“Set the Way-Back Machine for 40 years ago, Sherman…”
In 1971, I was a mere 14 years old but I was already heavily into music. I mowed lawns in the summer so I could buy albums to listen to on my tiny little Sears turntable that had built in speakers and a Tone knob. It sounded like crap and you could see it scraping the vinyl off the records, but it was mine.
Fanny's First Album
I was listening to the radio one day, WLS-AM in Chicago was the King of pop radio in the day, and a song came on with a great opening guitar lick. The DJ announced it was the new single from an all-girl band called Fanny. The song was “Charity Ball.” I was hooked and went to buy the single. In a rare moment, I also bought the album as I noticed the band had a Nickey Barclay in it, and I remembered her name from the Joe Cocker live album “Mad Dogs and Englishmen”. So, as one of those geeks that read and remembered every little detail written on album liner notes, I had a new single AND album by Fanny. I was hooked for life
I followed Fanny and bought each new album as it came out. Four in total from 1970 to 1973. One a year was kinda the standard in the day. They disbanded about the time I went to college in 1975, but my four albums followed me every where and I’d pull them out at parties and get people hooked on them as well.
Fanny Rockin' the 70s
Fast Forward 30 years to 2001. I was getting into digital recording and wanted to transfer some of my old records to CD. I had just finished the task of getting my turntable hooked up to my PC (not an easy thing in 2001) and the first albums that I pulled out were my Fanny records. I digitized them and had the CDs in my car. My sons soon got hooked as well.
I did a little web page about Fanny and through that tiny little fan page I was able to meet and become friends with Fanny today. I help them with their website and it’s a blast listening to their old stories back in the day when women rockers were considered play things and not taken seriously.
Fanny Today
So, today I bring you Fanny. I love their music today as much as I did back in 1971. You can check out their stuff on iTunes or visit their website (the webmaster is a cool guy).
I remember finding your ‘little web page’ and thinking, ‘You mean there’s two of us…?’ You know the rest! Turns out there were a few more than just us two….
Great band, great times.
Turns out there were three of us… Just kidding…
Yeah, I figured why not start off my new feature with Fanny. They really got me into rock and roll, and this comic is a result of those 70s music experiences, so it was fitting to give them the first nod!
Thanks for stopping by, and folks need to check out your blog as well on music. You’re a much better writer than me, and probably remember more of the 70s than I do!
http://mwarminger.blogspot.com/
Thanks Martin!
70s? What 70s?
Thanks for your kind words but I really wanted to be able to draw and I can’t wield a pencil for toffee. Seems like the talents were distributed evenly after all.
I remember finding Byron’s ‘little web page’ and thinking ‘oh dear gods, why can’t the dead stay dead?’
Totally arse-kicking band. Shame the recordings never did that justice…