The Shadows The First 20

Albums are all fine and well, but if you really want to know what made a band tick during the first half of the 1960s, you need to listen to the singles. It was singles, after all, that consumed the lion's share of the market - singles by which a band's fame and acclaim were judged, and singles by which their star rose and fell.

Albums are all fine and well, but if you really want to know what made a band tick during the first half of the 1960s, you need to listen to the singles. It was singles, after all, that consumed the lion's share of the market - singles by which a band's fame and acclaim were judged, and singles by which their star rose and fell.

Albums are all fine and well, but if you really want to know what made a band tick during the first half of the 1960s, you need to listen to the singles. It was singles, after all, that consumed the lion's share of the market - singles by which a band's fame and acclaim were judged, and singles by which their star rose and fell.

Review: As a lifelong Shadows fan, I have tended in recent years to buy up their compilation albums as well as original recordings to enjoy them all in different formats. In this collection Disc 1 profiles Shadows' recordings, whilst Disc 2 showcases Hank Marvin's solo tracks. The way this disc is presented nicely contrasts the different approaches of the group and solo recordings and gives an insight into the historical recordings the group has made over the years. The only down side to this collection is that the versions of the Shadows' hits are the Polydor re-recordings and not the original EMI ones which, in my opinion, were better. This should not detract from the disc as a whole which is an extremely enjoyable collection, showcasing certainly one of the most influential, yet underrated groups this country has ever produced. Hank's guitar playing is as impeccable and brilliant as ever. Favourite tracks are: The Deer Hunter (Cavatina), Wonderful Land, Theme for Young Lovers and the brilliant live version of Sacha.

This 6CD collection includes every studio title recorded by the group from their very first efforts in early 1959, right up to the very end of 1966. It features 31 tracks in mono not previously available on CD & 3 tracks which are released in stereo for the very first time.

The Shadows are usually thought of as the quintessential British instrumental group and, along with the American band the Ventures and the Swedish group the Spotnicks, one of the most popular instrumental groups in the world. But that barely tells the story of their true significance in the history of British rock & roll – including the fact that they were the first homegrown British rock & roll band to dominate the U.K. charts, or that they weren't originally an instrumental group, either. The band's roots go back to Cheshunt, Hertfordshire, in early 1958, when a young Indian-born singer/guitarist named Harry Webb joined with drummer Terry Smart and guitarist Norman Mitham to form a group that they ended up calling the Drifters. At the time, none of the records by the American R&B group of the same name, founded by Clyde McPhatter, had been released in England, so they had no inkling of the name's already being used. The band played their first performance in March 1958 at a dinner dance and, after a few weeks of local performances, they debuted at the 2I's coffee bar in London's Soho.

The Shadows are usually thought of as the quintessential British instrumental group and, along with the American band the Ventures and the Swedish group the Spotnicks, one of the most popular instrumental groups in the world. But that barely tells the story of their true significance in the history of British rock & roll – including the fact that they were the first homegrown British rock & roll band to dominate the U.K. charts, or that they weren't originally an instrumental group, either. The band's roots go back to Cheshunt, Hertfordshire, in early 1958, when a young Indian-born singer/guitarist named Harry Webb joined with drummer Terry Smart and guitarist Norman Mitham to form a group that they ended up calling the Drifters. At the time, none of the records by the American R&B group of the same name, founded by Clyde McPhatter, had been released in England, so they had no inkling of the name's already being used. The band played their first performance in March 1958 at a dinner dance and, after a few weeks of local performances, they debuted at the 2I's coffee bar in London's Soho.

The Shadows are usually thought of as the quintessential British instrumental group and, along with the American band the Ventures and the Swedish group the Spotnicks, one of the most popular instrumental groups in the world. But that barely tells the story of their true significance in the history of British rock & roll – including the fact that they were the first homegrown British rock & roll band to dominate the U.K. charts, or that they weren't originally an instrumental group, either. The band's roots go back to Cheshunt, Hertfordshire, in early 1958, when a young Indian-born singer/guitarist named Harry Webb joined with drummer Terry Smart and guitarist Norman Mitham to form a group that they ended up calling the Drifters. At the time, none of the records by the American R&B group of the same name, founded by Clyde McPhatter, had been released in England, so they had no inkling of the name's already being used. The band played their first performance in March 1958 at a dinner dance and, after a few weeks of local performances, they debuted at the 2I's coffee bar in London's Soho.

Crimson presents The Final Tour from legendary guitar band The Shadows performing their greatest hits live on this 2CD set. Hank Marvin, Bruce Welch and Brian Bennett together on-stage June 5th 2004 at Cardiff Arena. It was during a hot summer day in June 1960 that The Shadows entered Abbey Road's Studio 2 to record Apache, the track that was to become the instrumental hit of the decade. It shot to No.1, became an instant classic and saw the start of a string of over thirty hits that included another four No.1’s - Wonderful Land, Kon-Tiki, Dance On! and Foot Tapper - all of which are featured on this 2CD release. Also available for the first time is a double LP on red vinyl containing 31 tracks compiled by The Shadows.