Sound of the 60s - Announcing The Mike Pender Collection

28th April 2022

Mike Pender (Michael John Prendergast MBE) is an English musician and an original founding member of the Merseybeat group the Searchers, who had many hits, including "When You Walk In The Room", "Sweets For My Sweet", "Sugar And Spice", "Needles And Pins", "Don't Throw Your Love Away", "What Have They Done To The Rain?", "Goodbye My Love", "Take Me For What I'm Worth" and "Love Potion No. 9". All were Top 20 Hits, including no less than three Number Ones. They also had huge recording success in the USA which included the memorable "Love Potion Number 9”. Little wonder then that most observers considered The Searchers to be the most successful and important groups of the era, after the Beatles

The Searchers were founded in 1957 by both Mike Pender and John McNally, with Mike naming the band after the classic John Wayne film “The Searchers”. After the band recorded the singles "Sweets for My Sweet" and "Sugar and Spice", Mike took over lead vocal duties from Tony Jackson. During the late 1970s, the Searchers were signed by Seymour Stein's Sire Records and recorded two modernised albums, including "The Searchers" and "Play for Today," which was retitled "Love's Melodies" outside the United Kingdom. The Searchers recorded what would become the final single with Pender, “I Don't Want to Be the One”. Mike left the Searchers in 1985 to pursue a solo career and in 1988 joined an all-star rock band known as the Corporation AKA the "Travelling Wrinklies", whose name was a parody of the popular rock group Traveling Wilburys.

Selecting a group of talented musicians, Mike sought to re–create the unique sound that popularised the Searchers. Forming the band "Mike Pender's Searchers", they began touring in the late 1980s and re-recorded the Searchers' hits plus other new tracks. Various CDs, featuring these new tracks and the re-recordings have been released in various countries around the world. Mike Pender's Searchers continue to tour globally. In 1994 Mike Pender's Searchers were the very first 1960s band to be invited to play on board the QE2 as part of the world famous liner's 25th anniversary celebrations.

Mike was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2020 New Year Honours for services to music.

Gardiner Houlgate is delighted to offer seven guitars from Mike’s personal collection. All of which have been used at home, live or in the studio.

The Mike Pender Collection - Lots 501 - 507: VIEW LOTS