Interviewing The Legends: #British Invasion

J O H N M C N A L L Y

LEGENDARY GUITARIST

T H E

S E A R C H E R S

SPECIAL GUEST

THE RAY SHASHO SHOW

"Sweets for My Sweet"; "Needles and Pins" "When You Walk in the Room"; "Sugar and Spice"; "Don't Throw Your Love Away"' "Love Potion No. 9" to name just a few … the Searchers tied for the second group from Liverpool, after the Beatles, to have a hit in the US when their "Needles and Pins" and the Swinging Blue Jeans' "Hippy Hippy Shake" both reached the Hot 100 on 7 March 1964.
It’s little wonder then that most observers considered The Searchers to be the most successful and important Group, after the Beatles, in that quite wonderful period of Pop Music.

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.

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 neighbor 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.

The band returned to a residence, 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.

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.

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 by them, The Searchers and Play for Today (retitled Love's Melodies outside the UK). Both records garnered great critical acclaim but did not break into the charts. They did however revitalize 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.

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", saw the light of day at that time. The rest of the tracks would be released as part of 2004's 40th Anniversary collection.

In 1985 MIKE PENDER left The Searchers to form his own group. His aim was, and still is to this day, to faithfully recreate the sound and feel of those Hit Recordings and at the same time introduce other material that compliments Mike's unique voice and guitar style.

In 1988, Coconut Records signed The Searchers and the album Hungry Hearts was the result. A very contemporary sounding release, it featured modern sounding remakes of "Needles and Pins" and "Sweets For My Sweets". While the album was not a major hit, it did keep the group in the public eye. John McNally and the Searchers are still going strong today and hold a significant fanbase worldwide.

The band members are:

John McNally - original member and founder, 6string/12 string guitarist and vocals

Frank Allen - bass guitarist, vocals and front man

Spencer James - guitar synth and lead vocals

Scott Ottaway – on drums.

For more information about John McNally and The Searchers and up to the minute concert dates visit …

http://www.the-searchers.co.uk/

FINAL TOUR DATES

AUGUST 2018
Fri 3 August:        ISLE OF WIGHT Shanklin Theatre (S)
Sat 4 August:        WESTON SUPER MARE Playhouse (S)
Sun 5 August:        ILFRACOMBE Landmark Theatre (S)
Sun 12 August:    SKEGNESS Embassy Theatre (S)
Sat 18 August:    HUNSTANTON Princess Theatre (S)
Sun 19 August:    CLACTON West Cliff Theatre (S)
Fri 31 August:        WORTHING Pavilion Theatre (S)
SEPTEMBER
Sat 1 September:    FALMOUTH Princess Pavilion (S)
Sun 2 September:    TORQUAY Princess Theatre (S)
Fri 7 September:    CHRISTCHURCH Regent Centre (S)
Fri 28 September:    GREAT YARMOUTH St Georges Theatre (S)
Sat 29 September:    CROMER Pier Pavilion (S)
Sun 30 September:    WHITBY Pavilion Complex
SIXTIES GOLD AUTUMN TOUR
Featuring The Searchers, P J Proby, The Merseybeats,
The Fortunes, Steve Ellis (Love Affair) and Vanity Fare

For fuller information please see www.sixtiesgoldtour.co.uk

OCTOBER
Tues 2 October:    OXFORD New Theatre
Wed 3 October:    SOUTHPORT Southport Theatre
Thur 4 October:    LLANDUDNO Venue Cymru
Fri 5 October:        CARDIFF St David’s Hall
Sat 6 October:        ST ALBANS Alban Arena (2 shows)
Sun 7 October:    IPSWICH Regent Theatre
Fri 12 October:    LEICESTER De Montfort Hall
Sat 13 October:    STEVENAGE Concert Hall
Sun 14 October:    SOUTHEND Cliffs Pavilion
Fri 19 October:    WEYMOUTH Pavilion Theatre
Sat 20 October:    MARGATE Winter Gardens
Sun 21 October:    WIMBLEDON Wimbledon Theatre
Thur 25 October:    DARTFORD Orchard Theatre (2 shows)

Fri 26 October: STOW ON THE WOLD St Edward's Church

(Stow Music Festival) (not part of Sixties Gold tour)

Sun 28 October:    LEEDS Grand Theatre (2 shows)

NOVEMBER
Thur 1 November:    GLASGOW Royal Concert Hall
Fri 2 November:    DUNDEE Caird Hall
Sat 3 November:    INVERNESS Eden Court (2 shows)
Sun 4 November:    ABERDEEN Beach Ballroom
Tue 6 November:    GATESHEAD The Sage
Wed 7 November:    BLACKPOOL Opera House
Sat 10 November NORTHAMPTON Derngate
Sun 11 November: NORWICH Theatre Royal
Sat 17 November:    LIVERPOOL Philharmonic Hall
Sun 18 November:    CAMBRIDGE Corn Exchange
Fri 23 November:    DONCASTER The Dome
Sun 25 November:    SOUTHAMPTON Mayflower Theatre
Wed 28 November:    BIRMINGHAM Symphony Hall
Fri 30 November:    MANCHESTER Bridgewater Hall

