Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

The next chapter of my pages is finished:

http://home.rhein-zeitung.de/~mdenger/

find out all about the last UK chart entry and read what Chris Curtis has to say about the Searchers' and Paul and Barry Ryan's version.

Michael

I recently asked John and Frank - tongue in cheek - whether they would let Barry Ryan perform Have You Ever Loved Somebody on next year's tour. I don't think they had considered it, but I doubt it will happen

Some good cover photos of The Searchers on Mike's article, some I have never seen.

As for the version of events surrounding the song, perhaps Mike would like the question to be asked in the Q & A session proposed for the Searchers Convention. Unless he is going and then he can ask it himself.

The Everly Brothers did a version of the song on a album produced by The Hollies and both their version and The Hollies original leans more towards The Searchers arrangement in my view.

As for Barry Ryan doing Have You Ever Loved Somebody very doubtful, I reckon he'll only be doing about 5/6 numbers at the most and will no doubt concentrate on the solo aspect of his career. He made some good singles in my view Eloise being the only one he will be rememered for in Britain probably to the average punter. Recently bought a CD of his purely probably because of interest being rekindled due to the tour. All re-recordings and only song performed, that he did with his sadly departed brother Gary is Don't Bring Me Your Heartaches.

HI, DOES ANYONE KNOW WHEN THE QUOTES IN RECORD COLLECTOR MADE BY CHRIS CURTIS WERE MADE, AND DID HE HAVE ANY MORE THINGS TO SAY ABOUT SEARCHERS' RECORDINGS AFTER HE HAD LEFT?

The quotes come from a radio interview with Spencer Leigh, a writer and broadcaster on Radio Merseyside. Year was 1998
The interview oddly came about because the
aforementioned Mr Leigh was broadcasting a interview with John McNally in Dec 97. On arriving home he found his wife talking to Chris Curtis who had rang apparently to concur with what John had been saying, actually stating he believed he could work with John again.
As to Mr Mcnallys respomse we can only ponder.

He did not have too much to say about recordings made after he had left except Take It Or Leave It which he syas was pitiful.

Interestingly he claims to have written He's Got No Love based on The Last Time from The Stones.

Question:How is it that the aforementioned "Have You Ever LSB" has become a staple of their concert performances when a song such as "Take Me For What I'm Worth" which was was their last top twenty hit is not played at all (or perhaps it does see the light of day once in a while?). "Take Me..." is a great song in my opinion.

Excellent question David. I guess all groups get comfortable with their set list and stick close to it. "Take Me For What I'm Worth" is a great song and I imagine all fans would like to hear it more. You have to love the drumming on "Have You Ever Loved Somebody" though.

Take Me was a regular feature of the set until recently, in face Have You Ever etc used to only be part of a medley but now gets the full treatment.

I suspect that Spencer may not be too comfortable with the song but that's pure conjecture.

What does surprise me is that Goodbye My Love one otheir biggest hits only rarely gets performed

"GOODBYE MY LOVE" WAS INCUDED ON THEIR SOLO TOUR LAST YEAR THE SONG WAS PERFORMED AT EACH SHOW, IN FACT IT WAS ONE LISTED ON THE TOUR POSTER, I HAVE BEEN TO A FEW OF THE RECENT SOLO PERFORMANCES AND "TAKE ME" HAS BEEN USED BY THE GROUP WHO ENCOURAGE THE AUDIENCE TO RAISE THEIR HANDS ABOVE THEIR HEADS TO CLAP ALONG TO THE CHORUS!

Agreed they tend to include it when they do these solo shows, as stated, where they play for approx. 2 hours but the song is not a regular feature in the act in normal situations whereas Have You ever etc has become standard fare

Michael: Just saw the new page. Excellent. Would someone here kindly tell me how Paul & Barry Ryan's version compares to The Searchers' version? I know the song by The Searchers and The Hollies, and that's it so far. The comparison between those versions is striking, with The Searchers going in a pretty straight folk-rock direction, while The Hollies obviously patterned their arrangement after "Shapes Of Things" by The Yardbirds.

It is no secret, that "Goodbye My Love" is a favourite of Mike Penders. In fact, he recently commented that it is his favourite number to perform live. While I doubt that this is the reason for the tune being played infrequently by The Searchers, I find the coincidence to be of interest.