When The Pretty Things came on the music scene in 1965, they quickly earned a reputation as being \u201charder than the Rolling Stones.\u201d The London group had an actual connection to the Stones: both groups came from London suburb Sidcup, Kent. And guitarist Dick Taylor had been in one of the Stones\u2019 earliest lineups. But on their own, the Pretties \u2013 with lead vocalist Phil May \u2013 created some of the era\u2019s most enduring music.<\/p>\n
The Pretty Things were one of only a handful of high profile British groups that wouldn\u2019t find Stateside success, but they left behind an impressive body of work nonetheless. Working as themselves, under pseudonyms and even as a backing group for a playboy millionaire, The Pretty Things deserved far wider success than they received. In celebration of the 60th anniversary of the release of their self-titled debut LP, here are five must-hear tunes from The Pretty Things.<\/p>\n
\u201cRoad Runner\u201d from The Pretty Things<\/em> (1965)<\/strong>
\nThe Pretties\u2019 reputation as a rougher, rawer Rolling Stones was built in part upon their first single. \u201cRoad Runner\u201d was a cover by the group\u2019s hero and major inspiration, Elias \u201cBo Diddley\u201d McDaniel. (The group took its name from Bo\u2019s 1955 song \u201cPretty Thing.\u201d) Released as a single, the song reached #11 in the Netherlands, but its influence far outpaced its chart action. The clip below captures a wild performance of the song for the influential and landmark West German TV program Beat-Club<\/em>.<\/p>\n