Legendary British act announces plans for retirement after Glastonbury debut: ‘Age slows you down a bit’
The Searchers, widely regarded as the longest-running band in pop history, have announced their retirement after an extraordinary 68-year career.
The legendary Merseybeat group, who were contemporaries of The Beatles during the British invasion, have decided to take their final bow.
After selling tens of millions of records and filling venues worldwide, the band will conclude their remarkable journey this summer.
The band will embark on a “final farewell tour” across Britain before playing their last ever show at this year’s Glastonbury festival on June 27.
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Remarkably, this will be The Searchers’ first appearance at the iconic festival in their nearly seven-decade career.
The farewell tour will run from June 14 to 27, culminating with their performance on Glastonbury’s Acoustic Stage.
Guitarist John McNally, 83, and bassist and singer Frank Allen, 81, cited age as a factor in their decision to retire.
“Age slows you down a bit. We did between 180 and 200 shows a year,” Allen told The Guardian.
“The traffic is now an absolute nightmare,” humoured McNally, who formed the band when he was 16.
Allen, who joined the band in 1964, elaborated: “Driving up and down the motorways is the hard part because the traffic is so much heavier than it ever was.”
The Merseybeat band found fame playing in the clubs of Liverpool and Hamburg.
Their debut No 1 hit Sweets for My Sweet in 1963 was followed by chart-toppers Needles and Pins and Don’t Throw Your Love Away, which established them as a global act by the mid-1960s.
The band has sold more than 50 million records throughout their expansive career.
Despite their success, The Searchers have never performed at Glastonbury before now.
“No one’s asked us,” Allen explained. “The Searchers are finally performing at the greatest music festival of them all. What a way to round off a tour and a career.”
McNally added: “A Glastonbury debut at 83! Can anyone top that? We can’t wait to see our fans again for this incredible final farewell.”
McNally, the son of a Liverpool docker and a barmaid, reflected on their early financial struggles: “In the 1960s, no one had a rulebook to follow. We just went through the motions and got ripped off.”
The Searchers have made previous attempts to retire, only to be coaxed back by their devoted fans, with their previous 2024 tour completely selling out all 43 dates.