Chalfytich Posted June 29, 2014 Share Posted June 29, 2014 Unfortunately this tale is all too common. I've worked with some fantastic musicians over the years and whilst this story relates to Jet and a particular comeback gig many musicians struggle to make a living, promote gigs etc and things at the moment are as hard as they have ever been especially in more rural areas. In the 70s and 80s we rented an old stable block from the Co-op in Gloucester. Jet Harris worked as a labourer for their building department, carrying out maintenance on their shops, at some time in that period Dave 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluebottle Posted June 29, 2014 Share Posted June 29, 2014 Best to remember Jet as he was with the original Shadows. Image rephoto'd from old publicity print - considerably cleaned up 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
allan downes Posted June 29, 2014 Author Share Posted June 29, 2014 Just as I remember them Bluebottle and espacially Hank and Bruce who frequently sold me a glass of orange juice in the 2 I's coffee bar in Soho before they became famous and formed the Drifters and then the Shadows and a name suggested by Jet Harris when they heard that an American group went under the same name as The Drifters. Hank however was 'discovered' by mistake when one night a talent scout came into the 2 I's coffee bar looking for a certain guiterist to back Cliff but he wasn't there but Hank was and he went along instead but insisted that his mate, Bruce, came along as well, and so that was the beginning of probably the most successfull instrumental group of all time. And another thing about Hank was that he was notorious for dropping bum notes at live gigs and Bruce Welch went through a 'Twistwed Neck' period where he was forever changing the neck on his guitar inspite of there being nothing wrong with it ! Then one day whilst looking for a good second hand Vox AC 30, in the Fender Soundhouse in Soho I bought the very amp - along with all the settings labelled with orange tape, that Hank used on a gig - only to discover that when I got it home it was fried ! Cheers. Allan. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RJS1977 Posted June 30, 2014 Share Posted June 30, 2014 I was fortunate to get the last available ticket for their penultimate UK concert at Wembley a few years ago (part of Cliff's 50 years in showbiz tour). Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
allan downes Posted June 30, 2014 Author Share Posted June 30, 2014 (edited) And chasing that sound. I spent a life time and a small fortune trying to get that Shadows Sound. Any amp, you name it, I've had it. Any effects unit, you name it, I've had that also. I got the Strat, even in the right colour at the time - sunburst red - the right string mix, all the music sheets, but I still sounded like I was playing through a cornflakes packet - then, a lifetime on and too late, Alesis Quadroverb comes along with all the sounds for all the numbers programmed into it at the touch of a button - you want Apache ? well I've got it honed to perfection. You want Wonderful Land, F.B.I, Atlantis, Theme For Young Lovers and all the rest ? got that too, but now that I have, nobody wants to bloody listen as they listen to Lady Ga Ga instead ! And where was the Alesis Quadroverb back in the 50's when I needed it ? - 64 years behind the all tape slipping, tape snapping Watkins Copycat !! Cheers. Allan. Edited June 30, 2014 by allan downes 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
alant Posted June 30, 2014 Share Posted June 30, 2014 Allan, My brother's still got a Copycat, not sure he still uses it though! Alan. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gravy Train Posted June 30, 2014 Share Posted June 30, 2014 Hi Alan, No Quadraverb but you had the Meazzi Echomatic, the very thing that all up to date digital tries to emulate, the Magicstom, Q2, and Q20 do it so well but now Hank is using the TVS3 but at £3000 its pricey and my total income for the year :-) Peter Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
allan downes Posted June 30, 2014 Author Share Posted June 30, 2014 TETBURY GOODS SHED. THE ASSEMBLY. Told you it was big, just look at the size of that roof - and I've got to tile it ! Loads to do yet though, inside loading bay, walls and the doors and from what I can see on the photographs is that they opened inwards - can anyone confirm this ? Cheers. Allan 6 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mullie Posted June 30, 2014 Share Posted June 30, 2014 Quadraverb- I seem to remember trying to record with one of those, recall it was too noisy so gave up and used something else. Perfectly ok for live work. (That was over twenty years ago so might be wrong) When released it was a major breakthrough!! 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
allan downes Posted June 30, 2014 Author Share Posted June 30, 2014 When I first got mine - quadroverb - I blew it up and wiped out all the hardware ! The shop I got if from sent it back and the guy that built it couldn't understand how I'd managed to wipe it clean in one almighty flash and doubted that he himself could have done it even if he tried !. I got it back with just the basics and everything else wiped off !! Still an awesome bit of kit though - so Mullie, come on over and record me playing ' aypach ' so's I can send it to Peter L for approval ! Cheers. Allan. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mullie Posted June 30, 2014 Share Posted June 30, 2014 Unfortunately my serious recording days are long gone (if they ever existed!) and now content myself recording student course work although I have been playing with Garageband recently both on Mac Book and Ipad and love the immediacy of it playing in ideas from a keyboard. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mullie Posted June 30, 2014 Share Posted June 30, 2014 You could always upload a video of you playing Apache to You tube, post a link here and I'm sure it would go viral! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
