Burns Era Shadows Music: The end of the road?

[dave robinson]

Still, many here, including our late, much missed Paul Rossiter, came exceedingly close to That Sound, minus Abbey Road.

Not to forget Dave. And Roberto Pistolesi! But that’s ptobsbly properly subject of another thread!

Andy

For me, this subject has run it's course and some. I discussed all of this for hours with people who made the recordings and numerous others and I have sold all of the kit that was recommended by people that ended up being a waste of money. I'm happy where I am with the sound and have no trouble understanding and replicating it with the equipment I have to hand. I confess that buying my Meazzi Echomatic and the TVS3 was paramount to understanding what was happening to the sound and I have used the knowledge to my advantage and tried to help others get similar results.

[Somerset]

I think there were some great tunes recorded during the Burns era and at my next Shadows club meeting I am planning to play only tunes from this period.

Depending on the number of players that turn up I may have the opportunity to play up to 7 tunes supported by a either a band or backing tracks. The tunes that I am hoping to have ready are:

The Rise and Fall of Flingel Bunt, Santa Ana, The Genie With the Light Brown Lamp, The Lost City, The Miracle, Maid Marian's Theme and Tonight. I will have Blue Shadows in reserve but even though this track was released on a Burns era album, I am reluctant to include it as I'm sure I read somewhere that it was recorded on a Strat.

Please don't tell me that some or all of my other chosen tunes were recorded on a Strat!

[JimN]

"...Blue Shadows in reserve but even though this track was released on a Burns era album, I am reluctant to include it as I'm sure I read somewhere that it was recorded on a Strat..."

Blue Shadows features Licorice Locking on bass and there is no evidence that he ever used a Burns Shadows bass (or prototype) whilst with The Shadows.

The tune was recorded on 1st August 1963 (probably in Blackpool) and I suppose it is possible that Hank was trying out a prototype (he did, after all, have about thirty of those between mid-1962 and early 1964). The idea of a swap to Burns from Fender was already a live issue before Jet left in April 1962.

[Iain Purdon]

Please don't tell me that some or all of my other chosen tunes were recorded on a Strat!

Don’t worry, the only LP with both guitars is “Dance With The Shadows”, on which the 1963 Blackpool tracks Blue Shadows, French Dressing + Dakota are on Fender. The rest, plus the subsequent albums from the 60s, are all Burns.