THE PINK FAIRIES – Formation and First Reunion
In about 1970, Mick Farren formed the Pink Fairies with Steve Peregrin Took – formerly the other half of Tyrannosaurus Rex with Marc Bolan, who then shortened the name to T. Rex – and Twink, the drummer for a terrific R&B band in 1964-1965 called the Fairies; he was also in Tomorrow and drummed for the Pretty Things for a while. The Pink Fairies had the same great sound as the Deviants sans the politics, though Farren dropped out almost immediately and kept his earlier band alive instead.
In 1987, the long-awaited reunion of the Pink Fairies materialized with Kill ’Em and Eat ’Em; Mick Farren provided only the liner notes (and likely some inspiration). Musicians on the album included Andy Colquhoun, plus original member Twink as the drummer and vocalist, Duncan (Sandy) Sanderson (bass), Russell Hunter (drums), and Larry Wallis (guitar), who joined the band for their third album, Kings of Oblivion (where the musician credits list him as playing “big guitar”). Two years later, Andy, Sandy and Russell began performing and recording as Flying Colours – essentially the Pink Fairies but without the name.
Over the years, the Pink Fairies had put most of their great early tracks on vinyl, but several rockcrits noticed one that had not yet made it: “Runnin’ Outta Road”. Andy Colquhoun includes the Flying Colours recording of this song on his solo CD, Pick up the Phone, America! – Andy is joined on the track by Pink Fairies core members Duncan Sanderson and Russell Hunter – and it is as raw and rowdy as any rock song you will ever hear.
(August 2011)
