Searchers vocalist to revive ‘ 60s sound
The Searchers lead vocalist Mike Pender will perform 10 to 12 hit songs backed up by Marmalade in a rousing rock ‘n roll revival of the British Invasion of the ‘60s at the Newport Performing Arts Theater of Resorts World Manila tonight, highlighting a bill that features six top bands of the era.
It’s Pender’s first visit to Manila since packing the Araneta Coliseum with The Searchers in a series of sell-out shows in 1966. Pender founded The Searchers in 1962 with rhythm guitarist John McNally then broke away in 1985 to form his own band. He’s the voice of The Searchers hits Needles and Pins, Don’t Throw Your Love Away, When You Walk In The Room, Love Potion No. 9, Goodbye My Love and Take Me For What I’m Worth which are in his set list for Monday’s gig. Pender is also considering to add Sweets For My Sweet, What Have They Done To The Rain, Four Strong Winds, among others to his repertoire.
“I can’t really remember too much from our visit in 1966,” said Pender in an overseas telephone interview from his home in Malpas in the southern Cheshire countryside near the England-Wales border. “What I remember was we performed before big crowds and we were hosted by the Araneta Coliseum
owner. We stayed at Mr. Araneta’s white plantation house which was beautiful. It was a fantastic visit and now returning after nearly 50 years, I think our sound is much better than ever. We’re ready to give the Filipino fans a big treat.”
Pender arrives with his wife of over 50 years, May. Others in the tour are Spencer Davis ( Keep On Running, Somebody Help Me, Gimme Some Loving, I’m A Man),
The Tremeloes ( Silence Is Golden, Twist And Shout, Here Comes My Baby, Do You Love Me), The Troggs ( Love Is All Around, Wild Thing, With A Girl Like You), Marmalade ( Obladi Oblada, Reflections Of My Life, Lovin’ Things) and
The Animals ( House Of The Rising Sun, Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood, We’ve Gotta Get Out Of This Place).
The traveling musicians left the UK last Thursday and will do one-night shows in Dubai and Singapore before proceeding to Manila. The final stop is Bangkok to complete the one-week tour.
“Last year, I did two US tours and this year, I did a 30-day Solid Sixties UK tour with P. P. Arnold and Chris Farlowe and just finished an 18-day US tour with Billy J. Kramer, Denny Laine (Moody Blues, Wings), Peter Noone (Herman’s Hermits), Chad and Jeremy and Terry Sylvester (The Hollies),” said Pender. “I try to limit myself to just one or two major tours a year. But there’s so much ground to cover. My son Michael is the drummer of my band. He’s not joining the Manila tour because of work back home so I’ll be backed up by Sandy Newman and Marmalade. We’ve done shows before so there really isn’t a need to rehearse. We’re professionals. I’m lucky our hits are well-known so bands know our songs and it’s easy to be backed up by other musicians.”
Pender has two surviving children Michael, 49, and Stephanie, 47. He lost his youngest son Nathan at 39 a few years ago in a tragic car accident. “I travel everywhere with my wife,” he said. “The day before leaving on this trip, we’re taking our grandson Alexander, who’s eight, out for a meal. We’re a very close-knit family.”
A Western movie fan, Pender thought of the name Searchers. “As a boy, I dreamed of becoming a cowboy,” he said. “I watched movies of Hopalong Cassidy, Johnny Mack Brown and of course, John Wayne. I enjoyed the movies of cowboys and Indians. I went to watch the movie The Searchers which starred John Wayne and that became the name of our band.”
The Searchers started out with Pender, McNally, bassist Tony Jackson and drummer Chris Curtis. Jackson was later replaced by Frank Allen. McNally and Allen continue to perform today while Jackson and Curtis have passed on. “We wanted to keep the original lineup and in 1982, we did two albums for the Sire label,” said Pender. “But things didn’t work out. In 1985, I left and formed my own band, went my own way and performed in my own gigs.”
The man who inspired Pender to become a musician was the late Buddy Holly. “I was 16 years old in 1958 and Buddy performed at the Philharmonic Hall in Liverpool,” he said. “I stood in line to buy a ticket under the pouring rain and I was drenched. But when the show started, I forgot about being wet. It was an experience that turned me on to a musical career.”
Pender said he’s performing in Manila with his fabled 12-string Rickenbacker guitar. “I’ve got 20 guitars in my collection including three 12-string Rickenbackers,” he said. “I used to own four but one was stolen. I’ve played with a 12-string Rickenbacker since 1964. I like its size, it’s not heavy to sling around. I actually change the strings around like I put the octave string in front of the bass string to give a more jingle-jangle sound.” Pender’s favorite Searchers songs are
When You Walk In The Room and Goodbye My Love. “I’m excited to do the show in Manila. It’s incredible that I’ll be back to perform after 49 years.”
In all, the six bands had 42 Top 10 UK hits and 10 No. 1 UK singles. The Searchers had three No. 1s, Spencer Davis and The Tremeloes two each, The Troggs, The Animals and Marmalade one apiece. Resorts World Manila is producing the British Invasion’s 50th Anniversary show in coordination with Redstone. “This is a dream come true,” said Redstone CEO Rajan Gidwani. “The experience of six top British bands of the ‘60s performing in one show is unprecedented in Manila and it probably won’t ever happen again. We’re inviting music fans of all ages to witness history in the making. This is a show we’ll never forget.”