This is a mirror of Rick Hoffman's Tony Jackson Site created March 7th 1998.All artwork on the page has been hand colored and altered from the original black and white materials. Inquiries and comments may be sent to Rick
that
the Beatles didn't have, was a clearer focus on how to interpet rock classics.
Tony Jackson was the lead singer of the Searchers on their first two singles
and first two albums. What stands out in Tony Jackson's subsequent bands,
is his flair for picking great songs to record. Perhaps no one has recorded
as fine a collection of material in such a small number of actual releases.
Tonys
complete recorded output fits comfortably on just one disc which includes
it all. As a solo artist, his legacy is a series of attacks on the singles
charts. There are no obscure album cuts, filler tracks or indulgences.
There are only catchy pop tunes, and covers of the latest things at the
time, from the U.S., ranging from perhaps the best English interpetations
of Motown to Paul Revere and the Raiders.The Searchers formed just
like the Beatles did. They were a popular Mersey Band that got it together
in the Hamburg Circuit. Interestingly they were among the first "big" groups
not to come from Brian Epstein's stable. Tony Hatch their manager, was
more like Larry Parnes (50's r&r stable type) in his management style. Hatch was a talented writer
and industry pro unlike Epstein. Although Hatch was the source of great
cuts written by the likes of Fred Nightingale (actually none other than
Tony Hatch). He really had a different sort of plan to make the band more
popular than just good tunes.
The Searchers were the first of the English Invasion Bands to change personnel in the midst of their international stardom. Hatch had an idea that they could become two bands, The Searchers and Tony Jackson. It probably was worth the try, but it pretty much coinsided with the decline of both as popular acts. There were a few more Searcher hits but Tony as a solo artist, really never captured the attention of a major following.
It seems that a series of "incidents" may have played a part in the scenario as well. For one reason or another Jackson missed some band meetings and recording sessions. This led to a few Mike Pender lead vocals and hits(by the way). John McNally has said that Mike Pender's voice just was better suited for Needles and Pins and it certainly is classic on this cut! There are other opinions though, such as that Jackson was known to possess a temper and that certainly didn't help the commaderie.
Now you wouldn't be reading if you thought great music is defined by its place on the charts, thats for sure. And the Searchers have continued for all of these many years (actually as 2-bands now). For example their 80's albums on Sire are magnificent works which you should ad to your collection and is currently available on cd from the Raven Label.
Meanwhile Tonys group was
part of the U.K. scene for the next two years through 1967. Definately a musicians,
musician twenty cuts were recorded which are essential pop.
Tony Jackson's Post Searchers
Recordings
Tony Jackson and the Vibrations
Pye
Bye Bye Baby/Watch Your
Step 9/64
You Beat Me to the Punch/This
Little Girl of Mine 12/64
Love Potion Number Nine/Fortune
Teller 2/65
The Tony Jackson Group
Stage Door/That What I Want
7/65
CBS
You're My Number One/Let Me
Know 1/66
Never Leave Your Baby's Side/Im
the one she really thinks a lot of 5/66
Follow Me/ Walk That Walk 9/66
Anything Else You Want/Come
on and stop 11/66
Estudio
Just Like Me/Understanding/He
was a friend of mine/Shake- 1967?
Sometime after a last live radio performance in Portugal in 1967, the band broke up and Tony dissapeared from the music scene, It was our loss. There was a brief reformation of the Vibrations in 1991 about the time when all of the above cuts appeared on cd on the "Strange Things" Label SBCD 10003. And at that time Tony played some UK shows, the first in over 20 years and was still in good voice. But so far this is still all we have.
Click on the image above to
go to the ultimate band list for more music links
and for a great Searchers website
click on the underlined text below to go to
http://home.rhein-zeitung.de/~mdenger
for an index of all of my sites go to
http://users.nac.net/bkonwh/
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