Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Andy Young and The Silver Strings (image). Audie (right) is with his original Fender bass from the 60s.Image: Veronica Young Collection.
Showing posts with label Fender Guitars. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Fender Guitars. Show all posts
The Silver Strings Family At Orchid Country
Andy Young and The Silver Strings (image). Audie (right) is with his original Fender bass from the 60s.Image: Veronica Young Collection.
JET HARRIS 'BESAME MUCHO' FENDER BASS!
Sunday, August 23, 2009
It's a Decca worth keeping, Jet Harris' Besame Mucho! There are not many of these singles lying around. The flip side is Chills And Fever (Thompson/Gray). Wow! And on Fender Bass too! On April 29th 1962 with Charles Blackwell directing and Jack Good producing, his debut 45 vinyl Besame Mucho (45F 11466) was taped at Decca studios. It was a radically different sound experience to his earlier work with The Shadows.
Jet Harris was using a Fender VI Bass, tuned down an octave from the norm and gave the vinyl a deep and distinctive sound. Tony Meehan was on drums with his ex-colleague coupled with its female chorus backing and unique sound. Really special, heavy and hot!
The song written by Consuelo Velásquez from Mexico and based on, Quejas O La Maja Y El Ruisenor (The Girl And The Nightingale, 1941), a piano piece from 1911 by the Spanish composer Enrique Granados.
Harris and Meehan topped the UK Singles Chart in 1963 with Diamonds. Harris used the 6 string bass.
Reference/Article: You Tube by Pomesu/June, 10th, 2008.
Image: Andy Lim Collection.
The Shadows Versatility - Hawaiian Guitar Too
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
He plays bass for this group and also the hawaiian guitar for another band. He enjoys what he is doing and spends much time jamming with his friends when he is free. He has a large collection of guitars. Shadows' versatility too.
The Shadows Versatility - Leads 60s Music
Quiet, unassuming but friendly, George Chew only lets his fingers do the walking and talking when he leads the band with his versatility on the Fender frets playing, Apache, FBI, Kon-Tiki and other Shadows hits.George is able to communicate well with his bassist, rhythmist and drummer and harmonise as a whole. What band is George with and who are his guitar mates? Check him out soon enough.
Image/Article: Andy Lim
The Shadows + Fender Stratocaster = Apache
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Released in July, 1960, Apache by The Shadows is the melody that inspired so many guitarists in Singapore and the world. It also helped to make the trademark Fender Stratocaster so popular and such a key element in 60s music.Although expert guitarist Bert Weedon had already recorded and promoted it, The Shadows had the advantage of releasing it in the shops as a single, so when fans asked for it, they were offered The Shads' version. It triggered another two dozen hits by the famous four. Incidentally, Cliff Richard played the Chinese drums in the recording.
The rest is history and fellow followers, Clapton (Tears In Heaven) and Knopfler (Sultans Of Swing) turned to a Fender Strat.
(Original article. Information from: Music edited by Sean Egan. Image: http://www.iansamwell.com/)
The rest is history and fellow followers, Clapton (Tears In Heaven) and Knopfler (Sultans Of Swing) turned to a Fender Strat.
(Original article. Information from: Music edited by Sean Egan. Image: http://www.iansamwell.com/)
FENDER Amplifiers 60s- Still Screaming Today!
Monday, March 16, 2009
The experts call it the legendary Fender Reverb amplifier and combined with either the Fender guitars or even the Hofners, produced sounds so unique that they echoed within the 60s concert halls and were eventually immortalised on vinyl records.
Hofners were popular and relatively inexpensive when compared to the Fenders. They produce great sounds too. But amongst the band boys the whisper was, "Nothing like a Fender!"A Singapore guitar group in the 60s usually started off with a Hofner and after many gigs to its name might end up buying a Fender. While a Fender would cost $800 then, a Hofner was cheaper. But the sound's different.
Vox Amplifiers 60s Music Influence Singapore
The SHADOWS, 60s guitar group from the U.K., had the greatest influence on many of the groups in Singapore. Apparently the VOX - AC-30 amplifier and the Fender Stratocaster guitar is the dream team for many would be band enthusiasts. It is the most lethal combination to be heard when groups played on stage.
Many groups were not able to buy this expensive combination and tried to get away with cheaper versions but Singapore's guitar group competitions, so common those days, held many to ransom. Since talent contests were also talent spotting by recording companies many groups took them seriously. Some groups managed to buy these expensive instruments, otherwise they would not have seen the light of day let alone the lights on stage.
There were other guitar/amplifier combinations and many of them were just as good. Are you familiar with the instruments the groups used then?
YouTube: Key in: shadows apache
Silver Strings Chinese New Year Kowloon Room
Thursday, January 22, 2009
During the Chinese New Year season Andy Young & The Silver Strings showered their music in many Chinese-styled environment before they acquired recording contracts from Philips. The Kowloon Room was one interesting restaurant where we performed.Free, fun-loving and fresh our group looked resplendent in dark suits with clasp-ties and shoes to match. Our Fender guitars, except for Ah Chew's rhythm guit, were relatively brand new and the amplifiers on stools were Gibson. Danny Boy in the corner looked set to bang the skins and clash the cymbals.
Wished the image had been in colour. Then we would have been appropriately called, "The Kowloon Silver Strings Quintet".
The little banner on the left announced, "1964". Pictures tell true tales too (click image).
(1) Fiat 600 1964 Model Silver Strings Overload
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
We don't know how but Audie, bass guitarist of the Silver Strings, owned one in the 60s and the 4 or 5 of us squeezed between the wheel, seats, dashboard and screen with at least 3 Fender guitars, a snare drum and sticks. We know how sardines felt after that. Compact travel.It was fun though as our driver went round picking everybody up. He still does it now. I remember him sending home the band boys after our studio practices in November 2008. He drives a bigger car now.
This car took us home during the racial riots (check postings).
I bought one in 1963 too. Kiasu. My first car ever!
I bought one in 1963 too. Kiasu. My first car ever!
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