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Daniel Joseph Anthony Meehan (2 March 1943 – 28 November 2005) was a founder member of the British group the Drifters with Jet Harris, Hank Marvin and Bruce Welch, which evolved into
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 ...
. He played drums on early
Cliff Richard Sir Cliff Richard (born Harry Rodger Webb; 14 October 1940) is a British singer and actor. He has total sales of over 21.5 million singles in the United Kingdom and, as of 2012, was the third-top-selling artist in UK Singles Chart histo ...
and the Shadows hits and on early Shadows'
instrumental An instrumental or instrumental song is music without any vocals, although it might include some inarticulate vocals, such as shouted backup vocals in a big band setting. Through Semantic change, semantic widening, a broader sense of the word s ...
s. Meehan was professionally nicknamed "The Baron" by his many admirers and friends within the British pop-rock music industry. He is reckoned to have influenced many thousands of teenage boys and adolescents to take up music as a career, including
Mick Fleetwood Michael John Kells Fleetwood (born 24 June 1947) is a British musician, songwriter and actor. He is the drummer, co-founder, and leader of the rock band Fleetwood Mac. Fleetwood, whose surname was merged with that of the group's bassist John Mc ...
of
Fleetwood Mac Fleetwood Mac are a British-American Rock music, rock band formed in London in 1967 by the singer and guitarist Peter Green (musician), Peter Green. Green named the band by combining the surnames of the drummer, Mick Fleetwood, and the bassis ...
, as a result of his iconic film performance in Cliff Richard's film '' The Young Ones''. His drumming style (cf. "Bongo Blues", "
Apache The Apache ( ) are several Southern Athabaskan language-speaking peoples of the Southwestern United States, Southwest, the Southern Plains and Northern Mexico. They are linguistically related to the Navajo. They migrated from the Athabascan ho ...
") is noticeably different from that of other drummers who the Shadows employed during 1958–2010 such as
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 ...
, Clem Cattini and Trevor Spencer. In his contribution to the 1961 book ''The Shadows by Themselves'', Meehan gives advice to all would-be drummers on drum-kit care and maintenance.


