Early Stereo Searchers recordings

[richard56]

I am interested in the stereo Searchers music from the early years. I am looking for the stereo version of "I Pretend I'm With You and I am wondering if it is in true stereo on the original American lp on Kapp KS3409 titled "This Is Us"? I think all the early Kapp label stuff was stereo -- I know the 1st album is all stereo. Also, is "I Pretend. . ." available in stereo anywhere else? Also wondering about possible source(s) for the stereo versions of such songs as 1) No One Else Could Love Me 2) Lovers 3) I'm Never Coming Back (this was stereo on the lp in America) 4) So Far Away 5) It's Just The Way 6) Popcorn Double Feature & 7) Western Union Can anyone help me?

[admin]

Richard: Perhaps this topic from the Searchers' Forum Archives may be of some assistance.

[mdenger]

Stereo versions I know, all on Kapp LPs: I Pretend, I´m Never Coming Back, So Far Away. For the rest I`ve never heard a stereo version although I believe that they exist - expect Popcorn, Western Union and Second Hand Dealer. The A Side of No One Else is Some Day We´re Gonna Love Again and exists in stereo so the b-side could as well. Same goes for It`s Just The Way - Have You Ever Loved Somebody.
The recent rerelease of their Pye offered all the album tracks in stereo but they missed to do that with the bonus tracks as well.
Michael

[tim]

The very early PYE recordings were done on three tracks. By the end of their time at PYE 8 tracks were being used. All the original PYE releases in the U.K. were in Mono (although later re-releases of the "Take Me For What I'm Worth" album were in true stereo). KAPP U.S. album tracks were re-mixed in stereo for release there. True stereo tracks were produced for the MARBLE ARCH re-releases of "Sugar And Spice" and "It's The Searchers" and the two "Smash Hits" albums. 'Psuedo' (electronically re-processed) stereo tracks were used on the two "Golden Hour of The Searchers" in the U.K. Tracks used on SEQUELS "30th Anniversary collection" were re-mixed in stereo from the original master tapes.

[neilhunt]

Richard: Perhaps this topic from the Searchers' Forum Archives may be of some assistance.

Alas, that link no longer works. But I'll try and resurrect this thread from the dead anyway.

Here's a list of tracks that only appear on the five 2001 Sanctuary album reissues in mono. Also, where applicable, where they can be found on in stereo on CD (or LP). Corrections and additions would be most welcome.

It's All Been A Dream
Saturday Night Out (US LP: MTS/N&P)
I'll Pretend I'm With You (SACD: The Collection)
Someday We're Gonna Love Again (SACD: The Collection) (taken from the "Golden Hour" tape)
No One Else Could Love You
When You Walk In The Room (SACD: The Collection)
I'll Be Missing You
What Have They Done To The Rain (SACD: The Collection)
This Feeling Inside*
The System
Goodbye My Love (SACD: The Collection)
Till I Met You (US LP: #4)*
He's Got No Love (US LP: #4)*
So Far Away (US LP: TMFWIW)
When I Get Home (US LP: TMFWIW)
I'm Never Coming Back (US LP: TMFWIW)
(I assume the foreign language recordings were never mixed to stereo, so I haven't included them here)
**may appear on the Golden Hour CD, but alas, I haven't been able to track down a copy.

The following recordings weren't included on the five Sanctuary reissues but usually (always?) appear in mono, except where noted:
Take It Or Leave It (SACD: The Collection)
Don't Hide It Away
Have You Ever Loved Somebody (SACD: The Collection)
It's Just The Way
Popcorn Double Feature
Lovers
Western Union
I'll Cry Tomorrow
Second Hand Dealer
Crazy Dreams

I also found at least one alternate stereo mix:
Needles And Pins (centered vocals) (SACD: The Collection)


Rumored remixes:
30th Anniversary Collection (although most of disc one is in mono, and the disc one stereo mixes sound like the regular stereo mixes)
Greatest Hits (Rhino) (Haven't heard this one)