Shadows Sing With Beatles

The following article appeared in New Musical Express on April 12, 1963, page 3

Last time I wrote about The Shadows, I mentioned the nonsense which had been printed about The Beatles knocking them off their perch-writes Derek Johnson. Now it seems The Beatles have adopted the time-honored policy-if you can't beat 'em, join 'em! Because the last time I saw The Shadows and The Beatles, they had joined forces and were singing together!
I was one of a very privileged minority. For the session was taking place in Bruce Welch's kitchen, amid the chatter of food being prepared and drinks being poured out.
And if you need proof that these two groups are the best of buddies-you should have seen them linking arms at four o'clock in the morning!
The occasion was a party thrown by Bruce for Cliff Richard. And since The Shadows have struck up such a close relationship with The Beatles, the Liverpool team were invited along as special guests.
The party started normally enough, with dancing to the record player-with Patsy Ann Noble and The Vernon Girls in great demand as partners! Then Bruce announced that he felt like a cup of tea and retreated to the kitchen to prepare it.
He never did get that cupper! Within seconds, the three other Shadows had poked their heads around the door and volunteered assistance. A moment later, Cliff arrived and announced: "Leave it to me, fellers. I'll be Mum!" Close on his heels came The Beatles, anxious to show their appreciation by waiting on the host.
"Hey, I hear you next record is pretty good," commented Bruce, kettle in hand. "How about letting us hear it?" John Lennon disappeared into the hall, came back with a guitar-and the next thing we knew was that The Beatles were bursting into song.
"Let's inflict our new one on them," suggested Hank Marvin, producing two rhythm guitars, and handing one to Bruce. And that's precisely what they did-with Licorice Locking and Brian Bennett vocally simulating the bass guitar and drum sounds!
From then on, the tea was forgotten. Cliff led The Shadows in a side-splitting mickey-take of "Please Please Me"-whereupon The Beatles replied with a hilarious out-of-tune imitation of The Shadows, complete with wildly exaggerated movements and leg-kicking.
The noise penetrated to the main party and everyone came crowding into the kitchen, until it resembled a rush hour bus! This was the cue for The Shadows, Cliff and The Beatles to launch inot a lengthy sequence of their favorite numbers-each one of the boys taking turns to provide guitar backing, with the others improvising spontaneously.
It was mainly r-and-b on which they were going to town and they gave us off-the-cuff stylings of such numbers as "So Fine" and The Isley Brothers' "Shout", as well as several Ray Charles specialities.
When I left at 4.30 am, the kitchen was still the focus of attention-and the boys were letting rip for all they were worth.

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