Brian Locking
Encyclopedia
Brian "Licorice" Locking (born 22 December 1938, in Bedworth
, Warwickshire
, England
) was the bass guitar
ist with The Shadows
between 1962-1963.
in several bands
, notably with the Lincolnshire
based rocker Vince Eager
(born Roy Taylor, 4 June 1940, in Lincoln
). He switched to bass guitar, later joining The Wildcats, a backing group for the rock and roll
singer Marty Wilde
. A fellow Wildcat was the drummer
and future Shadow
, Brian Bennett.
Locking also played several other instruments
, including clarinet
(nicknamed the "licorice stick"), which earned Locking the nickname "Licorice". When Marty Wilde parted company from The Wildcats, they changed their name to the Krew Kats and recorded
instrumental
s with modest success. Bennett then left to join the Shadows.
In April 1962, at Bennett's suggestion, Licorice Locking was himself invited to join the Shadows to replace the departing Jet Harris
. Stylistically, Locking had a solid "less is more" approach, which was the obverse of Harris's adventurous hard-driving style. The Shadows' sound changed as a result. Locking played on some of their best known tracks, including "Dance On", "Foot Tapper" and "Atlantis". He also played the harmonica
in live shows and on his signature album
track, "Dakota". He appeared in the Cliff Richard
film
, Summer Holiday.
After being in the Shadows for only eighteen months, Locking left to pursue his activities as one of Jehovah's Witnesses
. He briefly played with the Shadows again five years later while his successor John Rostill
was in hospital. In more recent times Locking has been a regular guest playing at Shadows fan clubs across the UK
and abroad. He also does occasional public gigs
with Shadows style bands.
Some biographers credit Locking with having introduced Cliff Richard
to Christianity by warning him of the dangers of spiritualism (Richard had reportedly expressed an interest in trying to contact his recently deceased father Roger Webb).
1958 - Janice Peter & the Playboys
1959 - Marty Wild's Wildcats
1961 - The Krew Kats
Bedworth
Bedworth is a market town in the Nuneaton and Bedworth district of Warwickshire, England. It lies northwest of London, east of Birmingham, and north northeast of the county town of Warwick. It is situated between Coventry, to the south, and Nuneaton, to the north.In the 2001 census the town...
, Warwickshire
Warwickshire
Warwickshire is a landlocked non-metropolitan county in the West Midlands region of England. The county town is Warwick, although the largest town is Nuneaton. The county is famous for being the birthplace of William Shakespeare...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
) was the bass guitar
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
ist with The Shadows
The Shadows
The Shadows are a British pop group with a total of 69 UK hit-charted singles: 35 as 'The Shadows' and 34 as 'Cliff Richard and the Shadows', from the 1950s to the 2000s. Cliff Richard in casual conversation with the British rock press frequently refers to the Shadows by their nickname: 'The Shads'...
between 1962-1963.
Career
He began playing double bassDouble bass
The double bass, also called the string bass, upright bass, standup bass or contrabass, is the largest and lowest-pitched bowed string instrument in the modern symphony orchestra, with strings usually tuned to E1, A1, D2 and G2...
in several bands
Band (music)
In music, a musical ensemble or band is a group of musicians that works together to perform music. The following articles concern types of musical bands:* All-female band* Big band* Boy band* Christian band* Church band* Concert band* Cover band...
, notably with the Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire is a county in the east of England. It borders Norfolk to the south east, Cambridgeshire to the south, Rutland to the south west, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire to the west, South Yorkshire to the north west, and the East Riding of Yorkshire to the north. It also borders...
based rocker Vince Eager
Vince Eager
Vince Eager is a British pop singer.As a teenager, he formed the Harmonica Vagabonds, later the Vagabonds Skiffle Group, with Roy Clark, Mick Fretwell, and bassist Brian Locking. The group reached the final round of a televised "World Skiffle Championship", and were offered a residency at the 2...
(born Roy Taylor, 4 June 1940, in Lincoln
Lincoln, Lincolnshire
Lincoln is a cathedral city and county town of Lincolnshire, England.The non-metropolitan district of Lincoln has a population of 85,595; the 2001 census gave the entire area of Lincoln a population of 120,779....
). He switched to bass guitar, later joining The Wildcats, a backing group for the rock and roll
Rock and roll
Rock and roll is a genre of popular music that originated and evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s, primarily from a combination of African American blues, country, jazz, and gospel music...
singer Marty Wilde
Marty Wilde
Marty Wilde is an English singer and songwriter. He was among the first generation of British pop stars to emulate American rock and roll, and is the father of pop singers Ricky Wilde, Kim Wilde and Roxanne Wilde.-Career:Wilde was performing under the name Reg Patterson at London's Condor Club in...
