Bass Guitarist Jet Harris
Source: Burns Amps
Drummer Tony Meehan
Source: Wikipedia
Born on 6 July 1939 in London, bass guitarist, Jet Harris, was a British Invasion musician. In 1956 he belonged to a high school band called the Delinquents. His first professional band was Terry Dene's Aces in 1957 before joining Tony Crombie's Rockets to back Wee Willie Harris in 1958. He then performed with the Vipers Skiffle Group and the Most Brothers. (There was a time when to be a viper meant that you used marijuana.) Harris' first recordings were in September 1958 with the Vipers per 'Summertime Blues' bw 'Liverpool Blues' (Parlophone 4484). Those were also drummer, Tony Meehan's, first tracks. Both Harris and Meehan joined Cliff Richard & the Drifters early enough for a session on 14 November 1958 toward 'Livin' Lovin Doll' / 'Steady With You' issued on Columbia DB 4249 in January 1959. Their next plate included Harris' composition, 'Jet Black' (Columbia DB 4325).
'Summertime Blues' The Vipers
Sep 1958 Parlophone 4484
Guitar: Freddie Floyd / Johnny Booker Bass guitar: Jet Harris
Drums: Tony Meehan Vocal: Wally Whyton
Composition: Eddie Cochran / Jerry Capehart
'Liverpool Blues' The Vipers
Sep 1958 Parlophone 4484
Guitar: Freddie Floyd / Johnny Booker Bass guitar: Jet Harris
Drums: Tony Meehan Vocal: Wally Whyton
Composition: Eddie Cochran / Jerry Capehart
'Livin' Lovin' Doll' Cliff Richard & the Drifters
14 Nov 1958 Columbia DB 4249
Lead guitar: Hank Marvin Rhythm guitar: Bruce Welch Bass guitar: Jet Harris
Drums: Tony Meehan Vocal: Richard
Composition: Jim Gustard / Johnny May
'Steady With You' Cliff Richard & the Drifters
14 Nov 1958 Columbia DB 4249
Lead guitar: Hank Marvin Rhythm guitar: Bruce Welch Bass guitar: Jet Harris
Drums: Tony Meehan Vocal: Richard Backup vocals: Mike Sammes Singers
Composition: Ian Samwell
'Jet Black' Cliff Richard & the Drifters
Feb 1959 Columbia DB 4325
Lead guitar: Hank Marvin Rhythm guitar: Bruce Welch
Bass guitar: Jet Harris Drums: Tony Meehan
Composition: Jet Harris
Harris and Meehan followed Richard into Cliff Richard & the Shadows in 1959, changing the name of his band to avoid confusion with the Drifters [Wikipedia
] in the United States. Richard's first issue with the shadows was 'Travelin' Light' bw 'Dynamite' (Columbia DB 4351) that year. Both Harris and Meehan toured the States and Canada with the Shadows in 1960, making them Invasion musicians. Meehan left in October 1961 to work sessions for Joe Meek. Harris was fired from the Shadows for excessive drinking in April of 1962, after the recording of 'Wonderful Land' that February. His first solo disc was with Meehan per 'Besame Mucho' bw 'Chills and Fever' (Decca F 11466) as of April of 1962. Their release of 'Diamonds' (Decca F 11563) in January of 1963 rose to #1 on the charts, that produced by Meehan. The Harris-Meehan partnership ended in September of 1963 when Harris' chauffeur crashed into a bus, leaving both him and his girlfriend, Billie Davis [Wikipedia], seriously injured.
