More eclectic than the early Beatles, more mature-sounding. Used strings before Beatles' "Yesterday" and recorded protest songs before there was such a thing as folk-rock.

Posted by Lindsay Wilcox on Saturday, 04/18/2015 @ 07:59am

Lindsay,

1. More eclectic? The Beatles performed old Sophie Tucker ballads, and auditioned with Besame Mucho, in addition their covers of R&B tunes, and also of country and rockabilly. The Searchers reached back for songs from the Clovers and the Orlons, and re-did one quasi-country song.

Eclecticism: Point for the Beatles.

2. Mature sounding is rather subjective; however, the Beatles' first album had "There's A Place," talking about the safety and inner sanctum of one's mind and imagination. Pretty philosophical for a 3 minute song. Nothing the Searchers did (except maybe Secondhand Dealer, and even then it's a toss-up) touches even that. And the Beatles only got more mature from then on.

Maturity: Point to the Beatles.

4. Strings. Guitars are stringed, vibraphonic instruments too. Beatles were before Searchers there as well.

Point to the Beatles

5. Protest songs before folk-rock? Seriously? I've even seen a musicologist suggest the Tokens' "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" as the first example of folk-rock as it took and old African folk song and adapted in into a rock'n'roll style. Barring that, I'd say it's pretty indisputable that the Springfields' "Silver Threads And Golden Needles" is folk rock: folk banjos, lyrics and stylings behind a solid backbeat. Plus, "Blowin' In The Wind" was written in '63.

Point: not for the Searchers

Result: you fail on 5 counts. Do your homework next time.

Posted by Philip on Saturday, 04/18/2015 @ 21:08pm

Sorry, four counts. Messed up in my count there. But you fail four times. My point is still the same.

Posted by Philip on Saturday, 04/18/2015 @ 21:09pm

I'm wondering if the Billy Kisto that posted on 9/20/07 is from Brooklyn (or Bronx) & in his 70's. If he sang songs from the Earls with a group of close knit friends back in 70's & 80's - I am looking for him. He was a friend of my Dads & a very nice person. Please reach out to me if you see/read this. Thanks & have a nice day. - Joanne (6/25/19)

Posted by Joanne on Tuesday, 06/25/2019 @ 08:42am

Great band deserve enter

Posted by nick on Saturday, 01/29/2022 @ 18:02pm

Liverpool has always been a hotbed of musical talent, from Frankie Vaughan, Alma Cogan and Billy Fury in the '50s, to The Real Thing, Frankie Goes To Hollywood and The Christians in the '70s, '80s and beyond. But it will always be remembered the most for that musical explosion of the '60s, when, for one brief moment, the city was the cultural centre of the universe, with artists that include The Beatles, Gerry and the Pacemakers, Billy J. Kramer, Cilla Black, The Swinging Blue Jeans, The Merseybeats, The Fourmost, and of course The Searchers. Famous for their pioneering brand of jangly, harmonised Pop, they proved to be one of the most influential groups of all, with The Byrds, Buffalo Springfield, CSN&Y, Bruce Springsteen, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Elvis Costello and The Attractions, The Ramones and The Pretenders amongst those who took inspiration from the band. Yet, they're also one of the most eclectic, with a musical legacy that encompasses Folk, Country, Rhythm 'n' Blues, Rockabilly, Soul, Garage, Psychedelia, Bubblegum, Proto-Glam, Reggae, Country-Rock, Orchestrated Ballads, Power Pop, New Wave, and even Power Ballads and Synth-Pop.

Posted by peter checksfield on Monday, 07/24/2023 @ 15:44pm

Rest in Peace John Blunt (drummer), 1947-2024.

Posted by Joe S. on Friday, 03/15/2024 @ 17:50pm