The Searchers

One of the premier groups from the mid-'60s Merseybeat explosion, the Searchers comprised: Chris Curtis (b. Christopher Crummey, 26 August 1941, Oldham, Lancashire, England; drums), Mike Pender (b. Michael John Prendergast, 3 March 1942, Liverpool, England; lead guitar), Tony Jackson (b. 16 July 1940, Liverpool, England; vocals/bass) and John McNally (b. 30 August 1941, Liverpool, England; rhythm guitar). Having previously backed Liverpool singer Johnny Sandon, they broke away and took their new name from the 1956 John Ford western, The Searchers. During 1962, they appeared in Hamburg and after sending a demo tape to A&R representative Tony Hatch were signed to Pye Records the following year. Their Doc Pomus/ Mort Shuman debut Sweets For My Sweet was a memorable tune with strong harmonies and a professional production. By the summer of 1963, it climbed to number 1 establishing the Searchers as rivals to Brian Epstein's celebrated stable of Liverpool groups. MEET THE SEARCHERS, was swiftly issued and revealed the group's R&B pedigree on such standards as Farmer John and Love Potion Number 9. Meanwhile, Tony Hatch composed a catchy follow-up single, Sugar And Spice, which just failed to reach number 1. It was their third single, however, that won them international acclaim. The Jack Nitzsche/ Sonny Bono composition Needles And Pins was a superb melody, brilliantly arranged by the group and a striking chart-topper of its era. It also broke the group in the USA, reaching the Top 20 in March 1964. It was followed that same year with further US success; including Ain't That Just Like Me (US number 61), Sugar And Spice (US number 44), and Some Day We're Gonna Love Again (US number 34).
Earlier that year the band released their superbly atmospheric cover of the Orlons’ Don't Throw Your Love Away, which justifiably gave the group their third UK number 1 single. The pop world was shocked by the abrupt departure of bassist Tony Jackson whose falsetto vocals had contributed as much to the group's early sound and identity. He was replaced in the autumn by Frank Allen (b. Francis Renaud McNeice, 14 December 1943, Hayes, Middlesex, England), a former member of Cliff Bennett And The Rebel Rousers and close friend of Chris Curtis. A strident reading of Jackie DeShannon's When You Walk In The Room was another highlight of 1964 which showed their rich Rickenbacker guitar work to notable effect. The Malvina Reynolds’ protest song, What Have They Done To The Rain? indicated their folk-rock potential, but its melancholic tune and slower pace was reflected in a lower chart placing. A return to the ‘old’ Searchers sound with the plaintive Goodbye My Love, took them back into the UK Top 5 in early 1965, but the number 1 days were over. For a time, it seemed that the Searchers might not slide so inexorably as rivals Billy J. Kramer And The Dakotas and Gerry And The Pacemakers. They enjoyed further US success where their cover of the Clovers’ Love Potion Number 9 was a Top 10 hit at the end of 1964 and on into 1965. This continued with ‘Bumble Bee (US number 21), Goodbye My Lover Goodbye (US number 52). The Curtis/Pender hit, He's Got No Love (US number 79, UK number 12) showed that they could write their own hit material but this run could not be sustained. The release of P.F. Sloan's Take Me For What I'm Worth (US number 76, UK number 20) suggested that they might become linked with the Bob Dylan-inspired folk-rock boom. Instead, their commercial fortunes rapidly declined and after Curtis left in 1966, they were finally dropped by Pye. Their last UK hit was a version of Paul And Barry Ryan's Have You Ever Loved Somebody, this proved to be their penultimate success in the USA which ended with Desdemona (number 94) in 1971. Cabaret stints followed but the Searchers continued playing and in the circumstances underwent minimal line-up changes. They threatened a serious resurgence in 1979 when Sire issued a promising comeback album. The attempt to reach a new wave audience was ultimately unsuccessful, however, and after the less well received PLAY FOR TODAY (titled LOVE'S MELODIES in the USA), the group stoically returned to the cabaret circuit. To their credit, their act does not only dwell on '60s hits and they remain one of the most musically competent and finest surviving performing bands from the '60s golden age.