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A bit of trivia to occupy all this spare time.

The Shadows have recorded in many different styles over their long career, but which recording of theirs is so different, in melody and arrangement, that nobody (apart, obviously, from the dedicated fans on this site) would ever guess it was them?

I'll start it off with Thing-Me-Jig

Ray

A Thing Of Beauty from the "From Hank, Bruce, Brian and John" LP.

I hope you're keeping safe and well, Ray.

I would have to say 'Love De Luxe'. I don't think ANYONE has ever correctly identified the band from listening to it, unless they knew already. It was the FIRST Shads single I ever bought (November 1st, 1978) and I still love it... although I know that many don't!

When "Love Deluxe" was due for release, Tony Blackburn played the record but did not name the artist. He then asked people whether they thought it would be a hit or a miss.
There was a lot of responses and it was voted a big hit by almost everyone. Then Tony announced the artist and as expected they all changed their mind!

I'd say the whole of the album "Shades Of Rock" sounds somewhat different from their previous recordings. It's more heavy, with Hank's late 1960's and early 1970's guitar sound and of course Alan Hawkshaw's keyboard parts. Nevertheless, I really like it.

manofmystery wrote:When "Love Deluxe" was due for release, Tony Blackburn played the record but did not name the artist. He then asked people whether they thought it would be a hit or a miss.
There was a lot of responses and it was voted a big hit by almost everyone. Then Tony announced the artist and as expected they all changed their mind!

That's terrible, when you think about it! It's either gonna be a hit or it's not! Then again, seems like they were right! I remember it being played on a radio documentary about Cliff and Cliff said much the same thing, along the lines of "It's almost worth them changing their name, because then I think it would be a smash!"

On a broader scale; it could be said that almost everything on Shades of Rock, Rockin' With Curly Leads and Specs Appeal doesn't really sound like 'classic' Shadows. Try playing any song off any of those albums to anyone and I bet the first name they pluck out of the either, when you ask them to identify the artist, is not the Shadows. Think Jumpin' Jack Input, or Honourable Puff Puff, or Stand Up Like a Man, It'll Be Me Babe or even Let Me Be The One (for those who don't remember the Eurovision). The Shads got a long way away from their established sound during the 1970s and I'd say that a good 70% of what they recorded between 1970 and 1979 didn't really sound like them.

Oh and I'll add Tomorrow's Cancelled to the list!

Jungle Jam and The Warlord!

Great tracks all the same though

Of course it depends on how you define 'sounds like The Shadows'. In this case it probably means the sound from their early 1960's recordings or as some say 'that sound'.

The single that effectively finished off their chance of continuing as a singles chart act after Flingel gave them a real chance of doing so - Rhythm and Greens. It wasn't wise to take the mickey out of R & B at that time. Would love an edited version minus the really stupid vocals though.

All Day (?)