Hank interviews

[dusty fretz]

Thanks for the friendly retort Dave. I certainly don't claim to know of every guitar from that era, but it should be remembered that in 1959 the Japanese guitar manufacturing industry had 'progressed' only as far as pretty primitive electrics such as Hank's Antoria (Guyatone) LG50 and the like in terms of design and build quality. As confirmed by relevant Melody Makers and other corroborative literature, Jap-made semi-acoustics were in short supply back then, while coming up with anything even approaching a halfway decent equivalent of the Gretsch was actually still well beyond that country's capabilities, although this situation would change during the next decade. I therefore offered the Grimshaw idea as a more logical possible answer, but of course it would be nice if someone could provide definitive proof concerning this mystery six-string, rather than rely on purely anecdotal evidence provided by the attempted recollection of events that ocurred well over half a century ago.

[cockroach]

I'm sure this has been discussed before..

It was suggested that the guitar to which Hank referred was a Dutch made Egmond guitar (AKA Rosetti when sold in the UK- although it may have been an early model which was not sold in the UK- can't imagine it would have been a Lucky 7! There's a Dutch website for early Egmond guitars BTW for those who may be interested) and that the bloke who owned it and from whom it was borrowed for the recording was named Tony (but not Tony Sheridan, who also was pictured playing a white UK made Grimshaw at that time)

Until I read that, I always thought Hank's description of a 'Japanese copy of a Gretsch white Falcon' was Bruce's Grimshaw SS..

Who knows? The main thing was that Hank said that by pressing down on the trapeze tailpiece of this guitar gave him ideas and led him to experiment with new sounds by use of vibrato...which he was able to incorporate fully (and with far more control) in his style when he got the Strat...(although dear old Bert was probably using his big Golden Hofner with a Bigsby around that time, as was Duane Eddy with his Gretsch and Bigsby)

[Moderne]

The guy was called Tony Harvey. Hank mentioned this in the Radio 1 Guitar Greats interview broadcast in 1983:

"I already had an idea what tremolo arms did (this is years before he started insisting that it be called a 'vibrato bar') because a few months before, on "Living Doll"...I played a copy of a Gretsch White Falcon which I borrowed from a guy called Tony Harvey, who later played with Johnny Hallyday in France. It was a semi-acoustic f-holed cello guitar and the strings went onto a tailpiece, a little fishtailed piece of metalwork at the end of the body, and if you pressed that tailpiece, it acted like a tremolo arm, and that's how I got the tremolo effect on "Living Dolll".

I've lost the cassette I made of the programme but still have the accompanying book - from which I copied the above section.

[Moderne]

Without wishing to sound like a superfan(!) - it's just occurred to me that the 15-page feature on Hank in the above book is probably the most extensive analysis of Hank's guitar playing career I've ever come across, and some of the questions discussed in these threads are probably answered in that book - and that's only up till 1983! He finished the interview by talking about The Galloway Tapes, a project which I presume never came to fruition, concerning Hank's alter ego - Alec Galloway. Apparently during the promotional tour for 20 Golden Greats, he and Bruce kept saying they were going to do an album with this non-existent Alec Galloway character. Has anyone ever seen any other reference to Alec Galloway!?

Copies of the book turn up on eBay and it also includes interviews with B.B. King, Scotty Moore, James Burton, Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, Pete Townshend, Jimmy Page, Ry Cooder, Ritchie Blackmore, Steve Miller, Carlos Santana, Joe Walsh and Brian May. Plenty of bedtime reading...!

[Rover]

There is a very good full page photo of Hank with a green Burns, the guitar which was stolen from a van and eventually resurfaced in Newcastle I believe.
I would love to know what happened to that guitar and the white one.
regards Rover

[dave robinson]

There is a very good full page photo of Hank with a green Burns, the guitar which was stolen from a van and eventually resurfaced in Newcastle I believe.
I would love to know what happened to that guitar and the white one.
regards Rover

I did make a note of the serial number of the greenburst Marvin that the owner told me was originslly owned by Hank.
It's in the back of my 1972 or 73 diary, which is buried in the attic somewhere.

[Iain Purdon]

I'm sure this has been discussed before..

Indeed it has. Here's a thread you'll like.
http://shadowmusic.bdme.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=8436&hilit=+gretsch+white+falcon

[Uncleboko]

The guy was called Tony Harvey. Hank mentioned this in the Radio 1 Guitar Greats interview broadcast in 1983:

"I already had an idea what tremolo arms did (this is years before he started insisting that it be called a 'vibrato bar') because a few months before, on "Living Doll"...I played a copy of a Gretsch White Falcon which I borrowed from a guy called Tony Harvey, who later played with Johnny Hallyday in France. It was a semi-acoustic f-holed cello guitar and the strings went onto a tailpiece, a little fishtailed piece of metalwork at the end of the body, and if you pressed that tailpiece, it acted like a tremolo arm, and that's how I got the tremolo effect on "Living Dolll".

I've lost the cassette I made of the programme but still have the accompanying book - from which I copied the above section.

Aha - Tony Harvey:

Dave Sutch & The 2 i's Coffee Bar House Band (Early 1959)

• Dave Sutch (Lead Vocals)
• Tony Harvey (Lead Guitar)
• Wee Willie Harris (Keyboards)
• Bobby "Clarke" Woodman (Drums)


Screaming Lord Sutch & The Playboys (Summer 1960 - March 1961)

• Dave Sutch (Lead Vocals)
• Tony Harvey (Lead Guitar)
• Johnny Vance (Bass)
• Alan LeClaire (Keyboards)
• Bobby "Clarke" Woodman (Drums)

and a spell in Nero & the Gladiators I believe!!

[Iain Purdon]

Tony Harvey also appeared on ABC TV's Oh Boy providing guitar backing for Tony Sheridan and the Wreckers, along with Brian Bennett on drums and Licorice Locking on double bass.

I remember being told at the time that Tony Harvey had played bass guitar on the mid 60s recording of Terry by Twinkle. However, I have not been able to find any supporting data for this.

[cockroach]

See attached link- shows Tony Harvey , and includes a guitar which may have been the one Hank borrowed..an Egmond model..only other possibility I can think of might be a white UK made Grimshaw SS..

http://forgottenbands.blogspot.com.au/2 ... lames.html