Biography

Meehan was born to Irish Catholic parents at New End Hospital, New End,
Hampstead Hampstead () is an area in London, England, which lies northwest of Charing Cross, located mainly in the London Borough of Camden, with a small part in the London Borough of Barnet. It borders Highgate and Golders Green to the north, Belsiz ...
, north London, England. He was 10 when he became interested in playing drums. By 13, he had his first job with a band playing in a dance hall in
Willesden Willesden () is an area of north-west London, situated 5 miles (8 km) north-west of Charing Cross. It is historically a parish in the county of Middlesex that was incorporated as the Municipal Borough of Willesden in 1933; it has formed ...
, London. He also played
timpani Timpani (; ) or kettledrums (also informally called timps) are musical instruments in the percussion instrument, percussion family. A type of drum categorised as a hemispherical drum, they consist of a Membranophone, membrane called a drumhead, ...
with the London Youth Orchestra. Meehan gradually established himself as a musician in the cabaret circuit, at the Churchill's Club in Bond Street, the Stork Club and other venues. He played briefly with skiffle band
The Vipers Skiffle Group The Vipers Skiffle Group – later known simply as The Vipers – were one of the leading British groups during the skiffle period of the mid to late 1950s, and were important in the careers of radio and television presenter Wally Whyton, coffe ...
, and with R&B outfit the Worried Men, also backing rock'n'roll singers such as
Tony Sheridan Anthony Esmond Sheridan McGinnity (21 May 1940 – 16 February 2013), known professionally as Tony Sheridan, was an English rock and roll guitarist who spent much of his adult life in Germany. He was best known as an early collaborator of th ...
and Vince Taylor. At the end of 1958 Meehan was asked by Hank Marvin and Bruce Welch to join the Drifters in preparation for a tour with
Cliff Richard Sir Cliff Richard (born Harry Rodger Webb; 14 October 1940) is a British singer and actor. He has total sales of over 21.5 million singles in the United Kingdom and, as of 2012, was the third-top-selling artist in UK Singles Chart histo ...
. He spent the next three years with the group, which soon became The Shadows. Meehan left the Shadows in October 1961 to work as an
arranger In music, an arrangement is a musical adaptation of an existing composition. Differences from the original composition may include reharmonization, melodic paraphrasing, orchestration, or formal development. Arranging differs from orchestrat ...
/producer and session drummer for Joe Meek ( John Leyton, Michael Cox: "Young Only Once", Andy Cavell) and from early 1962 at
Decca Records Decca Records is a British record label established in 1929 by Edward Lewis (Decca), Edward Lewis after his acquisition of a gramophone manufacturer, The Decca Gramophone Company. It set up an American subsidiary under the Decca name, which bec ...
. To prepare he took an intensive course of drum tuition with Max Abrams, from whom he'd already had a few lessons. He teamed again with Harris (who had also left the Shadows and moved to Decca) and as a duo had success with the instrumental " Diamonds" which also included
Jimmy Page James Patrick Page (born 9 January 1944) is an English musician and producer who achieved international success as the guitarist and founder of the Rock music, rock band Led Zeppelin. Page began his career as a studio session musician in Lo ...
on acoustic rhythm guitar. "Diamonds" was a number one hit in the UK. Harris and Meehan had two further hit singles together – "
Scarlett O'Hara Katie Scarlett O'Hara is the protagonist of Margaret Mitchell's 1936 in literature, 1936 novel ''Gone with the Wind (novel), Gone with the Wind'' and the 1939 Gone with the Wind (film), film of the same name, where she is portrayed by Vivien Le ...
" and " Applejack". On 1 January 1962, the Beatles were auditioned at Decca by Meehan, performing a selection of covers they had performed in various clubs over the years, interspersed with three
Lennon–McCartney Lennon–McCartney is the songwriting partnership between the English musicians John Lennon (1940–1980) and Paul McCartney (born 1942) of the Beatles. It is widely considered one of the greatest, best known and most successful musical collabo ...
originals.
The Beatles The Beatles were an English Rock music, rock band formed in Liverpool in 1960. The core lineup of the band comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are widely regarded as the Cultural impact of the Beatle ...
later found out that their manager
Brian Epstein Brian Samuel Epstein ( ; 19 September 1934 – 27 August 1967) was an English music entrepreneur who managed the Beatles from 1961 until his death in 1967. Epstein was born into a family of successful retailers in Liverpool, who put hi ...
had paid Meehan to produce the recordings made that day in order for the Beatles to retain ownership of the tapes. Decca rejected the Beatles choosing the Tremeloes, who auditioned the same day as the Beatles. After talks with Epstein, Decca did arrange for Meehan to produce the Beatles at Decca if the Beatles manager agreed to cover the expenses of about £100. On 7 February 1962, Epstein met Meehan, who made condescending comments about the Beatles' audition. With the meeting not going well and Epstein not impressed with Meehan, Epstein rejected the Decca offer. Meehan briefly played with the Shadows some years later when Brian Bennett was in hospital. He quit the music industry in the 1990s for a major career change as a psychologist, as a result of a lifelong hobby/interest. He worked in London at a local college lecturing in psychology until his death. He was a regular churchgoer at his local Roman Catholic church in
Maida Vale Maida Vale ( ) is an affluent residential district in North West London, England, north of Paddington, southwest of St John's Wood and south of Kilburn, on Edgware Road. It is part of the City of Westminster and is northwest of Charing C ...
.


Early career groups (pre-Shadows/Drifters)

;1956 – (Skiffle Trio): *John 'Frog' Steiner (guitar/vocals), Tony Kessler (guitar/harmonica) and Tony Meehan (washboard/side-drum)
;1956–57 – (Trad-Irish-band): *Billy Flynn (guitar/vocals), Raymond Cleary (guitar), David Rees (stand-up bass guitar) and Tony Meehan (washboard)
;1958 – The Vipers: * Wally Whyton (vocals/guitar), Johnny Booker (vocals/guitar), Freddy Lloyd (vocals/guitar) Jet Harris (bass) and Tony Meehan (drums)