. A fellow Wildcat was the drummer
Drummer
A drummer is a musician who is capable of playing drums, which includes but is not limited to a drum kit and accessory based hardware which includes an assortment of pedals and standing support mechanisms, marching percussion and/or any musical instrument that is struck within the context of a...
and future Shadow
The Shadows
The Shadows are a British pop group with a total of 69 UK hit-charted singles: 35 as 'The Shadows' and 34 as 'Cliff Richard and the Shadows', from the 1950s to the 2000s. Cliff Richard in casual conversation with the British rock press frequently refers to the Shadows by their nickname: 'The Shads'...
, Brian Bennett.
Locking also played several other instruments
Musical instrument
A musical instrument is a device created or adapted for the purpose of making musical sounds. In principle, any object that produces sound can serve as a musical instrument—it is through purpose that the object becomes a musical instrument. The history of musical instruments dates back to the...
, including clarinet
Clarinet
The clarinet is a musical instrument of woodwind type. The name derives from adding the suffix -et to the Italian word clarino , as the first clarinets had a strident tone similar to that of a trumpet. The instrument has an approximately cylindrical bore, and uses a single reed...
(nicknamed the "licorice stick"), which earned Locking the nickname "Licorice". When Marty Wilde parted company from The Wildcats, they changed their name to the Krew Kats and recorded
Sound recording and reproduction
Sound recording and reproduction is an electrical or mechanical inscription and re-creation of sound waves, such as spoken voice, singing, instrumental music, or sound effects. The two main classes of sound recording technology are analog recording and digital recording...
instrumental
Instrumental
An instrumental is a musical composition or recording without lyrics or singing, although it might include some non-articulate vocal input; the music is primarily or exclusively produced by musical instruments....
s with modest success. Bennett then left to join the Shadows.
In April 1962, at Bennett's suggestion, Licorice Locking was himself invited to join the Shadows to replace the departing Jet Harris
Jet Harris
Jet Harris, MBE was an English musician. He was the bass guitarist of The Shadows until April 1962, and had subsequent success as a soloist and as a duo with the drummer Tony Meehan....
. Stylistically, Locking had a solid "less is more" approach, which was the obverse of Harris's adventurous hard-driving style. The Shadows' sound changed as a result. Locking played on some of their best known tracks, including "Dance On", "Foot Tapper" and "Atlantis". He also played the harmonica
Harmonica
The harmonica, also called harp, French harp, blues harp, and mouth organ, is a free reed wind instrument used primarily in blues and American folk music, jazz, country, and rock and roll. It is played by blowing air into it or drawing air out by placing lips over individual holes or multiple holes...
in live shows and on his signature album
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
track, "Dakota". He appeared in the Cliff Richard
Cliff Richard
Sir Cliff Richard, OBE is a British pop singer, musician, performer, actor, and philanthropist who has sold over an estimated 250 million records worldwide....
film
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
, Summer Holiday.
After being in the Shadows for only eighteen months, Locking left to pursue his activities as one of Jehovah's Witnesses
Jehovah's Witnesses
Jehovah's Witnesses is a millenarian restorationist Christian denomination with nontrinitarian beliefs distinct from mainstream Christianity. The religion reports worldwide membership of over 7 million adherents involved in evangelism, convention attendance of over 12 million, and annual...
. He briefly played with the Shadows again five years later while his successor John Rostill
John Rostill
John Henry Rostill was an English bassist and composer, recruited by The Shadows to replace Brian Locking.-Biography:...
was in hospital. In more recent times Locking has been a regular guest playing at Shadows fan clubs across the UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and abroad. He also does occasional public gigs
Concert
A concert is a live performance before an audience. The performance may be by a single musician, sometimes then called a recital, or by a musical ensemble, such as an orchestra, a choir, or a musical band...
with Shadows style bands.
Some biographers credit Locking with having introduced Cliff Richard
Cliff Richard
Sir Cliff Richard, OBE is a British pop singer, musician, performer, actor, and philanthropist who has sold over an estimated 250 million records worldwide....
to Christianity by warning him of the dangers of spiritualism (Richard had reportedly expressed an interest in trying to contact his recently deceased father Roger Webb).
Early career groups (pre-Shadows/Drifters)
1958 - Vince Taylor & the Playboys- Vince Taylor(v)+Jim Sullivan(g)+Tony Sheridan(g)+Brian Locking(b)+Bennett(d)
1958 - Janice Peter & the Playboys
- Janice Peters(v)+Jim Sullivan(g)+Tony Sheridan(g)+Brian Locking(b)+Bennett(d)
1959 - Marty Wild's Wildcats
- Jim Sullivan(g)+Tony Belcher(g)+Brian Locking(b)+Bennett(d)
1961 - The Krew Kats
- Jim Sullivan(g)+Tony Belcher(g)+Brian Locking(b)+Bennett(d)