Pink Fairies -

The Pink Fairies were an English psychedelic hard-rock band from London that released three albums between 1971 and 1973 on Polydor.

Members: Twink (drums, vocals, 1969-71, 1975-76, 1987-88, 1995-97), Mick Farren (lead vocals, 1969), Steve Peregrine Took (guitar, 1969), Sally Meltzer (keyboards, 1969), Duncan Sanderson (bass, 1970-76, 1981-88, 2014-present), Russell Hunter (drums, 1970-76, 1987-88, 2014-present), Paul Rudolph (guitar, vocals, 1970-72, 1975-76, 1995-97), Mick Wayne (guitar, vocals, 1972-73), Larry Wallis (guitar, vocals, 1973-76, 1981-88), Martin Stone (guitar, 1976)

Background

The Pink Fairies had their roots in the summer 1969 sessions for Think Pink, the 1970 solo album by ex-Tomorrow drummer Twink. He enlisted two members of The Deviants, singer Mick Farren and guitarist Paul Rudolph, for his studio backing band, collectively dubbed the “Pink Fairies Motorcycle Club and All-Star Rock and Roll Band.” The name semi-derived from Twink’s first band, The Fairies, a Colchester R&B/beat quintet that cut three 1964/65 singles.

Farren formed The Deviants in 1966 as The Social Deviants. With drummer Russell Hunter, they cut the 1967 psychedelic album Ptooff! Bassist Duncan Sanderson joined for their 1968 album Disposable. In 1969, they recorded a self-titled third album with guitarist Paul Rudolph. They promoted the album on a tour of the US West Coast, where tensions arose between Farren and his bandmates.

In December 1969, Farren returned to London and made a solo album, Mona – The Carnivorous Circus, recorded with Twink and ex-Tyrannosaurus Rex percussionist Steve Peregrin Took. They formed a group with Twink’s keyboardist girlfriend, Sally Meltzer (aka Silver Darling), and performed one show as the Pink Fairies in Manchester.

By early 1970, Twink quit and Farren entered music journalism. Took continued with new recruits Tim Taylor and Larry Wallis. They cut a 1970 demo EP as Shagrat. Meanwhile, Twink resurrected the Pink Fairies name for a new band with Rudolph, Hunter, and Sanderson.

In late July 1970, Shagrat and the Pink Fairies played Phun City, a Farren-organized free festival at Ecclesden Common near Worthing, Sussex, with sets by MC5, The Pretty Things, Kevin Ayers, and the Edgar Broughton Band.

The Pink Fairies became a vanguard act on the Ladbroke Grove underground scene, where they befriended another local act, Hawkwind. Both acts played on a flatbed lorry, the alternative stage at the June 1970 Bath Festival, a counterculture event with sets by Colosseum, Fairport Convention, The Flock, Keef Hartley Band, Pentangle, Pink Floyd, Santana, Frank Zappa & The Mothers of Invention, and headliners Led Zeppelin.

“The Snake”

On January 29, 1971, the Pink Fairies debuted on Polydor with a standalone single: “The Snake” backed with “Do It,” both group-written songs produced by Peter Knight Jr, the son of London Festival Orchestra conductor Peter Knight.

A. “The Snake” (3:56)
B. “Do It” (2:58)

“The Snake” appeared on Polydor’s orange label (UK) and red label (Italy), the latter with a picture sleeve. Impressed by the single, Polydor greenlit an album.

Never Never Land

The Pink Fairies released their debut album, Never Never Land, in May 1971 on Polydor. It opens with an over-dubbed version of their pre-released b-side “Do It.”

The album contains five further group-credited numbers, including the lengthy jam “Uncle Harry’s Last Freak-Out.” Twink lone-wrote two songs (“Heavenly Man,” “War Girl”) and the miniatures “Thor” and “The Dream Is Just Beginning.”

