BIOGRAPHICAL DETAILS
Description: Bassist, UK
Known For: Former member of “The Shadows”
Instruments: Bass
Music Styles: Rock
Location: United Kingdom
Date Born: 22nd December 1940
Location Born: Bedworth, United Kingdom
He died in North Wales on 8th October, 2020 aged 81
CONTACT DETAILS
Web Site:
YOUTUBE VIDEO
BIOGRAPHICAL PROFILE
Brian Locking
Brian “Licorice” Locking (born 22 December 1938 in Bedworth, Warwickshire, England) was the bass guitarist with The Shadowsbetween 1962 and 1963.
An English bass gutarist mainly known as a member of “The Shadows”.
He began playing double bass 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 instrumentals 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.
Above: Brian Bennett & Brian “Liquorice” Locking & Big Jim Sullivan interview
After being in the Shadows for only eighteen months, Locking left to pursue his activities as a 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).
He began playing double bass in several bands, notably with the Lincolnshire based rocker All in-depth information may be obtained at the web address above.
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)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia