The Shadows' most memorable stage banter

[roger bayliss]

I like the one Hank says on Hank plays live when he says

... that was the tune Summer Holiday.. from the film.... The Predator

[Kon-Tiki]

From the introduction toTheme from The Deer Hunter in the early 80's:

Hank: And here's a song composed by the late Stanley Myers.
Bruce: I did'nt know he was dead.
Hank: I didn't say he was dead, I said he was late............

(Stanley Myers died at the age of 63 in November 1993 - RIP)

[bgohara]

At Scarborough - April 2004 - the first gig of the Shadows' Final Tour

Hank, "I just want to correct something. You may have heard that Bruce and I haven't spoken in 14 years. Actually, it's 15"

[Paul Childs]

During Hank's second solo tour in 1995 a the Princess Theater, Torquay.
When Hank came on and the band started playing 'Live And Let Die' there was a fault with Hank's rig and he couldn't get no sound so he stopped the band and his tech (Lionel I believe) came on to sort it out and Hank said 'There is a fault here so we are going to hand all of you a piece of paper to see if someone can tell us what the fault is'

[Paul Childs]

During Hank's 2000 tour at the Plymouth Pavillions, Hank played an obvious wrong note during Apache, it sounded like he hit the wrong string so he immediately looked up and said 'Who's that'.

[JimN]

Another great one is from the Doelen Rotterdam show on the 2nd of April 1980.
Bruce re-tunes his guitar for "Don't Cry For Me Argentina" and asks Hank: "Could you give me a D Hank, please, a D?". Hank plays the low E and presses the tremolo arm to a very low deep note. Bruce: "A D, a proper D, please". Hank plays the low E and pulls the tremolo arm up to a higher note. Bruce: "That reminds of those television commercials, you see on television". Hank: "When you wake up in the morning, does your stomach feel a little...." again plays the low E and with the tremolo arm imitates the feeling of an empty stomach. Priceless!

At the Southport Theatre in 1975 (with the John Farrar line up), Hank tried that joke and it fell as flat as a pancake (I have an audio recording somewhere). Clearly puzzled by this, he thought for a second and then brightened, asking the audience (Southport being in a different commercial TV region from London) "Do you get that advert up here?".

A few audience members (but only a tiny minority, and very possibly not from that region) called out in the affirmative.

"You might have laughed, then...", said Hank.

JN

[iefje]

Another great one is from the Doelen Rotterdam show on the 2nd of April 1980.
Bruce re-tunes his guitar for "Don't Cry For Me Argentina" and asks Hank: "Could you give me a D Hank, please, a D?". Hank plays the low E and presses the tremolo arm to a very low deep note. Bruce: "A D, a proper D, please". Hank plays the low E and pulls the tremolo arm up to a higher note. Bruce: "That reminds of those television commercials, you see on television". Hank: "When you wake up in the morning, does your stomach feel a little...." again plays the low E and with the tremolo arm imitates the feeling of an empty stomach. Priceless!

At the Southport Theatre in 1975 (with the John Farrar line up), Hank tried that joke and it fell as flat as a pancake (I have an audio recording somewhere). Clearly puzzled by this, he thought for a second and then brightened, asking the audience (Southport being in a different commercial TV region from London) "Do you get that advert up here?".

A few audience members (but only a tiny minority, and very possibly not from that region) called out in the affirmative.

"You might have laughed, then...", said Hank.

JN

Was that particular 1975 concert with a Shadows line-up of six musicians? So, Hank, Bruce, Brian, John Farrar, Alan Tarney on bass and John Fiddy on keyboards or was it Graham Todd?

[Gatwick1946]

Hank introducing Cliff hall, "A lot of people ask what we call our piano player. Well, we call him the piano player".

Its rare to hear anything from Brian, but one night after Brian had done his drum solo, Bruce said to the audiance , "Wow what do you need to play like that?" and Brian called out "Talent".

Croydon Fairfield Hall has several rows of seats which are behind, but very close to the stage. Hank would comment that the audience in these seats were too tight to pay for the more expensive seats out front. But if you were lucky to get a seat where they curved around towards the orchestra pit, Hank was only some 10 yards away - ideal to spot which echo settings he was using or which pickups he selected for each number.

On the vinyl release of 'Live at the Paris Olympia' some of the between numbers chat was recorded. This was omitted from the later CD release of the full concert.

Hank did some intros in French:-" Et maintenant, un morseau de jazz - Nivram".

Bruce speaks in English and Hank attempts to tranlate into French, but gives up when he reaches the limit of his French:-

Bruce "There are many songs...."

Hank " Il ya beaucoup de chansons...."

Bruce "We hope you know"

Hank "We hope you know"

When they started touring again following the success the 20 Golden Greats LP,Br Bruce said there had been some comments in the music press that he had had to stay at a health farm in order to lose some weight. Bruce denied this.

In the noughties Bruce was adjusting his capo and commented " I had better get this right or it will be all over the internet by tomorrow".

[ala1940]

During the final "shadows" tour Hank said something along the line of "Please turn off your mobile phones or switch to vibrate. Enjoy." Maybe other members can remember the exact wording. The concert I heard this at was Southend Pavillion.

[shawbridge]

I remember watching them in 'i think ' blackpool on the final tour, when they walked on stage for the first number Bruce halted and stoped the tune there was evidently a problem with his AC 30 to which Hank said to the audience " wouldn't you think he would get a proper amplifier.

I think the amplifier was taken off then replaced and i think his original brought back on again it was very funny and worrying at the same time, for my two penny worth i allways ask " are there any Animal lovers in the audience tonight cus am flogging a dead horse" and the golden oldie " nice in here tonight, be nice when its finished" i know corny.

cheers
Peter