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[Hello Goodbye]

Michael John Prendergast MBE (born 3 March 1941), known professionally as Mike Pender, is an original founding member of Merseybeat group The Searchers.  He is best known as the lead vocalist on many hit singles by the Searchers, including the songs "When You Walk In The Room," "Needles and Pins" and "What Have They Done To The Rain?"  On March 12, 2020 he was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) by the Prince of Wales at an investiture ceremony at Buckingham Palace in the 2020 New Year Honours for services to music.

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2_wMLBq268w" target="_blank" class="aeva_link bbc_link new_win">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2_wMLBq268w</a>

1964

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QBYa5Mk_zTw" target="_blank" class="aeva_link bbc_link new_win">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QBYa5Mk_zTw</a>

1983

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MTNiVh-9LYY" target="_blank" class="aeva_link bbc_link new_win">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MTNiVh-9LYY</a>

2016






Congratulations Sir Michael John Prendergast!

[Hello Goodbye]

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lr87qiVMnOo" target="_blank" class="aeva_link bbc_link new_win">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lr87qiVMnOo</a>

1963

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3zO5518ZMM4" target="_blank" class="aeva_link bbc_link new_win">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3zO5518ZMM4</a>

1964

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hTY8YVQpUSU" target="_blank" class="aeva_link bbc_link new_win">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hTY8YVQpUSU</a>

1964

[Moogmodule]

 When I saw that I at first thought it was Mike Pinder from the Moody Blues. Wondering why you’d put searchers videos on. 

Congrats to Mike P regardless.

[nimrod]

My ex Searcher mate has ribbed Mike about his gong, but is quite proud of him.

[Hello Goodbye]

^

Yes, Kev.  I remember you telling me about him.  Let's immortalize Chris (on the right) on this Forum...

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NS58RwGic4o" target="_blank" class="aeva_link bbc_link new_win">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NS58RwGic4o</a>

1990


 

[Hello Goodbye]

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cGG51EdjKbM" target="_blank" class="aeva_link bbc_link new_win">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cGG51EdjKbM</a>

Australia   1966

[nimrod]

^

Yes, Kev.  I remember you telling me about him.  Let's immortalize Chris (on the right) on this Forum...

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NS58RwGic4o" target="_blank" class="aeva_link bbc_link new_win">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NS58RwGic4o</a>

1990


 

Nice vid Barry, he's making me a curry when covid is over

[Hello Goodbye]

Nice vid Barry, he's making me a curry when covid is over

Enjoy your get-together, Kevin.  Give him a "Hi" from me, a long-time Searchers and Mike Pender's Searchers fan.   

[Hello Goodbye]

"Needles And Pins was the single that put The Searchers on the world stage and really made us a household name, and following that I think came Don’t Throw Your Love Away– and then Someday We’re Gonna Love Again, which didn’t do as well.

"Drummer Chris Curtis and I wondered what we were going to do. We were a little bit concerned, so we said we have to get a great song for the next one. And we found Jackie DeShannon’s When You Walk In The Room. But it was pretty light. I said to Chris, that riff there, it starts and it’s in between the first couple of lines. That’s really got to stand out; it’s got to be important. It’s not going to sound good on a six-string, no matter if we double-track it or whatever.

"So, we’re in the dressing room at Top Of The Pops, had the telly on, and all the songs from last week’s chart are playing. The Beatles come on, it’s A Hard Day’s Night, and there’s Harrison with this amazing guitar. I’d seen Rickenbackers before, but I said to Chris, listen to that – that’s the sound we want for When You Walk In The Room. The rest is history, really.

"When we got back to Liverpool, I went into Crane’s music store, said look, can you order me a Rickenbacker 12-string? Said I need it by whatever it was – we knew when the recording date was for When You Walk In The Room– and we got it. That became one of the most recognisable riffs on a 12-string, really, especially in the 60s.”

         Mike Pender   Guitar.com   An Oral History of the Rickenbacker 12-String by Tony Bacon

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oX_w_1j6UzQ" target="_blank" class="aeva_link bbc_link new_win">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oX_w_1j6UzQ</a>

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2DmBdkzxx1Y" target="_blank" class="aeva_link bbc_link new_win">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2DmBdkzxx1Y</a>

[nimrod]

Very sad news for me today, my mate Chris Black of Mike Penders Searchers has passed away after a long illness. I will miss him and our banter. RIP Chris, a very talented musician and brilliant mind.

[Hello Goodbye]

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n7pBA0T_qgE" target="_blank" class="aeva_link bbc_link new_win">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n7pBA0T_qgE</a>

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LzdO9Nz_KcM" target="_blank" class="aeva_link bbc_link new_win">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LzdO9Nz_KcM</a>

Your mate was very talented, Kevin.  May you know no other sorrow.

[Normandie]

I'm so sorry, nimrod. May he rest in peace.

[Moogmodule]

RIP to your mate Nim. Sad day for you.