Like a lot of Liverpool groups, The Searchers started off by playing skiffle before turning to rock 'n' roll. They signed with Pye Records, Tony Hatch became their recording manager and their debut disc 'Sweets For My Sweet' went to No.1. They appeared with The Beatles on the all-Merseyside 'Thank Your Lucky Stars', a television music show popular in the 1960's, promoting the record and prompting John Lennon to say "I consider it the best record to come out of Liverpool". Their second recording 'Sugar And Spice' was written by Tony Hatch under the name Fred Nightingale, also a No.1 hit. The third recording 'Needles And Pins', another No.1, featured Mike Pender as lead vocalist, the different guitar sound is believed to have inspired the American group The Byrds. The Searchers had further UK hits 'Don't Throw Your Love Away', 'Someday We're Gonna Love Again', 'When You Walk In The Room', 'What Have They Done To The Rain', 'Goodbye My Love' and 'Take Me For What I'm Worth'. Their biggest American hit, 'Love Potion No. 9' was surprisingly not released as a single in the UK. Tony Jackson left the group in 1964, after 'musical differences' with Chris Curtis who had set himself up as the group's leader as he chose most of the groups songs from his collection of American records, and was replaced by Frank Allen. Chris left sometime later "physically and mentally exhausted after 6 years strenuous touring".
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