Death

On 29 November 2005,
BBC News BBC News is an operational business division of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) responsible for the gathering and broadcasting of news and current affairs in the UK and around the world. The department is the world's largest broad ...
quoted Bruce Welch as saying that Meehan had died the previous day, as a result of head injuries, following a fall down the main staircase at his London flat in Maida Vale. Meehan died at St Mary's Hospital,
Paddington Paddington is an area in the City of Westminster, in central London, England. A medieval parish then a metropolitan borough of the County of London, it was integrated with Westminster and Greater London in 1965. Paddington station, designed b ...
, London. At his death, Meehan had been twice married and had seven children, including pop singer Siobhan de Maré.


Groupography

*The Vipers Skiffle Group *The Drifters *Cliff Richard and the Drifters *The Shadows *Cliff Richard and the Shadows *Jet Harris & Tony Meehan *The Tony Meehan Combo


Discography


Performance credits

*Cliff Richard and the Shadows – " Cliff Sings" – 1959 /1960 (Columbia/ABC Paramount) *Cliff Richard and the Shadows – " Me and My Shadows" – 1960 (Columbia) *Cliff Richard and the Shadows – " The Young Ones" – 1961 (Columbia) *Cliff Richard and the Shadows – "
Move It "Move It" is a song written by Ian Samwell and recorded by Cliff Richard and the Drifters (the English band that would later become the Shadows). Originally intended as the B-side to "Schoolboy Crush", it was released as Richard's debut single ...
" – 1958 (Columbia) *Cliff Richard and the Shadows – " Living Doll" – 1959 (Columbia) *
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 ...
– "
Apache The Apache ( ) are several Southern Athabaskan language-speaking peoples of the Southwestern United States, Southwest, the Southern Plains and Northern Mexico. They are linguistically related to the Navajo. They migrated from the Athabascan ho ...
" – 1960 (Columbia) *
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 ...
– "Wonderful Land" – 1960 (Columbia) *
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 ...
– " Man of Mystery" – 1960 (Columbia) *
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 ...
– "The Shadows" – 1961 (Columbia) *
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 ...
– " Kon-Tiki" – 1961 (Columbia) *
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 ...
– " F.B.I." – 1961 (Columbia) *
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 ...
– "See You in My Drums" – 1961 (Columbia) *
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 ...
– "Meeting with the Shadows" – 1962 (Columbia – 33QPX 8027) *
Roger Daltrey Sir Roger Harry Daltrey (born 1 March 1944) is an English singer, musician and actor. He is the co-founder and lead vocalist of the Rock music, rock band the Who, known for his powerful voice and charismatic stage presence. His stage persona ear ...
– "Ride A Rock Horse" – 1975 (Track / MCA)


As Jet Harris and Tony Meehan


Albums

*''Remembering'' – LP – Decca *''Best of'' – CD *''Diamonds and Gems'' – CD


Singles

*" Diamonds" / "Footstomp" – 7" – Decca, #1 on British chartsBrown, Tony, Jon Kutner & Neil Warwick, ''The Complete Book of the British Charts: Singles and Albums'',
Omnibus Press Omnibus Press is a publisher of music-related books. It publishes around 30 new titles a year to add to a backlist of over 300 titles currently in print. History Omnibus Press was launched in 1972 as a general non-fiction publisher to complem ...
, London, 2002, p. 451 *"
Scarlett O'Hara Katie Scarlett O'Hara is the protagonist of Margaret Mitchell's 1936 in literature, 1936 novel ''Gone with the Wind (novel), Gone with the Wind'' and the 1939 Gone with the Wind (film), film of the same name, where she is portrayed by Vivien Le ...
" / "Hully Gully" – 7" – Decca #2 on British charts *" Applejack" / "Tall Texan" – 7" – Decca, #4 on British charts


EPs

*''Jet and Tony'' – EP – Decca 33 on British EP charts


As solo artist

*"Song of Mexico" / "Kings Go Fifth" – 7" – Decca – 1964 *"Zola / Reaching Out For Gold" – 1984 (Magus)


