| Cliff Richard is reuniting with the peerless Shadows for a memorable celebration of his Golden Jubilee anniversary, studded with a 34-date swing through Europe later this year.
As one of the most potent combinations in the world of pop music, they generated 19 No.1 hits worldwide in the Swinging Sixties...
Hence, delightful ditties like Summer Holiday, Please Don’t Tease, Travelling Light, Living Doll, Bachelor Boy, The Next Time and I Love You, to name a few, will not only get a thorough workout during the tour but also revive blissful memories of those glory days.
And, if the vibes emanating from London are anything to go by, there’s every likelihood of this Dream Tour stretching beyond the borders of Europe – spread over, perhaps, two years!
Yes, a World Tour is on the cards, including a possible stop in Colombo!
The British Knight has been in talks with The Shadows “for quite some”. Hence, these sources claim, it’s very much an “extremely strong” possibility.
The Shads, as they are popularly known who notched up 31 hits on their own, will be re-forming for this historic occasion after officially disbanding almost two decades ago.
Meanwhile, 21 of the scheduled concerts on the upcoming tour - starting September 21 at the O2 Arena in Dublin, Ireland - are in the United Kingdom. Seven of these concerts, including the three at London’s huge O2 Arena, have already sold out – six months from their scheduled dates! In fact, the cheaper tickets at 55 GBP (about Rs. 9000) are only available at Belfast and Manchester.
Guitarists Hank Marvin and Bruce Welch along with drummer Brian Bennett will be joined on bass by Mark Griffiths. Local fans will recall seeing Griffiths with Cliff when the British icon performed in Colombo in February, 2007.
Brian Goode, who manages this exquisite combo, didn’t hide the fact that there were other possible projects on the horizon. This was when he was pressed if this would be the last time they’d be playing together.
“There’s nothing to suggest it will be the last time The Shadows will be playing together,” he told The Sunday Times, leaving the door ajar to the possibility of the show continuing after its current dates.
Marvin, Welch and Bennett are presently heavily involved in individual recording projects and appear quite happy to leave matters as they are, he said.
Marvin, now residing in Australia, a devout Jehovah’s Witness, and Welch, a gifted songwriter once romantically linked with singer Olivia Newton-John, are both universally renowned for their exemplary deeds with the guitar.
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| Cliff and The Shadows during their 2004 Tour: (from left) Welch, Marvin, Cliff and Bennett |
The Shadows, with a sound and style all their own, did briefly get back together in 2004 for what was then billed as The Final Tour with Cliff.
Cliff is presently away on holiday and could not be reached for an interview at such short notice. However, he did explain during a previous chat how he fondly remembered his days with The Shadows. “They’re some of my happiest days,” he recalled.
Asked how, and why, they (The Shadows and himself) decided to go separate ways, the genial Bachelor Boy was frank: “It’s like everything else; things do happen for various reasons. Some are good while the others are not. But I didn’t break up with them; they broke up themselves!”
However, Briton’s most successful hit maker – the only one to boast of No. 1s in the ‘50s, ‘60s, ‘70s, ‘80s, ‘90s and the new millennium – was quick to point out that he had always remained good friends with the various personnel in the group.
“They’re a part of my life,” he explained.
The Shadows experienced several changes in personnel in the years they did exist. While there are 17 names associated with the band, including Marvin, Welch, Bennett and Griffiths, Jet Harris and Tony Meahan, two names most Sri Lankan fans are familiar with, are not with the band anymore.
Harris is now busy on the British circuit, touring with his own 50th anniversary show, while Meehan died in 2005 after a fall in his London flat.
The Shadows, modelled on the Buddy Holly and The Crickets format, also shared headline status in the four films featuring Cliff - The Young Ones, Summer Holiday, Wonderful Life and Finders Keepers.
Fifty years is certainly a l-o-n-g time in a profession; a privilege not granted to most of us. But Cliff has most certainly moved away the road blocks he’s encountered since his first Big ‘Un, Move It, which peaked at No. 2 back in 1958.
The committed Christian has sold well over 250 million albums worldwide and has had 128 hits in the 50 years he’s been in the business. This easily eclipses any other Western act of any era or genre, including the incomparable Beatles – by a long country mile!
Ain’t bad for a bloke who turns 69 during the upcoming tour.
Since his visit to Colombo in 2007, the Peter Pan of Pop has released a revealing biography, My Life, My Way, and toured the UK late last year with his own band to celebrate his Golden Jubilee.
“Let God do the judging”
Cliff Richard uses his autobiography to reveal details about his close friendship with a former Catholic priest.
In his book, My Way, My Life, provided to me by his management, the British pop star describes John McElynn, as his “companion”.
Cliff’s sexuality has long been the subject of speculation. He says he met the former American missionary during a visit to New York in 2001. It wasn’t long before Mr. McElynn took a sabbatical.
“He hasn’t had any thought at the beginning of giving up the priesthood, but when it became clear he was thinking of the possibility, I suggested he might help me with some of my charitable projects,” Cliff says in his book.
“That was seven years ago and our arrangement has worked out really well.”
“John now spends most of his time looking after my properties, which means I don’t have to. John and I have over time struck up a close friendship.
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| Cliff and his companion John McElynn |
“He has also become a companion, which is great because I don’t like living alone, even now.”
On the years of speculation about his sexuality, Cliff says he is “sick to death” about it all but expressed his support for same-sex relationships.
“What business is it anyone else’s what any of us are as individuals,” he writes. “I don’t think any of my fans would care either way. Same sex marriages are, perhaps, a modern example of how things have changed. I think the church must come round and see people as they are now.
“Gone are the days when we assumed a loving relationship would be solely between men and women. In the end, people are going to be judged for what they are.
“It seems to me that commitment is the issue, and if anyone comes to me, that this is my partner, we are committed to each other’, then I don’t care what their sexuality is. I’m not going to judge; I’ll leave that to God.”
The devout Christian also says that while he had twice considered getting married – to dancer Jackie Irving and former British tennis star Sue Barker – he had no current plans to tie the knot.
“People often make the mistake of thinking that only marriage equals happiness,” he writes. “I may suddenly meet someone, and feel differently, but right now I’m not sure marriage would enhance my happiness.” - Ranjit Vethakan
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