[news.bbc.co.uk]

Cliff Richard and The Shadows are to reunite for an arena tour in 2009 to celebrate their 50th anniversary.

They dominated the charts in the late 1950s and 1960s and notched up 19 number one hits between them.

Their hits included Move It, Living Doll and Travellin' Light. It will be the first time they have performed in concert together for 20 years.

The group say it will be their final tour. Tickets for the 11 dates in autumn 2009 go on sale on Sunday.

Initially formed as a backing band for Sir Cliff Richard, The Shadows were originally called The Drifters until finding out there was already a US band with the same name.

The Shadows also appeared with him in films including The Young Ones and Summer Holiday.

The line-up split in 1968 to pursue individual careers. The Shadows toured throughout the 1970s and 1980s while Sir Cliff achieved huge success as a solo star.

Fans will be able to see Sir Cliff, Hank Marvin, Bruce Welch and Brian Bennett on the following dates:

September 2009

Fri 25 and Sat 26 - London O2 arena
Wed 30 - Nottingham Trent FM Arena

October 2009

Sat 03 and Sun 04 - Birmingham NIA
Tue 06 - Cardiff CIA
Wed 07 - Liverpool Echo Arena
Fri 09 - Glasgow SECC
Mon 12 - Newcastle Metro Radio Arena
Wed 14 - Sheffield Arena
Sat 17 - Manchester Evening News Arena

GREAT, I will inform my mum.
She saw them in the sixties in The Hague.

Mr.Ed

What about Jet Harris?

Grab a granny night.

"What about Jet Harris?"

I used to go drinking with Jet. He'd get pissed, call Cliff and either wind him up or leave rude messages.

Can't really see him being involved?

lol- be great if he was though!

whatever you think of ol' Cliff nowadays, you've got to admit
'Move It', is a great rock and roll record.

Jet's a top guy and really sorted himself out now. It was great fun.

Cliff's a strange guy but I'd imagine the tour would be a great success.

Diamonds by Jet Harris and Tony Meehan is one superb record.

Is there an American equivalent of Cliff and The Shadows? A 60s act that was huge in America and meant absolutely nothing in Britain? Just wondering.

I love The Shadows. Apache, Man Of Mystery, FBI... all great intrumentals.

Some of Clff's early rock 'n' roll recordings were excellent.

Move It is a classic.

Quote
Silver Dagger
Diamonds by Jet Harris and Tony Meehan is one superb record.

and is supposedly the first No 1 record to feature a young Jimmy Page. His contribuition was the acoustic rythem.

Quote
tatters
Is there an American equivalent of Cliff and The Shadows? A 60s act that was huge in America and meant absolutely nothing in Britain? Just wondering.

Plenty but my favourite would have to be the mighty Paul Revere and the Raiders. Anyone who loves the mid 60s mod/psych sound of The Stones is well advised to check out the albums Spirit of 67 and Revolution. Absolute stunners. Like a cross between The Stones and The Byrds.

Quote
Silver Dagger
Plenty but my favourite would have to be the mighty Paul Revere and the Raiders. Anyone who loves the mid 60s mod/psych sound of The Stones is well advised to check out the albums Spirit of 67 and Revolution. Absolute stunners. Like a cross between The Stones and The Byrds.

I agree 100%.

Love the Shads, saw them twice in 2005 - all the songs with all the moves.
Hank is a superb guitarist.
Personally I could do without cliff - but beggars are not choosers.

..They recorded really great records 1959-1965....my favourite artists before the Stones...

Listen to Cliff's versions of the late Larry Normans "Up in Canada", "Why should the Devil have all the good music ?" and "Whish we all been ready" all those tracks will you find on the album "Small Corners" an amazing album !
And don't forget Cliff versions of "Blue Turns to Grey" another Jagger/Richard Classic.

The first pop show I ever saw - good, but full of screaming girls.

Am I correct in thinking that they were the first band of any note to have the singer / lead / rhythm / bass / drums lineup?

Harris-Meehan the best rythm section before wyman-Watts....

Great! my favourite Shadow was Jet Harris, a great bass player.
Talent sadly destroyed by a serious car crash, circa 1963 and then a prolonged problem with alcohol.
Happily, still around, based in the Isle OF Wight and still gigging with his own band.
Often compared to Brian Jones - his personality rather than his musical gifts, that is.

a bit of convenient, historical air-brushing, by Old Cliff, there...

Thanks for the link. I think Jet has done the occasional (once?) gig since his departure with Cliff and The Shads- perhaps that was the one 20 years ago as mentioned.
I saw him some time in the mid 70's playing a small club gig in Halifax, West Yorkshire. He was just about hanging on in there. I think his health has since improved.Not a good career move though, leaving when he did.

Jet harris Diamonds

A sneak preview...

Brian Bennett kicks into this song with a Charlie Watts type drum fill. Thought Cliff sounded a little hoarse.

Trivia - Hank didn't play the original guitar lick on 'Move it', was a guy named Ernie Sheer. First great British rock and roll song.

Glad they got back together again, what goes round does seem to come round if you wait long enough.

Note that the last verse is a newly written one! : )

Hank never seems to look any different.I think he might be A Jehova's Witness, but whatever, seems very content with his lot.
Repsected by his peers (at one time this was a very uncool thing to admit to)

Quote
Silver Dagger

Quote
tatters
Is there an American equivalent of Cliff and The Shadows? A 60s act that was huge in America and meant absolutely nothing in Britain? Just wondering.

Plenty but my favourite would have to be the mighty Paul Revere and the Raiders. Anyone who loves the mid 60s mod/psych sound of The Stones is well advised to check out the albums Spirit of 67 and Revolution. Absolute stunners. Like a cross between The Stones and The Byrds.

Check out lots of The Raiders stuff at Garage Music blog!

Quote
jlowe
Hank never seems to look any different.I think he might be A Jehova's Witness, but whatever, seems very content with his lot.
Repsected by his peers (at one time this was a very uncool thing to admit to)

Apparantly he wears a wig though, & has done since at least the early 80s.

Just played the Jet Harris in concert link - great! thanks ablett
All seems quite surreal, Jet then Cliff and Hank all courtesy of a Stones site.
Strange days, indeed!