The Arrows Show
Encyclopedia
Arrows was a pop television series aimed at the teen market, which aired in 1976 and 1977 in the UK.
The show was produced by British TV legend Muriel Young
, and ran for two full 14 week series on the ITV
network, produced by Granada Television
.
The Arrows show format was that the band would perform their own songs, and they would introduce the guest artists. There was also a pop dance troupe called Him and Us who were regulars on the series.
The Arrows were (lead singer) Alan Merrill
, (guitarist) Jake Hooker
and (drummer) Paul Varley
.
Guests on the Arrows show included such artists as Marc Bolan
, The Bay City Rollers, The Drifters
, Gilbert O'Sullivan
, Peter Noone
, Alvin Stardust
, Gene Pitney
, Slade
, Pilot
, Billy J. Kramer
, The Real Thing
, and many more.
The band Arrows were very popular in the teen print media in the mid 1970s, appearing in interviews and as pin-ups in all the glossy fan magazines of the day. They even had their own weekly cartoon strip which ran in Music Star magazine. A book was written about the band by Bill Harry
in 1976.
There were 28 Arrows Shows in total. With repeats that's 56 airings of the show.
The Arrows Show was broadcast across the entire ITV network, including all of England, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, Gibraltar, Hong Kong, and more, for both series.
During the second series the band added a fourth member, guitarist Terry Taylor, formerly a member of the band Tucky Buzzard
. Taylor was introduced to the Arrows by The Rolling Stones
' bass player Bill Wyman
in January 1976. Terry Taylor is currently the musical director and a guitarist in Bill Wyman's Rhythm Kings
band.
Historically, the band Arrows are now best known for writing, recording, and releasing the first version of the song "I Love Rock 'N Roll" in 1975, a year before the band had their TV series. The song is an international rock classic, recorded by many well-known artists, including Joan Jett
and Britney Spears
.
band Runner, Varley to the Charisma Records
band Darling, and Hooker married Lorna Luft
, retiring as a performer and becoming his wife's manager.
The Arrows Show producer, UK television legend Muriel Young, died in 2001.
The show was produced by British TV legend Muriel Young
Muriel Young
Muriel Young was a British television continuity announcer, presenter and producer.-Early life:...
, and ran for two full 14 week series on the ITV
ITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
network, produced by Granada Television
Granada Television
Granada Television is the ITV contractor for North West England. Based in Manchester since its inception, it is the only surviving original ITA franchisee from 1954 and is ITV's most successful....
.
The Arrows show format was that the band would perform their own songs, and they would introduce the guest artists. There was also a pop dance troupe called Him and Us who were regulars on the series.
The Arrows were (lead singer) Alan Merrill
Alan Merrill
Alan Merrill is an American vocalist, guitarist, and songwriter. In the early 1970s Merrill was the first westerner to achieve pop star status in Japan...
, (guitarist) Jake Hooker
Jake Hooker (musician)
Jake Hooker Is an Israeli born Musician. He was the Guitarist for the Rock/Pop band Arrows. His family moved to the United States when he was a child, but Jake moved to England to pursue his Adult life. Now Jake currently lives in Los Angeles,CA.-Career:Jake Hooker was one of the Founders of the...
and (drummer) Paul Varley
Paul Varley
Paul Varley was an English musician best known as the drummer in the band Arrows.Born in Preston, he played on several top 30 hit records, including "Touch Too Much," "My Last Night With You" and "I Love Rock 'N' Roll"....
.
Guests on the Arrows show included such artists as Marc Bolan
Marc Bolan
Marc Bolan was an English singer-songwriter, guitarist and poet. He is best known as the founder, frontman, lead singer & guitarist for T. Rex, but also a successful solo artist...
, The Bay City Rollers, The Drifters
The Drifters
The Drifters are a long-lived American doo-wop and R&B/soul vocal group with a peak in popularity from 1953 to 1963, though several splinter Drifters continue to perform today. They were originally formed to serve as Clyde McPhatter's backing group in 1953...
, Gilbert O'Sullivan
Gilbert O'Sullivan
Gilbert O'Sullivan is an Irish-English singer-songwriter, best known for his early 1970s hits "Alone Again ", "Clair" and "Get Down". The music magazine, Record Mirror, voted him the No...
, Peter Noone
Peter Noone
Peter Noone is an English singer-songwriter, guitarist, pianist and actor, best known as "Herman" of the successful 1960s rock group Herman's Hermits.-Early life:...
, Alvin Stardust
Alvin Stardust
Alvin Stardust is an English pop singer and stage actor.-Career:...
, Gene Pitney
Gene Pitney
Eugene Francis Alan Pitney, known as Gene Pitney , was an American singer-songwriter, musician and sound engineer. Through the mid-1960s, he enjoyed success as a recording artist on both sides of the Atlantic and was among the group of early 1960s American acts who continued to enjoy hits after the...
, Slade
Slade
Slade are an English rock band from Wolverhampton, who rose to prominence during the glam rock era of the early 1970s. With 17 consecutive Top 20 hits and six number ones, the British Hit Singles & Albums names them as the most successful British group of the 1970s based on sales of singles...
