The Shadows

[ghostriders100]

Hi all, I just wanted to make an observation, I count myself as extremely lucky to have been listening to the band from the start and over a period of 50+ years it has been a privilege and a pleasure to have followed there gigs firstly with Cliff and then as The Shadows in there own right. Some really great times and I know you will all have your favourite line up,but for me it will always be the original guys. Another case of being in the right place at the right time with Hank and Bruce meeting cliff when they did, and how were any of us going to know what a huge talent Brian was going to be, over the years he has become a truly excellant guitarist and pioneered that sound we all covert so much. Can you imagine just an ordinary bloke from Newcastle being able to stand up their on stage way back then and play all those great tunes and doing the dance steps at the same time and very rarely make a mistake ? As a guitar player in a band just playing in a working mans club was stress enough for me and 20 seconds in I would be playing wrong notes !! We have to be so proud to have someone like that who inspires us and he is British. This doesn't take away the contributions of the other band members by any means but without Hank we don't have Shadows. Just look at the Ventures so many changes so many differant lead players our band was and always will be the greatest small group in popular music. B

[bridev]

Have to agree there Brian. Hank can make a guitar sing, laugh,cry, or any other emotion.
You were lucky to get 20 seconds into a number before the dreaded duff note. My record was about 15 before it all went pear shaped. Lucky it was only at the local youth club though. 40 years on,our drummer (who I still meet up with from time to time) has never let me forget it.

Cheers
Brian.