The Pretty Things burst onto the music scene in 1963, created the first rock opera before The Who could get a look-in and out-rebelled The Rolling Stones by a long shot. That their lead guitarist Dick Taylor had played bass with them prior to Bill Wyman duly noted, that lead vocalist Phil May was certified as having the longest hair in Britain was a PR man’s dream. They scored singles, became renowned for their live shows, but split before things got too wild, reforming in the 80s as revered elder statesmen, until the passing of their two main band members.
Now a 60th anniversary 2LP edition of The Pretty Things + Live At The 100 Club is set for release on 1st August through Madfish,on transparent yellow and red vinyl in wide-spine packaging.
Celebrating six decades since their incendiary arrival, this double LP brings together two distinct yet complementary snapshots of The Pretty Things’ raw power and unfiltered spirit.
Disc one revisits their eponymous 1965 debut – urgent, swaggering and unapologetically loud – a record that sidestepped polish in favour of presence, capturing the band just as they were: sharp-edged, determined, and miles ahead of the curve. From the pounding drive of ‘Road Runner’ to the ragged charm of ‘13 Chester Street’, this is where their reputation was forged.
The second LP shifts to the heart of London, 2010: The 100 Club. Still charged, still uncompromising, the band tore through a set that balanced reverence with rebellion. Live At The 100 Club is a snapshot of The Pretty Things still locked into the sound and spirit they helped define, with original members Phil May and Dick Taylor leading the charge.
DISC 1 features: ‘Roadrunner’, ‘ Judgement Day’, ‘13 Chester Street’, ‘Big City’, ‘Unknown Blues’, Mama, Keep Your Big Mouth Shut’, ‘ Honey, I Need’, ‘Oh Baby Doll’, ‘She’s Fine She’s Mine’, ‘Don’t Lie To Me’, ‘The Moon Is Rising’ and ‘Pretty Thing’. DISC 2 features the same track but live tracks decades later.
Order The Pretty Things + Live At The 100 club here.