allan downes Posted July 1, 2014 Author Share Posted July 1, 2014 You could always upload a video of you playing Apache to You tube, post a link here and I'm sure it would go viral! Right, I'll have a word with my agent, Simon Cowel ! Cheers. Allan Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
allan downes Posted July 1, 2014 Author Share Posted July 1, 2014 TETBURY GOODS SHED . The (massive ) roof. Marked out and ready for tiling. Laying the tiles. 4 hours later. Sprinkling on the pollyfilla ready for texturing. Stippling the pollyfilla with Colron Light Oak Wood Dye. Sealing in the texture with watered down PVA glue - about a 50/50 mix Tomorrow, when fully dried out, a dust coat of matt black will high light the texturing and tile courses then the roof will be glued down across the roof formers and gable ends. This I'll put up tomorrow some time when it's done. Cheers. Allan 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
nrg710 Posted July 1, 2014 Share Posted July 1, 2014 (edited) Personally, I think a certain record producer/railway enthusiast that was one third of Stock, Aitken and the other bloke needs top get involved with this discussion. Edited July 3, 2014 by nrg710 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sweven Posted July 1, 2014 Share Posted July 1, 2014 Those 2300 individual roof tiles are well worth it Allan - it is going to be a grand building. Keep up the great work! Cheers John Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Stubby47 Posted July 1, 2014 RMweb Gold Share Posted July 1, 2014 You could always upload a video of you playing Apache to You tube, post a link here and I'm sure it would go viral! I've been looking for a video of Hank Marvin making a model of Tintagel Post Office, but can't seem to find one... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mullie Posted July 1, 2014 Share Posted July 1, 2014 I've been looking for a video of Hank Marvin making a model of Tintagel Post Office, but can't seem to find one... I've seen it, had a six string washing line with 23 frets! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
allan downes Posted July 1, 2014 Author Share Posted July 1, 2014 Those 2300 individual roof tiles are well worth it Allan - it is going to be a grand building. Keep up the great work! Cheers John John. Major question. You're spot on, but how did you know how many tiles when I wanted to tell every body it was 15,300?! Spoil sport... Cheers. Allan. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Stubby47 Posted July 1, 2014 RMweb Gold Share Posted July 1, 2014 John. Major question. Careful, no politics allowed... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sweven Posted July 1, 2014 Share Posted July 1, 2014 John. Major question. You're spot on, but how did you know how many tiles when I wanted to tell every body it was 15,300?! Spoil sport... Cheers. Allan. Sorry Allan, but it took me 15300 minutes to count them all so I just had to tell someone. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
allan downes Posted July 2, 2014 Author Share Posted July 2, 2014 TETBURY GOODS SHED. All tiled out but plenty of work to do yet roof . Ridging, corner piers, downpipes, inner walls, back elevation yet to be stoned, loading bay, doors... Think I'll go down the pub instead.... Cheers. Allan. 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
allan downes Posted July 3, 2014 Author Share Posted July 3, 2014 (edited) Found this absolutely stunning model of Tetbury goods shed whilst surfing for information. Perfect right down to the minutist detail and beautifuly executed, it makes my effort appear as if some 5 year old had knocked it up during a wet playtime at school ! Not sure who the modelmaker was, but he knocks me sideways into a cocked hat so not showing you any more pictures of mine, so neh ! Awesome. Cheers. Allan Edited July 3, 2014 by allan downes Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
knobhead Posted July 3, 2014 Share Posted July 3, 2014 It looks like a laser cut kit to me. Still stunning though. Regards, Stefan Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
allan downes Posted July 3, 2014 Author Share Posted July 3, 2014 Hi Stefen, I think you're right, there's a full constructional on it where I found it and there is mention of laser cut components and brickwork but still amazing for all that. Anyway all my cardboard is pre-made for me in an ultra massive billion dollar paper mill and before they can produce the plastic sheets I use, first they have to go all the way up to Alaska and other such remote places to suck up the oil that's needed to produce it and I dunno how many lumber jacks there are working on my behalf so's I can make chimney stacks ! So, anyone got a dead horse going cheap, I'm running out of glue... Cheers. Allan Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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