"Shindig" is an instrumental by British group

the Shadows The Shadows (originally known as the Drifters between 1958 and 1959) were an English instrumental rock group, who dominated the British popular music charts in the pre-Beatles era from the late 1950s to the early 1960s. They served as the bac ...

, released as a single in September 1963. It peaked at number 6 on the UK Singles Chart.

Release and reception

Unlike the majority of the Shadows' previous singles, recorded at

EMI Studios Abbey Road Studios (formerly EMI Recording Studios) is a music recording studio at 3 Abbey Road, St John's Wood, City of Westminster, London. It was established in November 1931 by the Gramophone Company, a predecessor of British music compan ...

, "Shindig" was recorded at the Jubilee Theatre in

Blackpool Blackpool is a seaside town in Lancashire, England. It is located on the Irish Sea coast of the Fylde peninsula, approximately north of Liverpool and west of Preston, Lancashire, Preston. It is the main settlement in the Borough of Blackpool ...

whilst the group were on tour. It was written by

Hank Marvin Hank Brian Marvin (born Brian Robson Rankin, 28 October 1941) is an English multi-instrumentalist, vocalist, and songwriter. He is known as the lead guitarist for the Shadows. Early life and career Marvin was born as Brian Robson Rankin at ...

and

Bruce Welch Bruce Cripps (born 2 November 1941), known professionally as Bruce Welch, is an English guitarist, songwriter, producer, singer and businessman best known as a founding member of the Shadows. Early life Bruce Welch was born in Bognor Regis in ...

and was released with the B-side "It's Been a Blue Day", written by

Brian Bennett Brian Laurence Bennett (born 9 February 1940) is an English drummer, pianist, composer and producer of popular music. He is best known as the drummer of the UK rock and roll group the Shadows. He is the father of musician and Shadows band memb ...

. Reviewed in ''

New Record Mirror ''Record Mirror'' was a British weekly music newspaper published between 1954 and 1991, aimed at pop fans and record collectors. Launched two years after ''New Musical Express'', it never attained the circulation of its rival. The first UK album ...

'', "Shindig" was described as a "change of pace from their last one on this very infectious number from the Shadows. Probably the best and the most different they have made for a long time. The guitar sounds are different on this one, and fast tempo is maintained throughout without any major deviations. Catchy and commercial, watch out for it at the top of the charts".

Don Nicholl Donald Nicholl (August 9, 1925 – July 5, 1980) was an English screenwriter and producer who later worked in the United States. Early life Nicholl was born in Sunderland, Tyne and Wear, Sunderland, England. He worked as a journalist, columnis ...

for ''

Disc Disc or disk may refer to: * Disk (mathematics), a two dimensional shape, the interior of a circle * Disk storage * Optical disc * Floppy disk Music * Disc (band), an American experimental music band * ''Disk'' (album), a 1995 EP by Moby Other ...

'' write that it has "something of a Western flavour to it" and that it "may lack a little of the impact of previous performances, but which should grow on you, and grow into a steady seller, too.

Track listing

7": Columbia / DB 7106 # "Shindig" – 2:17 # "It's Been a Blue Day" – 2:02

Personnel

– lead guitar *

– rhythm guitar * Brian "Licorice" Locking – electric bass guitar *

– drums,

tambourine The tambourine is a musical instrument in the percussion family consisting of a frame, often of wood or plastic, with pairs of small metal jingles, called "zills". Classically the term tambourine denotes an instrument with a drumhead, thoug ...

Charts

References

{{authority control 1963 singles The Shadows songs Songs written by Bruce Welch 1960s instrumentals Songs written by Hank Marvin 1963 songs Columbia Graphophone Company singles Song recordings produced by Norrie Paramor Rock instrumentals