Exposé Online banner

The Pretty Things

The Pretty Things
Country
England
Profile
The Pretty Things was a band from London formed in 1963 by Phil May (vocals, harmonica), Dick Taylor (guitar), John Stax (bass), Brian Pendleton (guitar), and Pete Kitley (drums), though Kitley was shortly replaced by Viv Andrews, then Viv Prince. They pioneered a raw approach to rhythm and blues that went over well in England, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand, though they never managed to gain a foothold in the US. Many personnel changes followed, and they recorded three albums of this kind of material before S.F. Sorrow, which has come to be regarded as a psychedelic classic though it didn't sell well at the time of its release in 1968. Members of the band came and went, with connections to such bands as Pink Fairies, Edgar Broughton, Eire Apparent, Black Cat Bones, The Kinks, Rainbow, Solution, and more. The group broke up briefly in 1971, recording some soundtrack and library music as Electric Banana, then reformed to record a few more albums as Pretty Things. They have been active intermittently in varying forms since. Two former members put together the group Star Sponge Vision.
Website
http://www.theprettythings.net
Related articles (17)
Releases on file (23)
Various Artists — A Band for All Seasons Various Artists — A Band for All Seasons
(Fruits de Mer crustacean 87CD, 2020, 4CD)
Various Artists — Goldfish Various Artists — Goldfish
(Fruits de Mer crustacean 84 & 85, 2018, 3LP+7")
Dave Thompson — The Incomplete Angler - 10 Years of Fruits de Mer Records Dave Thompson — The Incomplete Angler - 10 Years of Fruits de Mer Records
(Dave Thompson Books, 2018, TPB)
Various Artists — The Three Seasons Various Artists — The Three Seasons
(Fruits de Mer crustacean 87, 2018, 3LP)
The Pretty Things — Bouquets from a Cloudy Sky The Pretty Things — Bouquets from a Cloudy Sky
(Madfish , 2015, 13CD+2DVD+10")
The Pretty Things — The Same Sun The Pretty Things — The Same Sun
(Fruits de Mer crustacean 83, 2015/2018, 7")
The Pretty Things — The Sweet Pretty Things (Are Now in Bed, of Course...) The Pretty Things — The Sweet Pretty Things (Are Now in Bed, of Course...)
(Repertoire REPUK1265, 2015, CD)
Various Artists — Postcards from the Deep Various Artists — Postcards from the Deep
(Fruits de Mer Crustacean 58, 2014, 10 Flexi)
Various Artists — The Crabs Sell Out / The Crabs Freak Out Various Artists — The Crabs Sell Out / The Crabs Freak Out
(Fruits de Mer Crustacean 36, 2012, 2CD)
Various Artists — Sorrow's Children - The Songs of S.F. Sorrow Various Artists — Sorrow's Children - The Songs of S.F. Sorrow
(Fruits de Mer Crustacean 25, 2012, LP)
The Pretty Things — Honey, I Need / I Can Never Say The Pretty Things — Honey, I Need / I Can Never Say
(Fruits de Mer , 2010/2012, 7" Single)
The Pretty Things — Balboa Island The Pretty Things — Balboa Island
(Repertoire REPUK 1229, 2007, CD)
The Pretty Things — ...Rage before Beauty The Pretty Things — ...Rage before Beauty
(Repertoire REP 4936, 1999/2002, CD)
Various Artists — Supernatural Fairy Tales Various Artists — Supernatural Fairy Tales
(Rhino Records R2 72451, 1996, 5CD)
Pretty Things — Cross Talk Pretty Things — Cross Talk
(Repertoire REP 4935, 1980/2007, CD)
Pretty Things — Savage Eye Pretty Things — Savage Eye
(Repertoire REP 4934, 1976/2002, CD)
Pretty Things — Silk Torpedo Pretty Things — Silk Torpedo
(Repertoire REP 4933, 1974/2002, CD)
Pretty Things — Freeway Madness Pretty Things — Freeway Madness
(Repertoire REP 4932, 1972/2002, CD)
Pretty Things — Parachute Pretty Things — Parachute
(Snapper Music SMACD964, 1970/2010, 2CD)
The Pretty Things — S.F. Sorrow The Pretty Things — S.F. Sorrow
(Columbia SCX 6306, 1968, LP)
The Pretty Things — Emotions The Pretty Things — Emotions
(Snapper Music SDPCD 111, 1967/2009, CD)
The Pretty Things — Get the Picture? The Pretty Things — Get the Picture?
(Snapper Music SDPCD114, 1965/2009, CD)
The Pretty Things — The Pretty Things The Pretty Things — The Pretty Things
(Madfish SDPCD 115, 1965/2009, CD)

