Searcher's DVD

[supersaints]

A while back I started a thread about a Searchers dvd being overdue It just did not make sense to me, nor does it now after having read all the above posts. II thought that all publicity was good news for groups and therefore a whole dvd to themselves would have been tremendous publicity. All I can come up with is that it must be linked with Mike Pender in some way or they are coming up with their own dvd history. I would have also thought that by now most of their clips were in the public domain. A great shame, because as I said in my original post, they must be the only top 60's group not to have released a retrospective dvd about them. I still am puzzled as to why not!!!!

[chriscurtisfan]

Evidently all their cips are not in public domain or Frank's people wouldn't have threatened the DVD makers. It is very puzzling, but as Roy stated, their clips are on youtube.

I believe the DVD man wants to do a followup DVD on various groups from the British Invasion, not just The Searchers.

One can only hope that Frank & John's people have plans to release a DVD about The Searchers, specifically, and their evolution. I HAVE NO REASON TO THINK THAT. Just wishing out loud! The greatest publicist of them all, Phineas T. Barnum (PT Barnum & Bailey Circus), once said, "I don't care what they say about me as long as they spell my name right." ... indicating all publicity is good.

I will always think this is a problem due to John McNally's grudge against Mike Pender. But there are at least two sides to every story. None of us can repair that relationship except the parties involved.

As a person who just lost my Dad, I can speak to the fact that some grudges never get resolved. Too much bitterness. And only God can really forgive.

It is all very frustrating, but we must be happy for the music the Searchers gave us back then, continue to give the fans today, and hope that in the next world, The Searchers will be reunited and making music in Rock & Roll Heaven!

Meanwhile I have dedicated my Youtube channel to Chris Curtis....I am glad the Searchers are o.k. with their music and videos being on Youtube! So we, at least, have that! And it keeps their fanbase interested, as they still tour -- and that could be very tiring at their ages!

[royclough]

I recently bought a thing called Easycap whic would enable me to transfer all my vhs tapes to video on PC.

Finally got round to it yesterday but regeetfully can't get the thing to work.

It may be my PC is not powerful enough as software opens but when I press play on Video player the image is supposed to come up on screen sadly it doesen't.

Either have 1. a faulty one 2. processor not powerful enough 3. not doing it right.

Will try again sometime I do have some clips I would like to share.

Don't think the DVD thing is anything to do with Mike Pender and there are no plane to release a DVD.

[chriscurtisfan]

Thanks, Roy. I know when and if you do figure out, we will all appreciate any clips you have.

[supersaints]

Very interesting to see last night on Frank Allens half hour interview on Vintage TV it featured several past clips of The Searchers performing in amazing quality. I would love to see these clips in full, but obviously not on an offical dvd!!!!

[royclough]

well three clips Dave is my recollection, one of them doing Magic Potion which Cheri has posted on here and other 2 from a 70s show filmed in Preston Guildhall when they appeared on a show with other 60s acts, can't recall what show was called though, think theme was Liverpool though.

[chriscurtisfan]

well three clips Dave is my recollection, one of them doing Magic Potion which Cheri has posted on here and other 2 from a 70s show filmed in Preston Guildhall when they appeared on a show with other 60s acts, can't recall what show was called though, think theme was Liverpool though.

I went to the Vintage TV website, and wonder if there's a way for people on the US side of the pond to see the clips? It looks like this Vintage TV is actually a Television station and not broadcast online at all.

Thanks for any help!!

[royclough]

No you can't watch online Cheri but see topic Frank Allen Interview

[Pam]

Okay this is all very nice but how do you download from YouTube. I've tried this before and it didn't work
This rubbish about John and Frank not letting anyone put together DVDs of old film and television shows.
Why would they say no. It doesn't make any sense to me. I agree with the sentiment that it shouldn't be up to two to make that decision
This stuff was done years before the break up between them and Mike
And what about the supposed copywrite on the CDs put out by Castle?????
Sorry I actually believe this stuff belongs to the TV stations who made them and not The Searchers
I reckon in a legal fight they would loose
And what does it really matter anyway
God, Chris and Tony are dead and the group in reality doesn't exist anymore
Get a life Frank and John, I'm really disappointed in their attitude to this
Like little kids in the playground with marbles

[royclough]

Welcome Pam

Don't intend to go through it all again but Frank and John had really nothing to do with this, it was their representative who had the problem with the producer.

