Wonderful Land - 1965

[Pedro]

There must be dozens of clips on You Tube where The Shadows are miming. It would not take too much effort to least stick the jack in and trail the lead somewhere out of sight.

[Bill Bowley]

The sounds produced by an early 1960's Burns Marvin (as opposed to the later 're-issues) are like a good wine IMHO -wasted on people who have 'different tastes'. Listening to the subject video on my main home computer through Altec Lansing speakers as opposed to the usual mini plug-ins that seem to be the norm, Hank's lead sound doesn't sound all that 'dry' to me - it definitely doesn't have the 'harsh rattle' that is common in a lot of Strat offerings I have heard over the years (says he who rarely uses his Marvins these days preferring to use a Strat!).

[Fenderman]

I thought Hank's guitar sounded a bit 'tinny' but that may be due to the age of the film. But i do agree with an earlier poster that Wonderful Land dosen't sound right on a Burns. I have heard a few different versions of it on Burns and it nevers sounds 'right'. I always thought the Apache sounded off played on a Burns as well.

[cockroach]

I just had another look, and I think it is played live- if you watch them doing "The Minute You're Gone" in the next clip from the same show, Bruce counts them in, and Hank fiddles around grappling for his vibrato arm, and you can JUST see the leads- very thin ones , not the great thick posh ones folk use these days.

Soundwise, it demonstrates again how Hank used less and less echo as time went by- the Burns does sound quite sharp and edgy with that drier sound.

As for the naff stuff Cliff was doing- well, to me, that show was done in their 'mature all-round TV entertainment' era.

[Pedro]

I don't know whether I have mentioned this before but can anyone explain what is so different about the Burns that makes Bruce play it in a totally different way than the Strat. He carries it much higher. Whilst writing I think it is fair to say that HBM is the focus of most of the posts and he is certainly responsible for me taking up the guitar in 61. However, I would suggest that the excellent Rhythm style of BW which is really noticeable (live) on the 2004 and the reunion DVDs that I have, must surely but him up their as Mr Rhythm guitar as there is no one like him or comes anyway close to him in his own discipline.

[JimN]

I don't know whether I have mentioned this before but can anyone explain what is so different about the Burns that makes Bruce play it in a totally different way than the Strat. He carries it much higher.

Perhaps during 1963 (like a lot of other people), Bruce fell under the influence of Mersey Beat?

http://tinyurl.com/yzuo88w

JN

[Pedro]

Good reply but I am sure that is not the right one as Merseysiders around this time were still modelling themselves on The Shadows. Further, I do not think BW would be happy being compared with Gerry Marsden , who incidentially lives down the road from me on the Wirral.
Having never played a Burns I was hoping for a more definitive answer.

[captainhaddock]

I just had another look, and I think it is played live- if you watch them doing "The Minute You're Gone" in the next clip from the same show, Bruce counts them in, and Hank fiddles around grappling for his vibrato arm, and you can JUST see the leads- very thin ones , not the great thick posh ones folk use these days.

Soundwise, it demonstrates again how Hank used less and less echo as time went by- the Burns does sound quite sharp and edgy with that drier sound.

As for the naff stuff Cliff was doing- well, to me, that show was done in their 'mature all-round TV entertainment' era.

I know that it's all academic now, but it seems unbelievable to me how Cliff and the Shadows were side-tracked into being "Mature family entertainers" thus leaving the way clear for The Beatles to steam through and have it all. Looking at their TV shows and movies, it just doesn't seem right that they were all of a similar age, you could almost believe that the Beatles were of a younger generation. What a shame.

[Stratpicker]

Here is a clip of one of the most recent performances of Wonderful Land - recorded yesterday in Melbourne:
http://www.youtube.com/watch#v=eSUYkuUK ... re=channel
Regards,
Phil.

Thats the way to do it!!! Thanks for the link, Phil. None of that dull Burnsy sound - Hank's learned a thing or two since 1965 !! LOL!! (Reaches for large Tin Hat!!!!)
cheers
ian
just a bit of Fun

[captainhaddock]

I can only totally agree with the previous posting by Ludwig. It may be an age related thing, but for me anything "From Hank,Bruce,Brian and John" is my fantasy Shadows line up and I am not referring to the LP of the same name. I am just expressing an opinion.