The Pretty Things

There are many bands who keep on and on, eventually becoming a cabaret act based on a single – in many cases zero – original members. On the other hand there are bands who have become legendary through constantly playing and recording and building with small changes in personnel.
The Pretty Things are one of the latter – Phil May (vocals) and Dick Taylor (lead guitar) are still there from the first incarnation of the band in 1963, Frank Hollands (rhythm guitar and harmonica) has been with the band for 35 years and it is the two newcomers – George Woosey on bass and Jack Greenwood on drums – who are the drive and the power that underlies one of the greatest bands London has produced.

The crowd at Under the Bridge on Saturday night were treated to a selection of material from all through the band’s career and they were up for it from the first notes to the last, cheering the classics and digging the new material from the superb ‘The Sweet Pretty Things (are in bed now, of course)’ album of last year.

Phil’s vocals were on fine form, belting out numbers like ‘Hey Mama’ and a stunning version of ‘Same Sun’ (from the new album). Dick Taylor, as ever, was laying down individual and classic guitar lines and Frank Hollands was alternating between rhythm and some fine harp. What really got me though was just how well the two ‘kids’ work with May, Taylor and Hollands. George Woosey doesn’t sound anything like John Stax but his bas lines are perfect for the band – fluid and soulful – while Jack Greenwood’s drums are powerful but not flashy – when he took a solo he showed just how much he can do but, just like Charlie Watts or Ringo, he does exactly what the music needs and no more.

They featured a selection from ‘S. F. Sorrow’ which showed just how good the album was and May and Taylor played a selection of Blues classics with Dick on acoustic slide while the rest of the band took a breather. ‘Don’t Bring Me Down’ was monstrous and the Bo Diddly medley of ‘Mona’/’Who Do Ya Love’/’Come Back Baby’ had the crowd in a frenzy. Closing with ‘Rosalyn’ and ‘LSD’ the crowd was buzzing and dancing like crazy and the smiles on the faces of the band told a story other bands might do well to learn – be true to your music and the world will catch you up.

All told, a cracking evening. The sound system at Under The Bridge is superb, allowing all the power and pomp of a great rock & Blues band to shine through and the crowd – younger than you might expect - were knackered after nearly 2 hours dancing to the band.