Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Just listened briefly to this new release and it is of interest to note that therelease comprises three sessions recorded for swedish radio. The sessions are dated Spring 64, December 64, May 67

What is interesting is that each session incudes needles and pins, There ten songs from first date, nine from second and 6 from last.

On the first session the lineup would obviously be Jackson, Pender, Curtis and McNally and what I personally find interesting is that on needles and pins in this session, it is clearly in my view, Tony Jackson taking lead vocal. There are three previously unreleased tracks Memphis Tennessee, Red Sails in the Sunset and Let the four winds blow(two versions)
The quality of the recording is excellent and it is interesting to hear Chris Curtis in the role of front man, a role Frank Allen was to make his own.This release is really for the anoraks(yes I know it's sad) as anyone who wants the hit versions of the songs would clearly ind much better alternatives, however, I appauld Castle for the release, a valuble collection for the purist.

This release has sessions by all three of the PYE line-ups: McNally - Pender - Curtis - Jackson; McNally - Pender - Curtis - Allen; McNally - Pender - Allen - Blunt. Chris Curtis is front man on the first two sets and Frank Allen has taken on the role for the third set. It is well worth the £9.99p it sells for in the U.K.

Tim,Roy and Peter,

Do you know if this will be released in the States? I would love to have a copy of this for my collection.

Rick Doeschler

Rick: The Swedish Radio Sessions are on the Castle label. We have been able to get all of the other Castle releases through Amazon in North America, so I see no reason why this latest release would be any different. Tim?

Great information, Roy! Looking forward to hearing it, and to compare same songs/different lineups. I didn't hesitate to order it from Amazon.Uk.

Einar

I've nothing much more to add. It should be available to order on the net through Amazon. Another dealer you might like to try is Key Mail Order http://www.keymailorder.com or email them '[email protected]' They keep a good selection of Searchers CDs in stock.

The Swedish radio Sessions CD is a great listen for the avid fan as well as younger listeners who want to get a feel for the Mersey Sound and what it was all about in the 60's.
In the first session Tony Jackson's major contribution as bass player and vocalist is apparent.Not just "the bass player" he injects a driving beat into the Mersey Sound that put Liverpool on the music map.Tracks like Money,Some Other Guy and Ain't That Just Like Me reveal the other side of the Searchers.The raw,meaty,beaty sound that others such as the Beatles,Big Three ,Mersey Beats and a host of other Liverpool bands thundered out in the sweaty dungeons of clubs like the Cavern and the Iron Door.
In contrast the hit singles Sweets for My Sweet and Needles and Pins do justice to the recorded versions.In particular Needles and Pins is spectacular.The well spoken Chris Curtis exchanges
an easy repartee and quips with the audience and gives a real feel of what it must have been like to have attended a Searchers concert in the 60's.
In the second session Chris introduces new boy Frank Allen to the audience and they launch into the thundering merseybeat sound What'd I Say.A great track in sharp contrast to the smooth versions of the hits What Have they Done To The Rain and When You Walk In The Room.
Session Three kicks off with a beautiful performance of Have You Ever Loved Somebody?Remember this was the period when we couldn't hear enough of the Searchers singles on the radio.Play this one to death!
By now Frank Allen is doing the front man duties and a nice job he does too.The "forgotten " singles Take me for What I'm Worth and Western Union follow.Session Three closes out with faithfully reproduced renditions of the hits When You walk In The Room and Needles and Pins.
Thank you,Thank you Very Much,Ladies and Gentlemen The Seachers have left the building, the show is over.This CD is great,I'm going to play the show all over again!A beautifully performed piece of 60's rock history for fans new and old alike.

I'm as thrilled as David about this release. Great listening, and I will "study" it and perhaps make more comments later. What I find peculiar, is the relatively subdued role of Mike as a singer on the first session. Even (as Roy already pointed out) on Needles, it's Tony fronting. But they often sung on top of each other, and it's possible that Mike's mike was underbalanced on this occasion. Another point is John's lead singer contributions. He does it well! Having four distinctive (lead) singers was a very gifted skill of the Searchers until Chris left. And I feel the group could have used this quality more effectively. The sudden change from "all Tony" to "almost no Tony" in the first line-up is as much a mystery as a tragedy, I think. And the troubles for the group started there. It's kind of sad to listen to them doing Western Union and Take me for what I'm worth on the last session in Sweden. Especially the latter is performed with a lot of emotion and enthusiasm, but you can feel they are struggling against time. The sand is running out. Losing first Tony and then Chris was too much to bare.
Shoot!

Einar