Fanny… the “Godmothers of Women Who Rock”, so why aren’t they mentioned in the annals of women’s rock music or rock music in general as regularly as Janis Joplin, The Runaways and Heart? The answer lies in the fact that this was a band that never compromised or (in the case of Joplin) didn’t die young. Formed by Filipina American sisters June and Jean Millington from the embers of Wild Honey (via the Svelts) who signed to Reprise Records, the band eventually settled on the four piece line-up with Nickey Barclay on keyboards, Alice de Buhr on drums alongside the Millington siblings, Jean on bass and June on guitar with all of them sharing vocal duties. This new 4CD set treads similar ground to the long deleted Rhino release First Time In A Long Time anthology from 2002 covering their first four Reprise albums albeit with alternative extras.

Released in 1970 Fanny the album sees the quartet setting out their stall and what an assortment it holds. With the west coast, 12 string vibes of opener ‘Come And Hold Me’, preceding the rockier ‘I Just Realised’ with its strong edgy Suzi Quatro style vocal, it is the higher energy tracks that stand out from the crowd. From the rip-roaring ‘Shade Me’, pumping piano of ‘Candlelighter Man’, and singles ‘Changing Horses’ and ‘Seven Roads’ where stabbing guitar riffs meet pounding drums, these are mixed amongst the middle of the road ‘Conversation With The Captain’ and ‘Bitter Wine’ and ‘Take A Message To The Captain’s’ light country twang. Despite each band member contributing some strong original tracks, Fanny put their best foot forward, particularly in the vocal harmony department on the two covers. ‘Badge’ is a wonderful alternative take on the Cream classic and from Marvin Holmes & The Uptights (via Judy Clay) ‘It Takes A Lot Of Good Lovin” shows where the ladies roots as the Svelts lie. Along with ten bonuses including three of the eight new to CD tracks, Fanny leaves you wondering which pigeonhole to slot the group into. But I guess that was their intention.

The scattergun of genres continued on 1971’s Charity Ball (Ooh! Ooh!) which profits from the maturity now gained in the studio. It blasts off with its title track, a party piece which must have been a real ball live (as proved on the bonus track recorded in Cleveland). Overall a more upbeat album but there are still quieter moments such as ‘Thinking Of You’, and ‘You’re The One’ with its Manzarak keyboards and ‘What’s Wrong With Me’, showing that even Fanny have insecurities. This time out ‘What Kind Of Lover’, ‘Cat Fever’ and ‘Soul Child’ supply the down ‘n’ dirty, ‘A Person Like You’ and (bonus) ‘Old Milwaukee’ the country/bluegrass and ‘Place In The Country’ provides rock ‘n’ roll meets rhythm ‘n’ blues and finds Fanny at the top of their game. As always they find room for a cover, this time in the shape of a rousing version of Buffalo Springfield’s ‘Special Care’ and within the bonus department, The Supremes’ ‘Back In My Arms’. Jean’s vocals are front and centre throughout whether she is taking lead duties or backing up her comrades.

By the time of Fanny Hill (1972) the band were on the up and totally stoked to be stepping into the footsteps of their heroes, The Beatles, to record at Abbey Road Studios alongside Geoff Emerick. Influences abound as Harrison’s post Beatles slide sound is heard (not for the first time) on old Wild Honey live favourite ‘Ain’t That Peculiar’, tale of a single mum ‘You’ve Got A Home’ and especially on ‘Wonderful Feeling’. Further influences shine through in the horns and strings of ‘Knock On My Door’, ‘Borrowed Time’, and closer ‘The First Time’. Not surprisingly Lennon/McCartney’s ‘Hey Bulldog’ is the choice of cover this time out… and what a blast they have. Top tunes come in the shape of the autobiographical ‘Rock Bottom Blues’ where Alice puts in a sterling performance on vocals and ‘Blind Alley’. Nashville is again in evidence on ‘Sound And Fury’ making sure all bases are covered. This disc contains the best of the bonus material with five cracking live tracks including a powerful version of Ike Turner’s ‘Young And Dumb’.

Todd Rundgren was in the producers chair (he pipped Bernie Taupin for the job) for Mother Pride (1973) but from outset, the spooky Randy Newman cover ‘Last Night I Had A Dream’ and in spite of Alice’s best vocal efforts it all seems a little pedestrian. That is not to say that the material isn’t lyrically thought provoking and timeless but many of the arrangements lack oomph! There are glimmers of hope when Alice’s off kilter vocals kick in on ‘Solid Gold’, as well as in the ragtime blues of ‘Is It Really You?’ and percussive ‘Polecat Blues’. But by the time the album reaches the more upbeat pop of ‘Summer Song’ (la, la, la, la), the commercial glam rock of Barclay’s “move over Joan Jett”, ‘I Need You Need Me’ and the ironically titled rocker ‘I’m Satisfied’, I’m just not satisfied and overall it’s a bit to late. The sleeve notes contain some very interesting anecdotes from de Buhr and the Millington sisters explaining the recording of each of the albums included. In 1971 talking about one of the bands live performances the NY Times said “A male group playing as well would have gotten a standing ovation from the Fillmore audience” a statement that encapsulates Fanny’s career.

