Guest Book & Fans' comments

I grew up listening to The Searchers on WLS Radio in Chicago. I enjoyed the great Searchers songs. I still lisyen to them on youtube and Sixties Gold on sirius XM radio. I hope Mike Pender is doing well. - Mike Sherman

Hi everyone

Mike here just to wish you all a Merry Christmas and hopefully a Happy New Year. I say hopefully, as at this moment we don’t really know what new conditions the Government will come up with after the Christmas holiday.

The music from our memories is still with us today and that’s why myself and many of my contemporaries still have websites and Facebook pages so that you can stay in touch and keep those musical memories alive.

Christmas for some can be a lonely time and as we get older, many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness, so please look after yourselves and keep playing the music you love.

~ Mike

So sorry to learn about the loss of Chris Black

So sorry to hear the sad news of Chris Black who was the life and soul of Mike Pender's Searchers. Rest in Peace Chris xx

I was very sad to learn of the recent passing of Chris Black, a founder member of Mike Pender’s Searchers.

I hadn’t seen Chris for some years but do recall in particular him joining me on stage with MPS at gigs both in Urmston and Whitby when he came back to UK to see family and friends in 2013 – that certainly brought back those good times when we all played together.

When in 1985 I decided to form my own band MPS I was introduced to Chris by my then Agent, Tony Sherwood – immediately he was my first choice for the band, he had everything required for a pop band. He was an accomplished guitarist and keyboard player and had a good voice – so yes everything I needed for MPS. Barrie and Steve joined the band and we then spent many years all together travelling extensively in the UK and overseas.

It was 1996 when Chris emigrated to Australia and I assure you that replacing him was difficult and challenging at times!

Many memories come back to me of those days of the original MPS – we all worked hard and we all enjoyed it.

R.I.P Chris.

~Mike

I met Chris Black way back in the early days of Mike Pender’s Searchers when I interviewed Mike for a local radio station in Northern Ireland, and I remained a fan of the band for more years than I can remember. But most special of all was that through MPS, I got to know Chris, who became my dearest friend right up to the end of his life (which came far too soon).

Musically Chris was the consummate professional – with a balladeer voice that could perform smooth blues, and amazing harmonies (as shown most especially in his work with Fresh Aire – some of which I was glad to see is still online). But he wasn’t averse to belting out the odd rendition of Leaning on a Lamp Post (a song he did as a joke once and then we forced him to reprise it time after time…). Yes, we WERE, in his words, “the only girls who get hot for George Formby!” He was, as we all know, an amazing instrumentalist, but he was perhaps most proud of his often very complex musical arrangements.

He also had the most wonderful sense of humour and withstood our constant heckling during his shows – we had so much fun and he always managed to out-heckle the crowd – even when being pelted with assorted pieces of underwear – in fact I still have a photograph of him WEARING an item I threw on stage!! Any regular to the MPS shows will remember his intro to one particular song – “The ever-popular, never to be forgotten, and most be-OOT-ifully sung, Don’t Throw Your Love Away”! On occasion he had trouble getting that one out – in fact I think we knew the script better than he! He was a multi-talented man who insisted on hiding his light under a bushel (while at the same time he did rather love the adulation of his fans!!), but he deserved the plaudits in spades as they say! Those evenings were wonderful – the music, the dancing, and the long chats afterwards – and as for the Isle of Man where the two of us sat and talked non stop till 4 in the morning! A special friendship!

I met him through his music, but got to know him as a very dear friend. Like so many, I felt a great loss when he left for Australia, and the wilderness years when he was out of touch were so sad. In 2009 we finally get back in touch online– and the first thing he did was demand my phone number – he rang me immediately from Australia and we were on that call for almost two hours (I never did ask him what it cost him). Soon after that he came back home and what a party was had! And the following year we made our first of many trips to Oz where he gave us accommodation, food a-plenty and entertainment like you wouldn’t believe.

Our last trip was in November 2019 – we had received a message that Chris was ill and wouldn’t make it to Christmas – we went straight down – he WAS ill, but of course, he came through against all the odds. Sadly, this time there was little warning – he sent a lovely message two days before he died to me and several of his closest friends. He told me he was ill, but wasn’t in pain and he was sure the doctor had another trick up her sleeve. He was joking and sending me love to the end. Two days later his son sent me the awful news.

Our pal Chris was the kindest, most generous, funniest, most loving and most talented man I have ever met. He was there for me in low times and we shared so many laughs both in the MPS days and since. I remember the music, the giggles, feeding birds on his veranda, shopping at the Big W, 14-ingredient stir fries, bear hugs, never ending phone calls and emails – and boy did we keep Facebook busy with our messages! But above all I think his gift was Friendship. Not only ours, but the way in which he pulled people together – at his home in Oz, back in the UK, and above all online. It is only in the last few days that I have realised just how much I owe to him, with the wonderful chats I have had with people I call friends – whom I have even never met.

