Cliff's dream...

[Fenderman]

I enjoyed the 1973-1975 JF period for the Shads as they produced many outstanding tracks but as you say, each to their own.

[drakula63]

To be fair to Frank, the name Farrah is probably more commonly associated with the late lamented Farrah Fawcett-Majors and I can well imagine that this spelling tends to come to mind quicker than Farrar - especially if you are not a particular fan of his.

I have always wondered about the gatefold photo that can be seen inside the RWCL album. It ALMOST looks as if they have left a gap between Brian and John Farrar, to 'suggest' John Rostill's absence. OK, I'm probably looking far too deeply into it, but it has always nagged at me. There are, of course, other shots from that photo session that are posed differently.

By the way, I've written an article about RWCL for 'Pipeline' magazine.

[Monty]

what edition of 'Pipeline' is your RWCL article in ?

I think it's one of The Shads greatest albums and deserves reappraisal

I'd love to see the 'all intrumental' intended follow up album to be finally compiled too - half became 'Specs Appeal' with others left for 'Tasty' or unissued at the time

maybe it could be something like this;

1) God Only Knows (stereo album version)
2) Goodbye Yellow Brick Road
3) Rose, Rose
4) Honky Tonk Women
5) Colorado Songbird
6) No No Nina (Instrumental version)
7) Honorable Puff Puff
8) Superstar
9) Spider Juice
10) The Most Beautiful Girl
11) Like Strangers
12) The Air That I Breathe

Bonus Tracks;
13) God Only Knows - (mono later 'single re-cut' version)
14) Run Billy Run (vocal)
15)It'll Be Me Babe (vocal)
16) Marmaduke (vocal - Live in Paris 1975)

I'm not sure if their version of 'Walk Don't Run' featured John Farrar or not (?) - probably not although there is the extra guitar part on it (as with the later post-Farrar era but similar style 'Sweet Saturday Night' too)

a couple of vocal tracks such as 'Run Billy Run' and 'It'll Be Me Babe' featuring JF could go on at the end as 'bonus' tracks too along with 'Marmaduke'

this compilation is something Universal ought to put together as a CD as it would make a decent instrumental follow up album to RWCL

[Shad1]

MY dream would certainly be a Shads reunion with John Farrar. He enlivened and added to the Shads 'formula' with fantastic results, not to mention the wonderful MW&F albums. His vocal contributions made my tweeters sing with joy and his superb guitar work was at times jaw dropping - completely in touch with the song.

Malc

[drakula63]

what edition of 'Pipeline' is your RWCL article in ?

I think it's one of The Shads greatest albums and deserves reappraisal

I'd love to see the 'all intrumental' intended follow up album to be finally compiled too - half became 'Specs Appeal' with others left for 'Tasty' or unissued at the time

maybe it could be something like this;

1) God Only Knows (stereo album version)
2) Goodbye Yellow Brick Road
3) Rose, Rose
4) Honky Tonk Women
5) Colorado Songbird
6) No No Nina (Instrumental version)
7) Honorable Puff Puff
8) Superstar
9) Spider Juice
10) The Most Beautiful Girl
11) Like Strangers
12) The Air That I Breathe

Bonus Tracks;
13) God Only Knows - (mono later 'single re-cut' version)
14) Run Billy Run (vocal)
15)It'll Be Me Babe (vocal)
16) Marmaduke (vocal - Live in Paris 1975)

I'm not sure if their version of 'Walk Don't Run' featured John Farrar or not (?) - probably not although there is the extra guitar part on it (as with the later post-Farrar era but similar style 'Sweet Saturday Night' too)

a couple of vocal tracks such as 'Run Billy Run' and 'It'll Be Me Babe' featuring JF could go on at the end as 'bonus' tracks too along with 'Marmaduke'

this compilation is something Universal ought to put together as a CD as it would make a decent instrumental follow up album to RWCL

I don't know which edition of Pipeline it will be in I'm afraid. I sent it to Alan at the start of the year and he said he'd use it. I'm sure it'll appear sooner or later!

No, John Farrar isn't on 'Walk Don't Run'. This is one of the handful of tracks recorded early '77 for Tasty.

I put together a couple of homemade CDs of Shads '70s tracks in a bid to compile some alternative albums. My version of Specs Appeal (1974 version) is very similar to yours. I also did a 'special edition' with ALL tracks (1974 and '75) and a '1977' version of Tasty. Makes a change now and again.

I'd LOVE to see a 'Shadows of the '70s' CD released by someone. But what are the chances?

[Monty]

who knows ? - Universal are concentrating on retrospective hits compilations as they will sell best, but it's perfectly possible that such a seventies compilation might be put together ('Listen To The Shadows' was one such some years ago on EMI, and we've had themed compilations such as; 'Shadows Vocals' etc)

Also an all Acoustic compilation of instrumentals and vocal tracks would be interesting too, something like;

1) Guitar Tango
2) The Bandit*
3) All Day
4) All My Sorrows*
5) Atlantis (Acoustic TV show version)
6) Me Oh My*
7) Genie With The Light Brown Lamp (Acoustic mono version)
8) A Little Bitty Tear*
9) My Grandfather's Clock
10) Five Hundred Miles*
11) Chelsea Boot
12) Autumn
13) Let Me Take You There*
14) A Thing Of Beauty
15) Omiode No Nagisa - from Shadows in Japan' EP on 'E.P. Collection' CD
16) The Day I Met Marie*
17) Alentejo
18) Poem
19) Maggie's Samba
20) Bony Moronie
21) Classical Gas
22) All Day - mono alternate version (Bonus Track)

*vocal tracks

**** Now updated to include 'All Day' (both versions), 'Bony Moronie' and 'All My Sorrows' plus the correct name of that Japan EP Track from 1967

- it would make an interesting compilation highlighting their guitar pickin' skills, showing a particular aspect of the band's work (ie 'Shadows Vocals' album) ...and serve to re-introduce the band to the wider public beyond the immediate fanbase ....plus any new younger fans only just discovering the group (these are the main reason for such retrospective compilations)

[Simon Underwood]

There already is a compilation of The Shadows' 70s material:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Collection-Sha ... DWZC3BF3V5

Simon

[Fenderman]

I'm still wondering if we'll see a follow up to The Early Years from Parlophone, a collection of mono & stereo versions of material from 1967-1979 would be welcome as i don't have mono versions of many singles from 1964 onwards.

[Iain Purdon]

I can't honestly see the purpose in releasing compilations like these. As far as I know there is no new material to be had so everything is already available and the commercial incentive can't be much. If you want an all-acoustic or all-70s or all-vocal or anything, an iTunes playlist (or equivalent) will give it to you and you can burn your own CDs very cheaply these days. I know I have!

But perhaps I'm missing the point?

Cheers - Iain

[Alan Taylor]

In reply to Monty's question, Chris's piece on the Rockin' With Curly Leads album will be in the Winter 2016 edition of Pipeline (#103).

I'd also recommend Listen To The Shadows as a very useful compilation of '70s tracks.