rivaled the Beatles for popularity, having international hits with "Needles and Pins", "Sugar and Spice" and "Don't Throw Your Love Away". Curtis wrote most of the band's original songs and was constantly seeking obscure songs by other artists for them to record. Many of his finds were B-sides discovered in Brian Epstein's NEMS record shop and upstairs in another record shop, near the furniture store where he worked. It seems probable that the band's lack of continuing success may be a consequence of their dependency upon material associated with other performers. He was a manic individual given to great enthusiasm but prone to voicing trenchant views without considering the effect upon others. He antagonised Ray McFall, the owner of the Cavern Club, by saying that it was "a dreadful place", "stinky and sweaty". Curtis rarely mixed socially with his fellow band members, preferring his own company. He was widely thought to be a genius. George Harrison referred to him as 'Mad Henry' but John Lennon indulged him. A devout Roman Catholic throughout his life, Curtis would repair to a convent church in the early hours of Sunday morning after finishing the Saturday night set at the Star Club, St. Pauli, near Hamburg. At that time Curtis still had long hair, which was unusual for the time. He cut his hair when the band became popular, deciding that it would put off some potential record buyers. Curtis met his girlfriend, Annette Kuntze in St. Pauli and she returned to live with him in Knightsbridge, London. She took photographs for some of the Pye record sleeves and was responsible for the sullen look affected by the band. Another visitor to the flat was Jackie DeShannon who co-wrote several Searchers songs with Sharon Sheeley, whom she introduced to Curtis. The Searchers returned to the Star Club to fulfil a prior booking after they had become successful in England. "I found "Love Potion Number 9" in a back-street, second-hand shop in Hamburg." Curtis later said. "I saw this 45 with a triangle in the middle and I thought: I've got to have it, it’s such a weird looking record. I took my little portable electric record-player to Germany and I played "Love Potion Number 9" and I thought: This is excellent." Curtis left The Searchers in mid 1966, after an extensive tour of the Philippines, Hong Kong and Australia, with the Rolling Stones. Accounts