Are the Shadows unique?

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Re: Are the Shadows unique?

Postby Hank2k » Mon Oct 30, 2017 12:17 pm

i have often wondered the same. Having just returned from Tilburg it was amazing to learn how many fans and clubs there are all over the world and for that alone they deserve more credit
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Re: Are the Shadows unique?

Postby iefje » Mon Oct 30, 2017 1:44 pm

Hank2k wrote:i have often wondered the same. Having just returned from Tilburg it was amazing to learn how many fans and clubs there are all over the world and for that alone they deserve more credit


Ah, that was great. I was in Tilburg too last Saturday, together with my father. I even played a couple of numbers on bass guitar in the demo room.
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Re: Are the Shadows unique?

Postby drakula63 » Mon Oct 30, 2017 2:03 pm

alewis41 wrote:
drakula63 wrote:Are the Shadows unique?

Of course they are!!


And I, personally, have always felt that despite their undoubted brilliance, the Beach Boys were always a bit more of a niche band than the Shadows in their hey day. I imagine their music is very appealing in California, but maybe less so in Colorado or Connecticut.


Well that's the first time I've ever seen the Beach Boys described as a "niche" band. In excess of 100 million record sales worldwide? I'm a huge Shads fan but these comparisons don't do them any favours.

Andrew


Yeah, but I bet MOST of those records were sold in California! No one is disputing that they were and are popular, but I doubt that they ever truly tapped into any zeitgeist other than the surfer one. Their name is so specific in itself as to be indicative of their style, sound and appeal. And as for records sold; Bon Jovi's album 'Slippery when Wet' sold, apparently, 28,000,000 copies!! But that doesn't mean it's any good!
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Re: Are the Shadows unique?

Postby Paul Childs » Mon Oct 30, 2017 3:41 pm

Pat Seaman wrote:But does anyone get together, as a club, to sing Beach Boys songs? I rather doubt it.

As a matter of fact they do! Usually after the show, either The Beach Boys (Mike Love & Bruce Johnston) or Brian Wilson's band which now also includes Al Jardine, when they tour over here. The fans usually meet up after the shows somewhere closeby and they sing Beach Boys songs usually with a couple of acoustic guitars and tamborine until the early hours of the moning and sometimes even some of the other band members from either band come along and join in.
I have been to one myself in 2011 after Brian Wilson played at the Royal Festival Hall, London. We all met up at the Premier Inn which is just up the road afterwards in the bar where a lot of us were staying after the show.
Hasn't anyone ever heard of the Beach Boys Stomp Convention? It takes place once a year at Greenford, Middlesex exept for one year in 2009 (I went to that one) it was held at Frimley Green, the same place as Shadowmania.
There are several Beach Boys tribute bands around Britain, a lot of them wear the stripe shirts from the early 60s era and play white Fenders. One particular band I saw at the convention that year was The Beached Boys, they were excellent.
Yes there is a lot happening Beach Boys wise if not quite the same as what happens at The Shadows clubs. A lot of information can be found on Facebook.

p.s. I believe Warren Bennett is a huge Beach Boys fan.
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Re: Are the Shadows unique?

Postby Moderne » Mon Oct 30, 2017 9:19 pm

drakula63 wrote:
alewis41 wrote:
drakula63 wrote:Are the Shadows unique?

Of course they are!!


And I, personally, have always felt that despite their undoubted brilliance, the Beach Boys were always a bit more of a niche band than the Shadows in their hey day. I imagine their music is very appealing in California, but maybe less so in Colorado or Connecticut.


Well that's the first time I've ever seen the Beach Boys described as a "niche" band. In excess of 100 million record sales worldwide? I'm a huge Shads fan but these comparisons don't do them any favours.

