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I was at the Nokie Edwards gig in San Franciscio last night. Several times during the evening, Deke Dickerson (who was backing Nokie) announced that the Ventures have sold over 100 million records, that they are the best selling instrumental band ever etc.

The Shadows bio on Wikipedia says ...According to the Guinness Book of Hit Singles and Albums (19th edition), The Shadows are the 3rd most successful UK charted hit-singles act, behind Elvis Presley (1st – 136 hits) and Cliff Richard(2nd – 125 hits...

which does not contradict the Ventures claim at all, but indicates that the Shads too have sold a lot of records.

So, do we have any idea how many records the Shads have sold?

That is a very good question, but I suspect not as many as the Ventures claim, but would hazard a guess that the Shadows had more charting hits than the Ventures, as their hits barely come to more than a handful that are popular the rest must be unknown to the general pop public.

David

The USA was a much larger market than the UK, so I suppose the Ventures did clock up more sales than the Shads. They used to say that the USA market was so large you could be a big star on one side and unheard of on the opposite coast, and alot depended on getting the numerous radio staions to play your records.

Twangaway wrote:That is a very good question, but I suspect not as many as the Ventures claim, but would hazard a guess that the Shadows had more charting hits than the Ventures, as their hits barely come to more than a handful that are popular the rest must be unknown to the general pop public.

David

I agree David.I am in Japan. There are many the ventures'fan here.

The Ventures visited our land in 1962 at first.

That tour was a low budget tour.

So Don Wilson(rhythm G)&Bob Bogle(lead G) came here without bass&drums.

Nothing happened.


But in 1965, they came with full member,

Don, Bob,Nokie Edwards(g&b) and Mel Taylor(drums).

They did very well . And electric guitar boom occured then.

Since then, every year they have tour all over Japan.

They have sold a good deal of records&cd's.


Cliff&The Shadows visited here separately in 1967 at first.

I think It was too late.


To tell the truth.

Japanese famous promotor "Kyodo kikaku" had invited Cliff&The Shads in 1964.

To my regret that they refused the invitation then.


I met Bruce in Oxford in 1980.

He said "Oh! Japan,there are few fan of ours"

The Ventures' hits is from 1964 to 1970.

But they are still famous in our country.


That is it.

eugene

Hi All

I know that that there are figures branded about for Cliff record sales in the Uk.

So, surely someone, somewhere, must have some idea of The Shadows record sales?

Tim

IT IS NOT HOW MANY RECORDS THAT MAKES THE POINTS BUT THE QUALITY OF THE MUSIC. THE SHADOWS ARE BETTER MUSICIANS THAN THE VENTURES

I was very careful not to draw comparisons between the Ventures and the Shadows - that is a completely subjective discussion that is unfair to both bands. I was just wondering whether since we know how many records the Ventures have sold, did we have a similar number for the Shads? I guess not. Please don't let this deteriorate into a Shads vs. Ventures debate.

I don't have a definitive answer (nor any kind of answer as yet!). This Wikipedia page - List Of Best - Selling Music Artists ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_be ... ic_artists ) - does not even list Cliff or the Shadows or the Ventures has even having sold 50,000 records.

Rob

D'oh!! Should read "...as even having sold 50,000,000 records!!

Rob