The importance of the Pretty Things tour (to New Zealand in 1965) on the development of R&B and rock in that country in that decade needs to be acknowledged. As the 1965 tour was long: stopping at the 4 main centres plus 6 provincial cities it meant that lots of young bands got to see a hard-nosed British band in action delivering raw R&B. As blokes the Pretties were accessible, happy to talk to locals, drink beer with them. Local bands went to their shows: watched, listened, learned. Many later cited the Pretties as an influence. Auckland bands like Larry’s Rebels and the Dark Ages got even closer when the UK group played several shows at the Top 20 at the end of the 10-stop scheduled tour.

Dick Taylor & Phil May Tote 2018

The press in NZ at the time the Pretty Things were there wasted too much energy writing about their long hair & Viv’s antics, while way too much sensationalism was delivered by a national tabloid about their supposed unacceptable behaviour.

Dick Taylor (l); Phil May (v); Jack Greenwood (d) obscured; George Woosey (b); Frank Holland (g)

I saw them on Friday night (Oct 12, 2018) at the jam-packed Tote in Melbourne (as part of their final world tour). They were sensational: professional but natural. Dick (75) & Phil (74) still deliver. John Stax appeared out of the crowd to play harp with them for one song early in the show, giving the crowd 3 original band members on stage. At this show they played their hits & best-known songs; a segment from S.F. Sorrow plus a Robert Johnson retrospective. Seeing them again after 53 years was a sheer joy & allowed me to reflect on their importance to 1960’s NZ music.