Back in 1986 shortly after Mike Pender had left the Searchers and also after he had released his solo single, I heard him do an interview on a local radio station close to my home.

Essentially of course Mike was doing interviews on a number of local radio stations here in England, promoting his new release, like in the States and Canada no doubt, these local radio stations have a limited audience as the frequencies on which they transmit only reach a certain radius.

Mike did I recall do one interview on national radio but it was this particular interview on a local radio station that is the inspiration if you can call it that, for this article.

During the course of the interview Mike Pender alluded to the fact that he was in the process of recording a solo album and even gave the DJ the provisional title, which was "Back On My Feet Again".

Of course the album never saw the light of day probably because it was a deal based on how ell the solo single sold, which basically sank without trace, but unless you can get your single on the BBC play lists one has little chance of getting the airplay necessary to make the listening public aware.

Mike of course had formed his new group and started to play gigs with the line-up from about March 86 but there is no doubt in my mind that had the solo single been a success and subsequently the proposed album then Mike Pender's Searchers would have been short-lived.

During the ensuing years Mike Pender has released a number of tracks credited to himself almost all appearing on very hard to find limited releases.

I have therefore come up the concept of the album that never was based on these releases and others.

I have managed to come up with 14 tracks that have officially been released at some time or another, so here goes, the Mike Pender the album that never was.

Track 1
IT'S OVER

This was of course the solo single, for those who may not have heard the track, it is not the Roy Orbison track and was recorded, I estimate about January 86, Mike's voice I am sure was just added to a backing track and I feel certain Mike did not play on the track. I actually thought it was a good record very atmospheric, the single version being very much a synthesizer backing. Steve Thompson, who incidentally wrote the last Searchers' single to feature Mike Pender, jointly produced the single.

Track 2
BROTHERS AND SISTERS

Again I suspect a similar scenario to above in so far as Mike's voice was probably just added to a backing track, featured as the "B" Side of his solo release.

Track 3
TWO HEARTS

Officially credited to Mike Pender's Searchers but I have a feeling it may be one of the tracks recorded for the proposed solo album, a really infectious number and one of my favourite MP solo outings. There has over the years been a number of CD releases, some credited to Mike Pender's Searchers and some wrongly credited to The Searchers which this track appeared on some but not on others, the next four tracks though tend to be on all the releases.

Track 4
BLUE MONDAYS

Quite an upbeat number with a catchy chorus line again I suspect was a track destined for the solo album.

Track 5
BROKEN HEARTS

Superb ballad ideally suited to MP's vocals again almost certain it is a backing track with Mike's vocals added.

Track 6
RED FERRARI

Red Ferrari An upbeat number but fairly weak in my view.

Track 7
NEEDLES AND PINS 90

The last of the 4 tracks that first surfaced on the first Mike Pender's Searchers release which incidentally was only released in Germany initially, I know for fact this is Mike singing to a backing track because he confirmed it to me once, very slow and totally different version to the one with which he is synonymous.

Track 8
FALLING APART AT THE SEAMS

Great track, one that could easily have been credited to The Searchers, great guitar sound, though I suspect Mike 's only contribution was the voice. This track appeared on a very limited release called Class of 64, which featured some ex Merseybeat luminaries such as Tony Crane (Merseybeats) performing new songs.

Track 9
WEATHER WITH YOU

Yes the Crowded House number and a fine version by Mike Pender, first appeared, again, on a very limited CD release called Sixties Sing Nineties in which a number of Sixties stars Gerry Marsden, Dave Dee, Wayne Fontana to name just three performed songs from the nineties. This album has in fact re-surfaced in Germany but is now entitled Back To The Future.

Track 10
MY GIRL

The Temptations classic and one would at first perhaps think that MP could not possibly do the song justice, but it is a great track Mike somehow makes it sound totally different to the Motown version and I think he does a great version. This is one of the numbers he features, or did, last time I caught the show on the Reelin' and Rockin' tour ( see review in Clough Links) but was released on a CD sold mainly at the show. Must admit first time I saw the show it seemed strange to see him stood centre stage with just a mike no guitar, as the backing was done by one group for all the artists on this show.

Track 11
TRUE LOVE WAYS

Again featured on Reelin' and Rockin', Mike Pender has always claimed to be Buddy Holly fan, in fact last time I saw him as Mike Pender's Searchers he did a whole batch of Buddy Holly numbers, too many in my view. He does this song justice though but not as good as My Girl.