, Pilot
Pilot (band)
Pilot was a pop rock musical group, formed during 1973 in Edinburgh, Scotland by the former Bay City Rollers members, David Paton and Billy Lyall.-Career:...
, Billy J. Kramer
Billy J. Kramer
Billy J. Kramer is a British Invasion/Merseybeat singer. In the 1960s he was managed by Brian Epstein, who also managed The Beatles, and he recorded several original Lennon and McCartney compositions.-Early life and career:He grew up as the youngest of seven siblings and attended the St George of...
, The Real Thing
The Real Thing (group)
-Albums:Studio albums* Real Thing - UK #34* 4 from 8 * Step Into Our World , retitled Can You Feel the Force - UK #73* ....Saints Or Sinners? Live albums* The Real Thing Live Compilation albums...
, and many more.
The band Arrows were very popular in the teen print media in the mid 1970s, appearing in interviews and as pin-ups in all the glossy fan magazines of the day. They even had their own weekly cartoon strip which ran in Music Star magazine. A book was written about the band by Bill Harry
Bill Harry
Bill Harry is the creator of Mersey Beat, an important newspaper of the early 1960s, which focused on the Liverpool music scene...
in 1976.
Odd Arrows Show trivia
Arrows are the only band in pop music history to have a weekly TV series of their own and no records released. Although they had hit singles before their series, the band released no recordings during the entire run of the shows, both series. This unusual situation was due to a legal wrangle with their record label. Their last single release was two months before the first broadcast Arrows TV show.There were 28 Arrows Shows in total. With repeats that's 56 airings of the show.
The Arrows Show was broadcast across the entire ITV network, including all of England, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, Gibraltar, Hong Kong, and more, for both series.
During the second series the band added a fourth member, guitarist Terry Taylor, formerly a member of the band Tucky Buzzard
Tucky Buzzard
Tucky Buzzard were a British hard rock band formed in 1969 by three former members of The End. Band members were David Brown , Paul Francis , Nick Graham , Jimmy Henderson , Chris Johnson , Terry Taylor , Paul Kendrick . Tucky Buzzard produced a total of five albums between 1969 and 1973...
. Taylor was introduced to the Arrows by The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones are an English rock band, formed in London in April 1962 by Brian Jones , Ian Stewart , Mick Jagger , and Keith Richards . Bassist Bill Wyman and drummer Charlie Watts completed the early line-up...
' bass player Bill Wyman
Bill Wyman
Bill Wyman is an English musician best known as the bass guitarist for the English rock and roll band the Rolling Stones from 1962 until 1992. Since 1997, he has recorded and toured with his own band, Bill Wyman's Rhythm Kings...
in January 1976. Terry Taylor is currently the musical director and a guitarist in Bill Wyman's Rhythm Kings
Bill Wyman's Rhythm Kings
Bill Wyman's Rhythm Kings are a blues-rock band founded and led by former Rolling Stones bass guitarist Bill Wyman. Together with his lifelong musical partner Terry Taylor, The "Dirty Boys" duo produce, arrange and compose original material for the award winning band.The Rhythm Kings are known for...
band.
Historically, the band Arrows are now best known for writing, recording, and releasing the first version of the song "I Love Rock 'N Roll" in 1975, a year before the band had their TV series. The song is an international rock classic, recorded by many well-known artists, including Joan Jett
Joan Jett
Joan Jett is an American rock guitarist, singer, songwriter, producer and actress.She is best known for her work with Joan Jett & the Blackhearts including their hit cover "I Love Rock 'n' Roll", which was #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 from March 20 to May 1, 1982, as well as for their other popular...
and Britney Spears
Britney Spears
Britney Jean Spears is an American recording artist and entertainer. Born in McComb, Mississippi, and raised in Kentwood, Louisiana, Spears began performing as a child, landing acting roles in stage productions and television shows. She signed with Jive Records in 1997 and released her debut album...
.
Conclusion
As a result of their business complications, Arrows broke up in frustration in 1978, with the original Arrows Alan Merrill, Jake Hooker and Paul Varley all going their separate ways. In 1978 Merrill went on to the Island RecordsIsland Records
Island Records is a record label that was founded by Chris Blackwell in Jamaica. It was based in the United Kingdom for many years and is now owned by Universal Music Group...
band Runner, Varley to the Charisma Records
Charisma Records
Charisma was a record label founded by former journalist Tony Stratton-Smith in 1969. Manager for The Nice, the Bonzo Dog Band and Van der Graaf Generator at the time, Stratton-Smith was unable to find a record company willing to release an album by one of his favourite groups so he founded his own...
band Darling, and Hooker married Lorna Luft
Lorna Luft
Lorna Luft is an American television, stage, and film actress and singer. She is the daughter of singer and actress Judy Garland and Sid Luft, and the half-sister of singer and actress Liza Minnelli.-Biography:...
, retiring as a performer and becoming his wife's manager.
The Arrows Show producer, UK television legend Muriel Young, died in 2001.