Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular Music

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

SEARCHERS, The

UK pop quartet, one of the first and best to emerge from Liverpool in the early '60s: lead guitar John McNally (b 30 Aug. '41), rhythm guitar Mike Pender (b Michael Pendergast, 3 March '42), bassist Tony Jackson (b 16 July '40), drummer Chris Curtis the only one not originally from Liverpool (b Christopher Crumney, 16 Aug. '41, Oldham, Lancs; d 28 Feb. 2005). They named themselves after the John Wayne film (Wayne's catchphrase in the film 'That'll be the day!' also providing the title of Buddy Holly's first hit). Their imaginative harmonies and distinctive guitar sound were an influence on the Byrds; like the Beatles, they played at the Cavern and in Hamburg '61-2. They had three no. 1 UK hits '63-4 with 'Sweets For My Sweet', 'Needles And Pins', 'Don't Throw Your Love Away' (last two top 20 USA). Meet The Searchers '63 was an astonishingly strong debut at the time, when LPs usually meant one or two hits and much dross: it included standard Merseybeat fare 'Money', 'Twist And Shout', etc but also Pete Seeger's 'Where Have All The Flowers Gone'. They had top five hits with Jackie DeShannon's 'When You Walk In The Room' '64, 'Goodbye My Love' '65, other lesser hits through '66 for a total of 13 Hot 100 entries in the USA through '66 including a no. 3 with a revival of Clovers' '59 hit 'Love Potion No. 9' '64 (from Hear! Hear! on Mercury in USA, recorded live in Hamburg). Unlike the Beatles, they did not progress; as rock'n'roll turned into rock and became 'progressive', the Beatles and others took time over recording, while the Searchers' albums Sugar And Spice, It's The Searchers, Sounds Like The Searchers '63-4 (slightly different LPs in the USA) did not improve on the first. Jackson quit '64 at the height of their success, replaced by Frank Allan (ex-Cliff Bennett); Curtis was replaced '66 by Johnny Blunt, in turn replaced by Billy Adamson '69, this lineup touring/recording well into the '80s, though long since fading from the charts to the cabaret circuit. There was some renewed interest as Bruce Springsteen included 'When You Walk In The Room' in concert, and the lead track on his The River '80 ('The Ties That Bind') recalled the sound. The Searchers '80 charted briefly on Sire in USA; Play For Today '81 included songs by John Fogerty, Kursaal Flyers, Chris Kenner; they also released Love Melodies '81, but the new-look Searchers didn't catch on.