stratmantd wrote:I'm sorry to disagree with you Bernie but I think it a little arrogant for fans of a specific artist to virtually demand that that artist be booked to guest on someone's show. If you're not happy with the people who are invited on the show then don't watch it.
For all we know, Hank might not even want to appear with Jools Holland although I suspect that he would.
There seems to be a feeling here sometimes that we own their lives. We Don't! So why can't we be happy with what we already have and not go demanding things that are totally outwith our control.
Tom - I certainly don't intend to come across as arrogant, or demanding or anything like that - and there is no question of me making assumptions about what members of the Shads might want. I am just a fan and I only speak for myself (and have made that clear in my postings).
I enjoy Jools's show - he has had some really great guests on it down through the years - from the latest up and coming bands through to the legends like Clapton and McCartney. He is also a fabulous musician - and has played with the best of them. I m really just using it as an example of how (in my opinion) the british media / music industry tends to overlook the importance / influence of bands like the Shadows and also, say, Cliff - they have had far lesser groups / individuals on this show, for example (it has been going nearly 20 years). In my opinion, this is symptomatic of the critics and the people who run the british music industry, who tend to diss music that they don't like - the radio stations do it too ('it's not suitable for our audience').
Look, for example, at the printed coverage of the recent tour (there wasn't that much tv coverage until the very end) - there were local / national newspaper reviews of most of the shows - and generally the Shads got a good write up. The writers tended to snipe at Cliff - basically because they don't like him - and they make their comments personal. It wouldn't matter whether it was the greatest show ever - they would still say it was crap. I bought Rod Stewart's new album 'Soulbook' at the weekend - and although it's all covers - I really enjoyed Rod singing things like 'love train' and stuff like that - I thought some of it was brilliant. Yet one reviewer said that it was further evidence of Rod's decline - and was his sixth straight album of covers! (as if that should matter). I know everyone is entitled to their opinions - but so many reviewers (and also radio / tv executives) seem to think that if they don't like something, it's not worthy of exposure. And yet, Rod, like the Shads, and Cliff, is probably not bothered. He is still selling plenty of records and playing to packed arenas all over the world.
In respect of the Jools Holland show, there is some history to my viewpoint - in that members her in the past made contact with Jool's Holland's show to 'lobby' (I think it was around the time of Hank's final solo tour - and they were saying - it is a great opportunity to get Hank on the show, he's playing better than ever, etc) and got a mix of standard 'email' responses (which were basically dismissive), coupled with comments like Jool's Holland himself taking the mickey when Chris Isaak said that they were an influence. In a sense I think this is partly due to the Shads music and influence not being respected or appreciated - and part of it is probably the british thing about not celebrating success. If it were Rufus Wainwright, or Roseanne Cash, or Ladysmith Black Mambazo, he would be falling over himself to get them on. I think that the americans would be more open to celebrating the achievements of their rock'n'roll pioneers...
So nothing to do with arrogance, or demanding, or anything like that....it would just be great if 'Later' and other shows recognised the importance of groups like the Shads - and their impact on british music before it's too late.
But then again, why should it really matter? Brian, Bruce, Hank and Cliff really have nothing to prove. They are still going strong an incredible 51 years after they started and still delighted thousands and thousands of people throughout the world. There are thousands of professional musicans and people who play for fun who look to the Shads with great fondness, respect and appreciation - because they inspired them to get started and the music they made was so unique and ahead of its time. So to get onto a tv show probably doesn't matter that much!
Bernie
Perhaps a jazz/bluesed up version of Flingal Bunt? or perhaps that awful(I thought) Rhythm and Greens tune they did in the early years 
