Shads legacy - albums

[howarddobson]

Hello everyone

I was just thinking - I disagree with anyone who says the Shads are forgotten about or not recognised for their incredible contribution to modern music. It's just not true. They are well remembered and well respected.

But what I don't understand is why the public in general doesn't know the titles of their albums in the way they do for other bands. Many of their 60s albums were massive and yet if you said Please Please Me there are people who remember all the tracks, yet mention the Shads's first album, better generally in my opinion, but people wouldn't know what was on it apart from quite serious fans.

I've never really got that.

[RayL]

Adding words to music increases the link to people's emotional centres. Of course, the words and music have to be right, but whereas Jerry Lordan could have called his most famous tune Cheyenne or Comanche and it would still have been the same tune, Please Please Me gives people words that help them with the tune and provide a meaning that is more than just the rise and fall of the notes.

There are people who can enjoy music and who can vaguely sing along while it is playing but who can't sing it otherwise and can't play an instrument (most of the public).

There are people who can play a musical instrument, but only by reading from sheet music. They can't pick up an instrument and improvise. (A smallish number, though they can often impress the public with their skill). It's a bit like painting by numbers.

Finally, there are people who can carry tunes in their heads and can use a musical instrument to turn those 'head' tunes into music, rather as a painter can turn a picture in their mind into a painting. The Shadowmusic forum is full of people who can play without written music because they have that music inside them and they can bring it to life. Out of the whole population they are really quite a small number. They don't need words to form that extra emotional link - but most people do.

[dave robinson]

What a great description Roy, that sums it up in a nutshell.

[Tigerdaisy]

I don't think the Shadows had any major world famous 'star' albums. Probably the 'best' album was the first. The Shadow's major recording highlights were the first few single hits that they were famous for and after that it was a question of a struggle to find suitable material for instrumentalisation and the release of 'hits' albums- that's not to say that there weren't the occasional 'hit' releases over the later years. The Shadows music has undoubtedly been a strong influence for a faithful band of followers, largely musicians, but also fans, no doubt boosted by the Cliff Richard factor. The Shadow's really famous recordings (other than the early single hits) are those recorded as Cliff's band and obviously there were quite a few- I suppose 'The Young Ones; stands out as probably the most well known with 'The Savage' being a well known number. Respect in the music business doesn't automatically come with world famous albums- look at a good example of JJ Cale- well respected and very influential with musicians but even well less known to the general public than the Shadows. Another incredibly popular and I'd say, influential, band in its day, mainly for other musicians and a certain group of the public were the Peddlers who never really had any great success in the sales of albums. The Shadows themselves were evidently great fans of the Peddlers.

[Billyboygretsch]

I think JJ Kale was fantastic got lots of his material - particularly like The Road to Escondido with Clapton. I could always remember most of the numbers from the first Shadows I guess mainly through staring at the cover for hours on end. I can remember many of the numbers from the early Beatles and Stones albums but not the latter ones unless prompted. Perhaps it's because there wasn't as much around in early 60s. Can't remember the names of many current artists yet alone theirs tunes.

[drakula63]

I agree completely with the sentiments/explanations expressed above. Primarily I think that it is the fact that a 'song' registers in the mind and is then put into words much more easily when recalling it/talking about it to others. If for example you were to say, "I always loved Foot Tapper, or Dance On, or Atlantis," most people would probably say "Yeah, which one was that again? How did it go?" Whereas mention Help, or A Hard Days Night to anyone and they'll mostly get it straight away. This is the 'problem', if indeed it could be called a problem. The Shadows tunes were as good as virtually anyone's, but not having the immediately recognisable reference point of a singable title/chorus, etc, almost certainly hasn't helped these tunes to become as 'famous' as any number of songs from that period (and later). I also agree that the Shads were mainly a singles band as opposed to a band known for their albums. Having said all that, of course, they were probably as influential at the time as the Beatles - maybe even more so - in respect of the number of bands/guitarists they inspired. So we can't have it all, can we...?

[TheSavage]

To be an honest sort of person, I'm much more likely to think of a specific work when I think of The Shadows. Or more accurately, several. Some of them may feature on the same album, but these aren't really 'songs' are they, they're compositions essentially. They can all stand alone as such. I view 'The Shadows' as an expansive gallery of fine audio art. I suspect that this will be the way that future generations will consider it. But what do I know? :^) ...Seriously, are smilies all right? I know some get annoyed by such ...umm, whimsey?

[TheSavage]

Note to self: You see, it's the only vaguely comprehensible twaddle like ^that^ that completely kills converse, leaving you in an empty field, aimlessly waving with a simpleton smile, wondering where everybody went. Must. Remember.

[Monty]

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[Twang46]

The "First" Shadows album, by that I mean the South African one should have been released in the UK, has by far the best cover picture as well.

Even on "The Shadows" album there were signs of Hank trying to move the group (as we called them in those days) away from out & out instrumental music. I think the Shadows "sold out" musically & although they remained popular & even hit No 1 a couple of times, after Jet followed Tony out of the group it was never the same again.

After the first UK album it was all going slowly downhill for me but at least I have my memories & now thanks to people like Charlie Hall who was first to offer a way for "ordinary" guitarists to get towards "that sound" & Dave (Robbo), who has singlehandedly evaluated just about every echo device/amp/software combination known to man & posted up his results for all to listen/see/use .......... people like me can get a Shadows sound with a couple of button presses & plugging a box of tricks into my guitar.

My legacy from the Shadows is a couple of great albums/some good albums & the MWF vocal albums with the pleasure of first listening to them in the "golden period" as a teenager with aspirations to play the guitar that was realised by a combination of (for me) reaching out for Duane Eddy & Hank Marvin's "sound"

Good old days ? of course they were !

Dick.