 apparently done just for the money (and due to record company contract I think) by which time John had departed the group

they seemed to do occasional TV appearances too - one with Alan Hawkshaw was up on youtube (sadly not a complete song)

as a full time band they appear to have finished in December 1968 and reformed later with John Farrar in 1973 for RWCL tho' even then were a 'part time' concern as each of the four had other musical projects, chiefly producing others thereafter...

Again, according to the sleeve/booklet notes on 'The Shadows at Abbey Road' and the book 'a pocket guide to the shadows' by campbell, bradford, woosey, 'Chitty Chitty Bang Bang' was actually recorded on 30th December 1968. And whilst I am not arguing with anyone, it does seem 'odd', doesn't it, that the band should 'break up' on December 14th (by mutual agreement) and then two weeks later start to record a potential new album. Just saying that it's... odd.

I really like the 'Live at the Sankei Hall' album and have the single sleeve version, but not the gatefold which I think was only released in Japan. John and Hank split the introductions between them and John sounded to be on particularly good form, laughing and joking, etc...

I still think John Rostill's time with the band should be extended beyond 1963-1968, by at least a year or so. Just my opinions as an 'ignoramus' who occasionally prefaces his posts with self-deprecatory remarks!

[Iain Purdon]

For those who have asked how this thread came to life again, it's my doing. I had used the search facility (top right, highly recommended) to look something up and came across a thread ending with a statement that Mark Griffiths was the longest-serving bass player. I thought that was debatable and dashed off a reply saying so. That, of course, brought it to the top of the board and until others began chipping in I didn't notice that the thread had started life in 2011!

[bgohara]

When Cliff was introducing the Shads set at the Palladium in 1978 - he referred to the Shads splitting up in 1968. In more recent interviews he has said that the reason he and the Shads stopped working together was that the Shadows had split up. Regardless of how you interpret Bruce leaving and combinations of Hank, Brian, John etc working together after that - it's clear that the nature of the Shadows changed for evermore at the end of 1968....

[drakula63]

When Cliff was introducing the Shads set at the Palladium in 1978 - he referred to the Shads splitting up in 1968. In more recent interviews he has said that the reason he and the Shads stopped working together was that the Shadows had split up. Regardless of how you interpret Bruce leaving and combinations of Hank, Brian, John etc working together after that - it's clear that the nature of the Shadows changed for evermore at the end of 1968....

Although of course the Shadows did back him, I think, during the Marvin, Bennett, Rostill, Hawkshaw line-up. There was even an occasion where I believe they backed him as a three piece - Bennett, Rostill, Hawkshaw - due to Hank being ill.

[drakula63]

For those who have asked how this thread came to life again, it's my doing. I had used the search facility (top right, highly recommended) to look something up and came across a thread ending with a statement that Mark Griffiths was the longest-serving bass player. I thought that was debatable and dashed off a reply saying so. That, of course, brought it to the top of the board and until others began chipping in I didn't notice that the thread had started life in 2011!

People used to say the same thing about Paul McGann being the 'longest serving' Doctor who, because he 'took over' in 1996 and wasn't officially 'replaced' until 2005. This conveniently forgets the fact that he only appeared in one episode and there was no new Doctor Who between 1996 and 2005!

Just off the top of my head, Mark did a couple of tours and albums in the 1980s (and possibly including 1990), then nothing with 'The Shadows' as such until 2004. Then there was another gap until 2008. So in terms of consistent service, he can't possibly be the longest serving!

My money's still on Alan Jones or John Rostill, depending on how you calculate it. Ironic that Alan and John also both played in Tom Jones' backing group.

[George Geddes]

Indeed, Chris, but the Eighth Doctor appeared in a host of BBC novels, which used McGann's likeness on the cover...

George

PS Look forward to hearing your thoughts on the 13th Doctor over in the Lounge.