The Searchers (band)
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{{Infobox musical artist <!-- See Wikipedia:WikiProject_Musicians -->
| Name = The Searchers
| Img =
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| Background = group_or_band
| Alias =
| Origin = {{flagicon|England}} [[Liverpool]], [[England]]
| Instrument =
| Voice_type =
| Genre = [[Beat music|Merseybeat]], [[pop music|Pop]], [[rock music|Rock]]
| Occupation =
| Years_active = 1959 - present
| Label = UK [[Pye Records]], [[Philips Records]], [[Liberty Records]], [[RCA Records]], [[Sire Records]]; US [[Mercury Records]], [[Liberty Records]], [[Kapp Records]], [[RCA Records]], [[Sire Records]]
| Associated_acts = [[Mike Pender's Searchers]]
| URL = [http://www.the-searchers.co.uk/ the-searchers.co.uk]
| Current_members =[[John McNally]]<br>[[Frank Allen (bassist)|Frank Allen]]<br>[[Spencer James]]<br>[[Eddie Rothe]]
| Past_members = [[Tony Jackson (bass player)|Tony Jackson]]<br>[[Mike Pender]]<br>[[Chris Curtis]]<br>[[Billy Adamson]][[John Blunt]]
| Notable_instruments =
}}
'''The Searchers''' are a [[United Kingdom|British]] [[rock music|rock]] [[band (music)|band]] who emerged as part of the 1960s [[merseybeat]] scene along with [[The Beatles]], [[The Swinging Blue Jeans]], and [[Gerry and the Pacemakers]].
The band's hits included a remake of the Drifters' 1961 hit, "[[Sweets for My Sweet]]"; remakes of Jackie DeShannon's "[[Needles and Pins (1963 song)|Needles and Pins]]" and "When You Walk In The Room"; "[[Sugar and Spice (song)|Sugar and Spice]]"; "Don't Throw Your Love Away"; and a remake of [[The Clovers]]' "[[Love Potion No. 9 (song)|Love Potion No. 9]]". They were the second group from Liverpool after the Beatles to have a hit in [[United States|America]] when "Needles and Pins" charted during the first week of March 1964.
==Band history==
Originally founded as a [[skiffle]] group in [[Liverpool]] in 1959 by [[John McNally]] (born [[30 August]], [[1941]], at Walton General Hospital, 107 Rice Lane, [[Walton]], [[Liverpool]], [[Lancashire]]) and [[Mike Pender]] (born Michael John Prendergast, [[3 March]], [[1942]], [[Kirkdale]], Liverpool, Lancashire), the band took their name from the classic 1956 [[John Wayne]] [[western (genre)|western]] ''[[The Searchers (film)|The Searchers]]''. Prendergast claims that the name was his idea, but McNally ascribes it to 'Big Ron' Woodbridge (born Ronald Woodbridge, 1938, Liverpool, Lancashire), their first lead singer. The genesis remains unresolved.
The band grew out of an earlier skiffle group formed by McNally, with his friends Brian Dolan (guitar) and Tony West (bass). When the other two members lost interest McNally was joined by his guitarist neighbour [[Mike Pender|Mike Prendergast]]. They soon recruited [[Tony Jackson (bass player)|Tony Jackson]] (born Anthony Paul Jackson, [[16 July]] [[1938]], The Dingle, Liverpool, Lancashire — died [[18 August]] [[2003]], [[Nottingham]], [[Nottinghamshire]]) with his home-made bass guitar and amplifier and styled themselves '''Tony and the Searchers''' with [[Joe Kelly (rock)|Joe Kelly]] on drums. Kelly soon left to be replaced by [[Norman McGarry]] (born [[1 March]] [[1942]], Liverpool, Lancashire), and it is this line-up — McNally, Pender (as he soon became known), Jackson and McGarry — that is usually cited as the original foursome.
McGarry did not stay long, however, and in 1960 his place was taken by [[Chris Curtis|Chris Crummey]] (who later changed his name to Curtis). Later that year Big Ron had a successful audition with Mecca and became a ballroom singer. He was replaced by Billy Beck, who changed his name to [[Johnny Sandon]]. The band had regular bookings at Liverpool's [[Iron Door Club]] as '''Johnny Sandon and the Searchers'''.
Sandon left the band in late 1961<ref>http://www.the-searchers.co.uk/ The Searchers Official Site</ref> to join [[The Remo Four]] in February 1962<ref>[http://www.geocities.com/fabgear6366/quickly.htm Fabgear, 'Tommy Quickly and The Remo Four', ''The British Beat Boom''</ref>. The group settled into a quartet sharing the vocal lead and billed simply as '''The Searchers'''. They continued to play at the Iron Door, [[The Cavern]], and other Liverpool clubs. Like many similar acts they would do as many as three shows at different venues in one night. They negotiated a contract with the [[Star-Club]] in the [[St. Pauli]] district [[Hamburg]] for 128 days, with three one-hour performances a night, starting in July 1962.<ref>http://www.the-searchers.co.uk/ The Searchers Official Site</ref>
The band returned to a residency at the Iron Door Club and it was there that they tape-recorded the sessions that led to a recording contract with [[Pye Records]] with [[Tony Hatch]] as [[record producer|producer]]. Their first single was issued in US on [[Mercury Records|Mercury]], the second on [[Liberty Records|Liberty]] without success and then a deal was arranged with U.S. based [[Kapp Records]] to distribute their records in America.
