Apache

[Twang46]

Hi all

An interesting (to me anyway ) question has arisen about Apache.

Who was the first to hear this tune from Jerry ?

Not the first to record it, but was it Bert or Hank/Bruce who first heard Jerry demo it ?.......was it really on a bus ?

Anybody know with reasonable certainty ?

Cheers

Dick.

[Martin Page]

Bruce states in his autobiography that yes, it was on a tour bus that Jerry Lordan demoed the song on his ukulele. Jerry said that Bert had recorded the tune a year before for an LP but it hadn't been released at that point in time.

Martin.

[Arpeggio]

As the late Bert Weedon recorded (but didn't initially release it) his version of "Apache" first....then he must have obviously heard it first. I believe that it's still not 100% certain whether or not he heard Jerry just strumming it on the ukelele or if a demo prepared by someone else was used. For well over 50 years now there have been rumours / stories abounding about a demo by guitarist Jim Gunner (of "Hoolee Jump") fame.....but I don't believe this theory / rumour / story has ever been satisfactorily proved or disproved one way or the other. Can anyone else help with this (the Jim Gunner aspect)? Jerry Lordan hated Bert Weedon's arrangement / interpretation (& irrespective of Bert's undoubted prowess as a guitarist.....it was pretty awful) and he was glad that it stayed 'in the can' for awhile. Now....it is true that Jerry did strum & hum his version of "Apache" (wordless 'vocal' and ukelele) on the coach taking Cliff & The Shadows from London to Bristol's Colston Hall. However the late Jerry Lordan did 'phone me (shortly following the publication of my John Rostill biography) and (I shall never forget the conversation) informed that - refs: "Apache" - yes, he did indeed play it to Hank and Bruce on the aforementioned coach journey. But....he was adamant that he wanted it 'noted for posterity' that the first Shadow to hear "Apache" was Jet Harris. He'd apparently played a brief snatch of it to Jet on an underground train....but mixed in with snatches of Jerry's own songs and other things. The two of them were apparently staying in the same small hotel (unspecified by Jerry). Later on that same evening Jet had apparently asked Jerry what 'that little tune' was that he'd played a little bit of. It had clearly stayed in Jet's mind. So Jerry gave Jet a full 'run through' of "Apache" in a corner of the hotel bar. When he'd finished, he recalled that Jet immediately said "You've got to play that to Hank and Bruce....tomorrow." He duly did and the rest, as they say, is history.

Rob

[Twang46]

Thanks for the reply Martin
& especially to you Rob for your very comprehensive reply

Happy now

Cheers

Dick.