The Searchers interview: 60s band reflect seven decades and meeting The Beatles | Gold Meets

The Searchers are the longest-running band in pop history, with nearly 70 years on the road.
The legendary band who scored several massive hits in the 1960s are still performing today, and will embark on yet another UK tour this April.
Founded as a skiffle group in Liverpool in 1957 by John McNally, the band later recruited Mike Pender, Frank Allen, Tony Jackson and Chris Curtis as their most famous members at the height of their fame.
Frank and John are still performing as The Searchers today, alongside Spencer James and Richie Burns, and will be heading out on their Thank You tour from April to June.
Gold's David Andrews caught up with Frank and John to look back at their incredible career, including performing alongside The Beatles at the Cavern Club, and scoring massive hits with songs like 'Sweets for My Sweet' and 'Needles and Pins'.

[@barrywest2170]

Brilliant band always value for money a great shame that difficulties arose and Mike Pender left the band it was never quite the same without him 🎸🎸🎸🎸

[@andrewoverton5246]

I have had my searchers singles on Pye label for years,i t is sad Tony Jackson is never mentioned, ,before they became famous.Tony Jackson was singing in i think liverpool cavern or the other club and he was asked to join the group ,because they needed a vocalist .So Tony and Mike sang lead ,crummy Curtis on drums sang along ,always reminds me of someone of a puppet out of a thunderbirds .He and Tony did not get on because Curtis started to play he was the main one ,in the group. I wish John Macnally would have said he and mike Pender were the start of the Searchers Frank did not join till 1964.chris Curtis was the problamatic one he caused the problems .I think he thought he was IT. Frank Allen replaced Tony Jackson. I prefer the original sound of Mike Pender and Tony Jackson vocals they balanced really well listen to all 4 early hits . To me the sound was not the same when Tony left .Even though they had a bit more success ,but not anymore top ten hits after Tony Left. Mike left in the mid 1980s and formed his own mMke Penders Searchers if you listen to Mikes searchers and sadly the lack and now RIP Tony Jackson nothing can compare .Both the searchers groups ,have survived and succeeded in their own right. But it is sad they never talk about the original members and thanks to them this is how they succeeded.in the music industry .