Hank Marvin
Hank Marvin | |
---|---|
vocals | |
Years active | 1958–present |
Formerly of |
Hank Brian Marvin (born Brian Robson Rankin,[1] 28 October 1941) is an English multi-instrumentalist, vocalist, and songwriter. He is known as the lead guitarist for the Shadows.[2]
Early life and Early career
Marvin was born as Brian Robson Rankin at 138 Stanhope Street in Newcastle upon Tyne, England.[3] His father was an army officer. He played banjo and piano. After hearing Buddy Holly he decided to learn the guitar and also adopted Holly-style dark-rimmed glasses.[2]
He chose his stage name while launching his career. It is an amalgamation of his childhood nickname, Hank, and the first name of American country singer Marvin Rainwater.
Career
The Shadows
He moved to London in April 1958 after persuading his parents to let him do so in pursuit of a career in the music business.[4] Sixteen-year-old Marvin and his Rutherford Grammar School friend, Bruce Welch, met Johnny Foster, Cliff Richard's manager, at The 2i's Coffee Bar in Soho, London. Foster was looking for a guitarist for Cliff Richard's UK tour and was considering Tony Sheridan. Instead he offered Marvin the position. Marvin agreed to join the Drifters, as Cliff Richard's group was then known, provided there was a place for Welch.
Marvin met Richard for the first time at a nearby Soho tailor's shop,[5] where Richard was having a fitting for a stage jacket. The Drifters had their first rehearsal with Richard at the Webb family home (Cliff's parents) in Cheshunt, Hertfordshire. After a threat of legal action by representatives of the American band of the same name, the Drifters became The Shadows in 1959.
The Shadows were known for their instrumental songs, mainly; "Apache" (1960), "F.B.I." (1961), "Wonderful Land" (1962), and "Foot Tapper" (1963), among many others. The band split up briefly between 1968 and 1973, but was reformed by Marvin, Welch and Bennett.
Marvin and the Shadows reformed for a 2004 Final Tour,[6] and a 2005 European tour was also undertaken. Cliff Richard and the Shadows performed the final tour dates in 2009 and 2010.
Solo career
His first critically lauded, self-titled solo album of instrumentals, which featured guitar set to orchestrated backing, was released in 1969, following the first disbanding of the Shadows, in late 1968. The single "Sacha" topped the singles chart in
In 1970, Marvin and Welch formed
Marvin wrote "Driftin'", "
In 1969 and 1970, he teamed with Richard for: two 'Cliff & Hank' hit singles, his own song; "Throw Down a Line" (also recorded by Marvin, Welch & Farrar), and "The Joy of Living", while Richard also had a hit with his ecology song, "Silvery Rain".[citation needed] "Silvery Rain" was covered by Olivia Newton-John on her 1981 album Physical.
In 1977, Marvin played lead guitar on Roger Daltrey's third solo album, One of the Boys, on the tracks Parade and Leon.[citation needed] He co-wrote Olivia Newton-John's 1977 hit 'Sam' with John Farrar and Don Black.[citation needed]
In 1988, Marvin collaborated with French keyboardist and composer
In 1992, Duane Eddy guested on Marvin's album Into the Light on the track "Pipeline".[citation needed]
Marvin dueted twice with French guitarist Jean-Pierre Danel – on his 2007 and 2010 albums, both top-ten hits and certified gold. Marvin also participated on one of his DVDs and wrote the foreword for Danel's book about the Fender Stratocaster.[citation needed]
Marvin has continued to release instrumental solo albums, all of which have reached the UK Top 10 album charts since 2002. His latest solo album, Without a Word, was released in 2017.[8]
In 2024, Marvin contributed guitar to a re-release of Mark Knopfler's "Going Home: Theme of the Local Hero" in aid of the Teenage Cancer Trust.[9]
Personal life
His first wife was Beryl, with whom he had four children.[10] He is currently married to Carole, with whom he had two children.[11]
Since 1986, Marvin has lived in
Style and influence
According to
In 1959, Cliff Richard purchased a fiesta red Fender Stratocaster for Marvin to use on stage, which is widely claimed to be the first Stratocaster in the United Kingdom. Although it allegedly still belongs to Richard, it has been in the possession of Bruce Welch since 1968.[23] Marvin has performed on stage almost exclusively with fiesta red Stratocasters since Richard's original purchase.[24]
