After Dinner Speakers: The Shadows, Tom Jones, Laurie Taylor

UK instrumental rock group. Original lineup: Hank Marvin (b Brian Rankin, 28 Oct. '41, Newcastle), lead guitar; Bruce Welch (b 2 Nov. '41, Newcastle) rhythm guitar; Jet Harris (b Terry Harris, 6 July '39, London), bass; Tony Meehan (b 2 March '43, London), drums. The most influential UK group of its kind late '50s--early '60s, turning a whole generation on to homegrown rock'n'roll; trademarks were gleaming red Fender Stratocasters and the 'Shadows Step', a silly three-step onstage movement. Admirers incl. teenaged Neil Young in Toronto. Marvin and Welch came to London '58, played as duo at legendary 2 I's coffee bar in Soho, formed the Drifters with Ian Samwell, who wrote Cliff Richard's first hit, 'Move It', to accompany Richard on his first tour; soon changed name to avoid confusion with the famous vocal group. On the tour, Mickie Most was singing in the Most Brothers; Harris and Meehan quit his backing group to join Shadows. They made three flop singles, no. 1 hit 'Apache' '60 (Danish guitarist Jorgen Ingmann had the no. 2 hit USA '62. The Shadows had no US hits because room for instrumentals in rock'n'roll was always limited; USA had the similar Ventures, plus Duane Eddy, Santo and Johnny); they had four UK no. ones '61--3 ('Kon Tiki', 'Wonderful Land', 'Dance On', 'Foot Tapper'), plus seven other top ten hits. Meehan quit '61, replaced by Brian Bennett (worked with Marty Wilde, Joe Brown); Harris quit '62, had solo hit 'The Man With The Golden Arm', teamed with Meehan for duo hit 'Diamonds' (no. 1 '63), top five hits same year. Brian 'Liquorice' Locking joined '62--3, replaced by John Rostill. They backed Richard on all his hits, appeared with him in his films '62--4; had hit albums of their own '62--5. After the Beatles the Shadows seemed anachronistic, split '68. Marvin, Welch and bassist John Farrar released Marvin, Welch And Farrar '71; Welch worked with protＨＦ Olivia Newton-John. Harris was badly injured in car crash '65; comeback incl. Remembering '76; he was seen in rock'n'roll revival shows in London '86. The Shadows came back with Rockin' With Curly Leads '73, incl. covers of hits by the Who and the Beach Boys; they were UK entrants in Eurovision Song Contest '75, uncharacteristically singing 'Let Me Be The One', incl. on Specs Appeal. TV-promoted The Shadows: 20 Golden Greats '77 was surprise no. 1 LP and they had more hit albums until Moonlight Shadows '86 went top ten over 25 years after their first hit: tours delighted with the Shadows Step, note-for-note renditions of hits; they had top five singles '78--9 'Don't Cry For Me Argentina' and theme from film The Deer Hunter. Marvin also sang occasionally, incl. duets with Richard; played in Paul McCartney's Rockestra.