With lead guitarist Hank B. Marvin's twangy, melodious Stratocaster, The Shadows provided the template and inspiration for a thousand copycat groups worldwide and were the most influential and successful British instrumental group of all time. This compilation comprises everything they recorded between 1958 (when they were originally known as The Drifters) and the end of 1961, including an unfeasibly rare South African EP. Also includes a pre-Drifters single featuring Hank B. Marvin and Bruce Welch. When they were The Five Chesternuts. Features their worldwide hits "Apache" (UK No. 1), "Man Of Mystery", "The Stranger", "F.B.I" (their signature tune), "The Frightened City", "Kon-Tiki" (their second UK No. 1) and "Peace Pipe". Also includes their chart topping EPs 'Shadows' and 'Shadows To The Fore' as well as their chart topping LP 'The Shadows'.
L**M
The Original Shadows
By concentrating on the years up to 1961, this collection contains all the complete releases featuring the original line-up of Hank Marvin, Bruce Welch, Jet Harris and Tony Meehan (Wonderful Land also had the same line-up but new drummer Brian Bennett featured on the B-side). It includes the early material they recorded when they were called the Drifters, as well as the 1958 single that marked Hank (when he was still Brian Rankin)and Bruce's debut by the Five Chesternuts, formed by the drummer Pete Chester.Unlike the official Columbia compilations, this set also includes their released live recordings, three of which appeared on the Cliff Richard LP Cliff (Jet Black, Driftin', Be-bop-a-Lula), including At The Colosseum, Johannesburg, an EP that was recorded on 15 March 1961 and released only in South Africa. It includes their debut album The Shadows in full, and sounds considerably better than on the official 2-on-1 CD of their first two albums, released in 1991.Wherever commercially available, stereo masters have been used (although the record numbers listed in the sleeve notes are for the mono releases). This means that only the first ten tracks and the South African EP are mono. The album Cliff was released only in mono, but two EPs of eight tracks from the album were released in mono and stereo versions shortly afterwards. Be-bop-a-Lula did not appear in stereo until 1987 when the whole LP Cliff was finally released in stereo, on CD.Both Jet Harris and Tony Meehan were to leave the Shadows shortly after the period scanned on this set, and for some things were never the same again. This makes a handy collection of this classic period.
S**N
Excellent
This mostly instrumental compilation is pure ear candy, these fellas played sublimely. My least favorite tracks were those with vocals (other than the beautiful "All My Sorrows"). I'm really glad I took a chance on this. It's a keeper!
S**Y
The first CD is excellent. The second CD skips and looks grubby
The first CD is excellent. The second CD skips and looks grubby.
E**S
As a Shadows fan
As a life long 60+ Shadows fan I just had to have this although I already have all the tracks on other CD's it adds to my collection
M**S
Guitar Memories
Great to hear one of my favourite groups playing their hits in their hit period. The strains of Hank Marvin in Apache are unmistakable.
M**S
excellent
as a shadows fan i have really enjoyed listening to the cd look forward to finding more like it in future
A**E
Five Stars
Best group ever.
G**T
Five Stars
on time intact reasonably priced
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