Why aren't the Shadows cool?

[Didier]

Some of you saw the Shadows in the very early days, when Tony was still their drummer and Jet was still Vitapointe blond.

I did at the Paris Olympia in 1961. The last time I saw the Shadows on stage was at the Paris "Palais des congrès" in 2009 during the Final Reunion tour with Cliff.
The magic was still there, and I noticed that applauses were slightly stronger forthe Shadows' intrumental numbers than for Cliff's performances !

Didier

[MikeAB]

Saw the show 3 times in the UK - same applied, Shads got loudest response each time.

[Iain Purdon]

"Cool" is anything you like if your peer group likes it too.

[rogera]

In that case if we use the example of Top Gear's Cool Wall then to the members here I'm sure that the Shads are "Sub-Zero" !!

[Moderne]

The Shadows have been well-loved by their hardcore fans (us!) and varying degrees of 'popular' with the general public for 55 years, but they probably haven't been 'cool' since Jet left in 1962. Twangy guitar instrumentals went out of fashion when The Beatles came along, as did honky-tonk piano A-sides, 'trad' jazz etc. and will never become trendy again. Even today, most people seem to have an aversion to a twangy guitar. The association with Cliff - although a significant factor in their initial success and longevity - probably hasn't helped their 'cool' rating, and neither has lots of smiling onstage, corny humour, their dance steps and their market researched 'cover versions' policy of the 80s and 90s. But these are also the very reasons why they've maintained their popularity. Solo singers like Tom Jones will always be in demand and have the potential to 'come in from the cold' with the right material and producer - as Cliff himself did to a certain extent with Bruce Welch in the mid-70s.

Being a Shadows fan is something you learn to keep quiet. I've often wondered how they have had so much success as the vast majority of people I've met over the years seem to view them with varying degrees of derision. As a teenager in the 70s, you needed the zeal of a born-again Christian (rather like Cliff!!) to discuss your admiration of them with your friends!!

But who cares!!!!

[noelford]

...most people seem to have an aversion to a twangy guitar.

I have to dispute that very strongly. A lot of my charity gigs are played in public places where the 'audience' comprises the widest possible spectrum, young, old, middle-aged, nationalities, gender. I've lost count of how many of those people (from ALL those groups) who have made a point of coming up to tell me how good it is to hear some guitar music.

...the vast majority of people I've met over the years seem to view them with varying degrees of derision.

I've met people who don't particularly like Shadows music but none who have derided it. I do the occasional gig in a large guitar/music shop and include quite a bit of Shads material. The younger (as well as the older) customers clearly enjoy it, judging from the conversations we have.

Mind you, even if none of the above were the case, I agree with you when you say, 'Who cares?'!

[captainhaddock]

I remember back in 1974, I was an 11 year old schoolboy and closet Shadows fan. During my School holidays I happened to see the outer Sleeve of "Jigsaw" pinned to the wall of a Norwich clothes shop, It had been used as a Window display item probably because it was eye catching. I asked an assistant about the unheard of, to me, album and he laughed and said that it was part of his bosses record collection and he laughed because he could not believe that a kid of my age would be interested in such a thing. He went on to find the empty sleeve of "Shadow music" and I was entranced by them. I vowed that one day I would obtain my own copies of the albums when I could afford them.
Moving on to February 1979, I had by now left school and started work in a DIY shop. Mondays were my only day off so with my first wage packet, I visited "Andys" records , again in Norwich and was stunned to find brand new pressings of "Jigsaw", "Shadow Music", "Hank Marvins' Guitar Syndicate", the MFP issue of "Live at the Paris Olympia+ LIve at Sankei Hall double album. To me they were a veritable treasure and after waiting since 1974 my excitement overtook me.not having enough money on me I gathered the LP's and approached the green haired Punk behind the counter to ask him to put my newly discovered treasure to one side for me in case they sold out while I went home to get some money. I felt about 2 foot tall as he laughed and wondered aloud to his colleagues , who would buy such C***. I turned on my heels and made my way home despondent. So desperate was I to obtain my treasure that later the same day, I returned to the same shop having borrowed the money from my Mum and was chuffed to find a lovely young lady at the counter, she seemed to have a sympathetic air about her so I told her of my story as I paid for the albums. She smiled as she confessed that she too was a Shadows fan because her Dad had been and laughed when she begged me not to let on to her Green haired Punk colleague as she dare not confess to such an uncool secret. I did not visit "Andys" for a number of years as I felt somewhat traumatised, I began to buy second hand LP's and singles through ads in "Record Collector Magazine" as there was that blessed ingredient, anonimity.
I broke my rule once when "Twenty Golden greats" came out, because The Shadows had a degree of Coolness about them again by then and the Public seemed to admit that The Shadows were great. Work commitments prevented me from venturing into Record Shops for a number of years and it was a bitter blow when on a final visit to Andys I discovered that the Shadows no longer appeared in the "RockN Roll" section, they had been demoted to "Easy Listening" together with Des O'Connor etc. the vestige of Cool had finally thawed out.

[Moderne]

...most people seem to have an aversion to a twangy guitar.

I have to dispute that very strongly. A lot of my charity gigs are played in public places where the 'audience' comprises the widest possible spectrum, young, old, middle-aged, nationalities, gender. I've lost count of how many of those people (from ALL those groups) who have made a point of coming up to tell me how good it is to hear some guitar music.

...the vast majority of people I've met over the years seem to view them with varying degrees of derision.

I've met people who don't particularly like Shadows music but none who have derided it. I do the occasional gig in a large guitar/music shop and include quite a bit of Shads material. The younger (as well as the older) customers clearly enjoy it, judging from the conversations we have.

Mind you, even if none of the above were the case, I agree with you when you say, 'Who cares?'!

I think in a 'gig' setting people are more likely to appreciate a variety of guitar music, although I think most people would still class echoey, single-coil Strat-type sounds as old-fashioned - and not in a good way! I occasionally play a 'Shadows' set with a local rock band who all happen to be closet Shadows fans: the punters are quietly appreciative but aren't exactly falling over themselves to offer us bookings! Perhaps it's my playing...!

As to my second quote, perhaps 'derision' is too strong a word - or perhaps you just happen to know more open-minded people than me. There is undoubtedly a huge section of the general public who do enjoy Shadows music and they would probably still buy enough CDs/downloads to put their albums in the top 10 of the album charts if they or Hank were still recording. But I still maintain that the majority of people will display a "Who listens to that?" attitude when Shadows music is played. Their vocals, on the other hand, are usually well-received. Most (but not all!) people just don't seem to like good old-fashioned instrumentals any more

[mojolomjl]

According to my year 2000 Guinness book of British hit singles the top 10 are.
1. Elvis Presley
2. Cliff Richard
3. The Shadows
4. Elton John
5. Diana Ross
6. Madonna
7. Michael Jackson
8. Rod Stewart
9. The Beatles
10. David Bowie
Not sure what the top 10 are now but to be in position number 3 in 2000 is not a bad achievement.
I doubt that the position will be vastly different as most of the later artists do not seem to be around
for any length of time.

[iefje]

In that case if we use the example of Top Gear's Cool Wall then to the members here I'm sure that the Shads are "Sub-Zero" !!

Yes, the "Aston Martin DB9" section! And Kristin Scott-Thomas must like them too!