Jet & the Final Tour

[abstamaria]

I was reading the interviews of Jet Harris in the "RIP Jet Harris" thread (which I don't want to disrupt with this query) and noted his disappointment in not having invited to play at least the early pieces. I had assumed he simply was not available and thought also that it would have been wonderful if he had played on the tour. Would abyone know why didn't he play?

Since my repertoire is limited to the early Shadows pieces, Jet is in almost all of them

Andy

[Pedro]

Has anyone thought for one minute that the reason could have been on compassionate grounds. Hank, Bruce and Brian may just have thought he was not up to it both phisically and technically. It must have been a gruelling tour for men of their age. Insurance considerations also come into it.
I don't know whether Warren was joking but he mentioned his joining (replacing CH)brought the premium down.
Just a thought.

[Arpeggio]

As it turns out, Jet ( because of his illness ) would not have been physically capable of undertaking - as has been mentioned - such a gruelling, physically demanding tour. He would have had to have been onstage for several hours per show. He did fantastically well on his UK tours with Marty Wilde - but it took its toll on Jet. I'm sure that he only got through those lengthy tours because he was only required to be onstage for 30 minutes or so each night.

He was a vital, integral part of Cliff Richard & The Shadows between 1959 and early 1962. But, for the Shadows' final tour, for example....he hadn't played on two thirds of the numbers - it would have been a big ask to have learned them all up. On the Cliff / Shads tour...he would have had to have learned up 50% of the numbers - and many of the others - although he played on the original recordings...he wouldn't have played quite a few of them for well over 40 years. But....I genuinely don't think that he could have coped with the exhausting schedule.

Plus, as Bruce noted: "Jet Harris left the Shadows in 1962." No - one can argue with that. Licorice wasn't involved - he left in 1963. John Rostll - deceased. Alan Jones played with the Shads between 1973 and 1987. He wasn't involved. Really, Mark Griffiths (also a fantastic player) was the man. After all he played and recorded with the Shadows following on from Alan Jones. He worked with Hank Marvin throughout the 1990s and beyond. Mark had also played and recorded with Cliff for many years. Natural progression really.

Bests....Rob

[Twang46]

This was the subject of much debate on this forum a while back Andy

Jet's heath problems were well documented & a valid reason for not being able to tour, but I could not accept one of the reasons mentioned for his non involvement given that he was not "up to" playing the music.

I (like many others) would have loved to have seen Jet involved, an appearance in the filmed O2 shows as a guest could so easily have been arranged if there had been the will to do it.


Cheers

Dick

[captainhaddock]

This was the subject of much debate on this forum a while back Andy

Jet's heath problems were well documented & a valid reason for not being able to tour, but I could not accept one of the reasons mentioned for his non involvement given that he was not "up to" playing the music.

I (like many others) would have loved to have seen Jet involved, an appearance in the filmed O2 shows as a guest could so easily have been arranged if there had been the will to do it.


Cheers

Dick

I have got to agree with Dick's comments and surely with the benefit of hindsight it would have been better to have involved Jet in some way would have avoided all of the unseemly comments that have surfaced again this week.

[hansaustria]

As I did write a long time ago here ! For me it`s a great shame that Jet Harris was not invited for this tour. He was an
original member of the early Shadows a founder member. I think in life there is always a possibility things to regulate. Jet
Harris on stage for only 20 minutes playing Apache, Nivram ...... some of the old stuff ( recordings ) Jet was on bass in
the recordingstudio.
I think, many people wanted to see Jet on the stage on this tour.

Sorry, however, they decided on a session musician and a Keyboarder with a music stand on the stage.

Hans

[iefje]

This has been the case with previous reunions as well. I remember reading a 1978 issue of Dynamite International, about Jet commenting about the 20th anniversary that "If only they'd invited me, I would have given a damn good show!".

[Arpeggio]

I am a great Jet Harris fan. But we shouldn't be so dismissive of Mark Griffiths. He is an outstanding player. Jet was actually his hero too!! For a man whose credentials include Matthews Southern Comfort, the Everly Brothers and the Rutles amongst others. Moreover: playing bass for Cliff Richard: 1974, 1977, 1981 - 1984, 1988 - 1989, 2008. For Hank Marvin: 1992 - 2002. The Shadows: 1986 - 1990, 2004 - 2005 and 2009 - 2010. A lot of background there. Little wonder that he was chosen by Cliff, Hank, Bruce & Brian for those final tours. Also...we will never know the part played by respective management teams.

Bests....Rob

[waffles]

.

[Twang46]

I am a great Jet Harris fan. But we shouldn't be so dismissive of Mark Griffiths. He is an outstanding player. Jet was actually his hero too!! For a man whose credentials include Matthews Southern Comfort, the Everly Brothers and the Rutles amongst others. Moreover: playing bass for Cliff Richard: 1974, 1977, 1981 - 1984, 1988 - 1989, 2008. For Hank Marvin: 1992 - 2002. The Shadows: 1986 - 1990, 2004 - 2005 and 2009 - 2010. A lot of background there. Little wonder that he was chosen by Cliff, Hank, Bruce & Brian for those final tours. Also...we will never know the part played by respective management teams.

Bests....Rob

Hi Rob

I most certainly do (& I'm sure everyone else involved in these forums does as well) have nothing but admiration for Mark G as a musician.
My post was just about Jet not being involved, in no way was it meant to be "dismissive" about Marks contribution to the Shadows tours (& even the tour with that geezer in the pink jacket )

Management & bean counters.......... now there's another story

Cheers

Dick