Searchers and Beatles

admin · Post by **admin** » Sun Oct 08, 2000 11:17 am

I continue to be amazed that The Beatles have had nothing to say with regard to the music of The Searchers over the years. In The Beatles Anthology: By The Beatles there would also seem to be an absence of any comment with regard to The Searchers, even during the early days. They have either forgotten, or perhaps remember only too well that "Needles and Pins" took them out of the running when it was released.

The Searchers, on the other hand, have at least on one occasion of which I am aware have commented about what a Beatle has said about one of them. I am reminded of an interesting passage on Page 27 of Frank Allen's "Travelling Man" in which he recalls introducing himself to John Lennon on December 30, 1962 at the Star Club in Hamburg. In reference to Cliff Bennett and the Rebel Rousers Lennon comments "Oh yeah, Frank. I watched your show. Great. I've been talking to people in the club and it seems that next to Cliff you're the most popular member in the band. I can't think why. Your harmonies are f...ing ridiculous."

RJHC · Post by **RJHC** » Sun Oct 08, 2000 8:54 pm

_I HAVE A VIDEO OF THE BEATLES ON DUTCH TV BEING

INTERVIEWED AND TAKING QUESTIONS FROM THE

AUDIENCE . SOMEONE IN DUTCH ASKS THEM WHAT THEIR

FAVORITE BRITISH GROUP IS . ONE ANSWERS "THE

SEARCHERS" AND ANOTHER AGREES .

admin · Post by **admin** » Sun Oct 08, 2000 9:07 pm

RJHC: Thanks for this. Is there any way of knowing the date of the interview, who offered the initial response and who concurred?

RJHC · Post by **RJHC** » Mon Oct 09, 2000 4:49 pm

_I HAVE IT ON THE VIDEO "FUN WITH THE FAB FOUR" .

THIS VIDEO HAS MAINLY INTERVIEWS AND NO MUSICAL

PERFORMANCES . THIS INTERVIEW TAKES PLACE IN THE

NETHERLANDS WHEN JIMMY NICKOL WAS STANDING IN FOR

RINGO WHICH WOULD MAKE IT AROUND '64 . IF YOU LOOK

IN THE RIGHT PLACE YOU CAN FIND OUT WHEN THE

BEATLES WERE TOURING THE NETHERLANDS WITH NICKOL .

admin · Post by **admin** » Mon Oct 09, 2000 6:05 pm

Thanks RJHC. To followup, which one of The Beatles made the statement about the Searchers and who concurred?

ROBERT_BRUNN · Post by **ROBERT_BRUNN** » Mon Oct 09, 2000 10:16 pm

I'VE GOT THE SAME VIDEO. I THINK IT WAS JOHN & GEORGE.

RJHC · Post by **RJHC** » Tue Oct 10, 2000 3:58 pm

_ALRIGHT , I DOUBLE CHECKED THIS ONE . THE

BEATLES WERE TAPED FOR TV IN THE NETHERLANDS ON

JUNE 5TH 1964 ACCORDING TO "THE BEATLES LIVE" BY

MARK LEWISOHN . JIMMY NICOL WAS THERE BECAUSE

RINGO WAS SICK FOR THE EARLY PART OF JUNE THAT

YEAR . THE INTERVIEW WAS IN ENGLISH AND SUB

TITLED IN DUTCH . THEY TOOK QUESTIONS FROM THE

AUDIENCE AND ONE TEENAGER ASKED THEM IN DUTCH

WHO THEIR FAVORITE BRITISH GROUPS WERE. YOU

COULD MAKE OUT THE NAMES SWINGING BLUEJEANS ,

DAVE CLARK FIVE , AND FREDDIE & THE DREAMERS .

THE MODERATOR REPEATED THE SAME QUESTION IN

ENGLISH . GEORGE HARRISON IMMEDIATELY SAID

SEARCHERS .JOHN SAID "SEARCHERS AND ROLLING

STONES WE LIKE"

admin · Post by **admin** » Tue Oct 10, 2000 5:11 pm

RJHC: Please go to the head of the Searchers' video history class. Thanks for this!

admin · Post by **admin** » Sat Oct 21, 2000 10:12 am

In late January 1964 The Searchers released "Needles and Pins" which was to be their best selling single. In addition to reaching number one on the UK charts at that time, there were strong and somewhat misleading claims made that the single knocked The Beatles "I Want To Hold Your Hand" out of the top chart position. The details can be read at "Needles and Pins" Reaches Number One

RJHC · Post by **RJHC** » Fri Oct 27, 2000 4:13 pm

_ANYONE CAN CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG ON THIS ONE ,

BUT WEREN'T THE BEATLES ON "JUKEBOX JURY"

IN ENGLAND AND THEY PLAYED THE SONG "NEEDLES AND

PINS" . THE BEATLES PREDICTED THAT IT WOULD BE A

HIT AND SAID THAT IT SOUNDED AMERICAN .

admin · Post by **admin** » Tue Nov 14, 2000 10:43 am

Ian MacDonald speculates in "Revolution in the Head" that The Beatles may have borrowed lyrics from The Searchers' "Farmer John." The words "til the cows come home" recorded by the Beatles in August 1964, although a well known cliche, were first recorded by The Searchers a full year earlier in August 1963 for the "Meet The Searchers" LP. While there is a strong possibility that this was a coincidental occurrence, it is to be remembered that on at least one occasion in 1964 that The Beatles expressed a fondness for The Searchers.

jjr · Post by **jjr** » Tue Nov 14, 2000 6:52 pm

I've seen articles and interviews w/ Beatles and Gerry about the two bands playing together on a stage as the "Beatmakers". I know the Searchers did some rock shows (Music Express?)where they were on a mega-bill with the Beatles. Question: Did the two bands ever play together: (a) in the same club on the same date and (b) did they play together a'la "Beatmakers"?

admin · Post by **admin** » Wed Nov 15, 2000 1:02 pm

Interesting questions John. While Frank Allen began playing with The Searchers in August 1964, in his book Travelling Man: On the Road with The Searchers he relates some earlier history, albeit incidentally, of the group from December 1962 and there is no mention that the groups ever played together. While this is by no means definitive, Allen is a good historian who I suspect would have mentioned a joint gig with The Beatles and The Searchers, whether as a single group or a team act. These questions, nonetheless, require additional research.

RJHC · Post by **RJHC** » Wed Nov 15, 2000 5:45 pm

_I SEE THE PICTURE AT THE TOP OF THE "LINKS"

PAGE WITH THE SEARCHERS , THE BEATLES , AND BILLY

J. KRAMER AND THE DAKOTAS . IT BOGGLES MY MIND TO

THINK OF SO MUCH EXCELLENCE IN ONE PLACE AT ONE

TIME .

admin · Post by **admin** » Wed Nov 15, 2000 8:02 pm

Yes there was the All Mersey Beat Show on December 15, 1963. What I am unsure of is whether they were all filmed separately and this is a group photo or whether they all appeared and performed on the same show. I am going to speculate that it was the latter but let's see what the music historians have to offer.