The Searchers reveal why they're finally retiring after their debut Glastonbury performance

20 May 2025, 13:34

Glastonbury didn't exist when The Searchers formed. Now they're making their final bow at the festival.

The Searchers recently announced two major pieces of news.

A full 66 years after they first started, they would finally be playing Glastonbury for the first time, but sadly their festival performance would also be their swansong as they retired from touring.

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As well as newbie Richie Burns on drums and Spencer James, who joined as singer in 1985, the current lineup of The Searchers features founding guitarist John McNally alongside longtime bassist Frank Allen, who joined the group way back in 1964.

The band have hinted at their retirement before but this time it's for real, and Frank and John have explained to Gold Radio's James Bassam why it's time to hang up their touring boots.

"I mean, we look on these tours with a little bit of trepidation because you're getting into a car, you're doing that motorway driving, which is awful," said Frank.

The Searchers "Needles And Pins" on The Ed Sullivan Show

"But then you get on stage and the reaction is so fantastic. You think, oh, this is why I came into this. But you've got to stop at some point."

He quipped: "We're getting on. You know, I'm 81 now. John's 108." John retorted: "Come on, be kind. I'm 84 next birthday."

Of why it took so long for The Searchers to play Glastonbury, John said: "It wasn't even going when we started, it passed us by."

Frank added: "We'd never did that many festivals anyway, you know, not the really, really big ones."

During their interview, the band also spoke about how proud they are of their influence on artists like The Byrds, Bruce Springsteen, Tom Petty and the Ramones.

"You just do your job, you try and get hits and you don't realise how you're affecting other people," Frank said.

"There are a lot of people who've admitted the influence. I mean, we've already mentioned The Byrds. Springsteen has given credit to us."

When You Walk in the Room

He continued: "Tom Petty, greatly. I remember in one magazine, he was asked to give his top 10 British Invasion songs.

"He picked 'When You Walk In The Room' as number three, and he actually said in the interview that I had to stop myself from choosing a whole bunch of such songs, which is very nice.

"Even the Ramones did 'Needles and Pins' on one of their albums."