Mike Pender's Searchers

admin · Post by **admin** » Fri Aug 18, 2000 3:53 am

There is some recent information with regard to Mike Pender's Searchers at the link below, including a review of one of their recent performances in Lancashire, England in July 2000.
Mike Pender's Searchers

Mike_Fraser · Post by **Mike_Fraser** » Mon Sep 25, 2000 12:07 am

Unfortunately Mike Penders Searchers continue to deceive the real Searchers fans by providing sub-standard shows. Mike never gave much effort when he was a real Searcher leaving the real work to John and Frank. Greed drove him to leave but I am sure The Searchers are better off without Mike having witnessed many shows with and without him. The real Searchers display a professionalism way beyond the MPS version

admin · Post by **admin** » Tue Sep 26, 2000 9:05 am

Mike: I appreciate your observations with regard to The Searchers and Mike Pender's Searchers. The breakup of The Searchers was a shock to all those fans who followed the Group from a distance, if not to those who knew them personally. I have been interested in them since "Neddles and Pins" was first released. The split certainly polarized fans who were loyal to the original group, on the one hand, and to those who have admired Mike Pender over the years. To my knowledge, the true circumstances of why the split occurred has not been articulated in the public forum. While my bias to date has been to focus on The Searchers' music, I really have had little experience with regard to Mike Pender's Searchers outside of fan comments. While I cannot know of the motivation and effort of each performer, it would seem that Mike continued to perform well in the 1980s and beyond. It is my goal to represent all of the original and current members of The Searchers and Mike Pender's Searchers on "Needles and Pins" so that more observations can be made with regard to their history and music. I understand that this approach may not be well received by all visitors but I feel that at the very lease it is a balanced view that I hope will be appreciated.

Tim · Post by **Tim** » Wed Sep 27, 2000 1:51 am

Mike was still a member of THE SEARCHERS when the Appreciation Society was started back in the Autumn of 1984. One year later came the bombshell that Mike was leaving to front his own band. He also released a solo single (in 7" and 12" formats). I don't really want to go into the 'rights' and 'wrongs' of this issue - 15 years on there are still problems over the billing of Mike's group - the only legal form is MIKE PENDER'S SEARCHERS (all lettering to be same style and same height). There have been divided loyalties for Searchers' fans ever since (There are even separate fan clubs for the groups!).

Your site provides a valuable forum in which the whole Searchers' story can be collated. Long may it continue.

RJHC · Post by **RJHC** » Wed Sep 27, 2000 3:59 pm

_I'M NOT TAKING SIDES IN THIS ONE . I WATCHED THE

BEATLES GO THROUGH THIS AND HERMAN'S HERMITS ARE

GOING THROUGH THIS RIGHT NOW . I WILL CONTINUE TO

TAKE INTEREST IN THE CURRENT SEARCHERS , MIKE

PENDER'S SEARCHERS , AND WHAT EVER VIBRATIONS

TONY JACKSON MIGHT ASSEMBLE IN THE FUTURE .

anon · Post by **anon** » Fri Sep 29, 2000 2:11 am

MIKE FRASER HAS FORGOTTEN THE FACTS!!
WHO PLAYED LEAD GUITAR ON ALL THE 60S HITS?
WHO SANG LEAD VOCAL ON ALL BUT THE EARLY HITS THAT
TONY J DID?
WHO INTRODUCED THE 12 STRING GUITAR?
WHO CONCEIVED THE GROUP WITH JOHN MCN?
MIKE OLD CHAP YOU OBVIOUSLY HAVE NOT SEEN MPS
IN RECENT TIMES, I SUGGEST YOU DO IF YOU WANT
TO HEAR THE SEARCHERS SOUND AS IT WAS ,I.E.WITH
THE VOICE OF THE SEARCHERS - MIKE PENDER!

