The New Seekers

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Template:Short description Template:More citations needed Template:Use British English Template:Use dmy dates Template:Infobox musical artist

The New Seekers were a British pop group, formed in London, in 1969, by Keith Potger, after the break-up of his group, the Seekers. The idea was that the New Seekers would appeal to the same market as the original Seekers, but their music would have pop as well as folk influences. They achieved worldwide success in the early 1970s with hits including "I'd Like to Teach the World to Sing", "You Won't Find Another Fool Like Me" and "Beg, Steal or Borrow".

Formation

The group were formed after the disbanding of the successful 1960s Australian group the Seekers. Keith Potger, a member of the Seekers, put together the New Seekers in 1969, featuring Laurie Heath, Chris Barrington, Marty Kristian, Eve Graham and Sally Graham (no relation), the latter of whom was a member of The Young Generation. Potger himself also performed and recorded with the group.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Despite their having released only one album with no commercial success, ITV's Scottish Television gave the group their own TV series, Finders, Seekers. The line-up for this version of the group hosting the series was Keith Potger, Eve Graham, Sally Graham, Laurie Heath, Marty Kristian and Chris Barrington. Produced in colour, the show was given a prime-time slot, starting on 27 March 1970 (Good Friday) and continuing for seven shows. The public did not take to the show, with several complaints seemingly targeted at the band. Despite the complaints, the series was shown on several ITV channels, sold to Canada, Australia and Sweden with interest from other countries as a result of being shown at the international television market in Cannes.

Following the series' failure, later in 1970, after one album release, the line-up was reworked to comprise Eve Graham, Kristian, Lyn Paul, Peter Doyle and Paul Layton.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> This line-up found instant success with their debut release, a cover of Melanie Safka's "What Have They Done to My Song, Ma" (titled in the U.S. as "Look What They've Done to My Song, Ma"<ref>US Elektra Records release, #45699</ref>), which became a top 20 hit in the US, No. 3 in Canada, and a minor one in the UK.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Mainstream success

Over the next year, the group released a number of singles to little recognition, but it was in June 1971 that they released their breakthrough hit, "Never Ending Song of Love" (the first of many hit songs to be produced by David Mackay, and a cover of the American hit by Delaney & Bonnie).<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The song became a big hit in the UK, spending five weeks at No. 2 in the UK Singles Chart,<ref name=occ>Template:Cite web</ref> and was one of the biggest selling singles of the year.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> This was their last single released on the Philips Records label. The huge success of this single was mildly ironic in that prior to the single's release, the group were dropped by Philips and had signed with Polydor Records. Their first single for Polydor was "Good Old Fashioned Music", which they promoted on television (including an appearance on Top Of The Pops), but it failed to chart. Towards the end of 1971, the group recorded an adaptation of the Coca-Cola jingle, "I'd Like to Buy the World a Coke", which had gained much interest. Reworked as "I'd Like to Teach the World to Sing", the song became a worldwide success.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> It made No. 1 in the UK for four weeks and sold just under a million copies.<ref name="occ"/> In the US, the song was also a hit, reaching No. 7, and in Canada it reached No. 3. It became a No. 1 hit in many other countries and is the most recognised song by the group.

The group were chosen to represent the United Kingdom in the 1972 Eurovision Song Contest. They entered with the song "Beg, Steal or Borrow", which was chosen by viewers of BBC1's It's Cliff Richard! show from six shortlisted songs performed by the group on a weekly basis. They went on to finish in second place at the Eurovision final in Edinburgh, where the group received the biggest cheer of the night from the partisan audience.<ref>O'Connor, John Kennedy. The Eurovision Song Contest: The Official History. Carlton Books, UK. 2007 Template:ISBN</ref> The song was a No. 2 hit in the UK and sold well in Europe.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Around this time, they also charted highly with their most successful album, We'd Like to Teach the World to Sing, which reached No. 2 in the UK Albums Chart.<ref name="occ"/> Another top five hit came with the next single, "Circles" in mid 1972.<ref name="occ"/> At the end of the year, the group took part in the BBC's anniversary TV show Fifty Years Of Music.

The following year the group saw a slight dip, although they did score a top 20 hit with an adaptation of "Pinball Wizard".<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Member Peter Doyle left the group this year and was replaced by Peter Oliver. The New Seekers had enjoyed a number of hits in the US by this time and toured there with Liza Minnelli in 1973.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> While there, they recorded the title track of the American Marlo Thomas's 1972 album Free to Be... You and Me. In 1974, the album was made into a landmark television programme designed to teach children how to express themselves and be independent through a series of vignettes.<ref name="imdb">Template:Cite web</ref> Since the special was first broadcast, the song became a cult classic.

