Edward Barker (31 May 1950 – 18 April 1997) was an English cartoonist, best known for his work in International Times and The Observer in the late 1960s and early 1970s, including the comic strip “The Largactilites” (later renamed “The Galactilites”). He was described as “the wittiest and most idiosyncratic cartoonist to emerge from the British underground press”. His cartoons were usually signed simply “Edward”. (More from Wikipedia)
After Twink left the band, the remaining trio in the Pink Fairies recorded What a Bunch of Sweeties which includes another song on my All-Time Top Ten, “Marilyn”. This album was at the top of my Want List for decades before I finally mail-ordered a copy – just in time for Hurricane Katrina. The album also includes covers of two familiar 1960’s tracks: the Beatles’ “I Saw Her Standing There” and the instrumental “Walk, Don’t Run” (originally by the Ventures). As described by Wikipedia: “The sleeve came in a gatefold cover by Edward Barker, the front showing a box full of goodies mostly taken from roadie David “Boss” Goodman’s personal collection of underground badges etc.” The album is mostly a sonic assault that also includes the playful song “Pigs of Uranus” – but even that song ends with a fabulous electric guitar solo.
In 1972, Mick Farren published his first book, a comic-book style polemic that traces the development of the youth subculture from the 1950’s; the subtitle on the back cover is “How Elvis gave birth to the Angry Brigade”. The co-writer with him is Edward Barker, a cartoonist who designed the covers on the second and third albums by the Pink Fairies. The title is Watch Out Kids and is probably adapted from the lyric “Look out kids” in “Subterranean Homesick Blues” by Bob Dylan.
(March 2014/1)
