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As well as the 63rd anniversary of the recording date of The Shadows' "Apache", today also marks the 30th anniversary of the recording date of the two released duet recordings by Hank Marvin and Mark Knopfler: "Wonderful Land" and "Nivram". Both were first issued on a 7" vinyl single, CD single (also including "Hot Rox") and cassette single in October, 1993, while "Wonderful Land" and "Hot Rox" were also included on the "Heartbeat" album, issued one month later.
On "Wonderful Land", Hank plays the main melody, like he did on The Shadows' original, while Mark plays some of the original's orchestral parts on his guitar, as well as enhancing Hank's parts, something John Farrar did in The Shadows in the mid 1970s during live performances of the track. On "Nivram", both Hank and Mark play the main melody in harmony, but both also each play improvised parts. The other Mark (Griffiths) plays the bass guitar solo in his own style.
Interestingly, during the same recording session, they also started to record a Jeff Lynne composition called "Blue". It was to be featured as the third track on the "Wonderful Land" CD single issue. As the session time ran out, it wasn't entirely completed. I didn't know about this at first, but just recently read about it in the November, 1996 issue 8 of Shadsfax, when I bought it as a PDF-file.
What's your opinion about these recordings?

I really like the sound of Hank's guitar in "wonderful land". I felt that knopfler could have played more and also been mixed a little higher.

That version of Nivram is the sole track i don't own. Nor have i even heard it. I tried to buy it at the time but nowhere had it in.

Nivram, for me, is done no favours at all by the drummer!

Bill

Fenderman wrote:That version of Nivram is the sole track i don't own. Nor have i even heard it. I tried to buy it at the time but nowhere had it in.

If you want it, you can still get it.

https://www.discogs.com/master/457325-Hank-Marvin-Featuring-Mark-Knopfler-Wonderful-Land

CD Single version at:

https://www.discogs.com/sell/release/2051559?ev=rb

GoldenStreet wrote:Nivram, for me, is done no favours at all by the drummer!

Bill

Well it's different to the original's drumming style by Tony Meehan, but the drummer on this 1993 version is Brian Bennett.

GoldenStreet wrote:Nivram, for me, is done no favours at all by the drummer!

Bill

Must admit I'm with you on this one.

The drumming style makes the track more upbeat, but I think it's pretty good, as it creates a different arrangement. I think it wasn't Hank and Mark's intention to exactly copy The Shadows' original.

Don't get me wrong I'm a big fan of Brian Bennett. My favourite drummer in fact. I just think in this case, the trainbeat doesn't sit with the walking bass.