The Pretty Things - Phillipe DeBarge

The Pretty Things were on a run in 1969. They had released several singles that charted over the past five years in the United Kingdom and Australia, had four albums under their belt, and even had a secret pseudo band called Electric Banana that made stock music for B-rated horror movies. But even with their mild success in their homeland of England and around Europe, the band was somewhat in disarray from not hitting it huge like the bands they recorded beside at Abbey Road Studios like The Beatles and Pink Floyd. The lead guitarist and founder of the band Dick Taylor left the band early in the year to try his hand at producing, and this left Phil May and Wally Waller to apply their song writing skills in full force and then out of nowhere Philippe DeBarge asked they would do the music for his debut solo album.

DeBarge was the son of a very wealthy French family and dreamed of becoming a rock star. His money and charm won The Pretty Things over very quickly and they decided to record a new album. DeBarge’s limitless budget provided the best studio money could buy and his voice was ready as well. Unlike most rich people who insist on putting out their music without the hint that they actually can’t sing, DeBarge could rock with the best of his day. After using a few songs they had worked on during live shows and concerts, The Pretty Things came up with some of the best psychedelic music of their career.

DeBarge took the finished album back to France thinking his family connections would get it published right away. Instead, the album had to wait forty years to come to album form and ten years after the death of DeBarge. It finally got its due among the re-issue catalog of UT Records including a new song done by the original members of The Pretty Things in 2008.

The Pretty Things went on to record one of rock music’s classic albums Parachutes in 1970 and now are quietly touring on occasion and still making albums. Philippe DeBarge recorded another album with The Pretty Things in 1974 and finally got his musical debut worldwide, but would never become the star he wanted to become. After forty years, the music is still as good as the first day it was recorded and now it can live and breathe as it was intended-as a true rock album.

By far one of my favourite albums ever, just got right back into these recently and loving everything they've done. Immense music that you could never tire of listening too.