Marvin, Welch & Farrar Marmaduke - BBC & TV Recordings 1970-1972 (CD)

(Dusty Tapes) 28 tracks, digisleeve

To our delight, the Dusty Tapes label continues its exploration of unreleased recordings from years gone by.

This time the focus is on a group familiar to all fans of The Shadows - Marvin, Welch & Farrar.

After the break-up of the most legendary guitar group of all time in 1970, the two leading members, Hank Marvin and Bruce Welch, joined forces with Australian musician John Farrar to form the trio Marvin, Welch & Farrar.

With this line-up, they offered something completely different from what their fans were used to: a carefully harmonized, melodic and sophisticated brand of folk-rock that was heavily influenced by Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young. This was undoubtedly the most ambitious and artistically intriguing project involving members of The Shadows, but as is so often the case with such ventures, it failed to achieve the popularity it deserved.

Between 1971 and 1972, the trio released two LPs and three singles. However, it is now known that they left behind much more material, some of which can be heard on this CD, making it a significant addition to the band's discography.

Highlights of the CD:

- Previously unreleased tracks: all recordings are released for the first time.

- Nine stereo tracks: High-quality recordings from three BBC radio sessions, offering unique versions of their songs that differ from the releases on their studio albums.

- Television Performances: Sixteen additional tracks (in good to excellent quality) recorded for television between 1970 and 1972, including rare cover versions such as “Love the One You're With” and the Beatles classics “Paperback Writer ‘ and ’Norwegian Wood” that never appeared on their official albums.

- Special Guests: Some tracks include guest appearances by Cliff Richard and Cilla Black.

- Bonus material: Includes an interview with Hank Marvin and Bruce Welch for BBC's Night Ride from the summer of 1971.

All recordings have been carefully remastered, with speed adjustments and instrument balance improvements where possible. The release is presented in a laminated, fold-out card sleeve with a special disc case.