The Pretty Things started as blues-rock band in the early 1960s, and they’re often described as being “meaner, louder, uglier and with longer hair” than the Rolling Stones. (Pretty Things guitarist Dick Taylor originally played bass in the Stones). Their gritty, primitive R&B sound was heavily influenced by Bo Diddley’s beat.
Their fourth album, S.F. Sorrow , the Pretty Things decided to shake it up a bit and create a psychedelic rock opera that some regard as a masterpiece . It’s held in the same high regard as another lost 60s classic, Odessey and Oracle by the Zombies. In fact, S.F. Sorrow was the first rock opera, not Tommy.
S.F. Sorrow was recorded between December 1967 and September 1968 at Abbey Road Studios. The sound incorporates the sitar, Mellotron, flute, dulcimer and tripped out sound effects.. At the same time, the album’s producer, Norman “Hurricane” Smith was working with Pink Floyd on their A Saucerful Of Secrets album and The Beatles were recording their White Album. (S.F. Sorrow came out the same week as the White Album and The Stones Beggars Banquet).
The 50th anniversary box set edition of the Pretty Things’s groundbreaking 1968 concept album (featuring the 1998 ‘Live At Abbey Road’ recording – with David Gilmour and Arthur Brown described as “A psychedelic masterpiece.”The Pretty Things, were iconic 1st wave cult heroes, created some of the most exciting and innovative records of the 1960s and 1970s. Winners of the Hero award at the 2009 Mojo Honours, the band have been a huge influence on artists as diverse as David Bowie, Aerosmith, The Ramones, Bob Dylan, The Sex Pistols, The White Stripes, Kasabian and many, many more.
In 2018 The Pretty Things celebrate their 55th anniversary as a band with their final live tour and final studio album. 2018 also marks 50 years of the world’s first Rock Opera, S.F. Sorrow. The album stands favourable comparison with Sgt Pepper and Piper At The Gates Of Dawn as one of the defining records of the Psychedelic era. Originally recorded at Abbey Road in 1967 and 1968 it was one of the first true concept albums.
The S.F. Sorrow deluxe vinyl box set features four 12″ LPs, four rare European 1960s picture sleeve 7” singles, and handwritten recollections from Phil May, Dick Taylor, Jon Povey and Wally Waller on individually signed inserts.
The first two LPs feature the mono and stereo versions of the album cut from the original Abbey Road master tapes packaged in facsimile versions of the original UK gatefold and USA ‘Tombstone’ sleeves respectively. The third and fourth LPs comprise a 2LP set of the 1998 Live At Abbey Road anniversary recording with Gilmour and Brown on vinyl for the very first time.
The opera’s libretto came in the form of liner notes that told the story of one Sebastian F. Sorrow, an ordinary fellow who works at the “Misery Factory” and is drafted into World War I. His life descends into meaninglessness after he witnesses a hot-air balloon carrying his fiance crash and burn. Along the way he has an encounter with a mysterious whip-cracking character called “Baron Saturday”.
Saturday “borrows his eyes” and takes Sorrow on a trippy trip through the Underworld (something that seems to mirror the Acid Queen’s unorthodox therapy in Tommy, The opera ends on a sad note as the desolate Sorrow realizes that he can trust no one and that he will die alone.
The Pretty Things were really out there. With ‘SF Sorrow’ they really were pushing it to the absolute mac. They were pushing it just as hard as The Beatles but in a different direction. They recorded it at Abbey Road. It’s a record you go back to if you need to be reminded what being in a rock’n’roll band is all about.”
The Fat Angel Sings 