The Beatles with a snippet of the Shadows

[Syd62]

On the One Show tonight they did a feature on The Beatles and during it they played about 30 seconds of Sleepwalk by the Shads. Haven't got a clue as to why.

[MikeAB]

This will presumably either have been to subliminally show that music before the Fab 4 was slow, dreamy, bland and not rock (we Shads fans are that paranoid!?) - or just to make an Abbey Road link.

[iefje]

This will presumably either have been to subliminally show that music before the Fab 4 was slow, dreamy, bland and not rock (we Shads fans are that paranoid!?) - or just to make an Abbey Road link.

To be quite honest, I love The Beatles' music, but some tracks from their early B-sides and early albums are instrumentally not very strong. Quite average, actually. George Harrison has achieved much as a guitarist, but never ever the level of Hank. The same applies to the comparisons between Tony Meehan and Brian Bennett on one side and Ringo Starr on the other, Bruce Welch on one side and John Lennon on the other and also all Shadows bassists on one side and Paul McCartney on the other. In short, to me, The Shadows as musicians have always been on a higher level than The Beatles as musicians.

[Iain Purdon]

Jet Harris said he liked Paul McCartney's bass playing

[ecca]

John's rhythm on All My Loving was pretty spectacular.
Comparisons are pointless.

[Fenderman]

I'm a massive Beatles (and Shadows) fan but i'd say Bruce was a much better rythmn guitar player than John.
As for songwriting though, the Beatles were miles ahead of the Shadows and everyone else, epecially after 1965/66.

[iefje]

I'm a massive Beatles (and Shadows) fan but i'd say Bruce was a much better rythmn guitar player than John.
As for songwriting though, the Beatles were miles ahead of the Shadows and everyone else, epecially after 1965/66.

Yes, I agree with that too. The Shadows also did compose frequently, but never ever a complete original album, not even "Rockin' With Curly Leads" or "Guardian Angel". I do think, though, Brian Bennett has very much succeeded in becoming a prolific composer, especially for library music and TV and film.

[Iain Purdon]

"Finders Keepers" was a Shadows composition throughout, apart from the Cliff bonus tracks.
Very good work too!

[Dance with Shadows]

Yes, I agree with that too. The Shadows also did compose frequently, but never ever a complete original album, not even "Rockin' With Curly Leads" or "Guardian Angel". I do think, though, Brian Bennett has very much succeeded in becoming a prolific composer, especially for library music and TV and film.

???????Apart from Finders Keepers, there are the albums Cinderella, Aladdin, and Established 1958.

I think comparisons reflect our attitudes and here pointless.

I also think that some of the songs on Aladdin are sublime.

regards

Michael

[Bojan]

Since you have opened this subject, iefje, and it may not be such a good idea to make this comparison in a Shadows forum, because for us our heroes are the best, but I'm not so sure that you are right. The level of the Shadows and the Beatles as musicians cannot be compared. Perhaps the huge popularity of the Beatles has influenced the way they have been perceived as musicians, and it is true that in the beginning they were not so good instrumentally, but you will see that that in all the "best of" lists, the Beatles individually are ranked very highly, whereas the members of the Shadows are not, in fact mostly they are not even ranked at all . . . Paul McCartney is recognized as one of the most innovative and influential bass players in popular music and ranks among the very best of them. He is ranked 3rd on Rolling Stone's list of top 10 bassist of all time -- no sign of any of the Shadows bassists. Rolling Stone magazine lists Ringo Starr as the 5th best drummer of all time, which is certainly arguable, but nevertheless, on most lists he is regarded very highly -- no sign of the Shadows drummers. Harrison is also up there somewhere near the top, and on many lists of best rhythm guitarists John Lennon features highly; in two of them that I checked, he was ranked 8th, Keith Richards, being first, Pete Townsend second, and so on . . . . unfortunately, no sign of Bruce. So, if "best of" lists are anything to go by, whether we like it or not, the Beatles individually outclass the Shadows as instrumentalists -- vocals and song writing aside.