The Shadows The First 60 Years - Dreamboats & Petticoats (2-CD)

(Roll Over Records) 46 Tracks, Digisleeve
Before the Beatles' breakthrough, another band set the tone in Great Britain: First on the road as a backing band for Cliff Richard, The Shadows soared to become England's first beat kings exactly 60 years ago, even without any support at all. John Lennon once said that The Shadows were the only British band worth listening to before The Beatles. That may not sound modest. But above all, it shows the influence these London musicians had on the beat and skiffle movement that was just burgeoning at the time.

It was June 1960 when THE SHADOWS entered Abbey Road Studios to record APACHE, the track that would become the instrumental hit of the decade. It shot to #1 and became an instant classic, and was the beginning of a string of more than thirty hits - including four more #1 hits, WONDERFUL LAND, KON-TIKI, DANCE ON! and FOOT TAPPER - for the group that pioneered the two-guitar, bass and drum lineup we know today. APACHE also inspired a new generation of artists like Eric Clapton, Mark Knopfler, Pete Townshend and Queen's Brian May to pick up the guitar. THE SHADOWS' unique sound is captured on this 2CD collection, specially compiled by the band to celebrate their 60th anniversary year.