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Hi everyone

Managed to finally watch Shadows at 60 this week. The famous line quoting George Harrison saying the Shads should have done vocals was aired again. I've never really understood that. The Shads did have a few vocal hits and very often included vocal numbers on their albums. They didn't give up on vocals - when you think of Love Deluxe and On a Night Like This. I know it simplifies the story to say they ignored his advice but in reality they kept on trying vocal numbers and in the end continued having mainly instrumental hit albums up until 1990 and beyond (compilations, Final Tour...). I don't think they made a mistake or ignored his advice - they just kept on doing what they were good at.

Personally I think it was the right decision for them to carry on with making mainly instrumental music, because that was their trademark, their strength and uniqueness. They were one of the few artists to be able to produce instrumental music which became major hits. Not just one or two hits, but a whole string of hits.

As a footnote - it's interesting that Harrison won a posthumous Grammy in 2003 for the instrumental Marwa Blues.

Perhaps he should have followed the Shads' example and recorded more instrumentals!!

Hank mentions his encounter with George Harrison and this conversation during his 2014 interview on Radio 2 with Russell Davies - 26.00 onwards...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NaWai6uu49c

Bill