In Canada, Cliff Richard and the Shadows had top 10 hits, especially from 1961 to 1965. Canadian guitarists Randy Bachman and Neil Young credit Marvin as influential, Young penning the song "From Hank to Hendrix" on his Harvest Moon album in partial tribute.[25][26]
"Hank Marvin" is rhyming slang for "starvin" ("starving").[27] This slang was referenced in a 2012 television advertisement for Mattessons meat company.[28]
Awards
While Welch and Bennett were both appointed
On 28 October 2009, Marvin was presented with a
Early group personnel
- 1956 Riverside Skiffle group Crescent City Skiffle Group: Marvin (banjo), John Tate (guitar), Derek Johnson (guitar), Joe Rankin (bass), Mal Malarky (mandolin), and Howard Muir (wb), John Clayton (guitar)
- 1956–1957 The Railroaders (No. 1): Marvin (guitar), Welch (guitar), George Williams (guitar), John Clayton (guitar), Jim (drums)
- 1956–1957 The Railroaders (No. 2): Marvin (guitar), Welch (guitar), Eddie Silver (guitar), George Williams (bass), and Jim ? (drums)
- 1958 The Vipers (aka the Vipers Skiffle group) live concert: Wally Whyton (vocals), Johnny Booker (guitar), Hank Marvin (guitar), Jet Harris (bass) and Johnny Pilgrim (wb)
- 1958 The Five Chesternuts 7" single ("Jean Dorothy" on Columbia): Gerry Hurst (vocals), Marvin (guitar), Welch (guitar), Neil Johnson (bass) and Pete Chester (drums)
UK solo tours
- 1994 – w/Ben Marvin (guitar), Warren Bennett (guitar/keyboards/vocals), Mark Griffiths (bass/vocals), Brian Bennett (drums)
- 1995 – w/Ben Marvin (guitar), Warren Bennett (guitar/keyboards/vocals), Mark Griffiths (bass/vocals), Peter May (drums)
- 1997 – w/Ben Marvin (guitar), Warren Bennett (guitar/keyboards/vocals), Mark Griffiths (bass/vocals), Matthew Letley (drums)
- 1998 – w/Ben Marvin (guitar), Warren Bennett (guitar/keyboards/vocals), Mark Griffiths (bass/vocals), Matthew Letley (drums)
- 2000 – w/Ben Marvin (guitar), Warren Bennett (guitar/keyboards/vocals), Mark Griffiths (bass/vocals), Matthew Letley (drums) (Continental leg) and Peter May (drums) (UK leg)
- 2002 – w/Ben Marvin (guitar), Warren Bennett (guitar/keyboards/vocals), Mark Griffiths (bass/vocals), Fergus Gerrand (drums)
Production credits
- Spaghetti Junction Work's Nice – If You Can Get It/Step Right Up Columbia DB 8935
- Des O'Connor – Another Side Des O'Connor – LP – NSPL 18559.
- Flair – Stop Look & Listen – LP – MLP 15611.
- Flair – Fair – LP – CC 227324
- Flair – Fair Play – LP – CC 327224
Duets and guest appearances
- 1972: Spaghetti Junction Work's Nice – If You Can Get It/Step Right Up Columbia DB 8935
- 1976: Evita: guitar on "Buenos Aires"
- 1977: Brian Bennett)
- 1977: Roger Daltrey One of the Boys – guitar on "Parade" and "Leon"
- 1978: Des O'Connor Another Side of Des O'Connor
- 1979: Wings Back to the Egg – "Rockestra Theme" and "So Glad to See You Here"
- 1982: Billy MacKenzie
- 1983: Tracey Ullman You Broke My Heart in 17 Places: guitar on "Move Over Darling" and "You Broke My Heart in 17 Places"
- 1983: Leo Sayer Have You Ever Been in Love : guitar on "Don't Wait Until Tomorrow"
- 1984: Shakin' Stevens "Teardrops" single
- 1985: Local Hero's Theme"), with the band, as a special guest at Live at Wembley
- 1986: Cliff Richard and The Young Ones "Living Doll" (UK charts No. 1)
- 1988: Revolutionsguitar on "London Kid" (UK charts No. 52)
- 1989: Jean Michel Jarre Destination Docklands: guitar on "London Kid" and "Rendez-Vous IV"
- 1992: We are the ChampionsInstrumental cover
- 1995: Alan Jones A Shadow in Time album: guest on title track "A Shadow in Time"
- 1998: Jane McDonald "You're My World" single
- 2004: The Strat Pack: guitar on "The Rise and Fall of Flingel Bunt," "Sleep Walk" and "Apache"
- 2005: Richard Hawley "I'm Absolutely Hank Marvin", B-side of "Coles Corner" single
- 2007: Brian Bennett)
- 2007: Jean-Pierre Danel "Nivram" (French Charts No. 15, No. 8 Norway, No. 86 Germany) + Blues jam session on DVD
- 2008: Jason Donovan "Let It Be Me" on Dreamboats and Petticoats
- 2008: Le QuecumBar Patrons "Stars of Gypsy Swing" ("Coquette", "Noto Swing")
- 2010: Jean-Pierre Danel "M Appeal" (Norwegian charts No. 7, Finland No. 99)
Marvin also played guitar on the following tracks of library music recorded for Bruton Music:
- "Fighter Plane" (with Alan Hawkshaw) on Top of the Range
- "Conquest of Space" (with Alan Hawkshaw) on Grandiose Impressive Panoramic
- "Human Desert" (with Alan Hawkshaw) on Human Desert
Discography
See also
References
- ^ "No. 42885". The London Gazette. 4 January 1963. p. 197.
