>"I was the drummer for the Electric Prunes,1966-67. I played on the hits, "I Had Too Much To Dream (Last Night), "Get Me To The World On Time," etc.
I have a home page on the web at :
http://home.earthlink.net/~prestonr/
The Electric Prunes web site is at :
http://www.electricprunes.com
Just surfin' through the net and saw your page mentioning
my old band (Prunes) as one of your inspirations! I'm always
surprised to see how much that band influenced other musicians and fans. Just thought I'd drop a note to say I stopped by.. "
Preston Ritter - Email June 2000

> "I received the two CDs you sent to me and listened closely to all of them. I really like your music!! I was quite surprised at how good and professional you sound. I liked the "Do Spirits Return" CD best, especially the song, "Hot Cat." That one sounds very much like a Beatles style tune. Quite good, actually. Thanks for sending me the CDs. I enjoy listening to them a lot."
Preston Ritter - Email August 2000

> "I listened to both CDs several times again. I like the more each time I play them. Tell your drummer it's good to hear brushes on record again, in modern music!
Using drum brushes is almost a lost art these days among
younger drummers. I love playing with brushes. I was surprised that all your songs are in English, rather than French. Of course, that makes them marketable in more places around the world, I guess. I'm still trying to find a band to play with regularly. Disco and karaoke have almost killed live music in night clubs in the U.S. Some clubs now have live bands again, but only on Fridays and Saturdays. Back in the 60s and 70s, I was always working six or seven nights per week! Most musicians here, find it very difficult to make a full time living just playing music. They have to have "day jobs" to survive. That's sad.
How is the live music situation in France? Is it possible to make a living as a musician there? I know that jazz is more popular in your country than it is here, even though jazz is the only pure American art form. Most American audiences are not very sophisticated musically, compared to other countries. Thanks again for the CDs. I hope someday I will be able to visit France and maybe even play music there."
Preston Ritter - Email August 2000"
> Surely this lot should be les petits chercheurs or the little searchers. Oooh, all this Franglais - ruining the french language. But that aside - this is sooo cool They have proper french accents and everything ! (as you can see it takes very little to get me exited). The lyrics are, well, um - you decide. Like a mole living underground, You're alright in your wonderland.. But then again, English isn't their primary language so I guess you can't expect Shakespearesque lyrics. They are the epitome of kitsch though. They've got this 60s britpop feel (think the Beatles, the Kinks etc etc) and this amazing dress sense. You just have to see the skin tight navy and white striped trousers - do you think they're sprayed on ? It's a bit of a chilling album - best suited to show your amazing of the french underground music scene when friends come around - très impressive ; non ? For more info / winter fashion tips / help with A-level french homework write .... " -
Nicole M - Kitsch Kitty # 3 - (U.K.) - August 2000
> There is a very stupid law in the land of the Eiffel Tower that says that a certain amount of the songs transmitted on radio must be French ones. Vive l’Europe!!!....and I’m sure this Nantes-based band must hate this law as they are influenced by British and American psychedelic pop. It’s probably one of the sole CD’s with a stupid cover ( or is it ironywise that they have changed their heads and instruments by cartoons?) that is actually good ! You know I was expecting some stupid French punk with a cover like this, but it has more in common with a band like Blur (not that they are Brit-pop or so but singer John could score some decent points when performing Damon Albarn in ‘Stars in their eyes’ or how do you call those shows were people are imitating their idols???).
Their strong melodies are covered with a psychedelic touch (‘Do spirits return has the same atmosphere that « Norvegian woods » by The Beatles has) and so automatically there is the link with Syd Barret or more recently Super Furry Animals... or for those who are familiar with underground band The Conspiracy, take them as an exemple.... »
Didier Becu
The Original Sin - (Belgium) - February 2000
> Well I've talked about these lot so many times, these lovely French lot. Back again with this 5 track CD, they've got to be described as having close musical links to The Move, early Status Quo, The Kinks, and yep Syd Barrett and Pink Floyd, 60's drenched feelgood vibes float through everything they do, I must say that I love them. Stop Girl has a mix and classic 60's organ sound, mixed and put up to date with Yannick's vocals which kind of mix REM, and The Kinks. Musically these lot stand out so much, when you hear Watch Out For The Crowd, it's definitely flares at twenty paces, it whirls with a hypnotic psychedelic guitar and pump up in beat now and from the drums. Whirling delights it is !
Colin Scott
Cream of the Crop - December 1999
> "Les Little Searchers also need some help in the artwork and titles department : their name apart, the sleeve of "Do spirits return" looks tasteless even for a Eurovision Song Contest entry, but the band, a four piece in the classic garage-pop style, have an ace up their sleeves in the shape of their songwriting and delivery, which nears favourable comparison to the Television Personalities in places".
