Rarity
Posted: Wed Jan 11, 2012 12:13 pm
Everyone knows Searchers most famous hit was Needles and Pins, many sites state they recorded it after hearing Jackie De Shannon's original version, though contrary to popular belief she did not write it.
Frank Allen in the book The Searchers And Me states however that Searchers first heard the song at the Star Club in Hamburg when they heard his old group Cliff Bennett and the Rebel Rousers playing it, as it was featured in their live set.
CBRR'S to best of my knowledge never recorded the track, once they were given a recording contract, so unless you were at the Star club in the 60s or saw them play locally in around Hayes no one will have heard this version, however recently a tape was uncovered of the group playing live
at the Blue Moon pub in Hayes,I have that tape and the quality is surprisingly good.
Needles is one of the tracks
So here is Cliff Bennett and The Rebel Rousers I hesitate to say, extremely rare version,as it may not be but it is to me, of Needles and Pins, I am reliably informed that CB sings a dual lead with Frank Allen on the track.
Indeed CBRR's were, it could be argued, a influence on the Searchers because a few numbers they had in their set like Alright, Sick and Tired and Tricky Dicky plus others did appear on The Searchers first albums.
Frank Allen in the book The Searchers And Me states however that Searchers first heard the song at the Star Club in Hamburg when they heard his old group Cliff Bennett and the Rebel Rousers playing it, as it was featured in their live set.
CBRR'S to best of my knowledge never recorded the track, once they were given a recording contract, so unless you were at the Star club in the 60s or saw them play locally in around Hayes no one will have heard this version, however recently a tape was uncovered of the group playing live
at the Blue Moon pub in Hayes,I have that tape and the quality is surprisingly good.
Needles is one of the tracks
So here is Cliff Bennett and The Rebel Rousers I hesitate to say, extremely rare version,as it may not be but it is to me, of Needles and Pins, I am reliably informed that CB sings a dual lead with Frank Allen on the track.
Indeed CBRR's were, it could be argued, a influence on the Searchers because a few numbers they had in their set like Alright, Sick and Tired and Tricky Dicky plus others did appear on The Searchers first albums.