Interview with Frank Allen 4 August 2008

Who inspired you most to go into music?

The advent of rock and roll really. I had always loved pop music but once I heard Heartbreak Hotel nothing was the same. Johnnie Ray had been a bit wild and of course Bill Haley introduced rock and roll but Presley brought sex into the equation.

Have you met any of your idols?  Did they live up to your expectations?

Met Gene Vincent in Hamburg . Mad as a box of frogs and quite scary. The Everly Brothers ( Hamburg again) were gentlemen. Met them a few times. Charlie Gracie I met much, much later in the 90s and got to know him and his wife Joan very well. Lovely people. I always remember Charlie on the Palladium in `57 with that beautiful Guild X350 guitar. What an image. I bought the same model in the eighties purely out of nostalgia for that moment. In fact I bought two, a blond and a sunburst.

When did you first step in front of an audience?

When I formed a skiffle group, the Ambassadors, while at school. I must have been thirteen. I think the first public place we performed was the Windmill pub in Bell Road , Hounslow.

What led you to join Cliff Bennett and the Rebel Rousers?

It was simply the best band I had seen and from that moment I wanted to be in it. My group played their intervals for a while and eventually I talked Cliff into having me in the band as rhythm guitar. Very soon after that the bass player left and I switched onto that instrument.

In 1961 you recorded with Joe Meek at his famous Holloway Road Studio.  What were your impressions of the legendry producer?

Very odd, very sensitive but there were no outwards signs of his sexuality other than he was quite camp. No moves were made towards any of us, probably because none of us were attractive enough. He was a brilliant man (he engineered Rock Island Line and Bad Penny Blues among others) but while he could turn talents into hit recording artistes (Heinz comes to mind) he was absolutely no good with the individuality of Cliff Bennett.

I believe you had a memorable first meeting with John Lennon while touring Hamburg ?

Certainly did. Following their last night at the Star Club, end of `62. I introduced myself in the corridor leading to the dressing rooms, said I loved their show and wished him the best with the new single when they got home (Please Please Me was due for release). He replied ‘Yes, I really enjoyed your show too. I`ve been talking to people in the club and it seems that, next to Cliff, you`re the most popular member of the band. I can`t think why. Your harmonies are fucking ridiculous.’

When did you first meet The Searchers?

In the weeks following that meeting with Lennon, the beginning of 1963.

What were your first impressions of their music?  How did it differ from Cliff Bennett and the Rebel Rousers?

It was much more them as people that attracted me. They were pleasant, unassuming and civilised. Everyone else seemed to be out of their heads. The music was a bit lightweight for me compared to the heavy r&b from the Rebel Rousers but they made a good sound.

You joined The Searchers in the summer of 1964 and almost immediately toured America .  How did you cope initially with being in such a high-profile band?

August 3^rd I joined. Joining seemed incredibly easy. I certainly wasn`t fazed. I was just so thrilled to be a part of something so high profile after years of struggling in vain with the Rebel Rousers.

The Searchers toured with many other bands and solo artists. Which of these did your most admire?

Dusty without a doubt. One of the greatest talents both in the UK and anywhere.

With so much touring how did you find time to record?

It was always a problem but it just had to be done. It was slightly easier for me as the studios were in London and I could get home. All we ever wanted to do after being on tour was to get back to our homes and families.

Do you think The Searchers suffered from not having a high-profile manager like Brian Epstein or Andrew Loog Oldham?

Yes. Not so much high profile but rather more one who cared more about our welfare than their own profit.

In many ways The Searchers were ahead of their time musically.  Have any other bands acknowledged your influence on their musical style?

Certainly. Bruce Springsteen used to include Walk In The Room in his stage act. Steve Van Zandt personally invited John McNally to their show in Manchester a couple of years and they chatted bout the use of the 12 string. He was fascinated. We understand Tom Petty and Marshall Crenshaw have praised and cited us as influences. Chris Hillman of the Byrds stated in an interview that they listened to a lot of Searchers records and that the riff from Feel A Whole Lot Better was a lift from Walk In The Room. In 2006 Marky Ramone came to see us at the Cutting Room in New York and asked if he could sit in on Needles & Pins which of course we happily agreed to. He was great. Never heard a bass drum so powerful. Joey Ramone had already been to see us years before in New York . Can’t remember if it was the Bitter End or the Lone Star Cafe.

Why do you think Sixties music has remained so popular with audiences?

It was a time of incredibly important economic, political and social change. The explosion caused by the Beatles made sure it would be remembered if for no other reason. And it was the last period of the classic pop song. Three minutes, a strong, simple melody, non-threatening words that you could remember straight away and because of this these tunes would be sung at parties and in pubs forever more.

Your first book Travelling Man: On the Road With The Searchers, has been a great success. Any plans for another book?