RAPIERS ARE GO!

Post o' the Week: Shredding in Progress

Twentysomething guitarist Justin Daish of Yeovil, Somerset, who as a wee lad probably had a DNA infusion from Hank Marvin, posted this YouTube praise about Colin Pryce-Jones's guitar adventures during a late-'90s workout on the Joey Dee hit Peppermint Twist.

"Brilliant playing from the whole band. I've not heard Colin playing so frantically before. This proves that—if he wanted to—he could shred with the best of them!'

Now here's the video wot fired Justin's admiration. Personally? PT ain't my preferred get-out-on-the-dance-floor call-to-arms, but The Rapiers gyrate the heck out of it.

When The Rapiers Dazzled on "Star Search"

Not sure of the screening date of this UK programme, certainly no later than 1992, but the high energy positively gobsmacks on Nutrocker and William Tell from John Tuck and the frontline of Dave Lawes, Brad Dallaston and Colin Pryce-Jones, who, for a change, have room to run.

Erm, no, I don't know how the band fared in the final vote.

"Brand New Cadillac" Puts the Rock in Gear

Synchronised m-m-m-motorbikers sporting jackets stitched with Triumph logos, picture-perfected Teddy Boys kitted out in pink and blue drapes, line-dancing chicks twirling in flowing skirts, The Rapiers jack hammering singer Vince Taylor's Brand New Cadillac until it hurts so good.

This scene just ain't gettin' more black leather rock rock rock. Small wonder the camera spends so much time surveying the dance floor instead of Dave Lawes, Brad Dallaston, John Tuck and Colin Pryce-Jones, circa 1987-1992.

"Nivram" Like It's 1999

Since 1998, flipping over the August calendar means Shadowmania is nigh; in fact, 20 September this year. On that Saturday at the Lakeside Club in Frimley Green, The Rapiers trod the stage with their Fiesta Red Stratocasters for the 10th time at Bruce Welch's Shadstastic shindig. A better Best-of-British experience you won't find anywhere.

And as surely as the Surrey leaves are thinking about turning, bet maestro bassist and BritPop legend Jet Harris offers Nivram, his jazzy, loose-as-a-goose signature instrumental, all the way from The Shadows' debut album, 47 summers ago.

For your pre-show pleasure, here's a Nivram variation—venue uncertain but perhaps the Roses Theatre in Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire, circa 1999, says its YouTube poster—presumably with the Neil-Brad-John-Colin Rapiers in support.

Nice sound quality, too.

Rhythm and Greens/Rhythm 'N' Greens/Rhythm & Greens

Yeah, baby! Ooh, ah!

White Burns Marvin guitars around their necks, befitting the occasion at a recent Bruce Welch Shadowmania, Neil Ainsby, Nathan J. Hulse and Colin Pryce-Jones with drummer John Tuck recreate the raucous title track (all-important sound effects included) from The Shadows' 1964 film short, a daft, mock history of Britain's beaches.

Nitpickers note: The variant "and", "'N'" and "&" connecting every other "Rhythm" and "Greens" reference (film, book, record) drives my proofreading genes insane. I can't find a consensus on the spelling, so choose your own.

Dixie Fried Madrid Style

Mas, por favor!

Two more rockers from that 2006 sojourn in Spain, starting with Carl Perkins's rockabilly standard Honey Don't, proving Colin Pryce-Jones knows Sun Records riffs. Then Mickie Most's Son of Brand New Cadillac masterpiece That's Alright, one of the standouts on You're Never Alone With The Rapiers. 

NB: Can't get enough TA? Another live version is here.

Do You Wanna Dance in Spain

Uno, dos, tres, quatro!

Shot in December 2006 in Madrid, Spain, this boisterous DYWD a la Los Shadows finds loco hombre Neil Ainsby cracking up compadre Nathan J. Hulse muy bien.

NB: Guessing the initial burst of applause follows a wild John Tuck workout on Wipe Out.

Let's Peppermint Twist Again

I never went ape for the original Joey Dee and The Starliters hit (nor, frankly, a version the Rapiers waxed on a 1986 EP), but I made a busybeeline to the storied Peppermint Lounge’s West 45th Street address immediately after arriving in New York City for the first time, February 1982, 18 winters after The Beatles swanned in. Ironically, the only thing I remember from headliner Marshall Crenshaw was Cliff and The Shadows’ Move It, though, at the time (tsk, tsk), I knew only a version by my San Francisco hometown heroes The Flamin’ Groovies.

