1979

[drakula63]

Why did anyone imagine that the kids who bought 'Look-In' would want to read about the Shadows?

Funnily enough, there was suddenly HUGE interest in the Shadows (from just about all age groups) at the time of the release of 20 Golden Greats in February 1977.

To this day, I remember how just about every other person I knew at the time (including the aforementioned 'Ginny') had this album. I did several copies for people at school (sorry!) and I can even remember ringing people up and actually hearing the album playing in the background. It was very strange. Seriously, there was a huge amount of interest at the time. I don't suppose it lasted for more than a few months, but I can see why Look-in featured them... for much the same reason that they appeared on Multi-Coloured Swap Shop one Saturday morning and I remember one of my sister's friends, a lad who can't have been older than 10, watching and saying "That's MY kind of music!"

It was a phenomenon. And, of course, at aged 13, The Shadows 20 Golden Greats was the FIRST pop/rock album I ever bought!

Somewhere online, you can find a scan of this particular issue of Look-in. There was a competition in it to win a copy of 20GG. I entered, but didn't win. Oh well.

[Moderne]

In my experience, children under the age of 12 often like that (The Shadows) sort of music; it's only when they get a bit older and they realise how hopelessly 'uncool' it is that they decide they don't like it! I used to read Look-In when I was about 8-11 - I remember entering a competition to win Cat Stevens' Catch Bull at Four LP - but was unsuccessful. I also remember Look-In doing a feature on The Beatles some time in the mid '70s - just as I was beginning to discover their music.

[iefje]

I was first interested in The Shadows in about 1987, when I was just a kid, through the records which my father played in the living room. I remember a couple of years later, I mentioned at primary school that I liked this music and other children just laughed at me, even while they didn't know what they were laughing about. I was the only one who actually had the guts to admit to like this music and not the then current trends of house and hardcore 'music', which I hated and still hate with a passion.
By the way, October 1987 saw the very first UK CD release on EMI Records of "String Of Hits".

[drakula63]

And although I've said it before, I'll say it again...

What REALLY got me into the Shadows was (again, very early 1977) one of my friends sent me a cassette containing 'Apache' and 'Quatermasster's Stores' - copied from his dad's old 45! It was THIS that led me to buy 20 Golden Greats shortly thereafter.

So, I am forever indebted to Paul Sinclair, who , like me, must have been all of 13 at the time!