Small Faces - 1960's Peacock Style Icons

Small Faces photographed by Gered Mankowitz in 1968

For some reason, I've never devoted much space to Small Faces in here, so it's about time I did a little post about them. Not only they were one of the best British bands of the 1960's, but they were also one of the best dressed bands of that era. Although undoubtedly the mod icons - Steve Marriott deserves a nickname 'Modfather' much more than Paul Weller - they remained a great-looking band even after Mod style went out of fashion. It is rumoured that during their existence, the band would spend roughly about £12.000 on clothes each year. Although this figure  simply must be an exaggeration - £12.000 in the mid-Sixties was an equivalent of around £270.000 today - Small Faces certainly were very frequent visitors to Carnaby Street and King's Road. Here, I've put up some of my favourite photos of Small Faces as well as some original ads and articles from 1966 - 1968 period, when Marriott and co. abandoned Mod fashions and 'went psychedelic'. 

Steve Marriott and Ronnie Lane shopping in Carnaby Street during last days of Mod in 1966

Covers of Rave magazine from 1966-1967 featuring Steve Marriott, Ronnie Lane and female friends

Kenney Jones circa 1966

Ronnie Lane in 1966. I love that double-breasted jacket he's wearing..

Shot from FAB 208 magazine, April 1967

Small Faces poster in Record Mirror, 1967

Small Faces in Jackie, 1967

TV performance, 1967

1967

Small Faces in Top Pops, 1967. I love Ian McLagan's shirt.

Press ad for Small Faces' first album

NME article about Small faces shared house in Pimlico, 1966

Small Faces performing 'Tin Soldier' on German TV show The Beat Club in 1967. I love Steve Marriott's frilly shirt..

Small Faces in their psychedelic gear, 1967

Marriott and Lane onstage, 1967

Happiness is a Small Face - article on Small Faces in Mirabelle, 1967

Pop Romance - Article in Rave magazine about Steve Marriott's short-lived affair with Chrissie Shrimpton - younger and prettier sister of Jean (and Mick Jagger's ex), 1967.

Steve Marriott and Chrissie Shrimpton, 1967

During a photoshoot for a cover of There Are But Four Small Faces, 1967

Press ad for There Are But Four Small Faces, 1967

Ronnie Lane, 1967

Steve Marriott, 1967

Ian McLagan marries Ready Steady Go dancer Sandy Sargent, 1968

Small Faces on the cover of NME during the release of the single 'Lazy Sunday', April 1968

Steve Marriott's Diary.....

Small Faces photographed by Gered Mankowitz, 1968

I'll end with my favourite Small Faces song - 'Understanding'. It's an ultimate 'feelgood' song. There's so much power in Steve Marriott's vocals...why was this song only a B-Side to 'All Or Nothing', I will never understand..

Source of the photos:  Paolo Hewitt, Small Faces - The Young Mods' Forgotten Story,London, Acid Jazz, 1995
 Uncut Magazine, Mojo Magazine

Bouton Rouge Sessions

The Yardbirds playing Bouton Rouge, early 1968

Bouton Rouge was a French live-music TV show which ran between 1967 and 1968. During its short existence, it captured some of the best British Mod/Psych bands at their peak. A lot of Bouton Rouge footage had emerged on YouTube recently, and I must say it is a feast for both, eyes and ears. We can see performances by Jimmy Page-era Yardbirds, The Blossom Toes, The Small Faces with P.P. Arnold, The Moody Blues and many more. Here I enclose some of the more interesting ones...

Timebox playing Bouton Rouge, 09.03.1968

Timebox were a soul/psych band from Southport, Lancashire.Here they are performing their version of 'Beggin' (originally by The Four Seasons), 'Hold No Grudge' and 'Come On Up'. I love what they are wearing. It is a design  inspired by 19th Century Russian peasant shirt. It might be from Mr. Fish or John Stephen, although it is hard to say, as by 1968, Carnaby Street was full of stuff like that.

Intresting piece of trivia about Timebox: Ollie Halsall, who plays vibraphone, and drummer John Halsey 'went on to bigger things' as members of The Rutles - Eric Idle's brilliant spoof of The Beatles, and second most famous (after Spinal Tap) joke band ever. Halsey played the drums on all Rutles songs and he appeared in All You Need Is Cash (1978) as drummer Barry Wom, based on Ringo. Halsall,sang all the McCartney-esque  songs, but since Eric Idle played the part of Dirk McQuickly (McCartney) in the film, Halsall only made very brief appearance as original  bassist Leppo (based on Stuart Sutcliffe).

This one must be my favorite: Psych-era The Yardbirds with Jimmy Page on guitar. Here they are doing three songs: classic 'Train Kept-A-Rollin', even more classic 'Dazed and Confused' and their pop-psych hit 'Goodnight Sweet Josephine'. The most interesting is 'Dazed and Confused' which Page will perfect with Led Zeppelin. Of course, Led Zep's version was better, which doesn't mean that this one is bad. Keith Relf delivery is not as powerful as Robert Plant's, but arguably, his lyrics are more interesting.. .In  any case, this footage is twelve minutes of pure perfection.

Another interesting one is  a performance of Grapefruit.

(via Marmalade Skies)

Grapefruit were signed to Beatles' label Apple, but unlike their label-mates (and fellow Beatles soundalikes) Badfinger, they never really got much recognition. Here they are doing two numbers: 'Yes'  - a piece of Merseybeat pop which must have sounded strangely anachronistic in 1968, and 'Dear Delilah', again heavily inspired by Beatles, but this time from Sgt. Pepper era.

(recorded on 16.03.1968)

This is rare: Pink Floyd performing Syd's songs without Syd. This was recorded on 22.02.1968 - literally within days of Syd's departure from Pink Floyd. Dave Gilmour takes over vocals on 'Astronomy Domine' and 'Flaming'. It still sounds great, but the band are visibly uncomfortable. Roger Waters' dark psychedelic gem 'Set The Controls For the Heart Of The Sun' sounds amazing, and 'Let there Be Light' is an indication of Pink Floyd's new , post-Syd direction (unfortunately, for some reason it won't let me put it up here). Brilliant footage.

London Psychedelic scene heroes Blossom Toes are performing 'Listen To The Silence', 'Mister Watchmaker' and 'The Remarkable Saga Of Frozen Dog' (recorded on 23.03.1968).

Blossom Toes, 1968

I'll end with with this magnificent performance of Small Faces' 'Itchycoo Park' and 'If You Think You're Groovy' with P.P.Arnold.

There is more: Ten Years After, Moody Blues, Procol Harum  and few other. All of them worth checking out.