- ^ a b "Hank Marvin – Guitar God – Edited Entry". H2g2.com. 26 February 2008.
- ^ "What Are They Like?". meandmyshadows.me. Retrieved 29 May 2023.
- ^ Hank Marvin: My family values - The Guardian. 13 June 2014. Retrieved 30 January 2022.
- ^ Boynton, Graham (25 September 2009). "Hank Marvin: 'We should have taken Harrison's advice and sung'". Telegraph.co.uk. Retrieved 6 March 2018.
- ^ DuHamel, Brandon (4 June 2010). "The Shadows: The Final Tour Blu-ray Review". BigPictureBigSound.
- ^ Barnes, Jim; Dyer, Fred; Scanes, Stephen (1986). The Book Top Forty Research 2nd Edition 1956-1985 (doc). Top Forty Research Services, N.S.W., Australia, after having been "discovered" by two DJs at 2WG Wagga Wagga.
- ^ Guitar Legend Hank Marvin Returns With 'Without A Word' - Eon Music. 1 May 2017. Retrieved 29 January 2022.
- ^ Dunworth, Liberty (8 February 2024). "Mark Knopfler recruits Bruce Springsteen, Brian May, Ronnie Wood and more for Teenage Cancer Trust single". NME. Retrieved 4 March 2024.
- ^ "The tragic family rift that proves blood is not always thicker than water". The Independent. 8 January 1997. Retrieved 21 December 2014.
- ^ Nick McGrath. "Hank Marvin: My family values". The Guardian. Retrieved 21 December 2014.
- ^ Ross, Deborah (17 March 1997). "Specs, God and rock'n'roll". The Independent. London.
- ^ "Interview: Hank Marvin". Guitar.com. 5 June 2017.
- ^ a b c d "Hank Marvin: Everyone Has To Move On". ultimate-guitar.com. 25 September 2007. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 24 June 2014.
- ISBN 978-0760329832.
Hank Marvin had a huge influence on guitarists such as Brian May of Queen...
- ISBN 1591097584.
- ISBN 1617745014.
- ISBN 978-1423462743.
- ISBN 978-0313358067.
- ISBN 0815410700.
- ISBN 0879307242.
- ^ "The Thing about Hank". BBC Radio 4. 29 October 2016. Retrieved 27 August 2019.
- ^ "It was like something from space" – Hank Marvin talks in-depth about the Strat - Music Radar. 10 January 2022. Retrieved 1 February 2022.
- ^ DIY ‘HANKCASTER’ CONVERSION - Guitar.com. 3 August 2017. Retrieved 28 January 2022.
- ISBN 978-0143185772.
- ^ Gulla 2009, p. 237
- ^ "H". London Slang. 4 May 2010. Archived from the original on 6 January 2012. Retrieved 31 December 2011.
- MusicRadar. 21 June 2012. Retrieved 17 December 2012.
- ^ "Actor Hurt leads Queen's honours". BBC News.
- ^ Topping, Alexandra (28 October 2009). "Gold Badge awards shine light on music's unsung heroes". The Guardian. Retrieved 29 May 2018.
External links
- Hank Marvin at AllMusic
- Hank Marvin Interview at NAMM Oral History Library (2019)