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Wednesday, August 29, 2018

JOHN MCNALLY AND THE LEGENDARY SEARCHERS BID A LONG AND FOND FAREWELL

J   O   H   N
M   C   N   A   L   L   Y
GUITARIST
WITH THE LEGENDARY 
SEARCHERS
A LONG AND FINAL FAREWELL!
EXCLUSIVE
Remember....
"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/


JOHN MCNALLY GUITARIST 
FOR
 THE SEARCHERS
ON 'INTERVIEWING THE LEGENDS' 
w/RAY SHASHO
EXCLUSIVE 
BBS RADIO


THE SEARCHERS TOUR DATES

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
Please note that although some of these shows are already on sale,
others may not be for a while yet.
JANUARY
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  






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