Andrew


Yeah, but I bet MOST of those records were sold in California! No one is disputing that they were and are popular, but I doubt that they ever truly tapped into any zeitgeist other than the surfer one. Their name is so specific in itself as to be indicative of their style, sound and appeal. And as for records sold; Bon Jovi's album 'Slippery when Wet' sold, apparently, 28,000,000 copies!! But that doesn't mean it's any good!


I really don't want to start an argument (!) but The Beach Boys proved they had transcended the 'surfer' 'zeitgeist' when Pet Sounds came out in 1966 - proving that Brian Wilson was and remains a genius. Surely no one who loves music can argue with that. Even LPs prior to Pet Sounds like Beach Boys Today showed that Brian was a formidable creative power. The Beach Boys and The Beatles had a creative rivalry in the late 60s and you could choose dozens of songs from the Smile project, Surfs Up, Holland etc. to show what an awesome force to be reckoned with The Beach Boys were. So sad that Carl and Dennis have died. The fact that The Shads covered Good Vibrations and God Only Knows in the 70s is an indication of their influence.
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Re: Are the Shadows unique?

Postby Moderne » Mon Oct 30, 2017 9:25 pm

PS Regarding Paul's comment about Warren Bennett being a big Beach Boys fan, Warren could only have been 15 or 16 when he wrote The Girls Back Home with Brian for Brian's Rock Dreams LP - which must rank as one of the best Beach Boys-esque songs ever.
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Re: Are the Shadows unique?

Postby drakula63 » Mon Oct 30, 2017 11:49 pm

To be honest, I was always more impressed with Marvin, Welch and Farrar's 'Thank Heavens I've Got You', in terms of the vocal harmonies. Shows how easily that kind of thing can be done by just three people - if they have the talent.

I certainly don't want to denigrate the Beach Boys, as I would not dispute their talent and popularity. However, I can understand why there are more Shadows clubs around the world and similarly I would be willing to bet, in the grand scheme of things, that the Shadows were the more influential of the two bands. And yes, the Shads versions of 'Good Vibrations' and 'God Only Knows' are impressive by anyone's standards. All things considered, I'd say that the former is an achievement equal to that of the original.
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Re: Are the Shadows unique?

Postby Moderne » Tue Oct 31, 2017 8:59 am

...except that The Shadows were copying and Brian Wilson was creating. Spend a few days listening to Beach Boys stuff on YouTube. I love The Shads, MWF, Thank Heavens I've Got You is a good MWF song...but trying to suggest the Beach Boys have 'niche' appeal and are less influential... My last word on the subject (you'll be pleased to hear!)
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Re: Are the Shadows unique?

Postby alewis41 » Tue Oct 31, 2017 12:42 pm

My last word also. Chris, I enjoy your posts and you are one of the people that keeps these boards going but you're thinking of the Beach Boys as a Surf Band and they haven't been that for 50 years.

Clive makes some great points and Paul McCartney said that without Pet Sounds there would have been no Sgt. Pepper which is one of the most influential albums of all time.

The comment about Beach Boys records selling mostly in California is bizarre. That's like claiming Springsteen's albums only sell in New Jersey. They played Wembley Stadium AND Madison Square Garden in 1975-6 and they are huge in Japan.

Andrew

Oh and Slippery When Wet is a great album.
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Re: Are the Shadows unique?

Postby Paul Childs » Tue Oct 31, 2017 12:56 pm

The Shadows and The Beach Boys have one thing in common, 'PERFECTION'.
Strange The Shadows never caught on in the USA though? Although maybe they are known there by some guitar players and Fender fans. At the time in the early 60s the States had surf music instead but still with the Fender sound.
Wonder if Hank could have done a 'Hank Plays Pet Sounds', that would be something. One track is done already, God Only Knows on the Specs Appeal album.
Can also imagine Hank doing the Beach Boys instrumental 'Summer Means New Love' from the Summer Days Summer Nights album, it has a similar feel to 'Spring Is Nearly Here' from Out Of The Shadows.
Always thought Driftin' souded a bit like a surf instrumental.
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