Up to now, the group's biggest success had been as a five-piece harmony, but it was around this time that they began to favour lead singers for their songs with title credits given to Marty Kristian for "Come Softly to Me" and Eve Graham for "Nevertheless", but it was in late 1973 that this formula found its biggest success when Lyn Paul took the lead on the new single, "You Won't Find Another Fool Like Me". The song became a big hit over Christmas and eventually peaked at No. 1 in January 1974, becoming their second biggest hit.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> This formula continued with the next single, "I Get a Little Sentimental Over You", which also became a big hit, peaking at No. 5. However, despite this revival, the group announced their split amid much publicity. With allegations that the members were receiving little financial reward for their success, The New Seekers officially disbanded in May 1974.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

The group's two UK number one singles are listed as being in the top 30 best selling singles for the 1970s, with "I'd Like To Teach The World To sing" at No. 17 and "You Won't Find Another Fool Like Me" at No. 27.<ref name="youtube">Archived at GhostarchiveTemplate:Cbignore and the Wayback MachineTemplate:Cbignore: Template:Cite webTemplate:Cbignore</ref> "We've Got To Do It Now" was used in a public information film in both the United Kingdom and the United States about littering.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite AV media</ref>

Reformation

In 1976, the New Seekers reformed with Kathy Ann Rae and Danny Finn replacing Lyn Paul and Peter Oliver.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Although they never replicated their earlier success, signed to CBS (Columbia in the US) the group did manage to score a few hits with "It's So Nice (To Have You Home)" (1976), "I Wanna Go Back" (1977) and "Anthem (One Day in Every Week)" (1978).<ref name="occ"/><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> This line up remained intact until 1978, when Danny Finn and Eve Graham left the group to marry. Their final single for CBS was "Don't Stop The Music" in 1979, with Kathy Ann Rae on lead vocal, but after it failed to chart, she left the band and the group signed their final contract with EMI.

In 1980, the group attempted to represent the UK again in the Eurovision Song Contest with the song "Tell Me", but it was disqualified shortly before the British heats were televised due to the fact the group had already performed the song on TV a year earlier.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Marty Kristian entered a song in the 1983 UK Eurovision finals, performed by a trio called 'Audio', which included Kathy Ann Rae in the line up.

Since then, there have been personnel changes which included Caitriona Walsh, Nicola Kerr and Vikki James (Grammy Winner Victoria Horn).<ref name="lynpaulwebsite">Template:Cite web</ref> Paul Layton remained with the band throughout this time.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The final tour was 2010.

Recent career

The New Seekers toured from 2006 with a line up of Paul Layton, Donna Jones, Francine Rees, Mick Flinn and Mark Hankins.Template:Citation needed A CD of the 2006 tour was released which includes the group's hits and some cover versions. With a Royal Variety performance at St James's Palace, London for Charles, Prince of Wales and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall and an appearance on ITV's This Morning, they completed 2006. The New Seekers helped host a garden party in 2007 at Buckingham Palace.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> This was repeated the following year along with a show at The Tower of London and a return batch of concerts in British theatres.Template:Citation needed The 40th anniversary of the group in 2009 was celebrated by a 35-date UK concert tour, which began at London's Shaw Theatre on 31 January and continued throughout the year.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In July 2009, an album was released; It's Been Too Long – Greatest Hits and More, comprising the group's hits and some new recordings. It entered the UK Albums Chart at No. 17, their first album to enter that chart for 35 years.<ref name="occ"/>

In 2011 and 2012 Marty Kristian released two albums of demo recordings from the 1970s and 1980s.Template:Citation needed

Members

Vocals

Guitar

Bass

Timeline

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id:Vocals  value:red     legend:Vocals
id:Guitars value:green    legend:Guitars
id:Bass   value:blue     legend:Bass
id:Lines  value:black    legend:Studio_Albums

