MALCOLM CAMPBELL'S SHADOWS WEBSITE

1

To 1990:
Nothing novel is on offer. Polydor material was strictly controlled, with no throwback to the earlier days of EMI, when weird and wonderful alternative versions could turn up, whether by accident or design, in overseas locations, and thence to record presses outwith the UK; or when personnel in EMI France, for example, could take it upon themselves to tamper in one way or another (but invariably for the worse) with the original sound-balance.

There were six compilations during this period, all but the last (CD/LP) in LP format:

The 2LP Sounds Of Today scarcely counts: it is the UK The Shadows Silver Album (#19) with running-orders altered, see on #34. Of the rest, the three Australian issues blend EMI and Polydor material²; Polydor cover versions occupy two of these, but the More Rarities set has five group-composed B-sides, together with SHADOOGIE ’83. The two Dutch Albums again offer covers in the main, raising only three group-originals between them.

2

1991 to present, all CD. There are not many:
Chart cover versions:
#83 The Ballads Polygram South Africa 1998

Chart covers + "self-covers" + THE THIRD MAN:
#84 Master Series: The Shadows PolyGram TV Austria etc. 1998

EMI and Polydor tracks together³:
Chart covers:
#75 The Shadows Collection (CD2 = New Zealand LP #23, q.v.)
#87 The Shadows Complete Australia 1999, includes 18 Polydor tracks
#90 Golden Greats Japan 2000, 6 Polydor tracks as on UK 50 Golden Greats above

¹ On the evidence of the data accumulated in this book, the three primary LPs most widely distributed overseas were Change Of Address, Hits Right Up Your Street and Moonlight Shadows; two were confined to the UK: Live At Abbey Road [given away free with Life In The Jungle], and The Silver Album [mail-order].
² For Shadows' product in relation to EMI Australia ~ Polydor Australia, see Ian Kershaw, SCOFA 30 (1992) 9.
³ Also #94 Kon-Tiki Norway 2001, but only a single Polydor track, EQUINOXE (PART V), edited version. See also under #95 (ALBATROSS).