314 pages. A comprehensive overview and review of all worldwide major CD releases by The Shadows and Hank Marvin issued between September 1984 and February 1999.
Basically, this is a must, an essential reference for the casual fan, the enthusiast and trainspotter alike. On reading this excellent book, I found myself dipping into the various sections, checking out information and details that I had almost forgotten. So it’s valuable to have this book as a guide for all the relevant information on each track. Although the book has a black and white photograph on the front cover, reproduced by kind permission of Shadsfax, there are no other photographs. If the book is updated in the near future, I personally would like to see some photographs of the different line-ups of The Shadows edited into the book. Having said that, it’s only a minor drawback, I found that once I had started reading the book, I was constantly being reminded of lots of information about each track recorded by The Shadows and Hank Marvin. There are reference discographies for The Shadows, Hank Marvin, Marvin Welch & Farrar, John Rostill and Bruce Welch, with details about each track.
Malcolm has certainly done his homework - the book is a real ‘trainspotters’ delight with information on The Shadows as composers, EMI compilations, Polydor compilations, mono issues, unofficial releases, alternative versions A-Z and so much more. For Malcolm, the book must have been a real labour of love - it’s a triumph for all the hard work that Malcolm must have put into the writing of the book. All that you ever needed to know about the tracks recorded by The Shads and Hank Marvin is all here, in this excellent work. As I said before, it will rapidly become an indispensable reference.
Although the tracks are arranged in numerical and alphabetical order, I am sure that fans will enthusiastically look for their own favourite tracks.
I congratulate Malcolm on this excellent book.
