MALCOLM CAMPBELL'S SHADOWS WEBSITE

The Ventures are not only the longest surviving and biggest selling instrumental group in the world, but also the most productive. In this wide-ranging book, which incorporates invaluable contributions by Dave Peckett, Alan Taylor & Gerry Woodage, Malcolm Campbell assembles and classifies a staggering 563 entries representing the group’s sixties recorded output: Driving Guitars, a companion volume to A POCKET GUIDE TO SHADOW MUSIC, provides for the first time a potted history and commentary for every one of those titles. If you have ever wondered where a particular song originated from, or been curious and confused about the recordings that the band made exclusively for the Japanese market, then this fascinating book will not only illuminate the darkness but also thoroughly entertain the reader in the process.

In addition to searching analyses of such stellar albums as In Space, Batman and Flights Of Fantasy, there are a number of ‘firsts’ in Ventures literature, among them a rigorously structured discography, a round-up of all those tracks recorded in the Sixties but set aside for one reason or another and only made available decades later, and the first ever extended analysis of their exciting live recordings.

As an added bonus Dave Burke builds upon the wealth of experience gained from working on the acclaimed In The Vaults series for Ace Records to contribute year-by-year sections revealing exclusive session details — the most comprehensive account ever published — as well as background information on many of the producers, arrangers and musicians involved in those recordings. Also discussed are many of the unissued tracks remaining in the vaults, including alternative versions, unknown Ventures originals and plenty of intriguing trivia which are sure to generate endless discussion.

Visual interest is catered for by the incorporation of over 350 illustrations — a multitude of variant LP covers supplemented by material derived from compact disc, recording sessions and other background. In sum, the whole book is a genuine feast of facts and lively opinions for both the casual and dedicated Ventures fan, and is destined to be regarded as a must-have for all lovers of The Ventures’ Sixties recordings.