Latest news

2020-07-06
Ennio Morricone RIP – Famed composer Ennio Morricone has died at the age of 91. The creator of scores for more than 500 movies, some of his works have become the most recognizable sounds in the history of cinema. His soundtracks for Sergio Leone's Westerns made from 1964 to 1971, are iconic landmarks in film music, but he also composed for dramas, comedies, and other genres. He won the Academy Award for Best Original Score in 2016 for The Hateful Eight. » Read more

2020-06-14
Keith Tippett RIP – One of the giants of British jazz has left us. Keith Graham Tippetts, known professionally as Keith Tippett, died today at the age of 72. His work from the late 60s into the 70s and beyond includes some of the greatest jazz produced in the UK, and stands as an impressive oevre to this day. » Read more

2020-05-15
Phil May of The Pretty Things RIP – We were saddened to learn that Phil May, lead singer and founding member of The Pretty Things, has died at the age of 75. The band's 1968 album S.F. Sorrow is one of the enduring classics of the psychedelic era, and the group existed in various forms until finally retiring in 2018. » Read more

2020-05-14
Jorge Santana RIP – Jorge Santana, noted guitarist, leader of the band Malo and brother to Carlos Santana, died on May 14 at the age of 68. Jorge and Carlos worked together on a number of occasions, though Jorge's career was centered around Malo, solo work, and with Fania All-Stars. » Read more

2020-05-06
Florian Schneider RIP – Florian Schneider, one of the founders of the pioneering electronic group Kraftwerk, has died at the age of 73. Co-founder Ralf Hütter announced that his bandmate had passed away from cancer after a brief illness. » Read more

More news

Previously in Exposé...

Marble Sheep - Stone Marby – This album sees Marble Sheep back together in the studio for the first time since about 1993, and a finer example of heavy Japanese psychedelic music I could not name. There are bits of Hawkwind, Pink...  (2002) » Read more

Carsick Cars - You Can Listen, You Can Talk – I wrote about this Chinese band’s debut recording back in #36, and their core esthetic of noisy post-punk rock is certainly intact. On most tracks, Zhang Shouwang’s guitar provides a solid...  (2010) » Read more

Margarita Botello / José Luis Fernández Ledesma - La Paciencia de Job – Based in Mexico City, José Luis Fernández Ledesma’s projects appear every year or so quietly with little fanfare; he is definitely one of the most underrated artists around, given...  (2008) » Read more

Gong Global Family - Live in Brazil 20 November 2007 – November 20th, 2007 is the date, one of three shows in Brazil that year. Daevid Allen and Josh Pollock (University of Errors) are joined by a number of Brazilian musicians (members of the Invisible...  (2011) » Read more

Sea Level - Sea Level, Cats on the Coast, On the Edge & Long Walk on a Short Pier – The Allman Brothers in their prime were no doubt one of the best American rock bands of the early 70s, covering a little bit of everything and doing it all extremely well — never a shortage of...  (1999) » Read more

Random review

Listen & discover

Magic Pie has some tricks to show us

More recommendations
Paul Sears - Angels & Demons That Play book

Print issues