admin · Post by **admin** » Sun Oct 01, 2000 8:46 am

I concur with many of the sentiments expressed here. I wonder, would we view the music of The Searchers and MIKE PENDER'S SEARCHERS any differently today if all group members had decided it was time to move on. Would we listen any less to Mike Pender, John McNally or Frank Allen, for example, if they each had their own group. Did we listen any less to the music of George, Paul, or John when they ventured out on their own? While I would argue that the whole sound is greater than the sum of its musical parts, nonetheless, it seems to me that each of the original Searchers are talented in their own right and continue to make valuable contributions to the music scene. It is not the Walt Disney ending that we may have wished for, but we continue to enjoy the merits of each artist who wishes to or is able to continue. For this I consider myself grateful. My greatest wish is that all members of The Searchers will have a voice and provide their fans with answers to many questions that have remained unanswered.

alancheshire · Post by **alancheshire** » Sat Oct 07, 2000 2:23 am

Thanks, Peter, for trying to bring a little sanity to the Searchers/MPS debate. I too have seen The Searchers live on a number of occasions and have thoroughly enjoyed them every time. I have not yet had an opportunity to see Mike Pender's Searchers perform so cannot - and will not - give an opinion on who is better live. However, listening to the recordings of both groups since the split, I have to say that I am more impressed with the musical ability of The Searchers. From the recordings, Mike Pender seems to be locked in a time-warp. His group does reasonably competent copies of the original hits, but if I wanted that, I'd buy one of the many re-issue compilations of the original 60s group.

jjr · Post by **jjr** » Sat Oct 07, 2000 1:53 pm

Alan,

I would agree with but for the very bluesy, slow tempo version Pender did of "Needles and Pins". I found it highly original, and the best "cover" version of the song I ever heard. I do think, however, that whatever weakness Mike's voice has (and it does), shows more with his new band than it did with the Searchers.

alancheshire · Post by **alancheshire** » Thu Oct 12, 2000 1:33 am

John, personally I don't particularly like the slower version, but appreciate that it is brave of MP to vary the arrangement to that extent (which rather goes against my own argument above!).

admin · Post by **admin** » Mon Jan 01, 2001 9:17 pm

Alan: Mike Pender has himself acknowledged that this song was added at the last moment in an attempt to complete Mike Penders Searchers' CD. I found it interesting that the vocal track was completed very quickly and that the remainder of the time was spent on the background harmonies. I think that it was a gutsy move on Mike's part to try this after the up tempo version of Needles and Pins that was such a gigantic hit.

mdenger · Post by **mdenger** » Thu Jan 04, 2001 1:03 pm

I've seen both groups and it is definitely Mike Pender's group that sound like the original. More than at the times after Chris had left. They both sang a lot together. Later this job was taken by Frank Allen with his very different voice. Mike and his drummer sound very much like Mike Chris. The Searchers themselves have developed - they are more a group of today.

Michael

royclough · Post by **royclough** » Sat Jan 06, 2001 9:25 am

Had Mike Pender enjoyed commercial success, with his one and only solo release, "It's Over" then I believe it is fair to say MP'S Searchers would have been shortlived. The single, especially the 12" version featured a great guitar solo, not by MP, actually played by a guy called John Verity,who I gather had been commisioned to produce a album for The Searchers, in 82, for PRT (New Name for PYE), after The Searchers had resigned to PRT and released a great single called "I Don't want to be the One".

The album never materialised though, although some recorded tracks did appear on the excellent Triple Cd compilation issued on Sequel Records.

admin · Post by **admin** » Sun Jan 14, 2001 7:18 am

There is a review of MIKE PENDER'S SEARCHERS' December 31, 2000 Horwich Performance on the "Needles and Pins": Searchers' Information Page. If you were there and have photos to contribute please send them along.

admin · Post by **admin** » Sun Mar 18, 2001 3:45 pm

Michael: From what I have heard of MIKE PENDER'S SEARCHERS recordings you seem to be correct. MPS have focused on the "Searchers" sound of yesteryear while The Searchers have continued to develop a newer sound. It would be very interesting to see them on the same bill.