The Rings

The Rings

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Dennis Stow - Bass. Alan Lee Shaw - Guitar. Twink - Vocals. Rod Latter - Drums

The Rings were formed by Twink (real name John Alder) veteran of many psychedelic bands including Tomorrow and The Pink Fairies. While primarily a drummer he took on the role of front man in the band while Alan Lee Shaw played guitar and wrote the songs. Songs at the time included a mix of originals and Fairies numbers. Rod Latter played drums (later to join the Adverts). The band was completed by Dennis Stow on bass. A one off deal with Chiswick brought the excellent single I Wanna Be Free / Automobile in May 1977. Band played all the usual 'toilets' like the 100 Club and Roxy.

"When your health is so shot that you don't look at the bar for fear your liver might explode, an ex hippy and pink fairy fronting a ...new wave band is not even funny. Twink and his band juggle superb old Fairies numbers with transparent new songs: 'Chelsea 77', 'Teenage Rebel...Are the boys suprised the audience scream for a bucket when they round off the set with 'I Wanna Get High' Which bus to Woodstock mate." Live Music Machine Sounds 28.6.77 Jane Suck

Click to hear audio clip of
'I Wanna Be Free'

Soon after, depending on what version you believe Twink either supposedly tired of being gobbed at or was ousted by the band as the incoming replacement for Dennis Stow, Robert Crash and the rest formed The Maniacs almost overnight in August 1977 minus any hippies. The truth is probably somewhere in between if this quote from a live review is anything to go by: "...a fine band. Except for the singer...Most of the set he spent at the back of the stage trying to evade the gobbing...surely within reason one should take it? He didn't." Sounds 16.7.77 Marquee.

Twink kept The Rings going for a while calling on old Fairies cohorts and even playing the Mont Marsan Punk Festival on the same bill as The Maniacs. A follow up single was announced in Sounds 22.10.77 as being called Psychedelic Didgerdoo and the precursor to an album ! It never happened at least not as The Rings.

Top picture from 'Flash, Bang Wallop!' by Ian Dickson