Gonzales, alternative takes

[KurtFroberg]

Hi there,

Today I was listening to the great internet radio channel Memory Hits http://www.memoryhits.com (who had a Cliff & The Shadows special today with all the hits) when I to my surprise heard some alternative takes of Gonzales with The Shadows. The web radio displayed as "Gonzales take 50-59" or something similar. It certainly was different from the released studio version including the one the Abbey Road CD. Hank played the improvised part completly different from the one we are used to. During the time I was listening there were at least two different takes played. It was really interesting to hear.
Anyone knows more about those versions?

Kurt F

[hoffers]

When I was asked to get a tracklisting together for the Shadows at Abbey Road CD I realised there were a few alternative takes of Gonzales and tried to use one on the CD.
The Shads were sent a master of the proposed CD but they weren't happy with some of the tracks. An alternative take of Gonzales was one of them and so it was removed

Other people were involved in the EMI project too and a cassette of the rare tracks was sent out to someone who in turn got another chap to transfer onto CDR for him, making him promise never to give the stuff out.

Well, of course, that was a waste of breath because those tracks can now be found around the world, I even saw a bootleg CD with them included when I stayed with a guy in Australia in 2002, and I've NEVER given them to anyone.

So it is no surprise to me that a radio station has access to these tracks that were sent out to us on the understanding that nobody gets copies.

Luckily, I work alone when sourcing tracks for my own CDs on Legacy Sounds UK and have obtained several hours worth of Shadows outtakes and alternate versions.
Shads fans who stay with us at our B & B are always welcome to hear them but I don't do copies for anyone, even my closest friends, and that way I know they don't escape into the big bad world and circulate and create problems with the band who, of course, don't want this stuff out.

So just ask around Kurt, someone will copy them for you, but I'm afraid it won't be me.

Hoffers

[Fenderman]

It's a real shame some of these outakes will never see the light of day as i'll bet their very interesting to hear, i would pay good money to hear them, but at the end of the day we have to respect the Shadows wishes.

[AlanMcKillop]

I'm not sure that a public forum is the place to air dirty washing, but I will add that I got a copy of the undubbed 'Happy Birthday' on a private collectors cd when it must have been known to be against Hank's beliefs and these cd's are available worldwide, horses for courses.

[captainhaddock]

I have posted on this topic before now, sadly for me I have never been able to hear any of the alternative takes that remain un-released in the vaults of EMI or Bruce's shed !. There are however, some on this forum who have been able to hear some or all of this treasure-trove and have survived the experience. I ask those who have heard it, Did it affect your love of the Band? or were you so shocked by it that you could never bring yourselves to listen to the band again. The answer is obvious, you still like the band as you still read this forum. The Shadows have been a major interest in my life since I was about 4 or 5. I believe that I have just about everything that has been released on a commercial basis, but I would love to be given the chance to hear the alternative takes and other un-released material. I was lucky enough to have been able to purchase Shadows releases as they came out from "Rocking With Curly Leads" in 1973 onwards, others have not been so lucky and yet because much of the Shadows back-catalogue has been deleted they are denied the chance to listen to "Change Of Address" and many others.Why ?. Surely the powers that be must realise that the interest will not be there forever and that the archived material will one day be of no interest to anyone. Looking at it logically, the refusal to allow the re-release of material would suggest that one day we will be treated to some form of re-release programme by EMI/Polydor,but I am not holding my breath.

[AlanMcKillop]

Not many will find any argument with what you say, however the unreleased stuff is on another level. At the end of the day, it's The Shads/record companies/copyright owners who have a say in what is released and in many cases, it's down to money. I've been very fortunate to view a lot of rare footage (which still exists in the archives) but the cost of making a dvd is almost prohibitive, as Bruce found out when he wanted to do something with the material that featured in his Shadowmania 'Shads on the box'.

A number of people over the years have had access to the archives for the purposes of 'research' and for say £100 - 150, the holding company will run off a video copy of a particular show (in most cases, having a time clock) for the authorised researcher. Over the years, people have gathered together a collection of material which they were more likely to trade with others rather than sell, and as a result some people came to have rather fine collections of otherwise unofficial material.

I don't think much of what I've seen will ever come out officially, which I think is a shame, because as you rightly say it's a shrinking market due to our ages.

[captainhaddock]

On the subject of Video footage, there is so much available on you-tube now that any commercial release would probably stand little chance of paying for itself. The reluctance of the copyright holders to be sensible in terms of the cost of rights means that any legal release is even less likely to happen as we will have seen much of it before , free of charge !. How long is it before The Shadows material enters the grey area of "Public Domain" and is it likely that the Powers that be would take action at the first one to try a non -sanctioned release, if it hasn't already happened ?

[winkrich]

Some years ago, I picked up a double French CD - The Shadows; Original & Alternate 60's studio versions with Gonzales original mono version and Gonzales original stereo version. Distributed by MAM productions, Magic Records. I assume it's legal. Could that have been the source?

EMI also put out The Shadows: Everything of Value, Rarities 1 and 2 though I don't know the track listing for rarities 1. Gonzales wasn't on Rarities 2.

Cheers, R

[Fenderman]

I got that French CD fairly recently. I was surprised to hear the film version of 'Les Girls'. I didn't even know this version existed. There was also an acoustic version of 'Genie....' but this sounded like a demo and wasn't very good.
The 'Rarities 2' cd is worth tracking down as it has quite a few tracks i've not seen anywhere else (such as The girl from Ipanema and I can't forget).
Can someone answer when 'The girl from Ipanema' was recorded as the copyright date is 1993.

[iefje]

"The Girl From Ipanema" was recorded in Lisbon, on May 11th, 1965.