The Pretty Things

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Formed:
1963, over 49 years ago.
Names:
Also releases as: Electric Banana.
Snapshot:
A Group with 49 releases. 21 members.

Biography

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Founded by an original Rolling Stone (Dick Taylor); still active with their 1966 lineup intact; considered "one of the greatest R&B bands of all time" by Van Morrison; characterized as "always making the Stones look tame" by David Gilmour and the band for the "real rebel" by Gary Brooker; and responsible for what is widely considered the first rock opera, 1967's S.F. Sorrow--recorded alongside Sgt. Pepper and The Piper at the Gates of Dawn at Abbey Road. Their followup, 1970's Parachute, was Rolling Stone's Album of the Year, against stiff competition from the likes of Let It Be, Bridge Over Troubled Water, Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs, Moondance, and After the Gold Rush. They rated two covers on David Bowie's Pin Ups--only matched by the Who--and a contract with Led Zeppelin's Swan Song Records in the mid-'70s. Now, why do they labor in such relative obscurity, prone to confusion with the post-Libertines Dirty Pretty Things? Hard to tell, but anyone interested in either the R&B or psychedelic sides of the British Invasion owes themselves a listen to this band, whose lead singer, Phil May, appeared in David Bowie's address book not under "M," but under "G"--for "God."

Music

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Genres

Progressive Rock, Psychedelic,
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Discography

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1

Members

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Dick Taylor

current & founder member
    • 1963-

Phil May

current & founder member
  • lead singer:
    • 1963-

Skip Alan

current member
    • 1965-

John Povey

current member
    • 1967-

Wally Waller

current member
    • 1967-

Joe Shaw

current member
    • 1983-

Frank Holland

current member
    • 1988-

Roelf Ter Veld

    • 1987-1988

Steffi Stephan

    • 1987-1988

Dave Wintour

    • 1983-1987

David Wilki

    • 1983-1987

John Clarke

    • 1983-1987

Peter Tolson

    • 1970-1976

Gordon Edwards

    • 1972-1976

Jack Green

  • singer, guitar, bass:
    • 1974-1976

Stuart Brooks

    • 1972-1973

Victor Unitt

    • 1970

Twink

  • drums, vocals:
    • 1968-1969

John Stax

founder member
    • 1963-1967

Brian Pendleton

founder member
  • rhythm guitar:
    • 1963-1966

Viv Prince

founder member
  • drums:
    • 1963-1965

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Trivia

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  • Founding guitarist Dick Taylor was previously guitarist in Little Boy Blue and the Blue Boys, which also included Mick Jagger and Keith Richards. Taylor moved to bass when Brian Jones joined the band and it was renamed the Rolling Stones. Taylor left the Stones and formed the Pretty Things a few months later.
  • 1968's "S.F. Sorrow" is widely regarded as one of the first rock operas.
  • Was signed to Led Zeppelin's Swan Song label in 1974.
  • In the late '60s, the Pretty Things recorded under the name Electric Banana for their contributions to low-budget films such as "What's Good For the Goose" and "Haunted House of Horror."

Top editors for The Pretty Things

Editor Edits
Discographer 9
Cornelius 5
Hailey2009 1
Poppy Cocteau 1

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