The Shadows' most memorable stage banter

[Martin Page]

There was the quip by Bruce on the Live at Abbey Road album where he requested that someone should shut the studio door as he didn't want Sky picking up any tips!

Martin.

[Paul Childs]

I remember back in the 60s on Sunday Night At The London Palladium when Bruce introduced the next number and said something like 'Hank is now going to play 'Tonight' from West Side Story. We hope you know it and we hope he knows it'.

[Gatwick1946]

In October 2001 Bruce did a few theatre dates with his Moonlight Shadows and I was lucky enough to be able to see the show at Fareham, Hants. In addition to the more well known Shadows tracks Bruce did several numbers on acoustic guitar and spoke about his career in retrospect. He spoke of his songwriting with John Rostill and performed one of John's songs - I can't recall which one but it may be the one which was a US hit for Olivier Newton John.

Although this was during the period when he and Hank were not in communication, he spoke very warmly of Hank and performed a Hank composition, 'Small and Lonely Light from the Hank Marvin John Farrer album.

Regards
Christopher

[biba]

Small and lonely light were not a written by Hank.It was written by John Farrar and Pete Best.

[Fenderman]

When Hank was playing at the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall during his 2000 tour someone shouted for Maroc 7, Hank turned and said 'Was that the song after Maroc 6'?. He also said he hadn't played that song for many years.
When he was playing his first solo tour in 1994 i saw him in Motherwell and after the first song Hank was speaking to Warren, something had went wrong technically so Hank played something that didn't need keyboards (Foot Tapper). After that Hank found out that the keyboards had cut out due to a power cut but were now back on, Hank said 'We'll need to have a whip round for the meter!'. Everyone burst out laughing.

[bgohara]

In October 2001 Bruce did a few theatre dates with his Moonlight Shadows and I was lucky enough to be able to see the show at Fareham, Hants. In addition to the more well known Shadows tracks Bruce did several numbers on acoustic guitar and spoke about his career in retrospect. He spoke of his songwriting with John Rostill and performed one of John's songs - I can't recall which one but it may be the one which was a US hit for Olivier Newton John.

Although this was during the period when he and Hank were not in communication, he spoke very warmly of Hank and performed a Hank composition, 'Small and Lonely Light from the Hank Marvin John Farrer album.

Regards
Christopher

Christopher - I remember at Shadowmania in (I think) 2001, Bruce spoke warmly of Hank and dedicated one of Hank's compositions 'You Never Can Tell' to him - could it have been this song that he did on the tour with the Moonlight Shadows, rather than 'Small & Lonely Light'?

I remember this as I really like that particular song.

All the best,

Bernie

[Gatwick1946]

Thanks Bernie, I believe that you are correct and the song in question was " You never can tell".

The old grey cells are not what they were!

Regards
Christopher

[bgohara]

Christopher - not to worry - I just remember him doing this particular one at Shadowmania - though I wasn't lucky enough to see him 'on tour'.

all the best.
Bernie

[iefje]

John Rostill's introduction of "Slaughter On Tenth Avenue" on the "'Live' In Japan" album was also entertaining: "At this point in the program, we would like to feature Hank Marvin, playing a beautiful song, composed by Richard Rodgers. And in it he plays two guitars at once. Now, playing one guitar at once is really difficult, but two... sounds dreadful!" (laughter from John and one of the others).

Jet also used to entertain the audience with his stage banter. Referencing the lead guitar player of his backing band he would say: "He's good on the guitar isn't he? Bastard!". Or when he was at a musical instruments shop, the seller said to him about certain guitar strings "All the young kids are buying this" and Jet said "So I bought myself a set".

[Moderne]

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!"