Cliff's dream...

[drakula63]

Let's keep John Farrah out of it !
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WHAT?!!!!

Surely you jest?

A reunion of the 1970s line up (with Alan Tarney or Dave Richmond on bass too) would be awesome. And I'd be willing to bet that the MWF stuff that received a lukewarm reception first time round would go down somewhat better now!

Of course it'll never happen, but it would be something I would pay almost any amount of money to see!

I think a one-off show with Cliff (Richard) is the most likely thing to happen. But even that remains far from certain.

[iefje]

I would welcome a show as a sort of time-capsule with most, if not all, of the existing (official and unofficial) members of The Shadows:
- The 1958/1959 to late 1968 period with the line-up: Hank, Bruce, Brian and Licorice.
- The 1969/1970 period with Hank, Bruce (although he wasn't present then), Brian, Alan Hawkshaw and Herbie Flowers and/or Dave Richmond.
- The late 1970 to early 1973 (Marvin, (Welch) & Farrar period) and the late 1973 to late 1975 (The Shadows) period with Hank, Bruce, Brian, John Farrar and Alan Tarney and/or Dave Richmond.
- The 1976/1977 to early 1989 period with Hank, Bruce, Brian, Alan Jones and Cliff Hall and/or Dave Lawson.
- The mid 1989 to late 1990 and 2004/2005 period with Hank, Bruce, Brian, Mark Griffiths and Cliff Hall and/or Warren Bennett.

Of course, this will remain my dream...

[drakula63]

I think Cliff Hall is about as likely to do it as Francis Monkman. Albeit for perhaps different reasons...

[alewis41]

Let's keep John Farrah out of it !
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If you're going to insult the guy at least do him the courtesy of spelling his name correctly.

Andrew

[Simon Underwood]

MWF and the John Farrar era Shadows were the second most creative period for them (the first being the the initial run of hits and the first album). I saw the Shads twice during this period at the Fairfield Halls and was blown away both times. Not surprisingly, my two favourite Shads albums are the first one and Rockin' With Curly Leads! Incorporating JF into the reformed Shadows was a masterstroke, shame he didn't stay with them longer.

Simon

[Fenderman]

I think it was John Farrar that introduced a heavier element to their sound (especially on the Rockin with curly leads album). I wonder if he keeps in touch with any of his old bandmates? I think he lives in America now.

[drakula63]

As far as I know, John definitely kept in touch with Alan Hawkshaw (Alan told me that he and his wife once stayed with John Farrar and Pat at their place in Malibu) and so I suspect that he MUST have kept in touch with others too. I would be surprised if he hasn't.

[Tigerdaisy]

No, they should not try and have another 'last' performance, that would be tempting fate and setting themselves up for ridicule and embarrassment. I personally don't like the 'big night out' treatment that is being put on some of the material and it would make me cringe to see the inevitable furthering of this treatment. I like to see numbers performed as were the original- I personally don't think jazzing' them up improves anything and is a indication that they think the original stuff is stale.

[Monty]

yeah "John Farrah" really cracked me up...!

Besides the heavier rock style which modernised their sound in a positive way ('Honky Tonk Women', 'Superstar', 'Curly Leads', 'Jumpin Jack Input', 'Gutbucket', 'Pinball Wizzard', etc) - as opposed to the very thin 'poppy' more simplistic sound of the later Polydor era - JF was also responsible for some SUPERB harmony guitarwork with Hank (i.e. 'Humbucker','Turn Around and Touch Me', 'Wide Mouthed Frog' etc ) - something Hank enjoyed later with his son Ben in his solo concerts - Hank & John were on the same wavelength playing guitar licks off each other

John Farrar also composed some great instrumentals - 'Years Away', 'Gracie' besides being a major influence on the rest of the band, both as a musician and as a production figure duly getting each to play to their best !

they retained the more traditional Shads sound too with wistful instrumentals such as; 'Like Strangers', the reflective 'The Most Beautiful Girl', and the dual straightforward / complex take on 'Goodbye Yellow Brick Road', plus the cool jazzy style instrumental 'Spider Juice'

Brian Bennett has said 'Rockin With Curly Leads' was one of his own very favorite Shadows albums

John's lovely 'country' style slide guitar underpinning Hank's lead guitar on 'Colorado Songbird' was quite superb and as a synth' player he added another dimension to their sound (note they retained JF's synth playing on the later single re-cut version of 'God Only Knows')

vocally John Farrar was probably the most distinctive voiced member of The Shads ever, his high harmony and falsetto gave them a really complete vocal sound, while his 'rock' voice on MWF's version of 'Throw Down A Line' was as powerful as anything American rock bands were doing, the Marvin-Farrar rock guitarwork on 'Black Eyes' was terrific, as was 'The Time To Care'

I had always dreamed of a 'Marvin-Farrar-Welch-Rostill-Bennett' Shads line up that sadly was not to be after JR's sad passing...but WHAT a composing and performing Shads line up that would have been !

whilst the extra guitar part they added to the live in Paris 1975 'Dance On' didn't really boost it JF played great harmony lead guitar with Hank on 'Sleepwalk', 'Somewhere', 'Apache' ,'Flingel Bunt' ...also 'Puff Puff' and 'Turn Around And Touch Me' plus added decent back up guitar alongside Bruce on other tracks

I was told that Hank and John remained in touch - and friends - after JF re-located to produce 'Livvy' in the USA - they co-wrote 'China Town' one of the best songs on Hank's 'Words and Music' solo album, while JF included his solo version of their 'It'll Be Me Babe' on his self titled solo album on CBS Records later.

[Pinner Fan]

Firstly let me apolgise about the (genuine) typo with John Farrar's name, my typing is not what it used to be when I was sat at a desk 5 days a week !!

Secondly, and maybe I'm not alone here, the era when JF was in The Shadows is possibly not everyone's favourite period in Shadows history.
Each to their own.

Marvin, Welch and Farrar were excellent, but not The Shadows.
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