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The Shadows (originally known as the Drifters) were an English instrumental rock group. They were Cliff Richard’s backing band from 1958 to 1968 and on numerous reunion tours. The Shadows have had 69 UK chart singles from the 1950s to the 2000s, 35 credited to the Shadows and 34 to Cliff Richard and the Shadows. The group, who were in the forefront of the UK beat-group boom, were the first backing band to emerge as stars. As pioneers of the four-member instrumental format, the band consisted of lead guitar, rhythm guitar, bass guitar and drums. Their range covers pop, rock, surf rock and ballads with a jazz influence.
The core members from 1958 to 2015 were Hank Marvin and Bruce Welch. Along with the Fender guitar, another cornerstone of the Shadows sound was the Vox amplifier. The Shadows, with Cliff Richard, dominated British popular music in the late 1950s and early 1960s in the years before the Beatles. The Shadows’ number one hits included “Apache”, ”Sleepwalk”, “Kon-Tiki”, “Wonderful Land”, “Foot Tapper” and “Dance On!”. Although these and most of their best-remembered hits were instrumentals, the group also recorded occasional vocal numbers, and hit the UK top ten with the group-sung “Don’t Make My Baby Blue” in 1965. Four other vocal songs by the Shadows also made the UK charts. They disbanded in 1968, but reunited in the 1970s for further commercial success.
The Shadows are the fifth most successful act in the UK singles chart, behind Elvis Presley, the Beatles, Cliff Richard and Madonna. The Shadows and Cliff Richard & the Shadows each have had four No. 1 selling EPs.
Legacy and influence
The Shadows have been cited as a major influence on many guitarists, including Brian May, Eric Clapton, Mark Knopfler, Andy Summers, Ritchie Blackmore, David Gilmour, and Tony Iommi. A tribute album, Twang! A Tribute to Hank Marvin & the Shadows (Capitol 33928), in October 1996 featured Blackmore, Iommi, Peter Green, Randy Bachman, Neil Young, Mark Knopfler, Peter Frampton and others playing Shadows hits. The early set of Queen (who played their first gig on 27 June 1970 with Freddie Mercury, Roger Taylor and Brian May) included a cover of Cliff and the Shadows’ “Please Don’t Tease”.
The Shadows influenced 1960s Yugoslav beat bands like Atomi, Bele Višnje, Bijele Strijele, Crni Biseri, Crveni Koralji, Daltoni, Elipse, Iskre, Samonikli, Siluete and Zlatni Dečaci, all of whom were the pioneers of the Yugoslav rock scene. In the words of Crni Biseri member Vladimir Janković “Jet” (who got his nickname after Harris), “even the Beatles weren’t as popular in Belgrade as the Shadows were”. The second episode of Rockovnik, a Serbian 2011 documentary series about the Yugoslav rock scene, deals with the appearance of the Shadows and the influence they had on Yugoslav bands.
Band members
Hank Marvin – lead guitar, keyboards, vocals (1958–1970, 1973–1990, 2004–2015, 2020)
Bruce Welch – rhythm guitar, vocals (1958–1968, 1973–1990, 2004–2015, 2020)
Brian Bennett – drums, keyboards (1961–1970, 1973–1990, 2004–2015, 2020)
Mark Griffiths – bass (1989–1990, 2004–2015)
Warren Bennett – keyboards, percussion, harmonica, guitar (2004–2015)
Ian Samwell – lead guitar, rhythm guitar, bass (1958; died 2003)
Terry Smart – drums (1958–1959)
Norman Mitham – rhythm guitar (1958)
Ken Pavey – rhythm guitar (1958)
Jet Harris – bass (1959–1962; one-off guest appearance in 1989; died 2011)
Tony Meehan – drums (1959–1961; one-off guest appearance in 1989; died 2005)
Brian Locking – bass, harmonicca (1962–1963; died 2020)
John Rostill – bass (1963–1970; died 1973)
Alan Hawkshaw – keyboards (1969–1970)
John Farrar – rhythm guitar, lead guitar, keyboards, vocals (1973–1977)
Alan Tarney – bass (1973–1977)
Cliff Hall – keyboards (1977–1990; 2004–2005)
Alan Jones – bass (1977–1989)
(From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)
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