Fanny went on to record one further album (for Casablanca), Rock And Roll Survivors (1974) with Patti Quatro (sister of Suzi) and former The Svelts drummer Brie Howard replacing June and Alice respectively. Despite it taking a more glam rock approach and its single ‘Butter Boy’ becoming a minor hit Fanny’s days were numbered… until… interest in the band was rekindled by the Bobbi Jo Hart directed “FANNY: The Right To Rock” documentary film (available on BBC iPlayer) which was released in 2021 and retold the tales of this pioneering band with contributions from Bonnie Raitt, Def Leppard’s Joe Elliott, Todd Rundgren and The B52s Kate Pierson amongst others, and extended the bands story up to the release of what should have been their comeback album When Fanny Walked The Earth, the promotion of which was curtailed when Jean Millington suffered a stroke on the eve of their comeback show. The place of female artists/musicians within the industry is now more visible and accepted (although we still have a long way to go), but it was only made possible because Fanny led the way. Get behind Fanny.

• Reviewed By Peter Brockwell.
• Fanny: The Reprise Years is released via Cherry Red Records on 23rd August 2024.
• Official Website | Facebook | Instagram | YouTube Channel

Track List:

Disc One – Fanny

1. Come And Hold Me
2. I Just Realised
3. Candlelighter Man
4. Conversation With A Cop
5. Badge
6. Changing Horses
7. Bitter Wine
8. Take A Message To The Captain
9. It Takes A Lot Of Good Lovin’
10. Shade Me
11. Seven Roads (First Version)
Bonus Tracks:
12. Lady’s Choice
13. New Day
14. Nowhere To Run
15. One Step At A Time
16. Changing Horses (Single Version)
17. Seven Roads (German Single Edit)
18. Shade Me (B-side Edit)
19. Badge (Live At The Bijou Cafe, Philadelphia)
20. Candlelighter Man (The Kitchen Tapes)
21. Seven Roads (Second Version)

Disc Two – Charity Ball

1. Charity Ball
2. What Kind Of Lover
3. Cat Fever
4. A Person Like You
5. Special Care
6. What’s Wrong With Me?
7. Soul Child
8. You’re The One
9. Thinking Of You
Bonus Tracks:
10. Place In The Country (Second Version)
11. A Little While Later
12. Charity Ball (Single Version)
13. Charity Ball (Live In Cleveland)
14. Place In The Country (Live In Cleveland)
15. Back In My Arms Again
16. Lonesome Pine (Mother’s Pride Demo Session)
17. Old Milwaukee (Mother’s Pride Demo Session)
18. Place In The Country (First Version)
19. Queen Aretha (Wild Honey Demo Session)

Disc Three – Fanny Hill

1. Ain’t That Peculiar
2. Knock On My Door
3. Blind Alley
4. You’ve Got A Home
5. Wonderful Feeling
6. Borrowed Time
7. Hey Bulldog
8. Think About The Children
9. Rock Bottom Blues
10. Sound And Fury
11. The First Time
Bonus Tracks:
12. Ain’t That Peculiar (Single Version)
13. Young And Dumb
14. Knock On My Door (B-side Edit)
15. Tomorrow
16. No Deposit, No Return
17. Ain’t That Peculiar (Live In Philadelphia)
18. Borrowed Time (Live In Cleveland)
19. Hey Bulldog (Live In Philadelphia)
20. Knock On My Door (Live In Cleveland)
21. Young And Dumb (Live In Philadelphia)

Disc Four – Mother’s Pride

1. Last Night I Had A Dream
2. Long Road Home
3. Old Hat
4. Solid Gold
5. Is It Really You?
6. All Mine
7. Summer Song
8. Polecat Blues
9. Beside Myself
10. Regular Guy
11. I Need You Need Me
12. Feelings
13. I’m Satisfied
Bonus Tracks:
14. Summer Song (Single Version)
15. Wonderful Feeling (Single Version)
16. Rock Bottom Blues (Original Version)
17. I Need You Need Me (Single Version)
18. Last Night I Had A Dream (Single Edit)
19. Rock Bottom Blues (Backing Track)
20. All Mine (Mother’s Pride Demo Session)
21. Last Night I Had A Dream (Live At The Bijou Cafe, Philadelphia)