Production credits


Albums

* Donal Donnelly – ''Take the Name of Donnelly'' – 1968 (Decca) *
Tim Hardin James Timothy Hardin (December 23, 1941 – December 29, 1980) was an American folk music and blues singer-songwriter and guitarist. In addition to his own success, his songs " If I Were a Carpenter", " Reason to Believe", " Misty Roses" and " ...
– '' Painted Head'' – 1973 (CBS) *Danny Mcbride – "Morningside" – 1973 (CBS) * John Howard – ''Kid in a Big World'' – 1975 (CBS 80473) *Kevin Westlake – ''Stars Fade (In Hotel Rooms)'' – 1976 (UTOPIA 1–1388) *
Roger Daltrey Sir Roger Harry Daltrey (born 1 March 1944) is an English singer, musician and actor. He is the co-founder and lead vocalist of the Rock music, rock band the Who, known for his powerful voice and charismatic stage presence. His stage persona ear ...
– '' One of the Boys'' – 1977 (MCA) *
Eric Burdon Eric Victor Burdon (born 11 May 1941) is an English singer and songwriter. He was previously the lead vocalist of the rhythm and blues, R&B and Rock music, rock band The Animals and the funk band War (band), War. He is regarded as one of the Br ...
– '' Darkness Darkness'' – 1980 (Polydor) * Kim & The Cadillacs – Rock Bottom – 1980 (Ariston Music AR/LP/12379) (Italian release)


Singles

* Louise Cordet – "I'm Just a Baby" / "In a Matter of Moments" – 1962 (Decca) *Jay and Tommy Scott – "Angela" / "Did You" – 1962 (Decca) * Jet Harris & Tony Meehan – Diamonds" / "Footstomp" 1963 – (Decca) *Jet Harris & Tony Meehan – "Scarlett O'Hara" / "Hully Gully" 1963 – (Decca) *Jet Harris & Tony Meehan – "Applejack" / "Tall Texan" – 1963 – (Decca) *Tony Meehan – "Song of Mexico" / "Kings Go Fifth" – 7" – Decca – 1964 *Louise Cordet – " Don't Let the Sun Catch You Crying" / "Loving Baby" – 1964 (Decca) *
Glyn Johns Glyn Thomas Johns (born 15 February 1942) is an English recording engineer and record producer. He has worked with many of the most famous rock recording acts from both the UK and abroad, such as the Rolling Stones, the Beatles, the Who, ...
– "Old Deceiver Time" b/w "Dancing With You" 1963 (Decca F11753) *Jet Harris – "My Lady" / "You Don't Live Twice" – 1964 (Decca) *
Glyn Johns Glyn Thomas Johns (born 15 February 1942) is an English recording engineer and record producer. He has worked with many of the most famous rock recording acts from both the UK and abroad, such as the Rolling Stones, the Beatles, the Who, ...
– "Today You're Gone" b/w "Such Stuff of Dreams" 1965 (Lyntone LYN 827) *
Glyn Johns Glyn Thomas Johns (born 15 February 1942) is an English recording engineer and record producer. He has worked with many of the most famous rock recording acts from both the UK and abroad, such as the Rolling Stones, the Beatles, the Who, ...
– "I'll Follow The Sun" b/w "I'll Take You Dancing" 1965 (Pye 7N 15818) *
Glyn Johns Glyn Thomas Johns (born 15 February 1942) is an English recording engineer and record producer. He has worked with many of the most famous rock recording acts from both the UK and abroad, such as the Rolling Stones, the Beatles, the Who, ...
– "Mary Anne" b/w "Like Grains of Yellow Sand" 1965 (Immediate IM 013) *
Glyn Johns Glyn Thomas Johns (born 15 February 1942) is an English recording engineer and record producer. He has worked with many of the most famous rock recording acts from both the UK and abroad, such as the Rolling Stones, the Beatles, the Who, ...
– "Lady Jane" feat.
Brian Jones Lewis Brian Hopkin Jones (28 February 1942 – 3 July 1969) was an English musician and founder of the Rolling Stones. Initially a slide guitarist, he went on to sing backing vocals and played a wide variety of instruments on Rolling Stones r ...
on Sitar 1966 *Les Anges – "Une Fille, Mais Qu'Est-Ce Que C'Est" ‎(7", EP) – 1967 (Odeon/EMI MEO 141) (French release) * Wishful Thinking – "Peanuts / Cherry, Cherry" – 1967 (Decca/Southern Music F 12627) * Wishful Thinking – "Meet The Sun / Easier Said Than Loving You" – 1967 (Decca F22673) *Wishful Thinking – "Count to Ten / Hang Around Girl" – 1967 (Decca F 12598) *The Dalys – "Sweet Maria / Leaving Time" – 1967 (Fontana TF 809) *The Dalys – "
A Fistful of Dollars ''A Fistful of Dollars'' (, (''For a Fistful of Dollars'')) is a 1964 spaghetti Western film directed by Sergio Leone and starring Clint Eastwood in his first leading role, alongside Gian Maria Volonté, Marianne Koch, Wolfgang Lukschy, Si ...
/ The Man With No Name" – 1967 (Fontana TF 841) * Richard Anthony – "Put Your Head on My Shoulder" – 1967 (Columbia/Sparta Music DB 8143) *
White Trash White trash is a derogatory term in American English for poor white people, especially in the rural areas of the southern United States. The label signifies a social class within the white population, especially those perceived to have a ...
– "Road to Nowhere" / "Illusions" – 1969 (Apple) * Trash – "
Golden Slumbers "Golden Slumbers" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles from their 1969 album ''Abbey Road''. Written by Paul McCartney and credited to Lennon–McCartney, it is the sixth song of the album's Abbey Road#Medley, climactic B-side medley. ...
/ Carry That Weight" / "Trash Can" – 1969 (Apple) *Keith Meehan – "Darkness of My Life / Hooker St." – 1969 (Marmalade) *Frabjoy And Runcible Spoon – "I'm Beside Myself / Animal Song" – 1969 (Marmalade 598019) * Hank Marvin – "Break Another Dawn / Morning Star" – 1970 (Columbia DB 8693) * Cody – "I Belong with You" / "Wanna Make You Happy" – 1971 (Polydor/Atco) *
Colin Blunstone Colin Edward Michael Blunstone (born 24 June 1945) is an English singer and songwriter. In a career spanning more than 60 years, Blunstone came to prominence in the mid-1960s as the lead singer of the Rock music, rock band the Zombies, which rel ...
– "It's Magical / Summersong" – 1974 (Epic) * Darryl Read – "High Rise Angry Young Man" – 1981 (on "Collectomatic vol I" – LP—1997 (white label))


