The Shadows At Sixty

[MikeAB]

60 years since Apache? Everything changed then!!

[drakula63]

I'm wondering about the title. The extract from the Cliff site quoted by Unsospero mentions 'they celebrate 60 years since their inception.' That being the case, why wasn't the documentary aired in 2018 or, if you wish to be pedantic and take it from the year the band changed its name, 2019?

Is it possible that it's been 'in the can' for the last couple of years and has been brought out because of the lack of new programmes due to the Covid crisis? If that is so, had it not been for the crisis it might never have been aired at all.

Just a thought!

Tony

As far as I know, it was made last year and was always scheduled to be shown in the summer of 2020. I don't think there is any likelihood that it 'might never have been aired at all'.

Just off the top of my head, I'll guess that - as an entity in their own right - the Shadows really became known to MOST people in the summer of 1960 with Apache. Up until then they had been 'mainly' known as Cliff's backing group and had released a couple of unsuccessful singles. With Apache, all this changed and in many ways this massive and influential Number One must have signified the 'arrival' of the Shadows for many people. Of course you could say that the 60th anniversary was in 1958, just as you could say that it was in 1959... but I'm happy with it being 1960 as far as most people are concerned. 1960 was their breakthrough year. That's how I see it, anyway.

[strongbow]

I imagine the "at 60" bit is meant to tie-in with the 60th anniversary of Apache, which was the point where they became hit artistes in their own right.

[leosden]

We mentioned a good few months back in our newsletter about The Shadows 60th Anniversary documentary that was created and edited last year and was scheduled to be aired in July to coincide with the 60th Anniversary of Apache. It was a tricky documentary to create as they wanted to appeal to fans and people that didn’t necessarily know a lot about the Shadows. We all know the stories about the guitar and how they met but how do you create a programme without that I guess.

The airing date may well have been brought forward. We certainly could all do with something to brighten us up…..
We'll update you more as and when we can.
Juliette
Leo's Den

[leosden]

Forgot to say, last we heard there were no plans for a DVD.
Jules

[iefje]

Forgot to say, last we heard there were no plans for a DVD.
Jules

That's a pity, because I don't receive BBC Four in The Netherlands, so maybe I won't be able to watch it.

[Kawarthabass]

It showed up two or three days ago on the Cliff Richard Radio Facebook page, which is run out of NZ by Paul Dyer. Then it seemed to disappear.

Perhaps Paul, or whoever put it up, got a little too far ahead of things.

srtrongbow:

I just had an e mail from Juliette at Leo's Den this morning saying the Cliff Richard and the Shadows documentary was originally supposed to have aired in July to coincide with the 60th anniversary of the release of "Apache".
She also said there were no plans by the BBC at this time to release a DVD of the documentary.

[drakula63]

Again, I'll point you to what my friend at the BBC said; "...a lot of things are going out early , so May 1st might be correct."

It does indeed seem 'possible' that broadcast dates are having to be brought forward and this seems to be the case with some programmes. I would guess that if neither the BBC nor Spungold are in a position to, or interested in, releasing a DVD, then another commercial company 'could' acquire the rights to release it. Of course, these rights (if available) would probably be quite expensive and they'd have to be pretty certain of getting good sales. I also suspect that a few off-air copies might be circulating unofficially and on the quiet once it's been shown and so I would imagine that overseas fans would get to see it sooner or later. Given that the Shadows are still popular over a considerable part of the world, I would imagine that foreign TV stations might well be offered the programme.

Anyway, I shall look forward to seeing it, whether it's on it May, June or July!

[Fenderman]

I'm wondering if it will be just about the Shadows career or be Cliff and the Shadows, or course you can't do a programme without including Cliff but i hope most of the focus will be on Hank and the boys.
Wonder how the lads are coping with lockdown?

[jim w]

I hope we are not going to be disappointed yes new interviews from the Boys facts we already know about, old footage we have seen on numerous occasions, what I can gather just one clip from Oh Boy which has not been seen for over 50years. Still it's great for them to have air time on BBC4