It's half a century since they first recorded together, and 20 years since they last performed together in concert, but in 2009 Cliff and The Shadows will reunite for an unmissable reunion tour. So many fans will have a unique opportunity to see Cliff, Hank, Bruce and Brian relive their golden era and perform live together one last time.
They dominated the charts in the late 1950s and 1960s and notched up 19 number one hits between them including Move It, Living Doll and Travellin' Light. The group say it will be their final tour but even though Sir Cliff will celebrate his 70th birthday next year, you never know!
Initially formed as a backing band for Cliff Richard, The Shadows were originally called The Drifters until finding out there was already a US band with the same name. They appeared together in films including The Young Ones and Summer Holiday. The line-up split in 1968 to pursue individual careers. The Shadows toured throughout the 1970s and 1980s while Cliff achieved huge success as a solo star.
Hank Marvin's metallic, echoed picking and generous tremolo use on a Fiesta Red Fender Stratocaster® guitar in the Shadows inspired a whole generation of guitarists, including Jeff Beck, Ritchie Blackmore and many others. In his black, horn-rimmed glasses, Marvin was the epitome of cool guitar in late '50s-early '60s Britain.
Born Brian Rankin on Oct. 28, 1941, in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, England, Marvin taught himself guitar, banjo and boogie-woogie piano at school before receiving a guitar from his father for his sixteenth birthday. When his Crescent City skiffle group won a South Shields Jazz Club talent contest, he was invited to join Bruce Welch's Railroaders. On moving to London, Marvin and Welch operated briefly as the Geordie Boys before enlisting in an outfit called the Drifters, which evolved into the Shadows. While backing Cliff Richard, the quartet recorded independently and became Britain's top instrumental act.
Equipment
Hank Marvin played the first Fender Stratocaster in the UK, serial no. 34346, finished in Fiesta Red with gold hardware and vibrato arm which became the significant factor in the Shadow’s guitar sound. His original sound was achieved with the Strat, a Vox AC15 or AC30 and various echo machines, including a Meazzi, Binson and later the Roland Space Echo. Hank still plays a Fiesta Red Strat with a birdseye maple neck and gold hardware. These days he chooses to ensure his trademark echoes are totally authentic by utilising Charlie Hall's amazing Alesis-based "Echoes From The Past" echo system.
For 50 years, guitarists have been trying to reproduce the Hank sound, with varying success. You can get close (with cigar), to the sound and it doesn’t have to cost thousands. With a Strat, a Vox AC15 and a Boss delay, you can be Hank!
The Fender ‘50s Stratocaster Fiesta Red, Maple Neck This guitar epitomizes the vibe of the ’50s! With a maple fingerboard, tinted neck, single-ply pickguard and aged plastic parts, the ’50s Stratocaster guitar is awesomely retro, and the three single-coil pickups and staggered Alnico magnet pole pieces give you the look and the sound.
The Vox AC15 Custom Classic is born from a classic design and with a heritage dating back to 1958, this AC15 maintains and evolves Vox's pedigree in thoroughbred tone.
With years of manufacturing expertise in high quality guitar amplifier design, Vox have taken the best AC15 designs, both old and new and added a number of useful and interesting features. The result is to give you the most tonally flexible AC15 to date!
One of the most beloved echo effects ever made, the Roland RE-201 Space Echo, has been reborn as the Boss RE-20 Twin Pedal Space Echo. Roland and BOSS have recreated every sonic detail and nuance of the original. Experience the legendary tape-echo sound of the RE-201, and get “lost in space” with this retro-modern marvel.
Amazing simulation of the famous Roland RE-201, with the spacious, analogue tone of the original Space Echo
Faithful modelling of the RE-201’s tape flutter and magnetic head sound saturation
Tap input pedal allows delay time to be set by foot
Longer delay time than the original RE-201
MODE SELECTOR knob with 12 placements just likes the original Space Echo
Fender guitars, Vox amps and Boss effects pedals are now available from Digital Village online, in-store or via telephone mail-order. Contact any DV store.