{"product_id":"the-pretty-things-pretty-rare","title":"The Pretty Things - Pretty Rare","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eA major new 12CD earbook celebrating more than five decades of one of Britain's most influential rock bands - featuring rare studio recordings, unreleased demos, historic live concerts, rehearsals \u0026amp; outtakes - book edition incorporating a 60-page analysis by Mike Stax.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThere was never a band quite like \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe Pretty Things\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eFiercer than many of their contemporaries, endlessly adventurous, \u0026amp; gloriously unwilling to follow fashion, they travelled a path from raw rhythm \u0026amp; blues through psychedelia, proto-progressive rock, hard rock \u0026amp; beyond, leaving behind one of British music's richest \u0026amp; most inimitable catalogues. Yet much of their story has remained hidden--preserved on acetates, home demos, rehearsal tapes \u0026amp; audience recordings that reveal how the music was really created.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAcross twelve CDs, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan\u003e'Pretty Rare'\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e opens that archive \u0026amp; follows The Pretty Things from their earliest recordings in 1965 through to \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003ePhil May\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u0026amp; \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eDick Taylor\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e's final recordings over fifty years later. Rather than simply revisiting familiar albums, it captures the moments in between: the songs taking shape on home tape machines, abandoned versions, alternate mixes, legendary lost projects, intimate rehearsals \u0026amp; electrifying live performances that document the band's evolution in real time.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe journey begins with extraordinary early studio material, including previously unheard demos, acetates \u0026amp; alternate recordings from the \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan\u003e'Emotions'\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u0026amp; \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan\u003e'S.F. Sorrow'\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e era, before moving through stunning concert performances from Paris, Hyde Park \u0026amp; Amsterdam that find the group at the height of their psychedelic powers. The \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan\u003ePhilippe Debarge\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e sessions finally take their rightful place alongside the remarkable \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan\u003eWestbourne Terrace Revox\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e demos, revealing Phil May \u0026amp; \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eWally Waller\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e building the musical language that would culminate in the masterpiece \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan\u003e'Parachute'\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe archive continues through the band's long-overdue American breakthrough with powerful performances from Aurora, Illinois in 1973 \u0026amp; Cleveland's legendary Agora Ballroom in 1975, before documenting the remarkable rebirth of the 1980s with \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan\u003e'Live At Heartbreak Hotel'\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, rare studio recordings, singles \u0026amp; long unavailable tracks. Later discs explore Wally Waller's fascinating rehearsal tapes, capturing the band refining classics over more than a decade, alongside anniversary concerts, the acclaimed live recreation of their debut album at London's 100 Club, \u0026amp; the poignant final recordings made by Phil May \u0026amp; Dick Taylor.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThroughout, the collection reveals a different side of The Pretty Things. These recordings capture inspiration in its purest form: songs still evolving, arrangements being tested, musicians rediscovering old favourites, \u0026amp; performances that prove why the band remained one of Britain's most compelling live acts for more than half a century. It is a portrait not simply of a great band, but of a restless one that never stopped searching.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAccompanying the music is a beautifully produced hardback book featuring extensive new liner notes, rare photographs \u0026amp; memorabilia, placing every recording in its historical context \u0026amp; drawing on recollections from Phil May, Dick Taylor, Wally Waller, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eJon Povey\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eSkip Alan\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u0026amp; many of those who shared the journey.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eFor devoted followers, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cspan\u003e'Pretty Rare'\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e gathers together some of the most elusive recordings in the band's history in one definitive collection. For anyone discovering The Pretty Things for the first time, it offers the fullest picture yet of a group whose influence reached far beyond their commercial success -- \u0026amp; whose reputation has only continued to grow with time.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThis is the hidden history of one of Britain's greatest rock bands, finally brought together in one extraordinary collection.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003e• 12CD Earbook f\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eeaturing rare studio recordings, unreleased demos, historic live concerts, rehearsals \u0026amp; outtakes\u003cbr\u003e• Book edition incorporating a 60-page analysis by Mike Stax\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"MADFISH","offers":[{"title":"12CD Earbook","offer_id":59618493661529,"sku":"SDZ-53456","price":187.99,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0588\/3455\/0945\/files\/PROP_20260925_1607_151228_621_p_0636551827850_004.jpg?v=1790686625","url":"https:\/\/spindizzyrecords.com\/products\/the-pretty-things-pretty-rare","provider":"Spindizzy Dublin","version":"1.0","type":"link"}