Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

This news will no doubt please Mr Rickenbacker.

Mike Pender is awaiting delivery of a Rickenbacker 620 in Black with white piping I understand, this will replace the Blue Aria that he has used for a number of years now.

Adolph or Eddie?

Does he even play any more, outside of these multi-artist package shows? Is MPS still an on-going concern? He doesn't appear to have a website or anything going on really. It seems like kind of a sad come-down.

Please correct me if this is a mistaken impression!

bw

I've once spent two hours looking for his website, Buddy... seems like NOTHING, except a small page with fan club address, almost no info, just some occasional pages, like dates list or something... really strange, albeit i might be mistaken...

In answer to some of above I find it strange there is no website, perhaps no one has approached him with the idea of one.

He does have a Newletter type publication sent out periodically, supposed to be 4 a year but fairly hit and miss.

MPS is still going Buddy but you are correct in so far as he mainly appears on the Reelin' and Rockin' show which has been very successful in so far as it seems to go on forever, so clearly financially lucrative for both promoter and artists.

He does still play dates with MPS and recently did a small tour with Dave Berry as MPS.


He presently has his son on drums and Barry Cowell still plays bass (one of the original guys he recruited). Other member tends to be whoever he can get at the time or so it appears.

BTW,
if there's apparently no website why not make some, unofficial perhaps? I take it some of you guys especially those who live in UK may see Mike from time to time, so... it's really strange, given there's a lot of his fans all around the globe...
Just a suggestion, of course.

Thanks Roy. Very pleased to hear this. Following in John McNally's footsteps, it would seem.

Sheena: There are a few photos and comments online here.

Peter, i do know your website and i love it! I meant, there's no official website which is strange given most of the 60s bands and artists have their own, with dates lists, bios, news sections etc. As far as Mike Pender is concerned, only your page, some bits of info on Wayne Fontana's website and "Join the fan club". Well, that's fine, but i just suggested some people would like to know more...
Cheers,
SC

I assume he's business savvy enough to ask or hire someone to create a site for him if he really wanted one & wanted to advertise what he's doing. But it does give the sad impression he's fairly dropped off the map (or that he'd prefer to keep what he is doing under the radar so to speak for whatever reason).

Or perhaps he's fine with being semi-retired, & if so god bless him. But I wonder if he secretly regrets how things turned out...the proposed solo career was a non-starter, & MPS seems to be "second string" as it were.

bw

So then why not "give it a go", Buddy? Mean, why not to try and make it? Doubt i'd be helpful since i've never even seen them live, but who knows, maybe somebody else would be enthused about the idea? Hope it isn't illegal, however - making a webpage without the artist's support... or maybe getting a support will be possible, who knows?..

Make an "unofficial tribute" website. You're not doing it for profit.

Seems Mike isn't interested in any sort of major promotions. Not too surprising; he's been burned more than once!

So you take part, Paul?

> So then why not "give it a go", Buddy?
> Mean, why not to try and make it?

Who, me? Even if I did know computer graphics (which I don't -- I hire someone to handle that for me), why on earth should I make a website for Mike Pender if he doesn't want to commission one for himself? And then try to chase him down (I live in the States) to get appearance dates & set up a merchandising page for him? Sounds like an exercise in frustration & a lot of out-of-pocket expense.

Even if I wasn't already busy enough promoting myself & my own music, my feeling is if MP wants to keep a low profile, that's entirely his own concern, & it's not up to me or anyone else to drag him kicking & screaming into the "digital age."

Maybe he simply doesn't wish to work as much as the Searchers do...after 40 years in the biz he's certainly earned it.

bw

Okay, okay, Buddy, it was only a suggestion... if Mike doesn't really want a website for himself, let it be this way...
(btw, i live in Russia so my chances to get any info are not higher than yours...)
I just thought you wanted to see MPS website one day, so i came with this "idea". A bit of misunderstanding, sorry.

No apologies necessary my dear.

bw