Fanny - the all woman rock band

1970: the famous cover retouched by me

In the fall of 1971, AM radios in Chicago were filled with a wide range of sounds. Groups like the Osmonds, Jackson 5 and the Partridge Family were still scoring top 10 hits, and the Carpenters, Neil Diamond, Cat Stevens, Chicago and Blood, Sweat & Tears were continuing to dominate the AM radio waves. I hated it. I wanted the James Gang, Mountain and Sabbath on the radio.

But albums like "Sticky Fingers" by the Rolling Stones, "Who's Next" by the Who, Pink Floyd's "Dark Side of the Moon" and "FM/AM" by George Carlin were making rock FM radio stations popular. Rock music was changing for the better. Finally!

It was in September of 1971 that I was 14 and about to start my 4-year trek through High School. I was becoming an avid music fan as well, owning a wide range of albums like "Ram" by Paul McCartney, "Question of Balance" by the Moody Blues and Lobo's "Me and You and a Dog Name Boo." (Yes, Lobo... stop laughing and keep reading...)

L to R: June Millington, Alice DeBuhr, Jean Millington & Nickey Barclay

But, it was a new single by an all female rock band named Fanny that caught my ear. The single version of "Charity Ball" was quickly purchased by me and it spent a lot of time on my turntable that fall. The song would hit the top 5 here in Chicago and #40 nationally, if you believe Billboard. I took my last $10 from my summer job of mowing lawns and bought the albums "Charity Ball" and their self titled first album.

This started what has turned out to be a 30+ year love affair with their music, which even influenced me to take up the bass guitar (rock on Jean) and name my family pet beagle/basset after them. Yes, I named my dog Fanny. "Sit Fanny" Okay, I was 14.

This page will introduce those of you who do not know of, or remember, Fanny. Plus a few insights from the group members themselves who have been kind enough to speak with me about their Fanny memories. Most pretty funny, some that are classified as just cool.

"Commander Nickey to bridge... stand by for piano solo."

"I don't want to work, I just want to bang on the drum all day."

"Bass players are soooo cool...Hey, where you goin'?"

"Someday, this guitar will be worth a TON!"

Back Story (always is one)

I had recently decided to fix up an old turntable that had been broken for nearly 6 years. It is a funky Sony model that features a platter that spits out like a CD tray. I bought it in the late 1980's, as one of my annual turntable replacements. Seemed I listen to records so much, I wore turntables out about once a year, but this last one lasted a good 5 years before dying a slow death. Then I started buying CD's.

Sony actually still had parts for this turntable and for a mere $125 returned it to me in perfect working order. And the first albums I pulled out were my 4 original Fanny albums. I have two copies of "Fanny Hill," for I had worn the first copy out from so much playing! This "re-discovering" of Fanny motivated me to put up this web page. So read on!

Click below for more!