1. “Do It” (4:15)
2. “Heavenly Man” (3:41)
3. “Say You Love Me” (3:48)
4. “War Girl” (4:34)
5. “Never Never Land” (6:55)

6. “Track One, Side Two” (4:41)
7. “Thor” (0:58)
8. “Teenage Rebel” (5:20)
9. “Uncle Harry’s Last Freak-Out” (10:51)
10. “The Dream Is Just Beginning” (1:18)

Studio Command Studios, London
Producer Pink Fairies, Neil Slaven
Recorded & Engineered by Andy Hendriksen & Gary Lyons
Pennie Smith, Tony Vesely – sleeve design

In late June 1971, the Pink Fairies and Hawkwind played the second Glastonbury Festival, a counterculture event near Pilton, Somerset. The festival took place on a pyramid stage with sets by Arthur Brown, Brinsley Schwarz, Family, Gong, Help Yourself, Henry Cow, Marsupilami, Mighty Baby, Quintessence, Traffic, and headliner David Bowie. The Pink Fairies set constitutes Side E of Glastonbury Fayre, a 1972 triple-LP document of the event, where the Fairies performed “Do It” and a double-length “Uncle Harry’s Last Freak-Out” (19:47).

In July, Twink left for a Moroccan sojourn. The Pink Fairies continued as a trio.

What a Bunch of Sweeties

The Pink Fairies released their second album, What a Bunch of Sweeties, in July 1972 on Polydor.

The album features seven group originals and covers of The Beatles (“I Saw Her Standing There”) and The Ventures (“Walk Don’t Run”). Two tracks (“Right On, Fight On,” “Portobello Shuffle”) feature ex-Move guitarist Trevor Burton.

1. “Prologue” (1:21)
2. “Right On, Fight On” (7:59)
3. “Portobello Shuffle” (4:24)
4. “Marilyn” (5:34)
5. “The Pigs of Uranus” (3:27) features lyrics culled from the underground Superman parody comic Wonder Warthog versus the Pigs from Uranus by Gilbert Shelton.

6. “Walk Don’t Run” (9:13)
7. “I Went Up, I Went Down” (8:22)
8. “X-Ray” (3:08)
9. “I Saw Her Standing There” (3:09)

2002 CD Bonus Tracks
“Going Down” (5:39)
“Walk Don’t Run” (first version, 10:32)

Paul Rudolph – guitar, vocals
Duncan Sanderson – bass
Russell Hunter – drums

Technical
Frank Owen – engineer
Pennie Smith – design

Between the album’s completion and release, Paul Rudolph left the Pink Fairies, which hired guitarist/singer Mick Wayne, a prior Bowie sessionist and Junior’s Eyes frontman. Rudolph played on the first two albums each by Brian Eno and Robert Calvert. In 1975, he replaced Lemmy in Hawkwind.

“Well, Well, Well”

On November 10, 1972, the Pink Fairies released “Well, Well, Well” backed with “Hold On.”

A. “Well, Well, Well” (4:01)
B. “Hold On” (4:11)

After this single, the Pink Fairies added Shagrat alumnus Larry Wallis as a second guitarist. Dissatisfied with Mick Wayne’s input, they ousted him and continued as a trio with Wallis on vocals.

Kings of Oblivion

The Pink Fairies released their third album, Kings of Oblivion, in June 1973 on Polydor.

The album contains the group-written “Chambermaid” and four songs by guitarist–singer Larry Wallis, including two lengthy numbers: “I Wish I Was a Girl” and “Street Urchin.” He co-wrote “City Kids” with bassist Duncan Sanderson and “When’s the Fun Begin?” with friend Mick Farren.

1. “City Kids” (3:45)
2. “I Wish I Was a Girl” (9:41)
3. “When’s the Fun Begin?” (6:13)

4. “Chromium Plating” (3:48)
5. “Raceway” (4:08)
6. “Chambermaid” (3:18)
7. “Street Urchin” (7:07)

Studio Chipping Norton Recording Studios, Oxfordshire

Larry Wallis – guitar, vocals
Duncan Sanderson – bass, vocals
Russell Hunter – drums

Technical
Producer David Hitchcock
Dave Grinsted – engineer
Peter Lavery – photography

The Pink Fairies ran aground after the tour behind this album. Wallis teamed with Lemmy in the original Motörhead lineup.

In 1975, Chiswick Records founder Ted Carroll organized a Pink Fairies reunion concert with all five prior members. They performed on July 13 at London’s Roundhouse. (In 1982, Big Beat Records issued the concert recording as Live at the Roundhouse 1975.) Emboldened by the reception, Wallis, Hunter, and Sanderson resurrected the Pink Fairies with Martin “Mad Dog” Stone, the former guitarist of Chilli Willi & The Red Hot Peppers.

“Between the Lines”

In September 1976, the Pink Fairies released the Stiff single “Between The Lines” backed with “Spoiling for a Fight,” both written by Wallis under the moniker C. Kid.