The ShadowMusic Web Community

Page 11 of Mo Foster's British Rock Guitar book has a picture of Hank's schoolboy scrapbook, where he has doodled the instruments and personnel for his 'Riverside Skiffle Group'.

Top of the list of players is 'Banjo - Hank Rankin' . At the bottom is 'Bass - Joe Rankin'. Joe Rankin? Hank's brother? What do we know about Joe? Was he older or younger? Did he ever play in other groups? Hank is usually quoted as joining Bruce's Railroaders Skiffle group from the Crescent City Skiffle Group. Was there really a 'Riverside Skiffle Group' or was this no more than Hank doodling?

Incidentally, page 10 has a picture of a fresh-faced Licorice playing a tea-chest bass with a 'neck' that doesn't just use a broom handle - it uses the whole broom, head and all!

Joe has been mentioned from time to time, starting, if I recall correctly, with a reference in a 1980 BBC radio programme called "It Was In Tune When I Bought It".

Joe is indeed Hank's younger brother, and again, if I recall correctly, was once an industrial chemist living and working in the Luton (Beds.) area. Whether he was ever a functioning member of Hank's skiffle group is not so clear. I also have an idea that he and his family have moved to Australia.

Joe did some writing with Hank - several H. Marvin/J. Rankin compositions appeared on Hank's Words and Music LP in 1982.

Thanks, Jim and Clive.

Ray

If I'm not mistaken he attended Hanks last solo show in the Palladium.
He was seated on the lower left "vip" balcony opposite lower the right "vip" balcony Cliff and Cilla were seated.
Didn't he played drums?

Cheers Rob