Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

When Mike Pender left The Searchers in 1985 it would seem that one of his goals was to regain some of the status as a solo artist that he once had with The Searchers in the early days. While it is not possible to know exactly why he left, it would seem a safe bet that he felt he could accomplish more moving out on his own.

Based on a number of his comments made during interviews since his departure, it would seem that he was becoming increasingly more disillusioned with The Searchers and their failure to obtain a hit record. He also made mention that The Searchers had been offered a recording deal if an "unnamed" company could also have the rights to a solo album by Pender. While Pender thought this deal savoury, the band did not and so it never materialized. His reasons for leaving continue to be somewhat unclear and a very touchy point of discussion among Searchers' fans more than 17 years after the fact.

My question is, did Pender accomplish what he set out to do? He formed a new band that sounded close to The Searchers of old which is not too surprising seeing that he had been the "Voice of The Searchers" for more than two decades. Having said that, it would seem that he did not achieve much success with regard to any of his new recordings with MIKE PENDER'S SEARCHERS. For me, the big standout as far new recordings are concerned was his ballad version of Needles and Pins. It is very different from the original recording but is well done vocally with great background harmonies. MPS touring continued with a number of lineup changes and his performances did not seem to rival those of The Searchers for very long.

Since 2002, Mike seems to have moved on to the slimmed down "Vintage Tours" business and is appearing as a solo artist with the Reelin' and Rockin' 2003 tour. MIKE PENDER'S SEARCHERS seems to be left out of the equation at present and the number of performance has dwindled substantially.

If Pender left The Searchers to become more successful as a recording artist it would seem that he has not achieved his goal. Perhaps he had other thoughts in mind when leaving. A new musical direction, more control over what he sang, a larger share of the 1960s market compared to that which he received with the Searchers or something else entirely. In looking over his achievements these past 17 years, it would seem to be a case of the grass is greener.

Mike is the only one would can say whether or not his efforts have been worth it. In fairness, his success has not materialized beyond The Searchers. Of one thing there can be no doubt. Mike Pender is a great artist who has had his share of success over the years. There will always be the "woulda, coulda, shouldas", I guess.
I for one, wish he had stayed put.

I believe the unamed company was RCA, Solitaire in my view was an attempt to showcase MP.

I believe the whole truth as to why he left has never emerged and why should it, some things should remain private.

Had his first and LAST solo recording actually been a hit, MPSearchers may well have been short lived, however he was realistic enough to realise without the Searchers name,which has already been established was more important than individuals in the band,his opportunites in the cabaret field may well have been limited.

I too wish he had stayed put,but that is not a slight on Spencer James who to some degree created a new Searchers sound,it is sometimes overlokked that SJ has now been in The Searchers for 17 years,shortly after MP left the explosion of Sixties type package tours took off and The Searchers career was revived to some degree,they would have been in the unique postion today of having three original members(let's not debate the Frank Allen Issue, nearly 40 years in the same group is near enough for me)who have aged remarkably well.

Roy: I agree that some things should remain private. However, Mike Pender's leaving The Searchers is not one of them. I say this because he has agreed to a number of interviews over the past 17 years and has responded to questions on a number of occasions with the aim of explaing his departure from the group in 1985.

In Mike Pender's interview with Mike D'Abo he had the following comments about a longstanding desire to leave The Searchers. Quote:"I felt the feeling before too, a long time prior to that (1985). I always felt that since leaving PYE Records and going on to United Artists, and releasing a few singles there. As each record company came along and said, Alright we'll sign you for a record or something' it was always because of me. In fact, I can remember that when we signed with RCA. Richard Swenson, who was the A&R man there at the time, he said 'Yes we'll sign the boys as long as we can do a solo album with Mike.' Which wasn't taken too happily by the rest of the band, of course. And as it transpired, we never did get around to recording because of the bickering in the band. They didn't want me to do it.

