The Searchers - 30th Anniversary Collection 1962-1992

The Searchers - 30th Anniversary Collection 1962-1992 (3 CD SET)
CD (1992) To Mp3 320 mbit/s
Included: CD Covers and this Info

Review by Richie Unterberger allmusic.com
Although it's missing one or two fairly strong tracks, this three-CD, 84-song set is a pretty definitive collection of the group's best '60s material for those who want to go beyond the greatest hits. Besides including all of their key A- and B-sides, it has an entire disc of their best '60s album tracks. The rarities disc includes foreign-language versions, outtakes, mid-'60s BBC performances, and solo discs by Tony Jackson and Chris Curtis. Highlights here include an alternate take of "Someday We're Gonna Love Again," a BBC version of "Blowin' in the Wind," and the previously unreleased "Once Upon a Time" (recorded by Dusty Springfield).


The Searchers are a British rock band who emerged as part of the 1960s merseybeat scene along with The Beatles, The Swinging Blue Jeans, and Gerry & The Pacemakers.

The band's hits included a remake of the Drifters' 1961 hit, "Sweets for My Sweet"; remakes of Jackie DeShannon's "Needles and Pins" and "When You Walk In The Room" "Sugar and Spice" "Don't Throw Your Love Away" and a remake of The Clovers' "Love Potion No. 9". They were the second group from Liverpool after the Beatles to have a hit in America when "Needles and Pins" charted during the first week of March 1964.

Band history
Originally founded as a skiffle group in Liverpool in 1959 by John McNally and Mike Pender, the band took their name from the classic 1956 John Wayne western The Searchers. Prendergast claims that the name was his idea, but McNally ascribes it to 'Big Ron' Woodbridge (born Ronald Woodbridge, 1938, in Liverpool, Lancashire), their first lead singer. The genesis remains unresolved.

The band grew out of an earlier skiffle group formed by McNally, with his friends Brian Dolan (guitar) and Tony West (bass). When the other two members lost interest McNally was joined by his guitarist neighbour Mike Prendergast. They soon recruited Tony Jackson (born Anthony Paul Jackson, 16 July 1938, The Dingle, Liverpool, Lancashire - died 18 August 2003, Nottingham, Nottinghamshire) with his home-made bass guitar and amplifier and styled themselves 'Tony and the Searchers' with Joe Kelly on drums. Kelly soon left to be replaced by Norman McGarry (born 1 March 1942, Liverpool, Lancashire), and it is this line-up - McNally, Pender (as he soon became known), Jackson and McGarry - that is usually cited as the original foursome.

McGarry did not stay long, however, and in 1960 his place was taken by Chris Crummey (who later changed his name to Curtis). Later that year Big Ron had a successful audition with Mecca and became a ballroom singer. He was replaced by Billy Beck, who changed his name to Johnny Sandon (born William Beck, in 1941, Liverpool died 23 December 1996). The band had regular bookings at Liverpool's Iron Door Club as 'Johnny Sandon and the Searchers'.

Sandon left the band in late 1961 to join The Remo Four in February 1962. The group settled into a quartet sharing the vocal lead and billed simply as 'The Searchers'. They continued to play at the Iron Door, The Cavern, and other Liverpool clubs. Like many similar acts they would do as many as three shows at different venues in one night. They negotiated a contract with the Star-Club in the St. Pauli district Hamburg for 128 days, with three one-hour performances a night, starting in July 1962.

The band returned to a residency at the Iron Door Club and it was there that they tape-recorded the sessions that led to a recording contract with Pye Records with Tony Hatch as producer. Their first single was issued in US on Mercury, the second on Liberty without success and then a deal was arranged with U.S. based Kapp Records to distribute their records in America.

Hatch played piano on some recordings and wrote "Sugar and Spice"-the band's second number one record-under the pseudonym Fred Nightingale; a secret he kept from the band at the time.