This is the MPS forum and I pay tribute to him for his part in that – I truly believe Mike Pender’s Searchers would never have been the outstanding act that they were without his input. But it is also important to remember that he was a very special human being too, and so many of us will be forever grateful that he played such an important part in our lives. We are lost – but I reckon he’ll be having a ball now, jamming with his mate Eddie, feeding the birds in between, and above all, laughing non-stop.

I owe him a lot. Thanks to Chris for friendship – and thanks to Mike Pender for knowing a good thing when he saw it! Mike, Chris, Barrie and Steve gave so much pleasure to so many. Life then was very good.

I have very fond memories of Chris Black from those early days of MPS when I started to follow the band. I remember going to a Searchers' gig in Worthing in 1986 and being alarmed when I realised Mike was no longer in the line-up – soon after I found MPS and everything was great from then on!

Chris was a lovely friendly, amusing guy who always had a quip or two – a wonderful sense of humour – quite dry at times. He was highly skilled at both guitar and keyboards and his vocal skills added to the MPS sound – recreating that original Searchers' sound.

When after 10 years with the band he decided to emigrate to Australia it was a big loss to all the fans and of course the band!

In 1985 I was asked to take over as Fan Club Secretary and started publishing MPS News – unfortunately Chris wasn’t involved with that for long but I do recall he sent me a detailed diary and pictures when the band toured Australia. Chris was very articulate and always just an interesting person to talk to – about anything really – not just music.

You're very missed Chris – by me and many many others.

Remembering Chris Black.

Apart from his own close family I doubt there is anyone, anywhere, who knew, and spent more time with Chris Black than me! I view it now, following his recent death, as a privilege! From the very beginning I loved his company, his wit, his great use of the English language, his knowledge of all things musical, and his ability to bounce back following any adversity in his life!

It was obvious from the very first time we met, back in the early 60's, that Chris was somebody special, and already showing signs of the great Musician that he became. Then he was a very young semi-pro - performing with a local Nottingham Band called Mosaic Sunset who were following in the tradition of the East Midlands top Harmony Group - Sons & Lovers - a Band, and its members, he would have a lot to do with later on his career!

One memorable night in 1963, as his equally young and enthusiastic Agent, we were out together- proposing to look at rival Groups playing in the area when we learned of John F. Kennedy's assassination! That's how far back we go together! One way or another, as his Agent, or his Manager - but more importantly as his Friend - we stayed together throughout his times with 'Mosaic', 'Highly Likely', the wonderful 'Fresh Aire' and lastly 'Mike Pender's Searchers'!

When Mike recruited him to the Group he knew that he wasn't employing a mere 'jobbing' musician - he was gaining a 'class' act! The original line-up of the Group - Chris, Steve Carlisle, and Barrie Cowell remain - to this day - the definitive line-up of Mike Pender's Searchers!

Chris brought to Mike's Group all the quality and experience he had used to great effect in Fresh Aire! This great harmony act - other members included Spike Cowlard from Sons & Lovers and Tony Harding from Harmony Grass - had provided On Stage 'live' vocal back up to both Cilla Black and Lena Martell for many years and had also worked - 'In Concert' with international 'greats' including Tony Bennett, Johnny Mathis, Petula Clark and many more!

So Chris already 'knew his stuff' !

His tenure with Mike Pender's Searchers was full of great 'gigs' memorable travel and just a few equally memorable 'artistic' disputes. He weathered, however, many 'storms' and continued for many years to contribute to the quality that the Group were, justifiably, famous for!

When he, eventually, decided to leave the Group - to take up a new life in Australia - we all - Mike included - were the poorer for it! His time in Australia was marred by some adversity, poor health, and, if I am honest, poor judgement. But to me he remained that wonderfully free thinking, always hopeful, enthusiastic person who once acted as 'Musical Director' to my then very young Daughter - Stevie - when she entered a School singing competition performing - at Chris's suggestion - "Oh What a Circus" from the Musical 'Evita' instead of the usual "boring stuff" (and 'blew' the competition away), the person who once phoned me up one Saturday afternoon 'suggesting' that I get up to Edinburgh - "straight away - right now" to take up the Management of singing Star - Lena Martell - who had just 'sacked her previous one!

In short - there was nobody quite like Chris Black! A truly great Musician and - my Buddy!

Hi Mike - The Pic - Mike takes a beer - is a pic out of my - The Searchers in Ludwigshafen - session.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/khiltscher/albums/72157613202299933

You will like that !!

It's been many months since I logged onto the MPS website. Glad to see that things are moving along nicely. Belated Birthday wishes to Mike!