'Travellin’ Light' Cliff Richard & the Shadows
25 July 1959 in London Columbia 4351
Lead guitar: Hank Marvin Rhythm guitar: Bruce Welch Bass guitar: Jet Harris
Drums: Tony Meehan Vocal: Richard
Composition: Sid Tepper / Roy C. Bennett
'Dynamite' Cliff Richard & the Shadows
25 July 1959 in London Columbia 4351
Lead guitar: Hank Marvin Rhythm guitar: Bruce Welch Bass guitar: Jet Harris
Drums: Tony Meehan Vocal: Richard
Composition: Sid Tepper / Roy C. Bennett
'Wonderful Land' Cliff Richard & the Shadows
May 1961 Columbia DB 4790
Lead guitar: Hank Marvin Rhythm guitar: Bruce Welch
Bass guitar: Jet Harris Drums: Tony Meehan Strings: Norrie Paramor
Composition: Jerry Lordan
'Besame Mucho' ('Kiss Me Much') Bolero by Jet Harris w Tony Meehan
April 1962 Decca F 11466
Composition: Consuelo Velázquez 1932
'Chills and Fever' Jet Harris w Tony Meehan
April 1962 Decca F 11466
Composition: Hank Thompson / Billy Gray
'Main Title Theme from The Man with the Golden Arm' Jet Harris w the Jetblacks
C June 1962 Decca F 11488 Issued Aug 1962
Synced w 'Spot The Tune' for Granada Television 14 July 1962
Baritone sax: Glenn Hughes Tenor sax: Quincy Davis
Guitar: Barry Lovegrove or Pete Carter Drums: Mick Underwood or Jim Ellis
Composition: Elmer Bernstein / Sylvia Fine
'The Man with the Golden Arm': 1955 film directed by Otto Preminger starring Frank Sinatra
'Some People' Jet Harris w the Jetblacks
C June 1962 Decca F 11488 Issued Aug 1962
Guitar: Barry Lovegrove or Pete Carter Drums: Mick Underwood or Jim Ellis
Vocals: Harrus / Terry Webster
Composition: Les Vandyke
From the 1962 film 'Some People' directed by Clive Donner
'Diamonds' Jet Harris (lead guitar) w Tony Meehan (drums / producer)
23 Nov 1962 in London Decca F 11563
Rhythm guitar (acoustic): Jimmy Page (debut recording session)
Bass guitar: John Paul Jones as John Baldwin (debut recording session)
Composition: Jerry Lordan
'Footstomp' Jet Harris (lead guitar) w Tony Meehan (drums / producer)
23 Nov 1962 in London Decca F 11563
Rhythm guitar (acoustic): Jimmy Page (debut recording session)
Bass guitar: John Paul Jones as John Baldwin (debut recording session)
Composition: Meehan
'The Tall Texan' Jet Harris (guitar) w Tony Meehan (drums)
24 July 1963 in London Decca F 11710 Released 30 Aug 1963
Composition: Meehan
Harris formed the Jet Harris Band in 1966, issuing 'My Lady' / 'You Don't Live Twice' (Fontana TF 849) in 1967. He briefly performed with Jeff Beck that year as well, then found himself working day jobs, whatever he could find, as a result of alcohol. Harris was back to recording in 1975 with 'A Theme for a Fallen Idol' bw 'This Sporting Life'. Bankruptcy followed in 1988.
'My Lady' Jet Harris
Fontana TF 849 Issued July 1967
Composition: Reg Presley
'Theme From a Fallen Idol' Jet Harris
1975 SRT 75355 A
Composition: Roger LaVern
'This Sportin' Life' Jet Harris
1975 SRT 75355 B
Composition: Brownie McGhee
Harris briefly joined or guested with other bands, including the 'The Event' concerts in 1989 with Richard and Meehan. Meehan left the music business in the nineties to teach psychology. Fender, which guitars Harris famously used, rewarded him with a Lifetime Achievement Award in 1998. The new millennium saw Harris touring from 2005 to 2009. Meehan had died a Roman Catholic on 28 November 2005, hitting his head upon falling down a staircase. Harris issued his last album in 2007: 'The Journey'.
'Song for Tony' Jet Harris
From Harris' final album of 2007 'The Journey'
Composition: Richard Cartridge
On New Years Eve of 2010 Harris was made MBE (Member of the Order of the British Empire). He died a few months later in Winchester on March 18 of 2011 [obit / obit / obit].
Sources & References for Jet Harris:
Alchetron VF History (notes) Wikipedia
Associates Musical:
Tony Meehan (drummer / 2 March 1943 in London-28 Nov 2005 in London):
From the Vaults Bob Henrit Hillman Web Spectropop Wikipedia
Compositions: Music Brainz Second Hand Songs
Discographies: Discogs Rate Your Music Rocky Productions
Compositions: Music Brainz Second Hand Songs
Discographies:
Discogs (Jet Harris)
Discogs (Jet Harris w Tony Meehan)
Film / Television: IMDb
Other Profiles: From the Vaults Hillman Web
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