Frank Allen (bassist)

Frank Allen
Allen performing with The Searchers in 2015
Background information
Birth name	Francis Renaud McNeice
Born	(1943-12-14) 14 December 1943 Hayes, Middlesex, England
Years active	1960s–present
Associated acts	The Searchers, Cliff Bennett and the Rebel Rousers

Frank Allen (born Francis Renaud McNeice, 14 December 1943, Hayes, Middlesex, England) is an English bass guitarist.

Career

He has played bass guitar with Cliff Bennett and the Rebel Rousers and The Searchers (since 1964 when he replaced original bass guitarist Tony Jackson), who he is still with today. Allen joined Cliff Bennett and the Rebel Rousers as rhythm guitarist in 1961, and changed over to bass guitar in early 1962, following the departure of Ben Jordan.

When Tony Jackson left the Searchers in August 1964 after a string of hits (including "Sweets for My Sweet", "Sugar and Spice" and "Needles and Pins"), Allen was asked to join the group. They then recorded "When You Walk in the Room", with Mike Pender and Frank Allen singing a dual lead line.

Allen has turned to writing as a parallel occupation with a humorous book of touring recollections called Travelling Man in 1999 (Aureus Publishing), as well as articles for newspapers and periodicals. His definitive and detailed biography of the Searchers entitled The Searchers And Me - A History of the Legendary Sixties Hitmakers,^[1] was published by Aureus^[2] in April 2009..

The Searchers, with Allen on bass guitar, founder member John McNally on lead guitar and twelve string and now aided by Spencer James (lead vocals since 1986) and with Scott Ottaway replacing Eddie Roth (drums) in March 2010, still tour constantly.

Further reading

• Frank Allen: The Searchers and Me - A history of the Legendary Sixties Hitmakers^[3]
• Frank Allen: Travelling Man - On the Road with The Searchers^[4]
• The Rolling Stone Encyclopedia of Rock and Roll – Third Edition
• The 1000 UK Number One Hits

References

External links

• Searchers website
• The Searchers Records