Family Affairs

My first job at EMI over 20 years ago was working as a PA to a bloke who has remained my friend over the years. As it happens, his father is Bruce Welch of The Shadows and this was the reason that I found myself standing in his dressing room last night before the Wembley concert talking to him whilst he was only in a shirt.

I had such a great evening and whatever you might think about Cliff Richard and/or The Shadows, their “second comeback tour” is something that should be embraced by the British public as a National Treasure of Magnificent Proportions. They are in the midst of a world tour. A 50th anniversary tour.

This is the first 50th anniverary tour of a British band I believe and therefore we should be giving it legendary status. They all looked great. Cliff seemed pleased that they were all still alive and he and Bruce had a bit of a banter on stage about Elvis. Bruce said “did you know that Elvis sold more songs after he died than when he was alive?” and Cliff said “I’m just not that competitive”. I was deeply impressed with the fact that THEY ALL STILL HAVE THEIR OWN HAIR!!! It’s amazing. My top tip though, is that Cliff should maybe think of going grey gracefully. That brown colour isn’t a good look when you’re 69.

But look at this video footage of The Shadows doing their thing…I can’t even offer to sort out their hamstrings:-

It’s been 24 years since they have all toured together and what fun they are having being back on stage. It just gave me a warm fuzzy feeling watching them all enjoying themselves like old mates.

Cliff has had 14 number 1 singles over the last 50 years. I was at EMI when he was No.1 for Christmas with “Mistletoe and Wine” in 1989. Personally I think the new single “Singing The Blues” would make a far better Christmas No.1 – much more appropriate lyrics (in my case anyway). I think the British public have a responsibility to get it to No.1 for Christmas again. We should show our gratitude and admiration to a band that have played a huge role in our musical heritage. Almost the biggest response of the night from the audience was for “Apache” the legendary Shadows tune PLUS trademark triangular dance. I mean, yes, OK the average age of the audience is 185 BUT rock and roll is coming back and I think they can still teach the younger crowd a thing or two.

Cliff’s voice still sounds the same. Warm and velvety like a cup of hot chocolate (or maybe Horlicks?). It didn’t really matter that lyrics like : “Tell your Mamma, tell your Pappa, I got a girl like you” sound a bit strange when the person he’s singing to is unlikely to have parents that are still alive or that “The Young Ones” is still sung with such gusto for the encore. You’re only as young as you feel and their performance proved that they’ve still got a lot of rock and roll love to share.

We went backstage for a drink afterwards. I talked to SUZI QUATRO!! Can you believe it. She looks amazing. I talked to lots of other musical legends….Hank Marvin, Bruce Welch, Tim Rice and I was thinking, perhaps I can do this octogenarian thing after all…(although I bet they’re all going out with 30 year olds).