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The Searchers
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Originally founded as a skiffle group in Liverpool in 1959 by John McNally and Mike Pender (Mike Prendergast), 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, their first lead singer. The issue 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 interst McNally was joined by his guitarist neighbour Mike Prendergast. They soon recruited Tony Jackson 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 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. 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.
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 interst McNally was joined by his guitarist neighbour Mike Prendergast. They soon recruited Tony Jackson 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 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. 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.
Top Albums
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Greatest Hits
The Searchers
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Needles And Pins
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The Definitive Pye Collection
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Top Tracks
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Needles and Pins
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Sweets For My Sweet
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Don't Throw Your Love Away
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Love Potion No. 9
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Sugar and Spice
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| 6 |
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When You Walk In The Room
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Needles & Pins
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Someday We're Gonna Love Again
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| 10 |
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Take It Or Leave It
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| 10 |
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Goodbye My Love
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Love Potion #9
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Take Me For What I'm Worth
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Love Potion No.9
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Shoutbox
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Sapegas wrote:
I could not see "Stand by me" on top charts, so strange... this song is awesome ballad
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foxyluva wrote:
I agree. Their self-titled album from 1979 is great.
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GMenRVA wrote:
Some of their later work isn't too bad either--early 80s.
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Sonofthe60s wrote:
"Needles and Pins," "Don't Throw Your Love Away,"...I really liked these guys then and these songs still sound great today.
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madone1972 wrote:
great song
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Lucifer-Sam wrote:
If you dont like the 1980s join my group http://www.last.fm/group/The+80s+Are+Dead+lets+Keep+It+That+Way
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aafval03 wrote:
"NEEDLES AND PINS" it was an unforgotable "hit" from sixties, but I prefer "WHEN YOU WALK IN THE ROOM". Hey !!! SEARCHERS, keep searching.
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prz_rulez wrote:
one of these artists, who were unfortunately forgotten...
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XXXnicoletteXXX wrote:
yep. :D
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loneberry wrote:
love potion no.9's fab! love it!
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mynameisjoehann wrote:
penis
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dopemoves wrote:
Very good underrated band...long live The Searchers!
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rjoycerocknroll wrote:
The Searchers never got as popular as some of the other British Invasion bands but I feel they were very influential on a lot of bands that came after such as Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers. The Searchers are fantastic. Last time I saw them was in the seventies in London and they still sounded great !
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bicknor wrote:
Great record - I still feel Ns and Ps at times, even now.
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bicknor wrote:
Needles and Pins - great record, I still feel them at times.
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celineacc wrote:
veryy funny :))
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BarneyElf wrote:
one of my all time favourite groups. And when you walk in the room is plyed I co allgoose-pimpley. Listen to that guitar - magic.
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rodney47 wrote:
Another great Brit group
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edgesofvision wrote:
Yeah!!!
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LADYLOVES123 wrote:
bring back a lot of good times
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Recent Activity
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dtr0q tagged The Searchers with rock, british, oldies and 2 other tags. 15 hours ago
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SixtiesZoe, WABBITFORCE, ealanj02 and 12 other people added The Searchers to their libraries. 17 hours ago
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sufi17 tagged The Searchers with 60s, british and classic rock. Wednesday morning
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MatrickPay tagged The Searchers with liverpool, merseybeat, 60s and one other tag. Tuesday evening
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Hasenpfuhl tagged The Searchers with ‘60s’. Tuesday evening
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TerrapinT, kjpradio, michaelpmj and 5 other people added The Searchers to their libraries. Tuesday morning
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elitropia tagged The Searchers with ‘classic rock’. Monday afternoon
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hein-duck-dich, MacBethVance, duderonomy1122 and 2 other people added The Searchers to their libraries. Monday morning
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Hansalem tagged The Searchers with ‘60s’. Sunday afternoon
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Hansalem, BubblegumBarb, DeadIndiaWalRuS and 3 other people added The Searchers to their libraries. Sunday afternoon
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