The Shadows' most memorable stage banter

[neil2726]

One of the Manchester shows when they had gone wireless, Hank said he could now play anywhere in the theatre, then he jumped off stage, walked down the aisle and strummed a few chords!

[StuartD]

During one tour Brian wore a Khaki suit,with shorts.

Bruce said. You look like Jungle Jim in that. When they came back on after the acoustic set,Bruce said 'Jungle Jim and Cliff Hall are back!! Hank then stated a riff singing Jungle Jim and Cliff Hall are back!!

[David Martin]

It's good to see this six-year old thread resurrected and to read through it again. The Shadows' onstage banter - while not always laugh-out-loud funny when written down - helped to create the unique atmosphere of their concerts and was an extension of their huge personalities.

When introducing Equinoxe V, Hank would sometimes say, "And now we'd like to play a number by the well-known French musician Jean-Paul Jarre..."

Bruce: "Don't you mean Jean-Michel Jarre?"

Hank: "Oh...obviously not as well-known as I thought he was!"

There's a lot of good stuff in the earlier threads. Check out the earliest posts in How to get That Sound.

[Paul Childs]

Can remember in the early 80s at the Cornwall Coliseum, Hank said, ''Do you know Rupert Bear's middle name?'' and then he said, ''The.'' to which Bruce replied, ''Hank has a head full of useless information.''

[tim.cooper5]

Missed this thread last time around so enjoying it now.

Jet was always very quick with his one liners and dry sense of humour.
Always a gag about the man in the pink jacket, like he can walk on water. (Can't remember why he said that, must have been more to it!)

Hank told some long winded story about losing a ring on a beach or something similar, during one concert, then saw The Shadows in their tour the following year, and he told exactly the same story!

[JimN]

During the April 2nd, 1980 show in Rotterdam, Bruce introduced "Let Me Be The One" and referred to themselves coming second in the Eurovision Song Contest in 1975 and also the winner: "Whatever happened to Teach-In? They dead are they? They should have been dead that night, I think! I was only joking, I was only joking! I was only joking honestly. Who are they?".

Yes, well...

Whisper it, but Ding-a-Dong was and remains a better piece of music than Let Me Be The One.

The test is simple: re-imagine the song as an instrumental. Ding-a-Dong wins hands down. The Shadows should have recorded it on one of their 1980s Polydor albums.

[neil2726]

Jet's tale was regarding the Isle of Wight where he lived. he said its the most expensive stretch of water in the world to cross, but when Cliff visits we just hold hands and walk over!

[Moderne]

I think Jet's 'walking on water' comment about Cliff was a reference to his Christianity...?

I seem to remember Hank's 'losing a ring on a beach' story was about his brother. He apparently lost his wedding ring in the sand on a beach one year, "...and the next year he was digging in the sand in the same place and...you'll never guess what? He ruptured himself!"

I was lucky enough to see The Shadows virtually every year from 1979 until their final tour in 1990 - and again in 2004-5. Usually I went alone(!) but went with a group of school friends two years running, in - I think - 1981 and 1982. Their main comment after the second year was, "The jokes were all the same". I've been to countless other concerts and, corny jokes notwithstanding, have never come across an act that communicated as well with its audience and created such a nice atmosphere as The Shadows. Of course a lot of people aren't particularly interested in 'a nice atmosphere' but to me it was a huge part of the enjoyment of going to see The Shads (and later Hank) live.

PS Another memory...Hank one year said that he'd been on a body-building course, "...but I got my money back." Bruce replied, "You should've got your body back!"

[iefje]

During the April 2nd, 1980 show in Rotterdam, Bruce introduced "Let Me Be The One" and referred to themselves coming second in the Eurovision Song Contest in 1975 and also the winner: "Whatever happened to Teach-In? They dead are they? They should have been dead that night, I think! I was only joking, I was only joking! I was only joking honestly. Who are they?".

Yes, well...

Whisper it, but Ding-a-Dong was and remains a better piece of music than Let Me Be The One.

The test is simple: re-imagine the song as an instrumental. Ding-a-Dong wins hands down. The Shadows should have recorded it on one of their 1980s Polydor albums.

"Ding-a-dong" is probably more melodic, but I hate it. I actually like "Let Me Be The One" better. Even while I'm from The Netherlands, I would like the 1975 Eurovision Song Contest to have been won by Great Britain. If all countries were only allowed to sing in their native language, then The Shadows would have won. I think 1975 was the first year in which other countries were allowed to sing in English as well. The Shadows' bad luck I guess...

[iefje]

I was lucky enough to see The Shadows virtually every year from 1979 until their final tour in 1990 - and again in 2004-5. Usually I went alone(!) but went with a group of school friends two years running, in - I think - 1981 and 1982. Their main comment after the second year was, "The jokes were all the same". I've been to countless other concerts and, corny jokes notwithstanding, have never come across an act that communicated as well with its audience and created such a nice atmosphere as The Shadows. Of course a lot of people aren't particularly interested in 'a nice atmosphere' but to me it was a huge part of the enjoyment of going to see The Shads (and later Hank) live.

I agree. You wouldn't see Eric Clapton doing that. In 2001 I went to see one of his concerts and he just went through his setlist with almost no stage banter.