Twink (musician)

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John Charles Alder

Background information
Origin England
Genre(s) Psychedelic music
Occupation(s) Musician
Drummer
Percussionist
Singer-songwriter
Actor
Instrument(s) Drums
Years active 1963 – Present
Label(s) Decca Records
HMV
Parlophone Records
Sire Records
Columbia Records
Rare Earth Records
Midnight Records
Associated acts Dane Stephens and the Deep Beats
The Fairies
Tomorrow
The Pretty Things
The Pink Fairies
PinkWind
The Rings
Syd Barrett

John Charles Alder (born 29 November 1944), better known as Twink, is an English drummer, singer and song writer who was a central figure in the English psychedelic movement, and an actor.

Contents

[edit] Biography

[edit] Early life

Alder was born in Colchester, Essex, England, into a musical family. His father's mother was a concert pianist and soloist. Alder has said he was always interested in music as a child.

[edit] The Fairies

Alder's career began in 1963 as a member of a rhythm and blues band from Colchester called Dane Stephens and the Deep Beats. After a year, the band changed its name to The Fairies.

The Fairies were sent gifts and Alder, having long curly hair, regularly received bottles of Twink brand home perm lotion. It was at this time that he adopted 'Twink' as his stage name.

In 1964 The Fairies recorded the single "Don't Think Twice It's Alright" for the Decca Records label. In 1965 they recorded two singles, "Don't Mind" and "Get Yourself Home", for HMV.

The band split at some date before 1967.

[edit] The In-Crowd and Tomorrow

In 1965 Twink moved to London and lived in Chelsea. When The Fairies came to a halt, he joined a rhythm and blues/soul music band called The In-Crowd after its previous drummer had left the band. Other members were Steve Howe (guitar) and Keith West.

A few months later the band was renamed Tomorrow. The success of West's solo recording Excerpt From A Teenage Opera resulted in the band breaking up.

In Joe Boyd's book White Bicycles he cites a Tomorrow show at UFO Club and, in particular, Twink's performance, as the zenith of 60's pop culture. [1][2]

[edit] The Pretty Things

Twink replaced Skip Allen in The Pretty Things and participated in the making of the album S.F. Sorrow. He became noted for outrageous behaviour, such as climbing the speaker stacks and diving into the audience when the band performed at a free open-air concert in London's Hyde Park.[3]

[edit] Think Pink

He recorded his first solo album, Think Pink, with The Deviants, including Mick Farren (who produced the album), Paul Rudolph who played guitar, as well as Steve Peregrin Took.

[edit] The Pink Fairies

Twink with the Pink Fairies at Glastonbury Fayre in 1971
Twink with the Pink Fairies at Glastonbury Fayre in 1971

The line up of The Pink Fairies (Mark 1) featured Think Pink musicians Twink, Took and Farren, and was named after the Pink Fairies Rock 'n' Roll Club, a loose group of people including Took, Farren, The Deviants, Syd Barrett (still at the time in Pink Floyd). They were resident in Ladbroke Grove, the home of the UK Underground.

Pink Fairies (Mark 2) was formed with Twink and former Deviants (but without Mick Farren). He left The Pink Fairies in 1971 (although he would periodically return) and after a spell in Morocco moved to Cambridge where he played with Syd Barrett, in Stars, after which he moved back to London.

In 1987 he rejoined The Pink Fairies for a reunion tour.

[edit] Hawkwind and PinkWind

He periodically performed with fellow Ladbroke Grove community band Hawkwind.

He also collaborated with Hawkwind founder Nik Turner in the band PinkWind. Turner brought in the Wind and Twink, as a member of The Pink Fairies provided the Pink. PinkWind released two albums. Some line-ups also featured Judge Trev Thoms of Inner City Unit and Steve Took's Horns.

[edit] Stars

Early in 1972 Twink played in the short lived trio Stars with Syd Barrett and bassist Jack Monck. Stars played a handful of shows which were well received. However, Syd, fragile mentally, quit after reading a negative review by Roy Hollingworth in Melody Maker.[4]

[edit] The Rings and punk

Following an injury sustained in a car crash, he worked as a vocalist with The Rings in early 1977, releasing one of the first Punk Rock singles I Wanna Be Free. Other members included Alan Lee Shaw and Rod Latter.

Twink coined the term Acid Punk to describe his music and went on to release an EP Do It '77 in 1978 that included a song Psychedelic Punkeroo about Syd Barrett.[4]

[edit] 1980s-present

In 1986 he released a solo single "Apocalipstic", which inaugurated his new, self-titled record label.

During the 1987 Pink Fairies reunion tour Twink met members of Plasticland which resulted in the collaboration You Need a Fairy Godmother, released in 1989 on Midnight Records.

In 1990 Twink released his second solo album, Mr Rainbow.

[edit] Acting career

Twink acted widely during the late 1980s, appearing in United Kingdom television series including:-

[edit] Discography

[edit] with The Fairies

[edit] with Tomorrow

[edit] with Pretty Things

[edit] Solo

[edit] with Pink Fairies

[edit] with The Rings

[edit] with Plasticland

  • You Need a Fairy Godmother (Midnight Records, 1987)

[edit] with Santa Barbara Machine Head

  • Pre Purple People compilation (2001)

[edit] References

  1. ^ PUNKCAST#1129
  2. ^ Boyd, Joe, White Bicycles - Making Music in the 1960s, Serpent's Tail, 2006. ISBN 1-85242-910-0
  3. ^ Hyde Park Free Concert 7-28-68. ukrockfestivals.com (August 2005). Retrieved on 2008-01-10.
  4. ^ a b Interview with Twink, Ivor Trueman. Opel #11, 5 December 1985

[edit] External links

  • Interview with Twink By Ivor Trueman, Opel #11, 5 December 1985
  • Twink - interview (Ptolemaic Terrascope #3 1990)
  • Alan Lee Shaw's Gallery includes a photo of The Rings.
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Pink Fairies
Larry Wallis · Twink · Andy Colquhoun · Duncan Sanderson · Russell Hunter
Former Members: Paul Rudolph · Martin Stone · Mick Wayne
Pink Fairies discography
Main discography
Related Bands