Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

sowhat wrote:Don't like Frank Allen's voice either (sounds kinda irritating to me), but on the other hand, imho, his lead on "Be my baby" is one of the best Searchers vocal performances ever.

What do you think of And A Button? I 'think' it's Frank on lead, but I'm no expert.

I think Frank's better as a harmony vocalist rather than lead.

JeffZ wrote:I think Frank's better as a harmony vocalist rather than lead.

Yea, that's pretty much my take on Frank as well.

chriscurtisfan wrote:

sowhat wrote:Don't like Frank Allen's voice either (sounds kinda irritating to me), but on the other hand, imho, his lead on "Be my baby" is one of the best Searchers vocal performances ever.

What do you think of And A Button? I 'think' it's Frank on lead, but I'm no expert.

I'd say Frank's best-ever lead vocal is "Don't Hang On".

royclough wrote:Ilike a lot of Mary Chapin Carpenter stuff, don't think she recorded Hearts but thanks for clip.

As an asdied I sent John McNally some years back her song He Thinks He'll Keep Her as I felt it was right for them, he liked it but they didn't do it.

Then a few years later Mike Pender put it in his act, I have a version of it.

You're right Roy, she never did a studio version of Hearts. I looked and hoped but no joy.

That's another good song Roy. She's a quality artist.

One error there I'm afraid, Love Potion Number Nine featured Tony Jackson on lead vocal[/quote]

Very true, the US hit was a reissue in 1965 of the 1963 recording off the first album featuring TJ as lead vocalist, but still leaves a fine body of work post Jackson to enjoy.

chriscurtisfan wrote:

sowhat wrote:Don't like Frank Allen's voice either (sounds kinda irritating to me), but on the other hand, imho, his lead on "Be my baby" is one of the best Searchers vocal performances ever.

What do you think of And A Button? I 'think' it's Frank on lead, but I'm no expert.

What i think of "And a Button" is probably not allowed to be published here. That's a masterpiece, really. Of the same kind as the movie called "Husbands" directed by John Cassavetes if you get my drift. It's not easy to create something like that — something that would be an epitome of annoying and a catchy song at the same time.
And yes, it's Frank Allen on lead. More than that, he wrote that song (if i'm not mistaken).

Favourite era- an easy one to me! Prime Time was with Chris Curtis in the band. And I think I will rate the Jackson period (3 first PYE Lp's) above Allen's introduction. But I'll admit that's open to debate. 3rd position goes (with some doubt) to Searchers#4, Pender with Adamson. Due to the strength of the Sire period, and I also think the RCA recordings are more interesting/as interesting as the Liberty ones (with Blunt).

And A Bullet- Ladies, where's that one from??

Button for Bullet- pardon.

einar wrote:And A Bullet- Ladies, where's that one from??

"Second Take" LP.

And A Button was not on the original vinyl issue of Second Take, but is on the CD version released many years later.

Originally was the B side of Love Is Everywhere, their second single on RCA.

Thanks. Can't remember having heard this song, but I may have owned the single once long ago.. The Second Take LP was all (as title indicates) new versions of previously recorded songs. Maybe more interesting to listen to today than then. I remember the obvious different drums. Blunt's muscles style compared to Curtis' laptop drumming.

Here it is, Einar:
And a button

einar wrote:Thanks. Can't remember having heard this song, but I may have owned the single once long ago.. The Second Take LP was all (as title indicates) new versions of previously recorded songs. Maybe more interesting to listen to today than then. I remember the obvious different drums. Blunt's muscles style compared to Curtis' laptop drumming.

Blunt was gone. Billy Adamson played on Second Take. The remakes were not very good one must admit. They were obviously recorded in a great rush with no time to work on a drum sound or for that matter guitar sounds. Two quality new tracks were on the LP too though they being Come On Back To Me and Desdemona. The sound quality of those two tracks makes the rest of the record sound like it was recorded in a soup can.

The US issue of the DVD is worth searching out as it has 25 tracks covering their entire RCA period including some unreleased tracks. It's sad that the only LP released during their RCA period was Second Take as if they'd compiled all their new non-remake singles into one album, it would have been a very high quality record.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Second-Take-Com ... l_1#disc_1

Thanks for the corrections, db62! Still my recollection of drumming styles on Second Take is authentic. (Talking about Adamson- I feel he wasn't always well treated. -Being outweighted on a couple of occations, when it came to recording? Shouldn't they have stood more up for him? Don't tell me he wasn't drummer good enough for steady beat drumming, Sire recordings style! Adamson did take part in some of Mark Knopfler's side projects. That goes to tell he had some skills!

Sheena- thanks for "Button". A great song! I was surprised to find this. One of their finest post-Curtis hours! Maybe also Frank's finest achievment. Much of their RCA stuff stands out (like Desdemona and Come on back to me). Maybe I will check out the RCA compilation!