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FANNY

Upon signing hard rock combo Fanny in 1970, Warner Bros. claimed their new acquisition was the first all-female rock band -- a statement far from the truth, of course, but as one of the first self-contained female groups to land on a major label, they were an important harbinger of things to come. Fanny formed in California under the name Wild Honey, teaming singer/guitarist June Millington, her bassist sister Jean, keyboardist Nickey Barclay, and drummer Alice de Buhr. (The Millingtons and de Buhr had previously played in a Sacramento garage band called the Svelts.) With Wild Honey signing to Reprise, the new name Fanny was suggested to producer Richard Perry by no less than ex-Beatle George Harrison; though a relatively innocuous term in the band's native United States, its more scandalous meaning overseas was only known to the group much later on. Fanny's self-titled debut LP appeared in 1970, earning radio airplay for its cover of the Cream favorite "Badge." The title track from their 1971 follow-up, Charity Ball, was the group's first Billboard chart hit, although they enjoyed greater commercial success in the U.K., touring in support of Jethro Tull and Humble Pie.

"CHARITY BALL"

1971       LP        REPRISE RECORDS       RS 6456   STEREO

PRINTED IN U.S.A.     ORIGINAL  PRESSING

SINGLE COVER + LYRICS INSERT + COMPANY INNER SLEEVE

THICK CARDBOARD COVER (AMERICAN STYLE)

Barcode and Other Identifiers

Barcode: none

LABEL: REPRISE  -  TAN LABEL - BLACK TEXT

Catalog on cover: (front) 6456   (spine) RS 6456   (rear)  RS-6456  

Catalog on labels: RS 6456 (31,247) / RS 6456 (31,248)

Matrix / Runout (Side A, Etched): RS 6456 31247-1

Matrix / Runout (Side B, Etched): RS 6456 31248-1

On labels: STEREO

rim text reads "Reprise Records, A Division Of Warner Bros. Records. Inc. Made in U.S.A."

On back cover: Tracklist & Credits

Produced by Richard Perry

Reprise..................Made in U.S.A. © 1971 - Warner Bros. Records Inc.      4

tracklisting

Side A: CHARITY BALL - WHAT KIND OF LOVER - CAT FEVER

A PERSON LIKE YOU - SPECIAL CARE - WHAT'S WRONG WITH ME?

  grading

RECORD EX but before bidding (please, read above description)

SLEEVE VG+ but (please, see pictures and read above description)

Fanny were still finding their feet when they recorded their first album in 1970 -- it was a fine set of songs but occasionally betrayed the fact that the bandmembers were just getting accustomed to one another when they started recording. Fanny's second effort, 1971's Charity Ball, was in comparison a stronger, more confident, and more enjoyable disc; the push and pull between June Millington's tough guitar figures and Nickey Barclay's rollicking keyboards yield more exciting results here, while Alice de Buhr's sharp, inventive drumming and Jean Millington's subtle, melodic basslines keep the bottom end lively and supportive at all times. The band also delivered a better set of songs this time out; the rowdy good-time boogie of the title cut was a deserved hit single (though it sadly peaked just as it first nicked the Top 40), "Soul Child" delivers some cool but sassy funk, "What Kind of Love" and "A Person Like You" find them throwing some serious and quite funny shade on folks who've done them dirt, "A Little While Later" confirmed they could still sound forceful in ballad mode, and "Place in the Country" is a powerful rant against the madness of war and inner-city strife with some of June's most fiery soloing. Richard Perry's production is a sometimes a bit more polished than this music needed, and it's a shame he didn't give this band a punchier guitar sound, but he makes the most of the melodies here (and Fanny most certainly had 'em) as well as the group's solid harmonies. As the first all-female rock band to cut an album for a major label, Fanny had the unenviable task of being trailblazers who were expected to "prove" they were capable of playing rock & roll (something women had been doing for years at this point). With Charity Ball, Fanny reminded anyone with ears that they were a strong, talented, and exciting rock & roll band as purely enjoyable as any group on the scene in the early '70s, regardless of gender. Fun trivia fact: the portrait of the band on the front cover was photographed by none other than Candice Bergen...(AllMusic)