However it is true that when they found out or rather John, the representative was spoken to and it was decided to leave things as they were.

[admin]

Pam: If you do a google search you will see a number of ways to download youtube videos.

[dbailey62]

Okay this is all very nice but how do you download from YouTube. I've tried this before and it didn't work
This rubbish about John and Frank not letting anyone put together DVDs of old film and television shows.
Why would they say no. It doesn't make any sense to me. I agree with the sentiment that it shouldn't be up to two to make that decision
This stuff was done years before the break up between them and Mike
And what about the supposed copywrite on the CDs put out by Castle?????
Sorry I actually believe this stuff belongs to the TV stations who made them and not The Searchers
I reckon in a legal fight they would loose
And what does it really matter anyway
God, Chris and Tony are dead and the group in reality doesn't exist anymore
Get a life Frank and John, I'm really disappointed in their attitude to this
Like little kids in the playground with marbles

As Roy says, this has been discussed in length so doesn't really need to be re-hashed but I do want to put in two cents re your contention that "this stuff belongs to the TV stations who made them and not The Searchers".

Here's the problem. It all depends on the contracts signed at the time of the performances. While the TV stations may own the rights for rebroadcasting purposes, it is highly unlikely that those contracts covered the packaging of those performances for future sale as at the time of those performances there were no home VT machines and DVD's were only a futuristic science-fiction fantasy.

This is an entirely common situation. The Searchers signed a contract to appear on television and that is all. They did not sign a contract allowing for the future sale of those performances. Anybody wishing to produce a disc with these performances has no choice but to get the permission of the artists and legally The Searchers are John and Frank as they own the name.

Can you imagine the BBC releasing video's or cd's of The Beatles without the consent of the artist? Of course not. It simply cannot happen. Sure, the BBC recorded those appearances but they have no rights beyond rebroadcast rights.

Sorry. I don't understand your point about the copyright of the Castle CD's. Castle Communications (now Sanctuary and owned by the Universal Music Group) purchased the record catalogue of Pye. It's all completely legitimate.

[Pam]

Okay Roy, yes you are absolutely right
Just a pity the approach wasn't directly to John
I am having a hard time believing he would put the knocker on it
After all the old die hard fans from the start up days would be glad to have this stuff
Who knows how people think. They surround these people and make decisions for them and no one gets ends up happy
Leave it at that and I'll take a look at the you tube videos and see what I can do
Got a couple of sons who are into this stuff
Might be able to make up my own

[mikeb]

Welcome Pam

Don't intend to go through it all again but Frank and John had really nothing to do with this, it was their representative who had the problem with the producer.

However it is true that when they found out or rather John, the representative was spoken to and it was decided to leave things as they were.

It sounds like the Searchers have had poor representation for all their career. From what I read and hear their agents over the years have never really had the bands interest as the main priority.

[dbailey62]

Welcome Pam

Don't intend to go through it all again but Frank and John had really nothing to do with this, it was their representative who had the problem with the producer.

However it is true that when they found out or rather John, the representative was spoken to and it was decided to leave things as they were.

It sounds like the Searchers have had poor representation for all their career. From what I read and hear their agents over the years have never really had the bands interest as the main priority.

But which bands had top level representation in their early years in the sixties? Sure, the Beatles had Brian Epstein who got them their record deal and guided them well but who also signed the infamous Seltaeb contract giving away millions of dollars of merchandising in exchange for a small percentage of profits. Very few groups really had good representation until they became superstars when they could break free and do their own thing, maybe good, maybe bad.

The Yardbirds had Gomelski and their early career was a shambles in many respects. The Stones had Oldham and then the infamous Alan Klein. Did those two provide them with top level representation? I don't think so.

The Searchers were not unique sad to say. In this case, it certainly appears that John had the final say representative or no. They obviously had their reasons. Perhaps they just didn't like the producer. Perhaps they just didn't respect the producer. It's their right to say no and that's what they did.