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The Searchers may have been a very different group had Chris Curtis stayed. I am always interested in new information with regard to Chris. There is a brief history of Curtis at History of Chris Curtis

Chris is living in Liverpool I believe on his own. He certainly was an intergral part of the Searchers. That he left the music industry altogether created a gap that will never be filled. I respect him for the decision he made and the reasons he made it. I would love to meet him and spend some time with him listening to his views and versions of songs I love. I was glad to see the interview he did a couple of years ago as it was long past time he had his say. The songs he wrote were wonderful and will always remind me of the good times of my youth. Love you Chris. Pam Rackley

Pam: Well said. Chris is quite a talent and I too have also enjoyed his vocals and compositions. I am hoping to understand more about why he left the The Searchers and along with information pertaining to his career following his departure. I am hoping to get a copy of his most recent public interview from Tim Viney.

The birth name of Chris Curtis was Christopher Crummey. Chris, in response to Spencer Leigh's interview for the Record Collector in 1997, revealed the origin of his stage name. In answering the question from Leigh 'Why did you choose the name Chris Curtis?' Curtis responded:

"I didn't. Tony Jackson was in the bandroom of the Cavern one lunchtime and some reporters from the national press were there. He introduced us as Tony Jackson, John McNally, Mike Pender rather than Mike Prendergast and me the drummer, Chris. He didn't want to say my name was Crummey. They asked for my surname and looking on the Cavern's wall for inspiration he saw 'Lee Curtis' and said, 'Chris Curtis.' When my mother saw it she said, 'Have They got a drummer behaind your back?' She'd probably have been happy if they had, because she thought the Searchers were a bunch of no-marks. She never liked me being in the band. Even when we were having hit records she wanted me to be back in a bank. She didn't mind my new name though - my granny's name was Curtin and it was very close to that."

_HIS MOTHER REMINDS ME OF JOHN LENNON'S AUNT

MIMI .

I don't know if you lot are aware of it but the spelling is Crummey not Crummy. Mike in Germany has a copy of a document with Chris' signiture on it in his real name. Pam

Thanks for bringing my attention to this error Pam and my apology to Chris. Crummey has been spelled "Crummy" in a Spencer Leigh publication so that may explain some of the comments made previously.

Since Chris seems to have anticipated heavy metal with "Roundabout", he might well have moved the band in new directions if he stayed. BUT their strength was adopting songs to their "sound", and if he had succeeded, I think the band would have changed to the point where they wouldn't be the Searchers. Having seen 15 minutes of "Southern Man" at Madison Square Garden in 1972 I can tell you (musicianship aside) it just didn't fit.

While Chris has to get the credit on singles selection, he also has to take the rap for "When I Get Home", a BAD choice. I also wonder why he wasn't pushing harder (on both ends) for more group compositions. By '66 it was apparent most songwriters were keeping their own tunes, and as a fairly prolific, and good writer himself, you'd think he start the band, and Tony Hatch toward the idea of self penned single and LP's.

Finally, I was sold on the Searchers largely through Chris Curtis' drumming. "Needles and Pins" got my attention but "Saints and Searchers" and especially "Since You Broke My Heart" won my allegiance

There is a photo of Chris Curtis in 1997 posted to Needles and Pins taken at the time of his interview with Spencer Leigh. The quality is not great but you take what you can get in the music history business.

I am just going wild over Chris' leads on some of those Searchers album tracks. "This Empty Place," "Magic Potion," "Does She Really Care For Me"--his voice, when singing this kind of material, had this ethereal, haunting quality. Gentle and quiet, yet very bold and dramatic at the same time. And I've never heard high notes quite like these.......I listen to people like Roy Orbison, Gene Pitney, Jay Black....all guys who roared those high notes. Even in the case of Searchers lead singers, you had both Tony Jackson and Mike Pender shouting out at the top of their ranges. (I mean that in a good way!) Chris? Quiet, smooth, and chilling. And then he came out with "Aggravation," on which sounds nothing like this! He was really an amazing talent.

Peter, I've never heard Chris' rendition of "Stand By Me," which I have seen you praise here and on Needles & Pins, but I can imagine it's every bit as great as his others.

S.J. Aggravation was well done and the 30th Anniversary CD set includes this track. Chris had remarkable range. It is a pity that it went nowhere! Now that must have been aggravation.

Hi! First, I was delighted to find this forum, and have used quite some time to read through (well, 90%)of the previous stuff. Searchers was always of special interest to me. And although not a "hot" subject for some years, reading your stuff made me quite enthousiastic!

To introduce this topic: I recently saw a footage of Searchers, doing What'd I Say, with Chris as lead singer. He stood on his feet whilst drumming and singing. And from what I saw, this was an outstanding performance, great showmanship! I think I read somewhere that he used to have his drum kit placed more to the front of the stage than what is normal. On this occation, he was situated behind the guitarists, as is usual. I never saw a standing drummer before! Was this an habit of his? Or perhaps saved for tour de force numbers like this? This was Searchers 1st chapter, with Tony.

Greetings, Einar

Einar: Chris made a habit of standing while he drummed during a number of his performances. This comment has been made by a number of people who remember Chris from the early 1960s with The Searchers. There can be no doubt that he is a very talented person with a unique style. I have yet to get a photo of him drumming in this matter but will continue to look for one. Thanks for this interesting observation.

Forgive me making an assumption Einar, but would this footage you mention be of german origin, as with respect, your name suggests you may be german, profuse apoligies if wrong.

I recall seeing Chris play drums on a higher, or raised seat behind the drum kit, both on TV, and the one time I saw him live, in '64 He always appeared visible OVER the skins and cymbals. If memory serves me, Ringo and Dave Clark played "higher" than some of their contemporaries as well.