New Shadows CD

[captainhaddock]

Thanks for the interesting read and insight will order this new one ......im still blown away with the Reunited Album and The Shads genius on that...listen to it daily on way to work and back....

Perhaps it's "The Shads genius" and the feeling that it is a crying shame that suach talent will no longer be heard that has inflamed such passionate debate on this thread.

[Fenderman]

I've been thinking, now that the core members are all over 70, if they did reform/record again it maybe wouldn't be the same. I doubt they would be able to do the FBI kick nowadays!
As someone said, maybe it's best just to enjoy what we have already.

[iefje]

I've been thinking, now that the core members are all over 70, if they did reform/record again it maybe wouldn't be the same. I doubt they would be able to do the FBI kick nowadays!
As someone said, maybe it's best just to enjoy what we have already.

I think you're right. Thinking about it, I remember almost dreaming about the day The Shadows would reform in the 1990's and 2000's. I even asked Bruce himself about it in early April, 2001, when he was present at the fan meeting in Tilburg. I thought it was a dream come true, when I read about The Shadows were about to reform at the end of 2003. The same is also true for the reunion of Cliff Richard & The Shadows in 2009 and 2010.
It were quite strong years in terms of new releases, both brand new and archive, in my humble opinion:
Released on the 26th of April, 2004:
1. From EMI Records: "The Shadows' Greatest Hits" (mono and stereo albums), "More Hits!" (mono and stereo albums), "Complete Singles As And Bs - 1959-1980 - 21 Years At The Top";
2. From Roll Over Records/Polydor/Universal: "Life Story - The Very Best Of The Shadows";
Released on the 8th of November, 2004:
3. From Roll Over Records/Eagle Rock Entertainment: "The Final Tour" (2CD/VHS/DVD);
Released in September, 2009:
4. From Roll Over Records/EMI Records: "Reunited - 50 Anniversary Album";
Released on the 9th of November, 2009:
5. From Roll Over Records/Eagle Rock Entertainment: "The Final Reunion" (DVD).

[drakula63]

Speaking of 'new' albums; personally I think it's a crying shame that EMI have never thought fit to give String of Hits a proper CD release. As far as I am aware, it was released on the budget MFP label about 20 years ago and that's it. Obviously I could understand it if it had been obscure, but it was probably their most successful album for EMI, certainly in terms of its profile and units shifted, and it got to number 1. So why is it impossible to get a decent version on CD?

I'm guessing that a relatively obscure, by comparison, album by, say, Ringo Starr, would be re-released at every possible opportunity with bonus tracks, illustrated glossy booklet, remastered sound, demo recordings, video footage, etc...etc...etc... So why has an undisputed hugely popular album been so roundly ignored?

Personally, I think there are way too many Shadows compilation albums out there as it is. Each time they come out, the same tracks, sometimes in a slightly different order, with cheaper packaging, it just devalues the Shadows currency. I've got about five or six compilations and that is enough. A new original album would be great, but we know that ain't gonna happen. Mind you, some of that unreleased stuff that is still languishing in the vaults would be welcome...

[JimN]

"String Of Hits" was released in 1987 on the proper EMI label under the imprint "Studio 2 Digital" and with serial number CDP 7 48278 2 (and with the apparent UK number "CZ 3" - I think EMI has dropped those old UK-only CZ numbers now).

You are quite right to say that it was also (re-)released on the MfP label some time later.

JN

[drakula63]

Thanks Jim.

All the same, as it has long since been deleted (and would have sounded fairly unsophisticated by today's CD standards) I still think it's criminal that EMI seem so disinterested in reissuing it.

A couple of years ago they, EMI, re-issued a couple of Whitesnake albums on CD - Slip of the Tongue and Slide It In. They did a really great job, presenting them in glossy fold-out digipak covers, crammed full of photos and press cuttings and pics of all the associated single sleeves. The booklets were nice too, loads of background info, photos, quotes etc... The original albums were supplemented with bonus tracks; b-sides, remixes, alt versions, live versions, etc... and, to top it all off, both CDs had bonus DVDs, with promo videos, Top of the Pops appearances and live versions of some of the songs. All in all, great stuff. So why couldn't EMI do the same with String of Hits? I'd have thought that the wealth of material from this period (1979-1980) would be huge, as it was the height of their 'rennaissance' and they seemed to be on tour, on TV or on the radio almost every other day! (Not only in this country but all over Europe too!!). So, to my way of thinking, this album and this whole era really ought to be better represented and put into all its glorious perspective by those marvellous and considerate people at EMI. Let's face it, at this moment in time, and with their financial troubles, every little helps... Surely such a project would be popular enough to make it worth their while? Although I'm a big fan of the 'Snake, I doubt that Slide It In was as big over here as String of Hits. But I could be wrong.

Oh well, guess I'll have to make do with my 32 year old LP for the time-being...

[iefje]

Thanks Jim.

All the same, as it has long since been deleted (and would have sounded fairly unsophisticated by today's CD standards) I still think it's criminal that EMI seem so disinterested in reissuing it.