Digression over, the point at hand is this frenetic PT by the Brad-Neil-John-Colin Rapiers, circa 1993-2001, featuring vocals and frenzied lead guitar from Mr. Dallaston and Mr. Pryce-Jones, respectively.

Rapiers Are Meek

Blowing back the mists of time shrouding Holloway Road in North London comes a Rapiers and Joe Meek video double play starring Dave Lawes, Brad Dallaston, John Tuck and Colin Pryce-Jones, venues unknown, dates unknown (but sometime between 1987 and 1992).

First unveiled: Green Jeans, a rocked-up treatment of the traditional Greensleeves, originally fashioned by producer Meek for The Fabulous Flee-Rekkers on Triumph Records, 1960. Rapier Fact: GJ led off Side 2 of Straight to the Point, The Rapiers' 1985 debut LP [OffBeat/Ace Records, WIK40].

Next up: A surprisingly polite, guitar-driven version of the most successful rock 'n' roll instrumental in the cosmos, Telstar, launched into No. 1 chart positions on both sides of the Atlantic by Meek's house band The Tornados in 1962. Rapier Fact: Telstar was recorded for Rapiers Vol. 4 EP [1986, Twang RA004].

Wipe Out in Waterlooville

Raised on first-wave US surf music, I have endured enough Pipelines, Misirlous and Wipe Outs to last a lifetime of instrumental curl riding. So the latter seahorse's regular place in Rapiers setlists pretty much forces me to stifle a yawn; however, that doesn't mean I ain't tom-tom mad about John Tuck's Big-Drums-from-Edmonton sound, technique and panache on The Surfaris' 1963 calling card (methinks John probably heard the UK cover the same year by producer Joe Meek's Saints first).

So marvel at the tight camera action below (anyone else detect a dash of Gene Krupa during the solo?), captured at a one-off, early-Rapiers reunion at Waterlooville, Portsmouth, December 2005, with Roger Cover, Dave Lawes and Colin Pryce-Jones setting the table. Way cool mood image above by lensman Stefano Rivoir.

Rapiers Sing Shadows @ Shadowmania

I can't fathom the exact years, maybe 2003, 2005 or 2006, but the event and venue are absolutely Shadow Bruce Welch's annual Shadowmania and the Lakeside Country Club in Frimley Green, Surrey. In the aural honeypot: keen coverings of two overlooked Shadows vocal recordings, courtesy Neil Ainsby, John Tuck, Nathan J. Hulse and Colin Pryce-Jones.

That's the Way It Goes, written by Hank Marvin and Bruce Welch for 1964's Dance With The Shadows LP, "could have given anything on the current beat-scene a run for its money", opine Malcolm Campbell, Les Woosey and Rob Bradford, authors of A Pocket Guide to Shadow Music [Idmon Publications, 2006]. Agreed.

I Only Want to Be With You, penned by Marvin, Welch, Brian Bennett and John Rostill, kicked off 1966's Shadow Music LP with "plenty of clout and jangly guitar work", to quote Campbell, Woosey and Bradford. Our lads' use of vintage white Burns guitars, favoured by The Shads back in the day, lends that extra drop of authenticity.

Neil Ainsby on Lead Voice

A man on a Merseybeat mission, Neil Ainsby channels his idol John Lennon when it's Mach Schau! time for throat-shredding vocalising, as on dance floor favourites Do You Love Me? and Dr. Feelgood with Brad Dallaston, John Tuck and Colin Pryce-Jones, live sometime between 1993 and 2001.

Rapiers Revive the Classics: Duckpond & William Tell

Behold a musical lesson in how to bring down a house.

If the 2008 Dave-Neil-Nathan-John-Colin Rapiers "at the gallop" on The William Tell Overture took your breath away, then hang on to the nearest standing stone as you gape at a super-caffeinated 1987-1992 Dave-Brad-John-Colin Rapiers segueing from Saturday Night at the Duckpond into Rossini orbit. In a word, wow!

Rapiers Toast to Billy Fury

Speaking of never-to-be-forgotten Billy Fury, here's bassist Roger Cover leading the first-generation Rapiers through a sprightly cover of Do You Really Love Me Too? (Fool's Errand) at a one-off reunion, Waterlooville, Portsmouth, December 2005.

Now reverse your time clock, swap out Roger for Brad Dallaston and you have The Rapiers Mk. II, circa 1987-1992, name checking Billy on Nothin' Shakin'.