20 Golden Greats

[drakula63]

It was 40 years ago today...

Well, it was 40 years ago, almost exactly, that the Shadows finished their '20 Golden Dates' UK tour. I was somewhat miffed, as I had been thwarted in my bid to go and see them at one of their two nights at Bunny's Place in Cleethorpes. Well, it was a Nightclub and I was only 13. Still...

Anyway, to mark the occasion, here's my 20 Golden Greats collection. I got the concert programme many years later on eBay!!! Until someone invents a time machine, I guess this is the closest I'll get to seeing the show!!!!

[iefje]

Looks like a merchandise table, great! As far as I can see, everything in mint condition! I still hope one day a concert from those 20 Golden Dates will be released officially, although to be honest, the chances of that happening will be very small indeed.

[Moderne]

On the inside cover of The Shadows (double) Silver album, there's also what appears to be a 20 GG belt buckle! Anyone got one of these. There's also a ticket for a Shadows concert at the Royal Albert Hall on Monday 2nd October 1978...which cost £4.00!! The Shadows Silver Album reminds me that there was a time when anyone standing in a queue at the Post Office would be able to watch adverts for this double LP set over and over again on a little television. Hard core completists had to buy it because it had Shadoogie '83 on it, but then had to pay full price for the XXV album just to get the vocals Modern Way and Liverpool Days....

[drakula63]

Not in MINT condition, I'm afraid. But pretty good.

There is a merchandise page in the Shads 1979 tour programme which includes 20GG badge and patch and mirror, as well as a T-shirt, sweat shirt and pullover with the 20GG logo and what looks like The Tour 79 printed on them. To be honest, from the photos, the printed clothing doesn't look that good. I do remember the belt buckle as well and have a feeling that there may have been a similar merchandise sheet for the 1977 tour as well. Mind you, the page in the 1979 programme proclaims, "For The First Time Ever - The Shadows merchandise offer" - so exactly how much of this was available in '77 I can't imagine. Probably very little.

[JimN]

On the inside cover of The Shadows (double) Silver album, there's also what appears to be a 20 GG belt buckle! Anyone got one of these. There's also a ticket for a Shadows concert at the Royal Albert Hall on Monday 2nd October 1978...which cost £4.00!! The Shadows Silver Album reminds me that there was a time when anyone standing in a queue at the Post Office would be able to watch adverts for this double LP set over and over again on a little television. Hard core completists had to buy it because it had Shadoogie '83 on it, but then had to pay full price for the XXV album just to get the vocals Modern Way and Liverpool Days....

...and had already had to pay full price for "Another String of Hot Hits" just to get Black Is Black.

That was EMI's decision, though, not one made by The Shadows.

[iefje]

Chris, do you also have copies of the 1983 New Zealand compilation album "20 Golden Greats Vol.2" and the 1987/1996 Australian compilation album "Another 20 Golden Greats"? What about the later 2000 compilation double album "50 Golden Greats"? The interesting thing about the latter is that it contains some tracks from the Polydor era. The 1996 issue of "Another 20 Golden Greats", features its nineteen stereo tracks in reversed stereo mode. I have a copy of this second issue.

[drakula63]

Chris, do you also have copies of the 1983 New Zealand compilation album "20 Golden Greats Vol.2" and the 1987/1996 Australian compilation album "Another 20 Golden Greats"? What about the later 2000 compilation double album "50 Golden Greats"? The interesting thing about the latter is that it contains some tracks from the Polydor era. The 1996 issue of "Another 20 Golden Greats", features its nineteen stereo tracks in reversed stereo mode. I have a copy of this second issue.

I used to have the NZ album '20 Golden Greats vol 2' (blue cover?) on CD, but I gave it away to someone. Actually, offhand not sure if this was 'Another 20 Golden Greats'. I didn't bother with '50 Golden Greats' as it didn't really add that much of any great interest to the original and I had other compilations with these tracks on anyway. I thought it looked like it tailed off badly towards the end and I thought it would have been better to have included things like 'Mountains of the Moon' and 'Pulaski' rather than seemingly randomly chosen Polydor tracks.

20 Golden Greats means a lot to me as it was the FIRST Shadows album I ever got and 1977, in general, was one of the most memorable and 'important' years of my life. I cannot believe that it is already 40 years ago! I won't be here in another 40, that's for sure!

[drakula63]

Here's a pic or two, just taken, of the 20GG-style merch that was advertised in the 1979 tour brochure.

[tim.cooper5]

Hi All,

Just to add to the 20 Golden Greats collection, a badge, alongside a badge that was out roundabout the same time trying to promote some up and coming Rock n' Roller!

Tim

[drakula63]

Hi All,

Just to add to the 20 Golden Greats collection, a badge, alongside a badge that was out roundabout the same time trying to promote some up and coming Rock n' Roller!

Tim

So the badge was real? Never seen one before! I wonder if Elton John has still got his I'm Nearly Famous badge?