After scoring with their hit "Needles and Pins", bassist Tony Jackson was fired from the band and was replaced by Hamburg pal Frank Allen (born Francis Renaud McNeice, 14 December 1943, Hayes, Middlesex) from Cliff Bennett and the Rebel Rousers.

Chris Curtis left the band in 1966 and was replaced by the Keith Moon-influenced John Blunt, who in turn was replaced by Billy Adamson in 1970. In 1967, Curtis formed a new band called Roundabout with keyboard player Jon Lord and guitarist Ritchie Blackmore. Although Curtis's involvement in the project was short-lived, Roundabout would eventually evolve into Deep Purple the following year.

As musical styles evolved, the Searchers could not keep up and as a result, the hits ran out. While they continued to record for Liberty Records and RCA Records, they ended up on the British "Chicken in a Basket" circuit, although they did score a minor US hit in 1971 with "Desdemona".

The group continued to tour through the 1970s and were rewarded in 1979 when Sire Records signed the band to a multi-record deal. Two albums were released: The Searchers and Play for Today (retitled Love's Melodies outside the UK). Both records garnered critical acclaim but did not break into the charts. They did, however, revive the group's career.

According to John McNally, the band were ready to head into the studio to record a third album for Sire when they were informed that due to label reorganization, their contract had been dropped. It was, in fact, because so few people bought the second album, although it was beloved by fans.

In 1981, the band signed to PRT Records (formerly Pye, their original label) and began recording an album. But only one single, "I Don't Want To Be The One" backed with "Hollywood", ended up being released. The rest of the tracks would be included as part of 2004's 40th Anniversary collection.

Soon after the PRT release, Mike Pender left the group amidst great acrimony and now tours as Mike Pender's Searchers. McNally and Allan recruited former First Class vocalist Spencer James to fill Pender's shoes.

In 1988, Coconut Records signed The Searchers and the album Hungry Hearts was the result. It featured updated remakes of "Needles and Pins" and "Sweets For My Sweet" plus live favorite "Somebody Told Me You Were Crying". While the album was not a major hit, it did keep the group in the public eye.

The band continues to tour with Eddie Rothe replacing Adamson on drums and is considered to be one of the most popular 1960s bands on the UK concert circuit. The Searchers incorporate full band electric performances with an acoustic set as well. Creating ample amounts of confusion, former Searchers lead singer Mike Pender also tours, but with his new full band electric outfit Mike Pender's Searchers, as they perform hits of the Searchers and some new material of their own. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Searchers_(band)

The Searchers timeline
1957-1959
John McNally: Guitar, Vocals
Ron Woodbridge: Vocals
Brian Dolan: Guitar
Tony West: Bass
Joe Kennedy: Drums

1960-Feb 1962
John McNally: Rhythm Guitar, Vocals
Mike Pender: Lead Guitar, Vocals
Chris Curtis: Drums, Vocals
Tony Jackson: Bass, Vocals
Johnny Sandon: Lead Vocals

Feb 1962-July 1964
John McNally: Rhythm Guitar, Vocals
Mike Pender: Lead Guitar, Vocals
Chris Curtis: Drums, Lead Vocals
Tony Jackson: Bass, Lead Vocals

August 1964-April 1966
John McNally: Rhythm Guitar, Vocals
Mike Pender: Lead Guitar, Vocals
Chris Curtis: Drums, Lead Vocals
Frank Allen: Bass, Lead Vocals

May 1966-December 1969
John McNally: Rhythm Guitar, Vocals
Mike Pender: Lead Guitar, Vocals
Frank Allen: Bass, Lead Vocals
John Blunt: Drums

January 1970-December 1985
John McNally: Rhythm Guitar, Vocals
Mike Pender: Lead Guitar, Vocals
Frank Allen: Bass, Lead Vocals
Billy Adamson: Drums

January 1986-November 1998
John McNally: Rhythm Guitar, Vocals
Frank Allen: Bass, Lead Vocals
Billy Adamson: Drums
Spencer James: Lead Guitar, Lead Vocals