Hatch played piano on some recordings and wrote "Sugar and Spice"—the band’s second number one record—under the pseudonym Fred Nightingale; a secret he kept from the band at the time.
After scoring with their hit "Needles and Pins", bassist Tony Jackson was fired from the band and was replaced by Hamburg pal [[Frank Allen (bassist)|Frank Allen]] (born Francis Renaud McNeice, [[14 December]] [[1943]], [[Hayes, Hillingdon|Hayes]], [[Middlesex]]) from [[Cliff Bennett and the Rebel Rousers]].
Chris Curtis left the band in 1966 and was replaced by the [[Keith Moon]]-influenced John Blunt, who in turn was replaced by Billy Adamson in 1970. In 1967, Curtis formed a new band called Roundabout with keyboard player [[Jon Lord]] and guitarist [[Ritchie Blackmore]]. Although Curtis's involvement in the project was short-lived, Roundabout would eventually evolve into [[Deep Purple]] the following year.
As musical styles evolved, the Searchers could not keep up and as a result, the hits ran out. While they continued to record for [[Liberty Records]] and [[RCA Records]], they ended up on the British "Chicken in a Basket" circuit, although they did score a minor US hit in 1971 with "Desdemona".
The group continued to tour through the 1970s and were rewarded in 1979 when [[Sire Records]] signed the band to a multi-record deal. Two albums were released: ''The Searchers'' and ''Play for Today'' (retitled ''Love's Melodies'' outside the UK). Both records garnered critical acclaim but did not break into the charts. They did, however, revive the group's career.
According to John McNally, the band were ready to head into the studio to record a third album for Sire when they were informed that due to label reorganization, their contract had been dropped. It was, in fact, because so few people bought the second album, although it was beloved by fans.
In 1981, the band signed to [[PRT Records]] (formerly Pye, their original label) and began recording an album. But only one single, "I Don't Want To Be The One"<ref>http://www.stmedia.org/searchers.htm "I Don't Want To Be The One" single</ref> backed with "Hollywood", ended up being released. The rest of the tracks would be included as part of 2004's ''40th Anniversary'' collection.
Soon after the PRT release, Mike Pender left the group amidst great acrimony and now tours as [[Mike Pender's Searchers]]. McNally and Allan recruited former [[The First Class|First Class]] vocalist [[Spencer James]] to fill Pender's shoes.
In 1988, [[Coconut Records]] signed The Searchers and the album ''Hungry Hearts'' was the result. It featured updated remakes of "Needles and Pins" and "Sweets For My Sweets" plus live favorite "Somebody Told Me You Were Crying". While the album was not a major hit, it did keep the group in the public eye.
The band continues to tour with [[Eddie Rothe]] replacing Adamson on drums and is considered to be one of the most popular 1960s bands on the UK concert circuit. The Searchers incorporate full band electric performances with an acoustic set as well. Creating ample amounts of confusion, former Searchers lead singer [[Mike Pender]] also tours, but with his new full band electric outfit Mike Pender's Searchers, as they perform hits of the Searchers and some new material of their own.
==Hit singles==
{| class="wikitable"
! width="28" rowspan="2"| Release date
! width="240" rowspan="2"| Title
! colspan="10"| Chart Positions
|-
! width="60"| <small>[[UK Singles Chart]]</small>
! width="60"| <small>[[Billboard Hot 100|US Charts]]</small>
|-
| 1963
|"[[Sweets for My Sweet]]"
!#1
!-
|-
| 1963
|"Sweet Nothins"
!#48
!-
|-
| 1963
|"[[Sugar and Spice (song)|Sugar and Spice]]"
!#2
!#44
|-
| 1964
|"[[Needles and Pins (1963 song)|Needles and Pins]]"
!#1
!#13
|-
| 1964
|"Ain't That Just Like Me"
!-
!#61
|-
| 1964
|"Don't Throw Your Love Away"
!#1
!#16
|-
|1964
|"Some Day We're Gonna Love Again"
!#11
!#34
|-
| 1964
|"[[When You Walk in the Room]]"
!#3
!#35
|-
| 1964
|"[[Love Potion No. 9 (song)|Love Potion No. 9]]"
!-
!#3
|-
| 1964
|"[[What Have They Done to the Rain]]"
!#13
!#29
|-
| 1965
|"Bumble Bee"
!-
!#21
|-
| 1965
|"Goodbye My Love"
!#4
!#52
|-
| 1965
|"He's Got No Love"
!#12
!#79
|-
| 1965
|"When I Get Home"
!#35
!-
|-
| 1965
|"Take Me For What I'm Worth"
!#20
!#76
|-
| 1966
|"[[Take It or Leave It (The Rolling Stones song)|Take It Or Leave It]]"
!#31
!-
|-
| 1966
|"Have You Ever Loved Somebody?"
