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The Queens of Rock.....On CD At Last!!

Jef Fazekas | Newport Beach, California United States | 02/14/2001

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Without Fanny there would be no Runaways, no GoGos, no Bangles and certainly no Vixen or Kittie. They were - and still are - the premiere all-female band. This CD, which features the group's most popular line-up - sisters June and Jean Millington on guitar and bass, drummer Alice de Buhr and Nickey Barclay on keyboards - was recorded in a (very small!) studio for a live radio broadcast. Three things become clear on this CD very quickly....A) the group, which was together with this line-up for just a little over eighteen months at this point, was just starting to really mesh as a band, B) it is hard to believe these women were just in their early twenties and C) June Millington and Alice de Buhr are still THE best female guitarist and drummer of all time (though this recording really doesn't do de Buhr justice;at times she barely seems miked)and two of the best musicians of the last thirty years, period. Most of the CD is culled from their third release, "Fanny Hill", one of the greatest - and most underrated - albums of the past three decades. The first standout track is the band's take on the Beatles' "Hey Bulldog." It's rare when a group betters the Fab Four, but Fanny does just that on this rocker. The vocals are tight, June's guitar work is tasty and the band is just really...into it. Next up is "Wonderful Feeling", a track that spotlights Jean Millington. Often overshadowed by her older sister's mind-blowing prowess on guitar, de Buhr's pounding backbeat and Barclay's in-you-face keyboards, "Feeling" shows that Jean not only had the smoothest, sultriest (yet rock-based!) voice in the group but she was also a killer bassist and very much the heart - and anchor - of the band. Then there's "Ain't That Peculiar." A defining moment for Fanny on vinyl, the same can be said for the song on this compilation. It's often been said that the band's live energy was never captured on record...."Peculiar" proves how true that is; from the roaring guitar intro to June's take charge lead vocal and the subtle, yet forceful, rhythm section, this is Fanny at their best, sort of Marvin Gaye and the Supremes meet Cream! Also of merit are June's "Think About The Children", a slow, pulsating throbber of a rocker that just kind of sneaks up on you, and Nickey's "Blind Alley." A boogie-based rocker, "Alley" features searing guitar from Millington, gut-pounding percussion from de Buhr and one of Barclay's best vocals ever. Rounding out the album are two tracks from the band's second release, 1971's "Charity Ball." "Cat Fever" is a fun little rocker...commando drumming, tinkling keyboards, blinding fret work...HOW old were these gals?!?! But that's nothing compared to their take on "Charity Ball"'s title track. This Millington/Millington/de Buhr composition was the band's first Top 40 single and is a gem just waiting to be redone. This rendition is extended, almost twice as long as the recorded version, and that makes a big difference......it really allows everyone to be showcased to their best ability. You've got Jean's rocking lead vocal and pulsating bass work, June letting loose on guitar, Nickey's honky-tonk/speakeasy ivory-tickling and Alice bringing up the rear with a backbeat that can't be topped. Sheer perfection! In closing, two things need to be touched upon. First, I would normally give this a five star rating, since Fanny on CD is long overdue. However, the sound quality and mix at times barely justifies a three-star rating, thus the four star average. Second, there's a rumor Rhino will be putting out a boxed set of Fanny material later this year. I sure hope this is true....more people need to know about Fanny. They were....and, more importantly, thirty years later still are....the Queens of Rock & Roll."

Guitarists, take note!

blacknapkins | Sarasota, FL United States | 01/21/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is a gem of a tape thankfully released on CD. It's a Fanny concert from 1972 taped in a small studio for a radio show. It contains the very best of what Fanny had to offer in their heyday.Anyone who remembers this band knows that they were no mere novelty act. All four women were great musicians- but it is the guitar work of June Millington that really stands out on this disc. From start to finish, every solo is tasteful, understated, and near perfectly composed. When you consider that she was in her early 20's at the time of this recording, it's hard to believe that such fretboard mastery and confidence could come out of someone so young.Check out Place in the Country and Think About the Children for proof of this. The track list contains almost all of their best songs, with a heavy helping of tunes from their brilliant 3rd LP Fanny Hill. The sound quality is surprisingly good considering the source of the recording, and the performances are all superb. They really were a phenomenal live act that deserves much more recognition- none of their LPs are reissued on CD at this writing, and that's a shame.If you like good guitar driven hard rock with intelligent lyrics, this is the CD for you. One small note- there were a few minor mixing glitches on the original recording that are noticeable but do not detract from enjoying this CD."

These women rocked!

Pat Sherman | San Diego | 05/11/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Though, as stated before, the sound on this is a tad flawed, it's just great to finally have something released by this seminal '70s band. I'm still waiting for the studio recordings. Sadly, their best song of all, a b-side called "I've had it" is not included here (it was the flip of "Charity Ball"). David Bowie was quoted in Rolling Stone a few years ago as saying, "If there is truly any justice, the music industry will revivify Fanny" or something very close to that, going on to rave about how great they were. Trivia fact - one of the Millingtons sisters does backups on the Bowie song "Fame.""