MPS: "That was then, this is now" - ?

[sowhat]

My old friend Andy once had a record under this title... mine is entitled "The Searchers - The Magic collection" and features a photo from 1966 or 1967, "made in Holland" (the record, not the photo) (a friend of mine got it for me via eBay), featuring the same songs (re-recordings of old hits, like "LP9", "When you walk in the room" etc). I've heard of other releases of the same exact records under different names, some claiming it's the Searchers, some - Mike Pender's Searchers. A mystical record, indeed! Does anybody know the story? Are those legal releases or bootlegs? And the silliest question - when was it recorded and what's the original title?
PS sorry if somebody asked about it before...
Cheers,
SC

[royclough]

The recordings made by MP Searchers (you can tell if a MP recording if Broken Hearts, Blue Mondays or Red Ferrari on it)have been distributed by many labels the original issue was on the Karussell label a German Label. Some are wrongly credited to The Searchers, in fact quite a few but not necessarily fault of MP at all the recordings are licensed to various labels. The original release Sheena was called Sweets For My Sweet and was credited to Mike Pender's SEARCHERS,technically not correct as per legal agreement made between Mike Pender, Frank Allen and John McNally but photo on cover clearly shows the original MP Searchers line up of which excluding MP only one remains.

[sowhat]

Thank you Roy.
Tips given, i've "cruised" through AMG and found three version of this one. The one entitled "Sweets for my sweet" claimed to be released in 2004, 14 tracks, two versions of "Needles & Pins", looking like this:

Looks really funny...
The second one, the title i've mentioned, released 2000, 10 tracks, the final track is "Two hearts" which is not on my compilation, looks like this:

And the same compilation but entitled "The Searchers - Hits" or something, released 1997.
Mine includes 14 tracks, a bit different from the first compilation mentioned, and it isn't listed at AMG!
BTW, which year was it recorded? Like, 1989 or 1990?
Cheers,
SC

[royclough]

The Sweets etc you show Sheena is not the one I refer to as it shows original Searchers circa Frank Allen. One I have was rleased about 89, Mike Pender also had a Cd for sale at gigs etc at one time which is the one to get as it had his one solo single on and a rare track he did on a one off album called Class Od 64. Two Hearts which is a great track appeared on some later compilations and also a version of needles and pins 90, which was MP vocal added to a backing track.

There is soon to be a new release which will have MP talking on it interspersed with music from the sixties. More details once I know more.

[sowhat]

"Look what i've found, what i've found"...
They're selling a DVD featuring MPS among others -http://films.kelkoo.co.uk/b/a/cpc_149201_vtl_actor_c15509148.html
and
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000059H7Y/002-0646302-4844804?v=glance&n=130
The question is, indeed... what is this one about?
Cheers,
SC

[budrocket]

Collections like this scare me. Read the reviews, they're not very kind to the sound OR poor old Eric Burdon (though having seen him about 10 years ago with his "New Animals" I would tend to agree with the substance of their complaints).

bw

[royclough]

This was a show done for the PBS channel in US and was filmed at the Foxwoods Resort Casino in Connecticut approx 1988. It features MP's Searchers who do 4 numbers I think, also has Wayne Fontana, Peter Noone, Gery & The Pacemakers, Billy J Kramer , Eric Burdon (worst act on in my opinion only), Troggs, Freddie and The Dreamers. There is a better Dvd out with Mp's Searchers on though called Golden Years and is very reasonably priced compared to one Sheena lists.

[sowhat]

Wayne Fontana?! Looks like i HAVE to have it! What's the other DVD - can you please give more details?
Cheers,
SC