Hank Marvin & John Farrar - Hank Marvin & John Farrar

Revered axeman exercising the vocal chords

Continuing a working friendship that began when The Shadows were supported by Farrar’s Melbourne band The Strangers on an Australian tour, Hank Marvin was getting used to the idea of singing for his supper. This 1973 release found the guitarist in fine voice on a set of harmony-driven light pop, with nods to The Beach Boys and Crosby, Stills & Nash.

The third album the pair had released, in an addition to work with Olivia Newton-John and as a trio with fellow Shad Bruce Welch, Marvin seemed grateful to be airlifted from the creative corner he’d painted himself into as the leader of the world’s most successful instrumental band. But, despite heavy radio play for the likes of Skin Deep and the 10cc-ish Music Makes My Day, the album failed to tap into his prior fanbase in any great measure.

There are occasional dips in quality control (the country ballad If I Rewrote Yesterdays was perhaps too cloying for even Cliff to attempt), but the partnership arguably helped reinvigorate Marvin and ultimately led to the emergence of an all-singing Shadows, whose 1975 Eurovision entry, Let Me Be The One, gave them their first Top 20 hit in a decade.

BGO | CD757

Reviewed by Terry Staunton
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