A couple of years ago they, EMI, re-issued a couple of Whitesnake albums on CD - Slip of the Tongue and Slide It In. They did a really great job, presenting them in glossy fold-out digipak covers, crammed full of photos and press cuttings and pics of all the associated single sleeves. The booklets were nice too, loads of background info, photos, quotes etc... The original albums were supplemented with bonus tracks; b-sides, remixes, alt versions, live versions, etc... and, to top it all off, both CDs had bonus DVDs, with promo videos, Top of the Pops appearances and live versions of some of the songs. All in all, great stuff. So why couldn't EMI do the same with String of Hits? I'd have thought that the wealth of material from this period (1979-1980) would be huge, as it was the height of their 'rennaissance' and they seemed to be on tour, on TV or on the radio almost every other day! (Not only in this country but all over Europe too!!). So, to my way of thinking, this album and this whole era really ought to be better represented and put into all its glorious perspective by those marvellous and considerate people at EMI. Let's face it, at this moment in time, and with their financial troubles, every little helps... Surely such a project would be popular enough to make it worth their while? Although I'm a big fan of the 'Snake, I doubt that Slide It In was as big over here as String of Hits. But I could be wrong.

Oh well, guess I'll have to make do with my 32 year old LP for the time-being...

EMI Records are somewhat reluctant in issuing more archive material. It may have something to do with the fact that The Shadows did not continue their relationship with EMI in early 1980, because they couldn't agree on the terms.
To be fair, however, EMI did release quite some previously unissued recordings in the 1990's and early 2000's:
In 1992:
1. Eleven additional live recordings from the June 1975 Paris concerts on the "Live At The Paris Olympia - Full Concert Version" CD;
2. "Love Is Falling In Love Again" and "We'll Believe In Loving" on the "Specs Appeal Plus" CD;
3. "The Air That I Breathe" on the "More Tasty" CD;
In 1993:
4. "Wonderful Land" (undubbed), "The Girl From Ipanema" and "Leave My Woman Alone" on the "Everything Of Value - Rarities 2" CD;
In 1997:
5. A whole battery of previously unissued material on the CD "The Shadows At Abbey Road";
In 2002:
6. The eight live recordings from the March 1962 Kingston concert on the CD "The Cliff Richard Show - Live At ABC Kingston - 1962";
In 2003:
7. "Les Girls" (film version) on the "Summer Holiday Special Edition" CD;
In 2004:
8. "Let Me Be The One" from the March 1978 London Palladium concert on the CD "Thank You Very Much" (remaster).

[iefje]

"String Of Hits" was released in 1987 on the proper EMI label under the imprint "Studio 2 Digital" and with serial number CDP 7 48278 2 (and with the apparent UK number "CZ 3" - I think EMI has dropped those old UK-only CZ numbers now).

You are quite right to say that it was also (re-)released on the MfP label some time later.

JN

The particular reissue took place in 1991.
The sound of the five "String Of Hits" tracks, also issued as singles in 1979/1980 is of a better quality on the 2004 4 CD box set "Complete Singles As And Bs - 1959-1980 - 21 Years At The Top", compared to the CD issue of the parent album. The tracks in question being (in order of the 1979 album):
1. "Theme From The Deer Hunter (Cavatina)";
2. "Heart Of Glass";
3. "Don't Cry For Me Argentina";
4. "Song For Duke";
5. "Rodrigo's Guitar Concerto De Aranjuez".

On the 4 CD box set, these tracks have more volume, punch and sound clearer. These qualities should also be applied to the other seven tracks of "String Of Hits".

[JimN]

"String Of Hits" was released in 1987 on the proper EMI label ... serial CDP 7 48278 2 (and UK number "CZ 3" ...) ... You are quite right to say that it was also (re-)released on the MfP label some time later.
JN

The particular reissue took place in 1991.

Not according to my copy: the publication date for the CD is given as 1987 (with a copyright reference back to 1979 in respect of the original LP).

The sound of the five "String Of Hits" tracks, also issued as singles in 1979/1980 is of a better quality on the 2004 4 CD box set "Complete Singles As And Bs - 1959-1980 - 21 Years At The Top", compared to the CD issue of the parent album. The tracks in question being (in order of the 1979 album):
1. "Theme From The Deer Hunter (Cavatina)";
2. "Heart Of Glass";
3. "Don't Cry For Me Argentina";
4. "Song For Duke";
5. "Rodrigo's Guitar Concerto De Aranjuez".

On the 4 CD box set, these tracks have more volume, punch and sound clearer. These qualities should also be applied to the other seven tracks of "String Of Hits".

That may well be the case.

JN

[UlrichS]

"String Of Hits" was released in 1987 on the proper EMI label ... serial CDP 7 48278 2 (and UK number "CZ 3" ...) ... You are quite right to say that it was also (re-)released on the MfP label some time later.
JN

The particular reissue took place in 1991.

Not according to my copy: the publication date for the CD is given as 1987 (with a copyright reference back to 1979 in respect of the original LP).

JN

1991 ist the year of the mfp reissue.

Ulrich