Jet Harris - 'New' Old News

[Arpeggio]

I have long - standing Shadows / Jet fan Mike Tait to thank for this. I don't know whether or not Mike has access to the Internet & so I will post this fascinating snippet anyway. Although I was only a 10 year old child 50 years ago - I was nevertheless aware of the 'Cuban Missile Crisis' situation which raged during September / October / November 1962. Of course, being a youngster - our lives still more or less continued as normal but, on reflection, it must have been a terrifying scenario for our parents as the USA and Russia could have plunged the world into a nuclear armageddon. Thankfully the whole crisis was averted.

Now, Mike came across a little article either in an ancient back issue of "Titbits" (remember that old 'magazine'!!!!?) or the News Of The World from October 1962. In a little featurette about Jet, following on from his solo successes with "Besame Mucho" and "Man With Golden Arm", it was reported that he'd recorded a brand new solo track as his next single. But, apparently Decca weren't happy because Jet wanted to call it "Verge Of World War III"!!!!!! Now, whether he'd said that tongue - in - cheek or just to be provocative, or just for publicity - who knows? Still, given the tense political atmosphere of the time - no wonder that Decca went mental. In any event - the release was shelved because Jerry Lordan offered Jet "Diamonds" and the opportunity to formally work with Tony Meehan once more. The rest, as they sat, is history. Incidentally, "Verge Of World War III" is nowadays much better known as "Man From Nowhere". It was eventually released in 1963 as part of the "Just For Fun" soundtrack and in Europe it was sometimes titled "Blue Mood".

Bests...Rob

[JimN]

Intriguing stuff, Rob. I've sometimes wondered about Man From Nowhere and where it had slotted into Jet's career plans. Presumably, Plan A would have been for it to be issued as an A-side with something like Lonesome Part Of Town as the B-side.

Although it's always seemed to me that I'm an aware sort of chap, I can remember nothing contemporary about the Cuban Missile Crisis except for the 11-yr-old me seeing a piece of graffiti which went: HANDS OFF CUBA.

I can remember the Cyprus "problems" in the late 50s (Archbishop Makarios, etc), the Rome Olympics in 1960, the building of the Berlin Wall in 1961, Gagarin's space flight the same year, the A6 murder and subsequent trial and execution (1961/62) and even the 1962 death of Marilyn Monroe - but nowt about Cuba and missiles.

Perhaps I was listening to Love Me Do.

JN

[Arpeggio]

Hi Jim,
I'm sure that "Man From Nowhere" (with a possible 'B' side as indicated by you) would have been a hit as a solo single for Jet - but he was obviously right to go with "Diamonds". I've always thought that it ( M F N) was an underrated track and that it had a sort of 'doomy' threatening atmosphere - hence Jet's original choice of title would have been most apt!! Ah yes....some of those events from 1961 -1962. My childhood memories are similar to yours (not surprisingly) - Yuri Gagarin, John Glenn, Marilyn Monroe etc & the wonderful music of course! I wouldn't say that I was massively 'influenced' by the Cuban Missile Crisis....but I was defintley aware of JFK and Nikita Kruschev ranting at each other and the fact that Nuclear Missiles were at the centre of the argument. Etc., etc. I thought that some people would be interested by this long forgotten little snippet of information. Oh we just love it all don't we?

Rob

[Didier]

Although I was only a 10 year old child 50 years ago - I was nevertheless aware of the 'Cuban Missile Crisis' situation which raged during September / October / November 1962. Of course, being a youngster - our lives still more or less continued as normal but, on reflection, it must have been a terrifying scenario for our parents as the USA and Russia could have plunged the world into a nuclear armageddon.

Being a little older, I remember well these very worrying times... Quite suprising to learn the influence it had on Jet's musical career !...

Didier

[geoff1711]

The day we expected the world to self distruct I was on the playing field of my school playing football (hated it then and still do!!) at around 3 o'clock (the deadline) much to the games masters chagrine, the game stopped and 22 faces looked skyward and wondered if they'd see their mums and dads again, I was 14, 51 years later I still remember it clearly, let's be thankful that, at least for the present, the world is a safer place.

Mind you we've still got December this year to get through and prove that calender wrong!

Geoff

[martcaster]

I also remember "that day" very well, Geoff. We were herded into the school hall (West Dyke Juniors, Redcar) I was about 10. The Headmaster (an ex-Royal Artillery Captain) told us in no uncertain terms that we were going to die. As a Baby-Boomer, brought up with tales of "The War" my mind was spinning with terrible scenarios and I got it into my head that he meant NOW!! I couldn't help it, I just burst into tears. I was plain scared. It took a lot of re-assurance from the teachers that death wasn't imminent. That day has haunted me ever since. Let us pray we never subject our own offspring to those same horrors. See you all at Frimley.
Love, Mart.

[Arpeggio]

Geoff, Martcaster - what was the specific date? I do recall my olders sisters (then aged 15 and 20 respectively) saying that we were 'all going to die' - but I just thought that they'd gone crazy!! The world was a different place then! Mart.....the teacher you mentioned.....what can I say...what a **** / idiot etc!!!!

Bests....Rob

PS: It wasn't my intention to bring back horrific memories for anyone, merely to note the previously unknown / forgotten original title for "Man From Nowhere".

[Mike Honey]

Sorry Rob, but i remember that day well (the evening of that day more particularly). My teenage band 'The Concords' were practising in Allhallows youth club in Tottenham, and everybody was talking about the days events. I was a right diva because nobody was listening to my rendition of 'Guitar Boogie Shuffle' lol

mike

[captainhaddock]

I wasn't born until December 1962 so obviously have no first hand memories of the time. I have often wondered how my Mum coped, carrying a baby and facing the potential of World War 3 having lived through WW2 as a child.
Must admit that I had similar feelings following 9/11, although I was obviously not carrying a baby at the time !!!!.
B***dy Politicians.

[Arpeggio]

Well...I don't want to get dragged too far into the realms of historical Cold War politics. But, now several people have mentioned remembering 'the day' or the day of 'the deadline' (when a nuclear holocaust was officially avoided) - so....what was the actual date of this deadline? The time of 3.00pm has been mentioned....but was the date?

Bests.....Rob