Some people may remember Jet Harris.
I've just found this video of Cliff and The Shadows, showing my old friend Jet on bass.
Jet is the small blonde. He was booted out of The Shadows in 1962, after having become unpredictable and uncooperative; I think through drink and drugs. He later teamed-up with the band's drummer Tony Meehan.
He was a nice enough person, but one always felt that there was something going on inside his head that you didn't want to know about. We were good friends, then one day he suddenly disappeared.
Cliff Richard, Hank Marvin, and Bruce Welsh are still around, but Jet died in 2011. The band's drummer Tony Meehan died back in 2005.
Their music seems very 'mild' these days, but back in the 60's it was the coolest sound on earth (well, almost).
My brother was a Shadows 'groupie', they inspired him to take up the guitar, which ultimately led to his love of early instruments like lutes and viols.
ReplyDeleteThey were quite revolutionary at the time. The line-up of Singer, Lead, Bass, Rhythm, and Drums, has now become the norm.
DeleteA blast from the past. It was cool music, still good listening
ReplyDeleteBut Oh So Simple. I doubt if it would make the charts these days.
DeleteThe days when they all wore smart suits and bowed to the audience afterwards! Gosh Cro, you seem to know absolutely everyone!
ReplyDeleteI lived in central London at the time, and 'celebs' were everywhere.
DeleteMy older sister was in love with Jet Harris, she had a poster of The Shadows on the wall by her bed. She was about 17 years old. I wasn't that interested as I was a very young 13 and more interested horses! Regards Sue H
ReplyDeleteHe was a good-looking chap, but very small. I never knew him being swamped by fans.
DeleteOne of the very first singles I bought was by Jet Harris and Tony Meehan. It was titled, "Scarlet O'Hara".
ReplyDeleteThey made a good team. I don't know why Meehan left The Shadows.
DeleteMaybe he left the shadows because he wanted to walk in the light.
DeleteBom Boom!
DeleteJust a little bit before I took an interest in pop music, but as this is The Shadows I assumed that the great Hank Marvin would be there, but he doesn't seem to be.
ReplyDeleteAlthough I've never seen Cliff playing the guitar before.
I wonder if Jet Harris, a familiar name in early British Pop music, is remembered for the wrong reasons and why he never went on to the success levels that The Shadows reached.
Hank is in the picture with the glasses. I think poor old Jet succumbed to drink and drugs.
DeleteInterestingly my Mother was a model and Club hostess in the 1960's. She had an album of photos with many of the pop stars of the day, including several pictures with an Irish group called The Bachelors.
ReplyDeleteShe once told me that she went out for a drive in a sports car with Cliff Richard. It was a PR stunt set up by Cliff's record company as he was bereft of regular female company. Wish I had seen those pictures. No doubt they were in the newspapers back then.
Cliff has always had that 'Air of Mystery' about him. His PR men must have had a tricky job.
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