References


Further reading

*''Driftin' with Cliff Richard'', by J. Harris, R. Ellis and C. Richard *''The Shadows by Themselves'' by Royston Ellis with The Shadows. Consul Books. 1961. No ISBN. *''The Story of the Shadows'' by Mike Read. 1983. Elm Tree books. *''That Sound (From Move It On, The Story of the Magic Sound of The Shadows)'', by R. Pistolesi, M. Addey and M. Mazzini. Publ: Vanni Lisanti. June 2000. No ISBN. *''The Complete Rock Family Rock Trees'', by Pete Frame. Omnibus. *''Guinness World Records:
British Hit Singles & Albums ''British Hit Singles & Albums'' (originally known as ''The Guinness Book of British Hit Singles'' and ''The Guinness Book of British Hit Albums'') was a music reference work, reference book originally published in the United Kingdom by the p ...
'' (19th Edn), David Roberts. *''The Complete Book of the British Charts (Singles and Albums)'', by Neil Warwick, Jon Kutner & Tony Brown, 3rd Edn. *''Jet Harris – Survivor'', by Dave Nicolson, , 31 October 2009. {{DEFAULTSORT:Meehan, Tony 1943 births 2005 deaths Accidental deaths from falls Accidental deaths in London English people of Irish descent English rock drummers British male drummers Musicians from the London Borough of Camden People from Hampstead People from Maida Vale The Shadows members 20th-century British male musicians Musicians from the City of Westminster