November 1998-present
John McNally: Rhythm Guitar, Vocals
Frank Allen: Bass, Lead Vocals
Spencer James: Lead Guitar, Lead Vocals
Eddie Roth: Drums

Disc One: The Singles:
01. Sweets For My Sweet - 1963
02. It's All Been A Dream - 1963
03. Sugar And Spice - 1963
04. Needles And Pins - 1964
05. Saturday Night Out - 1964
06. Don't Thorw Your Love Away - 1964
07. I Pretend I'm With You - 1964
08. Someday Were Gonna Love Again - 1964
09. No One Else Could Love Me - 1964
10. When You Walk In The Room - 1964
11. I'll Be Missing You - 1964
12. What Have They Done To The Rain - 1964
13. This Feeling Inside - 1964
14. Goodbye My Love - 1965
15. Till I Met You - 1965
16. He's Got No Love - 1965
17. So Far Away - 1965
18. When I Get Home - 1965
19. I'm Never Coming Back - 1965
20. Take Me For What I'm Worth - 1965
21. Too Many Miles - 1965
22. Take It Or Leave It - 1966
23. Don't Hide Away - 1966
24. Have You Ever Loved Somebody - 1966
25. It's Just The Way (That Love Will Come And Go) - 1966
26. Popcorn Double Feature - 1967
27. Westen Union - 1967
28. I'll Cry Tomorrow - 1966
29. Second Hand Dealer - 1967
30. Crazy Dreams - 1967

Disc Two: The Albums & EP's
01. Ain't Gonna Kiss Ya - 1963
02. Love Potion No. 9 - 1963
03. System - 1964
04. Bumble Bee - 1965
05. Where Have All The Flowers Gone? - 1963
06. Alright - 1963
07. Farmer John - 1963
08. Since You Broke My Heart - 1963
09. Tricky Dicky - 1963
10. Listen To Me - 1963
11. Hungry For Love - 1963
12. Ain't That Just Like Me - 1963
13. Don't Cha Know (Don't You Know - 1963)
14. All My Sorrows - 1963
15. It's In Her Kiss - 1964
16. Sea Of Heartbreak - 1964
17. I Count The Tears - 1964
18. This Empty Space - 1964
19. Can't Help Forgiving You - 1964
20. Sho' Know A Lot About Love - 1963
21. Magic Potion - 1965
22. Till You Say You'll Be Mine - 1965
23. I Don't Want To Go On Without You - 1965
24. A Tear Fell - 1965
25. If I Could Find Someone - 1965
26. It's Time - 1965
27. I'll Be Doggone - 1965
28. Each Time - 1965
29. You Can't Lie To A Liar - 1965
30. Four Strong Winds - 1965

Disc Three: The Rarities
01. Tausend Nadelstiche (Needles & Pins) - 1991
02. Sub Ist Sie (Sugar And Spice) - 1991
03. Bye Bye Johnny - 1992
04. I Don't Want To Go On Without You - 1965
05. I (Who Have Nothing) - 1992
06. Shame, Shame, Shame - 1992
07. Someday We're Gonna Love Again [Alternate Take] - 1992
08. Verzeih' My Love (Goodbye My Love) - 1991
09. I'll Be Doggone [Alternate Take] - 1992
10. Once Upon A Time - 1992
11. Sweet Little Sixteen [Live] - 1996
12. Blowin' In the Wind [Live] - 2004
13. See See Rider/Jenny Take A Ride [Live] - 2004
14. Goodbye, So Long [Live] - 2004
15. I'll Be Loving You [Live] - 2004
16. I Don't Believe [Live] - 2004
17. Stage Door - Tony Jackson (The Tony Jackson Group) - 1965
18. Watch Your Step - Tony Jackson (Tony Jackson & The Vibrations) - 1964
19. Aggravation - Chris Curtis - 1966
20. Innocent Victim - 1992
21. A Good Way To Fall - 1992
22. New Heart - 1992
23. I Don't Want To Be The One - 1992
24. Hollywood - 1982