BarData = 

 bar:EGraham   text:"Eve Graham"
 bar:SGraham   text:"Sally Graham"
 bar:Paul     text:"Lyn Paul"
 bar:Rae     text:"Kathy Ann Rae"
 bar:Banks    text:"Vivien Banks"
 bar:Kerr     text:"Nicola Kerr"
 bar:Walsh    text:"Caitriona Walsh"
 bar:Jones    text:"Donna Jones"
 bar:James    text:"Vikki James"
 bar:Rees     text:"Francine Rees"
 bar:Kristian   text:"Marty Kristian"
 bar:Heath    text:"Laurie Heath"
 bar:Doyle    text:"Peter Doyle"
 bar:Oliver    text:"Peter Oliver"
 bar:Finn     text:"Danny Finn"
 bar:Engel    text:"Brian Engel"
 bar:Flinn    text:"Mick Flinn"
 bar:Hankins   text:"Mark Hankins"
 bar:Barrington  text:"Chris Barrington"
 bar:Layton    text:"Paul Layton"
 bar:Davies    text:"Isobel Davies"
 bar:Franklyn   text:"Jilly Franklyn"

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bar:EGraham   from:01/05/1976 till:01/09/1978 color:Vocals
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bar:Heath    from:01/07/1969 till:01/07/1970 color:Guitars
bar:Barrington  from:01/07/1969 till:01/07/1970 color:Bass
bar:Paul     from:01/07/1970 till:01/06/1974 color:Vocals
bar:Doyle    from:01/07/1970 till:01/06/1973 color:Guitars
bar:Layton    from:01/07/1970 till:01/06/1974 color:Bass
bar:Layton    from:01/05/1976 till:end     color:Bass
bar:Oliver    from:01/06/1973 till:01/06/1974 color:Guitars
bar:Rae     from:01/05/1976 till:01/08/1979 color:Vocals
bar:Rae     from:01/09/1980 till:01/03/1983 color:Vocals
bar:Finn     from:01/05/1976 till:01/09/1978 color:Guitars
bar:Banks    from:01/09/1978 till:01/01/1979 color:Vocals
bar:Engel    from:01/09/1978 till:01/10/1981 color:Guitars
bar:Kerr     from:01/02/1979 till:01/09/1980 color:Vocals
bar:Walsh    from:01/08/1979 till:01/09/1980 color:Vocals
bar:Jones    from:01/09/1980 till:end     color:Vocals
bar:Flinn    from:01/10/1981 till:end     color:Guitars
bar:James    from:01/03/1990 till:01/02/2002 color:Vocals
bar:Rees     from:01/03/2002 till:end     color:Vocals
bar:Hankins   from:01/03/2002 till:end     color:Guitars
width:3 textcolor:black align:left anchor:from shift:(10,-4)
bar:Kristian   from:01/07/1969 till:01/06/1974 color:Vocals
bar:Kristian   from:01/05/1976 till:01/02/2002 color:Vocals
bar:Heath    from:01/07/1969 till:01/07/1970 color:Vocals
bar:Barrington  from:01/07/1969 till:01/07/1970 color:Vocals
bar:Doyle    from:01/07/1970 till:01/06/1973 color:Vocals
bar:Layton    from:01/07/1970 till:01/06/1974 color:Vocals
bar:Layton    from:01/05/1976 till:end     color:Vocals
bar:Oliver    from:01/06/1973 till:01/06/1974 color:Vocals
bar:Finn     from:01/05/1976 till:01/09/1978 color:Vocals
bar:Engel    from:01/09/1978 till:01/10/1981 color:Vocals
bar:Flinn    from:01/10/1981 till:end     color:Vocals
bar:Hankins   from:01/03/2002 till:end     color:Vocals
bar:Doyle  at:13/10/2001 text:†
bar:Davies from:20/02/2002 till:20/02/2002 color:Vocals
bar:Franklyn from:01/04/1984 till:04/05/1989 color:Vocals

LineData = 

at:01/01/1970 color:Lines layer:back
at:01/11/1970 color:Lines layer:back
at:01/05/1971 color:Lines layer:back
at:01/09/1971 color:Lines layer:back
at:01/09/1972 color:Lines layer:back
at:01/03/1973 color:Lines layer:back
at:01/03/1974 color:Lines layer:back
at:01/08/1974 color:Lines layer:back
at:01/11/1976 color:Lines layer:back
at:01/09/1978 color:Lines layer:back

</timeline>

Discography

Template:Main

References

Template:Reflist

Template:S-start Template:S-ach Template:Succession box Template:S-end

Template:The New Seekers Template:United Kingdom in the Eurovision Song Contest Template:Eurovision Song Contest 1972 Template:Authority control

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