The Searchers Meet Tim Rice

[royclough]

From a late night UK TV show in late 70s, allegedly Sir Tim is a big fan.

[its-sylviab]

Thank you Roy.... yet another gem!
You really are spoiling us Searchers' fans!

[JeffZ]

Amen to what Sylvia says...great clip. Nice Rick bass Frank is playing on this too!

[chriscurtisfan]

OMG Roy, that is the coolest clip!! Two of my TOP 50 fave Searchers tunes, and a few sentences from the guys!! (I hang on to every WORD they speak, can you tell?!) They were all looking sooo happy and totally gorgeous!!! I think that Billy reminds me the most of Chris drumming. I'm no expert, but his style works for me best, in the absence of Chris. Thank you, thank you!!

[sowhat]

Nice sound and all, but face expressions and movements... really something. Frank Allen looks as if he's ready to shoot from his bass. Funny. And Billy Adamson doesn't say a word yet again. A pity.

[JeffZ]

Did Billy ever talk? I asked him to sign my copy of the first Sire album back stage once, I think in 1984. He gave me a brief smile and did so, but didn't say a thing.

[sowhat]

Yeah, he did talk.

GB: Billy J. Kramer was the worst during the last few years. -
B: He's too nervous. Really he's terribly nervous.
J: I like Billy!
F: He's crazy. During our last tour across the USA, ..he eventually began to sing WHITE CHRISTMAS on stage. He continued singing it, each night. Imagined (M: Whi-i-i-te christ..) It was midsummer!!
J: I like Billy!
B: He's nervous, that's his fault.

and

At this time the Searchers had to leave for the stage. During the quite long walk we discussed the situation of many bands in England, underpay, decrease of possibilities to play, especially university-gigs (B: Billy J. Kramer really looks great, it seems he looks better every day), etc. The Searchers mostly play the Cabaret-circuit in England, but as they say, they can make a living out of it! Good luck & all the best Searcherers.

Source: http://rz-home.de/~mdenger/ (late 1978 interview). "B" = Billy Adamson.

[royclough]

I'll post a video sometime of him talking, he was in the group for 26 years but for whatever reason was never a Searcher in terms of having a right to the name.

Same must have gone for Chris Curtis and Tony Jackson, somewhere along the line John McNally, Frank Allen and Mike Pender legally owned the name

[nick_allen]

I'm noy sure that at the time of Chris or Tony, the concept of "owning the name" really occurred to anybody, Roy. It was only later, as bands began to split and different members formed new bands, that the question arose. Were the various Byrds disputes the first example of this ? Not sure, but they were the first I remember... But certainly, I'm sure Chris and Tony were equal members while they were in the band. Now if the two of them had left together, leaving Mike and John behind - that would have been a tricky situation. But my feeling is that the way things were in those days, it would have simply been "no more Searchers - two new bands".

[einar]

Could it be that "Needles" is performed live, "Hearts" with the aid of playback? Can't hear any diversity from the recorded version of the latter. Watch the audience: More spontanious approval for the first, more of a "neutral" behaviour for the latter. What do you think?
"Hearts" was THE ideal choice for a comeback try. HIT written all over it. How could it fail? When this couldn't bring The Searchers back in the upper charts, nothing could.

[einar]

Mike- The Quiet One?

Mike seem to speak in a very sweet, soft voice! About him leaving the group: We have Frank's version (in his book), and John's (interviewed at length in Michael Ober's Then Play On book, 1992). Have Mike ever talked the subject over? It is probably to his credit that he has kept quiet, but I surely would have liked to hear his side.

Billy quiet or not: Did John Blunt ever speak? Spencer James? To me, it seems to have been a policy to recruit non-speaking replacements. This is from Chris' departure on. IMO a poor strategy. They didn't even seriously try to defend their position. They should have chosen a new drummer who could say "hello" and even sing (write?) a song or two! Wasn't Pete Best available?! Surely no CC style drummer, but Chris talks warmly about Pete's drumming in his 1998 Record Collector interview! At least, this would have meant one attraction out, another in! Only Sunday afternoon speculations of course. Not to be taken too seriously, as said.

[dbailey62]

Pete Best? No offence to Pete Best as he wasn't as bad a drummer as many would say but Blunt was the best drummer the band ever had. A good and true rock and roller. Did they need a singing drummer, not in my opinion. With McNally moving more to the forefront, they were very well covered for vocals. Cheri might send me a letter bomb for saying this but I really do not believe that CC leaving the group when he did actually hurt the group.

The band was going where it was going. Times changed and they were out of favour. CC or no CC IMO meant nothing at that point in time. It's not like they were doing well during the the last year or so he was present in the group.

[wrd]

This is a great thread. I'm a big Mike Pender fan, always was and always will be. His vocal skills are so classic and to me in the same category as Orbison and the Everly's. Just listen to Good Bye My Love- amazing. I'm also a guitar player and really love his 6/12 strings accomplishments. His Gibson 345 along with his original Ric 360/12 blazed the way for the Searchers sound. He is an excellent guitarist!

I was very fortunate to have seen the Searchers here in Jacksonville, Fl. in 1965. I think Frank lists their tour schedule in one of his books. The only reason I went to the show was to see them. It also, if I can remember correctly, had the Beach Boys, Zombies and Maybe Dusty - plus others. The Searchers were the band for me.

I am saddened that Mike did leave them, for what ever reason.I hope to think before its all over he may again sing and play with them. Unfortunately, I don't think that will ever come to pass but what a treat after all these years if it did happen.

Long live the Mr. Pender

[chriscurtisfan]

Pete Best? No offence to Pete Best as he wasn't as bad a drummer as many would say but Blunt was the best drummer the band ever had. A good and true rock and roller. Did they need a singing drummer, not in my opinion. With McNally moving more to the forefront, they were very well covered for vocals. Cheri might send me a letter bomb for saying this but I really do not believe that CC leaving the group when he did actually hurt the group.

The band was going where it was going. Times changed and they were out of favour. CC or no CC IMO meant nothing at that point in time. It's not like they were doing well during the the last year or so he was present in the group.

For me, sad to report that the Searchers ended after about six songs...the last played on our upstate NY radio was "What have They Done To The Rain" -- So we were really robbed of anything that came after. I am the Searchers fan who would not have given them a second glance if any other drummer (including RIngo Starr) had been sitting on that drum stool the night they were on Ed Sullivan. It was Chris, his strong drumming and his beautiful smile that made me into a life long Searchers Fan. Besides his musical talents, he brought along his zany sense of humor and that lovely speaking voice that made him so good at being the Spokesman. To me, he was the bright and shining star. And I'm still upset that he left the band! He needed them as much as they needed him. Just my opinion. That and $1.75 USD will buy you a really bad cup of coffee.

Thank you, David for acknowledging my loyalty to Chris Curtis! I take Chris for what he was worth. The good, the bad and the ugly! It is my mission to be known as Chris Curtis #1 fan!! Mission accomplished!

[ozmag]

Could it be that "Needles" is performed live, "Hearts" with the aid of playback? Can't hear any diversity from the recorded version of the latter. Watch the audience: More spontanious approval for the first, more of a "neutral" behaviour for the latter. What do you think?
"Hearts" was THE ideal choice for a comeback try. HIT written all over it. How could it fail? When this couldn't bring The Searchers back in the upper charts, nothing could.

I was actually in attendance at this and it was recorded on the afternoon without an audience, with Tim Rice doing the interview. Interesting the magic of telly!