Skate legend, turned jazz musician extraordinaire, Ray Barbee, dropped a little wisdom last week on his Insta feed. If you missed it, a short video was posted of a band from the 60s-70s called Fanny.

The band was comprised of the Millington sisters, June and Jean, and a somewhat rotating collection of other great female musicians. They quickly caught the eye of some established record label reps and off they went. They dropped a few albums, performed on the tracks of quite a few well-known musicians of the era but as was common during the period, they struggled with a group identity that fit the members of the band.

Sadly, they broke up a few years later but still performed from time to time under different band configurations.

Other all girls bands like the Go Go’s, the Bangles and The Runaways all cite Fanny as an important early influence.

David Bowie said this about them.

“They were extraordinary: they wrote everything, they played like motherfuckers, they were just colossal and wonderful, and nobody’s ever mentioned them. They’re as important as anybody else who’s ever been, ever; it just wasn’t their time.”

Not a bad tip of the hat.

Listen here

And here

Thanks Ray.

What Youth