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Author Topic: The Pretty Things  (Read 3002 times)

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tkitna

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The Pretty Things
« on: January 25, 2010, 08:12:58 AM »

How in the hell didnt this band make it bigger? It amazes me more and more each day. Anybody want to shoot the sh*t about this band,,,,here's the thread. I'd be more than happy for some discussion.
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An Apple Beatle

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Re: The Pretty Things
« Reply #1 on: January 25, 2010, 10:31:11 AM »

I'm dis-appointed with myself....they just done a gig last weekend about 10miles away in Ventnor and I missed it again!
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tkitna

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Re: The Pretty Things
« Reply #2 on: January 25, 2010, 11:53:16 AM »

Are they for real still gigging? Damn, I cant tell you how much I would spend to see them. They rank up there with just about anybody with me anymore. I have all their stuff except for the Electric Banana albums and i'll work on those soon, but their expensive.

Are you into them at all Rick?

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Re: The Pretty Things
« Reply #3 on: January 25, 2010, 01:06:16 PM »

I need educating in honesty.....Dick Taylor lives in Ventnor just up the road really and my 'George Harrison' man Darren sometimes jams with him....He's spoken of with much respect but I don't know loads about them....heard a few good things. I have been getting into studio mixing like no other time before these last 3 weeks and my sleep has been all over the place , otherwise I would have been much more up for going.

I do know Mr.Taylor had a stint with the original Stones aswell.
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Re: The Pretty Things
« Reply #4 on: January 25, 2010, 01:14:21 PM »

Taylor was the Stones' basplayer in the very early days of the band.

They were pretty big over here in The Netherlands in the mid 60's and had a huge impact on Dutch bands after their gig in Blokker (same stage that The Beatles took a year earlier). I believe there were really regarded as one of the English topbands here and that was more than what the English themselves said of them. Maybe it's because the masses saw them as even rougher and uglier than The Stones that they didn't become very popular.
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Kevin

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Re: The Pretty Things
« Reply #5 on: January 25, 2010, 01:32:53 PM »

Maybe in 65/66 there was place for only one blues based London art college anti-Beatles band and The Stones came out on top.
Also the fact that their biggest hit was "only" a number 10 (in an era when hit singles were uber-important) can't have helped.
And the bloke with the hip cat beard doesn't help their image much.
For them, all the threads maybe just didn't come together. Poor management, unsympathetic producer (I've read that strings were forced on them), no clear image (shave the folkie beard dude - The Stones  had the ruthless good sense to sideline a member who didn't look the part), constant personel changes and the lack of BIG commercial songs did them in.
Or too Rolling Stones without the hits.
I haven't listened top SF Sorrow in entirety yet. Just read a few reviews and the jury seems to be out.
« Last Edit: January 25, 2010, 02:03:21 PM by Kevin »
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tkitna

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Re: The Pretty Things
« Reply #6 on: January 25, 2010, 11:02:53 PM »

Dick Taylor left the Stones on his own accord. Yeah, they made him switch to bass when Brian Jones joined the band, but it made sense at the time as Dicks guitar skills were limited. Even with the Pretty Things he was never a great soloist although I loved his tone and creativity. Another reason for leaving the Stones was that he wanted to head back to art school.

Anyways, some of the interesting things I like about the Pretties -  

How the Fontana label screwed them by adding horns and strings all through their 'Emotions' album and it sounds so,,,,weird. Their everywhere and out of place and stuff. I actually dig it, but you can see why the band would have hated it. They left the label during the record so they had no power to stop it.

How they were advised to change drummers in the earlier times and Vivian Prince was introduced to them. Little did the management know that Vivian was even crazier then the actual boys already. Great drummer that inspired Keith Moon at the time. Vivian didnt last long though due to his crazy ways and drinking. Its rumoured that after leaving the band, he moved and joined a charter of the Hells Angels. Vivian was so crazy, he even got kicked out of that group. How nuts does a person have to be to get kicked out of the Hells Angels?

They once caught an airplane on fire while they were being flown on it.

The whole Phillip Debarge incident was bizarre. He was a french millionaire that fell in love with the band after hearing 'SF Sorrow' and he wanted them to create an album he could sing on. He threw a ridiculous amount of money at them and they agreed. The band packed up and travelled to Debarges place and stayed there while writing an album for him and doing his drugs. They said they just partied like mad, but Debarge actually wasnt that bad. He provided a prefessional studio and they cut the album. I have it and its not awful, but nothing memorable stands out.

Still neat that they recorded 'SF Sorrow' at Abbey Road across the hall from the Beatles (who were recording Sgt. Peppers) and Pink Floyd (who were recording Pipers At The Gates Of Dawn). Those three bands together in the same building sharing stories and bouncing ideas off of each other? No wonder the music was incredible.

Their 'Parachute' album was Rolling Stones album of the year in 1970 and it didnt even sell a million copies due to bad management again.

Signed to Zeppelins Swan Song label and got p*ssed off at them too as Peter Grant was giving orders as to what type of music and sound they should have. When 'Savage Eye' was released, Grant had songs written for them and ideas of a huge US Tour. Once the tour got underway, Phil May,by this time, had a serious drug problem and started missing gigs and rebelling against the whole thing. Another chance thrown out the window.

Cut an 80's album ('Cross Talk') just to prove that they could. Its slicker than a babys rear end and its definatly 80's.

Band still isnt allowed in Australia and New Zealand. I dont have all the details, but it was said nobodys daughters or farm animals were safe.  2ch


Anyways, theres a few books avaliable about them and I plan on picking those up soon. I want,,,no need,,, to know more about this band.



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Re: The Pretty Things
« Reply #7 on: January 26, 2010, 02:51:53 PM »

Cheers TK.....thanks for sharing that...I knew he was a man of legend but proper smiling reading that...I will make a point of trying to get a jam in with the gent and let you know how I got on, if successful. heheh
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tkitna

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Re: The Pretty Things
« Reply #8 on: January 27, 2010, 02:44:16 AM »

Yeah Rick, if you can get anything off of old Dicky, i'd defintely like to hear it as you could probably realize.

(Get an email address if you can.  ;D)

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tkitna

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Re: The Pretty Things
« Reply #10 on: February 03, 2010, 06:24:01 PM »

Thanks for the link Rick. I didnt know that Dick was a guitar teacher there.

I just picked up the book 'Dont Bring Me Down,,,Under'. Its about their escapade in New Zealand and I just started into it.
 

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