Phil Mc Mullen
Ptolemaic Terrascope - February 1999 - www.terrascope.org
>"Front cover of this Frenchy CD and you don't know what you expect from these ramshackle dressed up in all sorts four. Like a mole, the opener floats a path of Hawkwind vibes, fuzzy guitar, and a magic ride into wah wah, hawk riffs. There's other songs that walk roads, long and past, there's a path that goes into early flavour of The Spectres, (Status Quo), not the denim affair but the psychedelic collars times, even inspirations of Roy Wood float at you. There's the sitar based "Do spirits return", you'll float from the start to finish, then the music stops and after a while the mystery track returns to the best parts of the CD."
Colin Scott
Cream of the Crop - March 1999
>"French magazine Larsen comes with a free 7-inch EP... The Little Searchers do a cover of Creation's Making time, and like Little Bob Story's 1976 All or nothing's cover, it's a competent updating... Also on the Larsen magasine's eponymous label is Trashy'n'Catchy, a 10-inch compilation album of total degenerates from accross the channel... Fashion Conscious by The Little Searchers is good, but trying to sail toward the Kink's greatness is just foolishness.You're bound to be dashed against the rocks of their genius. This is the same Fashion Conscious that tried to pass itself off as along lost Syd Barrett original, credited to the Fresh Windows... One final word:if you're into garage bands, renaissance or original, you're gonna want, no, nedd this stuff.
So send away today !
Larsen Records
116, rue du Crey - 73230 - St Alban Leysse
www.larsen.asso.fr - larsen@larsen.asso.fr
> Grupo pop de tamiz magico. Guitaras vibrantes y graciles arpegios. Clavecin, sitar...
Animals Records - (Spain) - mars 1999
>"Huh, it's really difficult to say what kind of music this band plays. I can say it's weird and it's kinda psychedelic with touch of brit pop and indie. To be honest when I put this CD in my CD player, I thought - oh, no -one more of these boring indie bands. But this is definitely not one of these boring indie bands. I like The Little Searchers. They have this pleasant craziness in their music and songs and sphere remind me of Syd Barrett or some later Beatles stuff. It's music you can play on a sunny day or on a rainy day (doesn't really matter), lie in your bed and daydream the whole day."
« No Brain Zine » (Holland) - Sept 2002
>"Hailing from the west coast of France, L.L.S. have been gigging since the mid-90's, honing a range of buzzing pop toons with just a smattering of siked effects. In the past this camera shy 4- piece have usually hidden behind cartoons alter-ego's (think of the Tweenies with mohawaks) but
now they've decided to unmask for their second full-lengther. They namecheck The Zombies/Kinks/Syd's Floyd and a little nearer to home : Michel Polnareff and the "yéyé" french garage phenomenon of the 60's as formative influences.
This collection is paced just like a live gig (in your living room!).They open with a snappy brace of melodics, that are driven by the twin guitars of vocalist John Philippe Inizan and Yannick Le Joubioux. The Beatlesque "In my own time" is one unusual choice for a cover but they acquit themselves well.
The original can be found on the debut album by those General Dentistry Council pin-ups The Bee Gees. "Working Week" cheekily name drops The Small Faces with it's "waiting for a lazy Sunday" tagline. Their set eventually seems to pick up excitement with the two last tracks "Better Day" and
"L'Hypothèque". They (loosely) resemble bands somewhat further afield than their euro-influences, namely thoses Peebles stalwarts The Outcasts and the Haunted. That last track with its beautifully extended wah-wah solo is timed
at 5 minutes but actually paves the way for a few uncredited "encores" where the vino gets passed around and turns a few of the previous songs into a more ragged and tougher shapes. Like The Slow Slushy Boys, The Dunts and Blutt, they 're not a world shattering or life changing experience, but if you still crave a punchy and simply constructed rush of joie de vivre it
has to be Les Little Searchers - they remember fun."
Steve Pescott - Ptolemaic Terrrascope (U.K.) - October 2002
> "Great pleasure to listen to and great pop sounds. In fact the
CD reminded me in parts on the old Sunnyboys records - strong melodies and a warm and full guitar sound backed by a powerful drumming. Guess you are familiar with the Sunnyboys. I think they were quite popular in France in the 80´s. Considering you have already put a number of
CD´s (as I saw from the booklet), you must be quite popular in France and maybe elsewhere too. My Fave song by the way: Better Day! "
Wolfgang VOLKEL (Germany) - Break-A-Way Label