Special contribution by Terry Shone

After their huge success with SWEETS FOR MY SWEET, the Searchers had the problem facing every recording artist: "What's the right follow up to be successful again?" So they did what many groups and singers did and do: they released a title very similiar to its predecessor - SUGAR AND SPICE (written by Fred Nightingale = Tony Hatch, their producer) b/w SAINTS AND SEARCHERS. Both songs were again sung by Tony Jackson although on the A-side Mike Pender sang harmony. The record had the number PYE 7N 15566 and came out in October 1963. It reached no. 2 and stayed in the charts for 13 weeks. In the Netherlands and in Sweden it had the same number but two different picture covers. (For collectors: In Holland a cover excisted showing SURE KNOW LOT ABOUT LOVE as the B-side. Acutally on the record there's SAINTS ...) In Germany it was the Vogue label again (D-Vogue 14093). In Sweden (thanks to Bengt) it went to no. 14 for one lonely week; in the other two countries the record made no impression. But in Ireland it went to no. 6 and in Australia it got to no. 29. In the US it was released twice, first in 63 on Liberty 55646 but got nowhere and again in 64 (Liberty 55689), when it went to no. 44 and stayed in the charts for 7 weeks, thanks to the stateside chart success of NEEDLES AND PINS. In Denmark it was their first single b/w SWEETS...

The boys back in 63 >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Being successful again it was time for another LP, named after the single, released in the UK in November 63 on Pye NPL(S) 18089, entered the New Musical Express Charts on November 16th, went up to no. 3 and stayed in the charts for 12 weeks. (It made no. 5 on Record Retailer and stayed 13 weeks).

The tracks: SUGAR & SPICE (TONY WITH MIKE) DON'T YOU KNOW (MIKE) SOME OTHER GUY (TONY, MIKE & CHRIS) ONE OF THESE DAYS (MIKE) LISTEN TO ME (TONY; MIKE & CHRIS) UNHAPPY GIRLS (MIKE) AIN'T THAT JUST LIKE ME (CHRIS + MIKE & TONY) OH MY LOVER (TONY) SAINTS & SEARCHERS (TONY) CHERRY STONES (TONY & MIKE) ALL MY SORROWS (CHRIS & MIKE) HUNGRY FOR LOVE (TONY)

What has changed since MEET THE SEARCHERS? Not much; Mike sings more than before but Tony's voice still dominates the record. Again the songs were mainly from their stage act. So being similiar to its predecessor, the LP ( like the single) was not such a big hit. MEET THE SEARCHERS was again in the Top 10 when SUGAR & SPICE had dropped out. Compare this to the Beatles: What a development between PLEASE PLEASE ME and WITH THE BEATLES. The two Searchers LPs could have been recorded in one week.

New Musical Express Friday, Nov. 29, 1963

First re- release goes back to 1967 and shows the actual group with Frank Allen and Johnny Blunt who don't appear on the record. Two songs are left out: UNHAPPY GIRLS & CHERRY STONES.

The label was MARBLE ARCH, a low budget subsidary of Pye. In the US the following songs came out: OH MY LOVER, AIN'T THAT JUST..., SOME OTHER GUY, CHERRY STONES and DON'T YOU KNOW (all on MEET THE SEARCHERS; Kapp 1363 (mono), Kapp 3363 (stereo) March 64) and UNHAPPY GIRLS, HUNGRY FOR LOVE (on THIS IS US; Kapp 1409 (m) and 3409 (s) in July 1964. Same month Kapp released a "LITTLE LP", containing 6 songs. HUNGRY FOR LOVE came from the SUGAR & SPICE sessions.

Bad copy of the mini lp

MORE SINGLES

In Germany on Vogue DV 14111: HUNGRY FOR LOVE (b/w MONEY) See front cover and label below

In America: AIN'T THAT JUST... (with NEEDLES & PINS as the A-side), on Kapp 577 in March 64 and again in November on Kapp KJP-22. AIN'T THAT JUST... (b/w AIN'T GONNA KISS YA) came out again in April 1964 on Kapp 584, charted same month, got no. 50 and stayed for 6 weeks.

Poor copies of the single releases, both show the front covers

The EPs

The EP entrered the UK EP charts Febuary 27th 1964 ,went to no. 4, stayed for 18 weeks, reentered July 9th for another week.

F R A N C E >

SUGAR..., SAINTS &..., UNHAPPY GIRLS, AIN'T THAT..

SOME OTHER GUY, HUNGRY FOR LOVE, DON'T YOU KNOW

Spain had two EP releases, both from 64. They printed Spanish titles on their covers and labels, but the songs were in English.

< PYEP 2055 from 1964 contained HUNGRY... & DON'T YOU KNOW PYEP 2053 > from 1964 contained SUGAR... & SAINTS AND...

In Sweden (famous for their wonderful picture covers) the gruop had: NEEDLES AND PINS (NEP 5027) with SOME OTHER GUY and UNHAPPY GIRLS, plus THE SEARCHERS (NEP 5031) with HUNGRY FOR LOVE and DON'T YOU KNOW. In Mexico there was LOS SEARCHERS (MEX-PYE Gamma Rec. GO 07-293) with SALSA Y AZUCAR (=SUGAR & SPICE).

Greetings to Rob, Bengt, Rick and all on the My-Gen-list.

Did you know that there's a film showing the group miming SUGAR & SPICE in the studio? (Broadcasted here on TV a few years back).

Next issue will be about NEEDLES & DON'T THROW..

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