Dec 15

Twink

TWINK
 
 
Twink  (born John Charles Edward Alder 29 November 1944) is an English drummer, singer and songwriter who was a central figure in the English psychedelic movement, and an actor.  Recently, while still recording as Twink, Alder has converted to Islam and changed his name to Mohammed Abdullah.  (More from Wikipedia)
 
 
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. 
 
(August 2011)
 
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The band’s drummer Twink (real name:  John Alder) was originally in a tough rhythm and blues band called the Fairies – it won’t be much longer before that band joins the ranks of the UARB’s – and is perhaps best known as the drummer for the Pretty Things on their ground-breaking 1968 concept album called S.F. Sorrow. 

 

Twink is also renowned as a founding member of the hard psych band the Pink Fairies, along with the Deviants’ Mick Farren and Steve Peregrin Took, who was Marc Bolan’s partner in the original Tyrannosaurus Rex band.

Besides Twink, the other bandmembers in Tomorrow – originally called the Four Plus One – included guitarist Steve Howe, which was later in Yes; Junior Wood; and Keith West, who was evidently the best known member of the band when their album came out.  Of note is the fact that Tomorrow was featured on the very first of the Peel Sessions by DJ John Peel on BBC Radio 1, on September 21, 1967. 

 

(July 2013)

 

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The plan was always to move directly from the Mick Farren tribute to a description of the Fairies as the Under-Appreciated Rock Band of the Month; Twink was in that band in 1964-1965.  

 

(March 2014/2)
 
Last edited: April 3, 2021