!#48
!#94
|-
| 1967
|"Popcorn Double Feature"
!-
!-
|-
| 1967
|"Western Union"
!-
!#115
|-
| 1967
|"Second Hand Dealer"
!-
!-
|-
| 1968
|"Umbrella Man"
!-
!-
|-
| 1971
|"Desdemona"
!-
!#94
|-
|}
==Cover versions of songs by The Searchers==
*"[[Needles and Pins (1963 song)|Needles and Pins]]" (written by [[Jack Nitzsche]] and [[Sonny Bono]], first [[sound recording and reproduction|recorded]] by [[Jackie DeShannon]] in 1963) was also [[cover version|covered]] by:
**[[Smokie (band)|Smokie]] as a single in 1977
**The [[Ramones]], as a [[Single (music)|single]] and on their 1978 album ''[[Road to Ruin (Ramones album)|Road to Ruin]]''.
**[[Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers]] on their 1986 album ''[[Pack up the Plantation: Live!]]''.
**[[Megadeth]] used a sample of the song in "[[Cryptic Writings#Track listing|Use the Man]]" on their 1997 album ''[[Cryptic Writings]]''.
**[[Crack The Sky]] on their ''[[World in Motion 1]]'' album.
*"Popcorn Double Feature" was released as a single by [[The Fall (band)|The Fall]] in 1990, and is also included on their album ''[[Extricate]]''.
==The Searchers timeline==
'''1957-1959'''
*John McNally: Guitar, Vocals
*Ron Woodbridge: Vocals
*Brian Dolan: Guitar
*Joe West: Bass
*Joe Kennedy: Drums
'''1960-Feb 1962'''
*John McNally: Rhythm Guitar, Vocals
*Mike Pender: Lead Guitar, Vocals
*Chris Curtis: Drums, Vocals
*Tony Jackson: Bass, Vocals
*Johnny Sandon: Lead Vocals
'''Feb 1962-July 1964'''
*John McNally: Rhythm Guitar, Vocals
*Mike Pender: Lead Guitar, Vocals
*Chris Curtis: Drums, Lead Vocals
*Tony Jackson: Bass, Lead Vocals
'''July 1964-April 1966'''
*John McNally: Rhythm Guitar, Vocals
*Mike Pender: Lead Guitar, Vocals
*Chris Curtis: Drums, Lead Vocals
*Frank Allen: Bass, Lead Vocals
'''May 1966-December 1969'''
*John McNally: Rhythm Guitar, Vocals
*Mike Pender: Lead Guitar, Vocals
*Frank Allen: Bass, Lead Vocals
*John Blunt: Drums
'''January 1970-December 1985'''
*John McNally: Rhythm Guitar, Vocals
*Mike Pender: Lead Guitar, Vocals
*Frank Allen: Bass, Lead Vocals
*Billy Adamson: Drums
'''January 1986-November 1998'''
*John McNally: Rhythm Guitar, Vocals
*Frank Allen: Bass, Lead Vocals
*Billy Adamson: Drums
*Spencer James: Lead Guitar, Lead Vocals
'''November 1998-present'''
*John McNally: Rhythm Guitar, Vocals
*Frank Allen: Bass, Lead Vocals
*Spencer James: Lead Guitar, Lead Vocals
*Eddie Roth: Drums
==Trivia==
Beside The Beatles, The Searchers were the only British group of the era who had all of the records issued in stereo at the time (although many of the scores of CD reissues on Pye and subsequent labels often used mono masters, usually indiscriminately).
==References==
{{reflist}}
*'The Searchers Story—The 60s and 70s—Peaks and Troughs' <http://www.the-searchers.co.uk/>
*[http://www.rickresource.com/searchers/searchershistory.html McCormack, Peter. 'The Searchers History', ''Needles & Pins'' (2005)]. Retrieved [[June 18]] [[2005]].
*[http://www.geocities.com/fabgear6366/quickly.htm Fabgear, 'Tommy Quickly & The Remo Four', ''The British Beat Boom'']
* [http://www.mike-pratt.co.uk/ Mike Pratt] "The System"
==External links==
*[http://www.the-searchers.co.uk/ The Searchers Official Site]
*http://www.marstalent.com/bio_mike_pender.htm
*[http://home.rhein-zeitung.de/~mdenger/ The Searchers´Records]
{{The Searchers}}
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