And then a couple of years went past, and Sire Records became interested. They had a lot of these trendy bands around and I can remember seeing Morris Stein. He was the big man there at the time. He was interested and he said 'Your voice sounds good. It's still good." He gave us a chance to use Rockfield Studios down in Wales. There we did two albums - a lot of new songs. We had, one, two, maybe three singles released to no avail. I can remember these two albums being hailed in the business. The media, even Rolling Stone Magazine in America said it was great. Nobody bought them.

And so it happened we went bact to PRT, the old PYE label. And there was a very good song written, by a great songwriter named Steve Thompson, and it was a thing called "I Don't Want To Be The One." Which I thought was a great single. Can you remember it? No! We got to the Leo Sayer Show on the strength of it being so good. I remember Leo Sayer saying, 'Your voice reminds me of me, because you can get so high.'

We all wanted to get on.We even thought about changing the name and starting anew again. After trying so many times it really was like banging your head against a brick wall. So in late 1985 I decided, look, I've had enough. People wanted to want nostalgia again. So I had to prove it to myself. I said look, I'm gonna get three guys and with them get back to the way we were, a drummer, a singer and bring a keyboard into it."

Pender's reason for leaving does not appear to be a secret then. His departure fell on the heels of many years of frustration and disillusionment being with the band and not getting a hit record. He mentions the three occasions prior to his leaving to record a hit, only to have their efforts fall flat in the charts. It seems clear to me that he thought that The Searchers were getting recording deals based on his voice but at the same time the band was holding him back.

So MIke charts a new course in an attempt to "get back to the future", by borrowing on his talents of the past and using them in the "new" 1960s nostalgia market. From my way of looking at it, his departure is an open book and it would seem that he has explained his reasons quite well. Whether his decision was based on sound judgement is another matter. Upon leaving he gets into another group and makes a number of recordings, none of which climb the charts.

At the present time he continues with the 1960s tours and I would very much doubt that he will be signed with another record company, although it is easier to arrange for recordings these days, given newer recoding technology, compared to 17 years ago. I rather suspect that he will stay with the current arranging of joining a number of 1960s singers who share expenses and all use the same band.

With regard to Spencer James, it must be said that he has a great voice and has a number of excellent recordings. I wish him all the best. He has certainly taken the Searchers in a somewhat different direction and the group was very fortunate to have found him. I suspect that he will use his current recordings and profile with The Searchers to springboard into his own solo venture when Frank and John call it quits sometime in this first decade of the 21st century.

If you look at the Article in "Solid Gold" about the Searchers this last summer, the conclusion I reached (based on the portions garnered from Mike)was that once the Sire LPs failed to score, and he realized he'd be back to working the Oldies circuit, he figured he'd make more by hiring sidemen, than by a four way split with the band.

Peter

A painstaking dichotomy of the transcript of the Mike D'Abo interview, one thing that seemed to emrge from that interview and subsequent ones was the difference of opinion between FA,JM and MP on the parting of the ways.

To take John's point which is credible, one would say why wait a further 5 years. Play For Today(Loves Melodies) was issued early 81 MP left end of 85.

I believe there were personality clashs and I do not intend to expand further

MP's Searchers have 15 dates pencilled in betwen April and October 10 in Europe and 5 in England

I suppose it is hard to sat why Pender waited such a long time from the recording of Play for Today to his departure. The group continued to have work and leaving would mean to step out in an unknow territory so to speak. As you have pointed out, there was strength in The Searchers, albeit perhaps not for charting. Moreover, Mike Pender may not be the ogre that he is made out to be. Perhaps he struggled with this for quite a while before making his decision. He would have appeared to have struggled in silence, it would seem, as it was a surprise to John and Frank.

Right you are Roy with regard to the difference of opinion. There are many sides to his leaving. I should expect that a conflict among various personality styles was at the very least, a result of his departure. As to whether it lead to his departure, as you have suggested, I don't know.

John Ribeiro's comments are well taken too. This was the impression I have from reading this article as well. I am sure Mike was growing weary of the perpetual road tour and as well considered the financial rewards to be greater with him as the leader and top of the bill.