DECEMBER

Sun 2 December: CARLISLE Sands Centre

(end of Sixties Gold Tour)

Fri 7 December:      WIMBORNE Tivoli Theatre (S)
Sat 8 December:     WORCESTER Huntingdon Hall
Fri 14 December:    NR NOTTINGHAM   Lowdham Village Hall (S)
Sat 15 December:    NR CHARD Cricket St Thomas (Warner's weekend break)
Sun 23 December:   HULL City Hall

THE SEARCHERS FAREWELL TOUR
4 January – 31 March 2019

S = Solo all evening show, with no support acts

JANUARY 2019

Fri 4 January:      MARKET DRAYTON Festival at Drayton Centre (S)
Sat 5 January:    MARKET DRAYTON (as above - second night)
Fri 11 January:    DISS Corn Hall (S)
Sat 12 January:    HAYES The Beck Theatre (S)
Sun 13 January:    NR READING The Mill at Sonning (dinner and show)
Thurs 17 January:    MAIDSTONE Hazlitt Theatre (S)
Fri 18 January:    BASILDON Towngate Theatre (S)
Sat 19 January:    BURY ST EDMUNDS Apex Theatre (S)
Sun 20 January:    EPSOM Playhouse (S)
Wed 23 January: MORECAMBE Platform Theatre (S)
Thurs 24 January:    RUNCORN The Brindley (S)
Fri 25 January:    DONCASTER The Cast (S)
Sat 26 January:    STOCKPORT Plaza (S)
Sun 27 January:    LINCOLN New Theatre Royal (S)
Thurs 31 January:    SOLIHULL Core Theatre (S)

FEBRUARY

Fri 1 February:    RHYL Pavilion Theatre (S)
Sat 2 February:    BARROW IN FURNESS Forum 28 (S)
Sun 3 February:    BOLTON Albert Halls (S)
Weds 6 February:    YEOVIL Octagon Theatre (S)
Thurs 7 February:    HEREFORD Courtyard Theatre (S)
Fri 8 February:    PORTHCAWL Grand Pavilion (S)
Sat 9 February:    NR CAERPHILLY   Blackwood Miners Institute (S)
Sun 10 February:    EVESHAM Arts Centre (S)
Thurs 14 February:    WAKEFIELD Theatre Royal (S)
Fri 15 February:    WHITLEY BAY Playhouse (S)
Sat 16 February:    BROMSGROVE The Artrix (S)
Sun 17 February:    STAFFORD The Gatehouse (S)
Mon 18 February:    CANTERBURY Marlowe Theatre (S)
Thurs 21 February:    LOWESTOFT The Marina (S)
Fri 22 February:    BEDFORD Corn Exchange (S)
Sat 23 February:    KINGS LYNN Corn Exchange (S)
Sun 24 February:    HAYLING ISLAND Sinah Warren (Warner’s weekend break)
               (not part of the Solo Tour)
Wed 27 February:   POCKLINGTON (near York) Arts Centre (S)
Thurs 28 February:    GLENROTHES Rothes Hall (S)

MARCH
Fri 1 March:        MOTHERWELL Concert Hall (S)
Sat 2 March:        MUSSELBURGH Brunton Hall (S)
Sun 3 March:        LIVINGSTONE Howden Park Centre (S)
Weds 6 March:    FAREHAM Ferneham Hall (S)
Thurs 7 March:    HARLOW Playhouse (S)
Fri 8 March:        CREWE Lyceum Theatre (S)
Sat 9 March:        NEW BRIGHTON Pavilion Theatre (S)
Sun 10 March:        LEEDS City Varieties (S)
Thurs 14 March:    MANSFIELD Palace Theatre (S)
Fri 15 March         WIMBORNE Tivoli Theatre (S)
Sat 16 March:        HORSHAM Capitol Theatre (S)
Sun 17 March:      PETERBOROUGH Key Theatre (S)
Weds 20 March:    CANNOCK Prince of Wales Theatre (S)
Thurs 21 March:    DARLINGTON Hippodrome (formerly Civic) (S)
Fri 22 March:        LOUGHBOROUGH Town Hall (S)
Sat 23 March:        LYTHAM ST ANNES Lowther Pavilion (S)
Sun 24 March:   REDDITCH Palace Theatre (S)
Weds 27 March:    HIGH WYCOMBE Swan Theatre (S)
Thurs 28 March:    CROMER Pier Pavilion (S)
Fri 29 March:        CAMBERLEY Camberley Theatre (S)
Sat 30 March:        WEYMOUTH Pavilion Theatre (S)
Sun 31 March:         NR MILTON KEYNES The Stables, Wavendon (S) SOLD OUT

Sadly the Searchers will then be retiring