Pretty Things review: 'They remained faithful to their raw, fast, ugly R n B roots'

*****

Komedia, Brighton, March 21

DICK Taylor, one of two surviving founder members of the Pretty Things, had stepped off stage seconds earlier when he was asked by your reporter for his reaction to the experience of performing before an up-for-it gathering at this packed, intimate venue.

His band had displayed over a full-on two hours why it continues to live up to the legend on their poster which declared it represents “50 years of unrepentant rock”.

With the roars still dying down, affable lead guitarist Taylor, initially and briefly a Rolling Stone, said: “It was very cool, very nice. Brighton’s always a brilliant gig. It was great. Lovely.”

He revealed just why such evenings keep the band alive and vital 55 years after Taylor and remaining founder and vocalist Phil May got together to form the Pretty Things at Sidcup Art College where Keith Richards and David Bowie were students.

Taylor said: “It is the crowds.”

You can see why the boys and girls young and old in the audience whooped it up as the Pretty Things stormed it.

They remained faithful to their raw, fast, ugly R n B roots from Rosalyn to Bo Diddley’s Mona, played acoustic blues in tribute to Robert Johnson (Come Into My Kitchen), went psych with Defecting Grey and dipped into their latest album, 2015’s The Sweet Pretty Things (Are In Bed Now, Of Course…), with The Same Sun.

May, reported to have had a health scare in 2014, called for medicine after one number.

Seconds later it all kicked back in until we were left sweaty, exhilarated and wanting more.

May, in good voice, “old mucker Richard Taylor”, second guitarist and harmonica player Frank Holland, bassist George Woosey and ace drummer Jack Greenwood had squeezed on to a small stage to give us the medicine WE needed.

It made you wish the Pretty Things could be prescribed on the NHS to energise, entertain and generally make you feel good.