First, a small history lesson. Fanny was an American all-female band active in the early 1970s. They were the first notable rock group to be made up entirely of women, and the first to release an album on a major label (the self-titled Fanny in 1970). They achieved two top 40 singles on the Billboard Hot 100 and released five albums, working with producers like Richard Perry and Todd Rundgren. They toured regularly, opening for James Gang, Jethro Tull, Humble Pie and other perennials of the era.
Fanny was not a novelty act. All the players – bassist Jean Millington, guitarist June Millington, drummer Alice de Buhr, keyboardist Nickey Barclay, guitarist Patti Quatro (a founding member of the Pleasure Seekers, another pioneering ‘all-girl’ band) and drummer Brie Howard Darling — were accomplished musicians and songwriters with chops to spare. Nevertheless, in a male-dominated world, they struggled for recognition, and by 1975, Fanny folded.
In the aftermath, a vast cross-section of fans emerged. This included David Bowie, who spoke passionately about how overlooked the band had been, and about how far ahead of their time they had been. Bowie would bring up Fanny at regular intervals during his last decades, campaigning for the world to ‘revivify’ Fanny. “If that happens, I will feel my work is done,” he concluded. And while small reunions with various members did take place over the years, they were typically one-offs without any real lasting consequences.
In 2018, that would change. After 43 years, Fanny Walked the Earth (as the latest incarnation is known) are back with a 13-song self-titled album. There is no over-the-top hype surrounding the record, and certainly no beyond-belief expectations. The album is a simple yet clear statement – asserting that the current version of Fanny, older and wiser, can still write and perform music that resonates. Perhaps now more than ever.
As a huge fan of the original Fanny, I was ecstatic to hear that a new album would be coming after all these decades. With a break of 43 years I obviously had no expectation that they would simply pick up where they left off. This would be another chapter.
The core line-up comprises sisters June and Jean Millington on guitar and bass, with drummer Brie Darling. This is essentially the original members of the Svelts, a precursor to Fanny. All three sing and contribute to the songwriting, making this a real group effort. Indeed, there’s a sincere unity of enthusiasm and punch, aligned with themes of feminism, determination and love, throughout.
This album is not designed to steamroll itself into your soul or blow your mind; instead it pulls you in with a blend of infectious harmonies, sharp and catchy hooks, set on a foundation of positive vibes and sublime influence.
Lured Away is the opening track, where we find Brie Darling vocalising a saucy, raw, and stream-of-consciousness confessional, caught in the crosshairs of the anxiety and anticipation of being ‘lured.’
As we get into When We Need Her and Walk the Earth, a pattern of directly or indirectly addressing the recent #MeToo and #TimesUp movements, along with general women empowerment, takes shape.
They bring in a lot of friends to help out deliver that message on When We Need Her, where the chorus features Brie Darling, Jean Millington, Patti Quatro, members of the Bangles (Susanna Hoffs, Vicki Peterson, and Debbi Peterson), the Go-Go’s (former bassist Kathy Valentine), and the Runaways (singer Cherie Currie) chiming: “Calling on our sisters and mothers and daughters.” This is an anthem – a conscription to all women to be “the change.”
This goes hand-in-hand with Fanny’s own experiences as a female band working the same circuit as the male bands of the early 70s. The album’s tribal title track and upbeat Girls On the Road extol the lows and highs of being Fanny.
Some people may think the themes of feminism and ‘girl empowerment’ are too strong. I would beg to differ. Having read June Millington’s autobiography Land of a Thousand Bridges, with its numerous examples of piss-poor treatment and sexist attitudes they had to endure from the very beginning and throughout their active years, I actually think they show great restraint. There are sadly more than enough examples to pull from, and this could so easily have resulted in very angry and bitter songs. The fact that this is turned into a much more positive and encouraging album, where they ultimately want to empower both sexes for the better, is as extraordinary as the people who pulled it off so well.
Gender is a theme for this project, but let’s not overlook the musicianship and creativity, which always was very strong in Fanny. I was always a sucker for June Millington’s extraordinary guitar work and songwriting, and the album has plenty of great examples of either.
I love the riff on Storm-Crossed – probably the loudest song on the album, although this really isn’t a loud album. Instead, the band favours harmony – both in the musical and spiritual sense – and there is added warmth in the trio’s interplay.
This is particularly well illustrated on Brie Darling’s alluring ballad Love Farmers which close out the album on quite a lovely and emotional note. This is one of the definite highlights on the album. However, I love how more poignant moments like that are balanced out by tracks like Not My Monkey, which has more swagger and shows that amid their more serious topics, Fanny Walked The Earth is not without a sense of humour.
Fanny were always potent, and they still are – just in a different way than the 1970s version of the band were. Rather than trying to kick down doors, they are welcoming you in if you want to visit their world. The vibe is open and friendly. The focus is on spreading awareness, love and a little fun. And why not put out a small reminder on who the original ‘godmothers of chick rock’ are – just to prove that David Bowie was right?
Fanny may indeed walk the earth, but they aren’t out to rule it. They just want to make it better for everyone, regardless of gender, race or equation. With this album alone, they have largely succeeded.
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