Defining Moment

[Geoff_W]

Although I’d been a Shadows fan since the first time I heard Apache on Uncle Mac’s Saturday morning Children’s Favourites at the tender age of 8, I guess my defining moment was sitting in the local cinema 3 years or so later watching Summer Holiday. Actually, it was when the film cut to the Parisienne Cellar Club and the Shads seemed to burst on to the screen playing Round and Round. In the first few seconds of that scene I was completely blown away and became totally hooked!

Geoff

[David Martin]

Buddy Holly on Sunday Night at the London Palladium captivated me... and later Dune Eddy's Kommotion, The Ramrods Riders in the Sky, and The Shads FBI got me started...

[chas]

The first guitar sound that took my attention was Duane Eddy (Because They're Young), then I remember around the same time hearing Elvis's 'Hound Dog' (to me, even more fantastic guitar sound) and then 'Apache' came along - that was it! I want a guitar..! The following Shads singles just added fuel to the fire, and for Xmas '61 I received a Rosetti archtop acoustic - looked good (but not easy to play), but I still yearned for a solid electric with one of those little lever things - but it was a start!

Chas.

[Bluesnote]

I suppose it was when I was around 12 I first felt that I had to have a guitar. There was a band practiced twice a week at the youth club I was in. My pal and I spent hours watching them do Shads stuff. Also the music at the club had a lot of Duane Eddy tunes playing so that got me going as well. I eventually got a guitar when I was thirteen In 1962 and was straight into the Shads music. In these days there were loads of bands all doing that stuff. I was never into Bert Weedon (apart from his book) though, I hated his attempts at doing Shadows covers, they were so empty by comparison.

[Stratpicker]

With me it was the onset of Scarlet Fever at age 13/14 !! Oh Boy!! In those days you were confined to the House for a long while after and my dad bought me a Knackered old OTWIN guitar that had belonged to a guy in a pub who had used it as a "tool" to fight his way out one night. Needless to say, the neck was cracked, and the archtop body had a hole in the back. But - I learned to play on it - sort of. Problem was - if I tried to tune it up to pitch the action at the 12th was a good 10mm or more so the darned thing was detuned about four semitones. I learned from Berts Book of course but the choice of tunes was c-- er not inspiring for a young kid.
And then - and THEN - I heard APACHE!!! Done Deal!! I played that record until my Ma got sick of hearing it and by the age of 62 I think I have learned how to play it - LOL!!!
cheers
ian
ps - I chopped the Otwin in for a Hofner V3 - I wonder which unlucky sod bought it??!!

[steve.t]

hi,my view is of a defining era.i was only 5 y.o in 1960 but the 60`s was a great time for guitar bands;beatles,stones,search
ers,yardbirds + many more & of course the shads,so if guitar was your thing you wanted to stop playing the tennis racket or cricket bat to your favourite tunes & do the real thing. probably the 1st tune to learn would be apache & why not? great days or wot? steve.

[richard coates]

Hi With me, it was not seeing the Shadows or even a Fender guitar, it was listening to the sounds on the early Cliff stuff including Nine Times out of Ten, Move It, Living Doll etc and when I finally saw a Fender Strat it was then i wanted to play guitar and have been playing for fifty tears.
regards Richard

[des mcneill]

Buddy Holly,Duanne Eddy(40 miles a bad road),The Shads,- most importantly Jet Harris. Didn't even know a bass guitar existed before Jet,- although I mess about on guitar the bass is my first love.
First guitar,- Rossetti super seven
First bass ,- Burns Artist bass circa 1960,-still have one but not my original.
First amp,- Selmer selecta-tone (when is the last time you heard of one of those?)

Des.

[John Boyd]

Like Jim N and Chas, Duane Eddy's 'Because They're Young' was the one that interested me in the sound of an electric guitar. It played frequently on the radio - or the 'wireless' as we called it back then.
I imagine not too soon after, the sounds of The Shadows would have had a similar effect on me and it has continued for 50 years.
My first electric was a Jansen Jazzman (made in NZ), folowed by a Jazzman 2, then a '62 Stratocaster.
Wonder where it is now and if the present owner knows that he's sitting on a valuable instrument.
I guess that's what happens when you are young, living for the moment!
Cheers,
JB

[Rich Cowling]

Buying The Frightened City single with and brand new Dansette singl disc player with removable lid.....also always remember watching Dance On voted a hit on Juke Box Jury.....waited for every other single to be released from then on...and constantly arguing with life long mate who was the best between Beatles and Shads ... have now wone him over he goes round buying all Shads Vynl he can lay his hands on .....for me