New Seekers

Lyn Paul was a member of the New Seekers during the group's most successful years, from 1970 to '74. These pages provide a brief history of the New Seekers (line-up by line-up) with links to biographies and career profiles of the other group members and the team behind the scenes. Click on the name of a band member to find out more.

There are also discographies listing the New Seekers' singles, albums, videos and DVDs as well as the group's television appearances, including their appearances on Top Of The Pops.

From 1969 through to the present day the New Seekers have been through many line-ups. As one journalist put it: "Over the years, the group have seen more changes to their line-up than the Chelsea football team". The glory years came between 1970-74 and the line-ups that people remember most fondly are those that featured Lyn Paul, Peter Doyle, Peter Oliver and Eve Graham.

To find out more about each incarnation of the group click on the years listed in the table below.

The New Seekers re-formed in April 1976 with a new line-up. Danny Finn replaced Peter Oliver and Kathy Ann Rae took over from Lyn Paul. Although this line-up scored three Top 50 hits in the UK, the "new" New Seekers never matched the success of the previous line-ups with Lyn Paul, Peter Doyle and Peter Oliver. The group's comeback single It's So Nice (To Have You Home) made it to number 44 in the UK singles chart. The follow-up I Wanna Go Back got to number 25.

The group performed a reunion concert at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane on 16th May 1976. The show encorporated some new material with the old favourites: the group's first single for CBS, It's So Nice (To Have You Home) and it's B-side Hey Look High; a cover version of the Bellamy Brothers' Let Your Love Flow, a ballad titled Love Of My Life, written by Marty Kristian and featuring Danny Finn on lead vocal: and Marty, Paul and Danny's barber shop routine.

During the rest of the year the New Seekers played at cabaret venues across the UK, ending with a week at the Lakeside Country Club, Camberley (26th December - 1st January). In the Autumn the group also supported Andy Williams for a week at the London Palladium. The group's television bookings included appearances on pop programmes such as Top Of The Pops (BBC1, 24th June) and Supersonic (LWT, 27th November) and variety shows such as The Wheeltappers & Shunters' Summer Night Out (Granada, 30th June) and Wednesday at Eight (Thames Television, 17th November).

In the Spring of 1977 the New Seekers undertook a UK concert tour: 8th April, Southport Theatre, Southport; 9th April, Magnum Leisure Centre, Irvine, Ayrshire; 10th April, Capitol Theatre, Aberdeen; 11th - 12th April, Eden Court Theatre, Inverness; 13th April, Queens Hall, Dunoon; 14th April, Theatre Royal, St. Helens; 16th April, Civic Hall, St. Albans; 17th April, Tameside Theatre, Ashton; 19th April, Colston Hall, Bristol; 20th April, Winter Gardens, Bournemouth; 21st April, Classic Theatre, St. Austell; 22nd April, Wyvern Theatre, Swindon;. 23rd April, Corn Exchange, Ipswich; 24th April, New Theatre, Oxford; 26th April, Guild Hall, Portsmouth; 27th April, Congress Theatre, Eastbourne; 28th April, Winter Gardens, Margate; 29th April, St. Georges Hall, Bradford; 30th April, Town Hall, Birmingham; 1st May, Victoria Palace, London.

In May 1977 the group released the single Give Me Love Your Way. The song, previously recorded by Cliff Richard on his album Every Face Tells A Story, was written by Alan Tarney and Trevor Spencer. Cliff's version was produced by Bruce Welch, the New Seekers' was produced by Tarney and Spencer themselves.

After a trip to the United States in June (where they performed some shows in Reno) the New Seekers returned to the UK cabaret circuit in the Autumn. In November they headed for Hong Kong, where they played a concert at the National Stadium. This was followed by a week in Bangkok for six concerts (plus two extra shows "by public demand") and an hour long TV Special. The group completed their tour of the Far East with visits to Kuala Lumpur, Jakarta, Medan, Singapore and Tokyo. They then went back the United States for a two week engagement at Lake Tahoe (with Sammy Davis Junior and Bill Cosby) and an appearance on a TV show hosted by Dinah Shaw.

In March 1978 the New Seekers toured the UK with Shirley Bassey: 15th - 17th March, Brighton Conference Centre; 20th - 22nd March, Royal Albert Hall, London; 25th - 27th March, Guildhall, Preston; 29th - 31st March, Odeon, Birmingham; 3rd - 4th April, Free Trade Hall, Manchester; 6th April, Kelvin Hall, Glasgow. The group then continued on a UK tour of their own.

In August the New Seekers had their last Top 30 hit, Anthem (One Day In Every Week). Despite this success, Eve Graham and Danny Finn quit the group the following month to get married and sing together as a duo.

An advertisement for the New Seekers' single
Anthem (One Day in Every Week),
which appeared in Radio & Record News.

   

Eve Graham and Danny Finn (pictured above) left the New Seekers in September 1978. Brian Engel and Vivien Banks (pictured below with the other members of the group) were brought in as replacements. Vivien's stay with the group was brief, though she was with them long enough to record the lead vocal on the New Seekers' single You Needed Me.

Donna Jones stepped into the breach after Vivien's departure and performed with the group until a permanent replacement could be found. Marty Kristian was now the only surviving member from the original line-up.

Vivien Banks brief career as a New Seeker was over. Her place was taken by Irish singer Nicola Kerr, who brought a touch of glamour to the group. The new line-up released what was to be the New Seekers' last single for CBS, Don't Stop The Music - a real smoocher featuring Kathy Ann Rae on lead vocal.

Next page [1979-89] >