"DON'T BRING ME DOWN…UNDER: THE PRETTY THINGS IN NEW ZEALAND, 1965" book

The PRETTY THINGS "1967-71" LP è uno dei miei 30 top albums of all times. E' appena uscito per UGLY THINGS magazine un nuovo book sulla meravigliosa UK band che racconta del loro "scandaloso" tour neozelandese del 1965. Gli autori sono MIKE STAX ( un'altra leggenda della mia "infanzia", il 1st TELL TALE HEARTS lp è un absolute masterpiece ; possiedo anche uno split ep molto raro con i TTH uscito allegato al mitico "Lost Trails" magazine di Claudio Sorge) / ANDY NEILL e JOHN BAKER e le ricerche per assemblare il book sono durate oltre 10 anni.
"Just wanted to let you all know about a new Pretty Things book, published by Ugly Things magazine. DON'T BRING ME DOWN…UNDER: THE PRETTY THINGS IN NEW ZEALAND, 1965.
Two Weeks of Mayhem with Viv Prince, The King of the World. By Mike Stax, Andy Neill and John Baker. With a Foreword by Dick Taylor. http://www.ugly-things.com/NewZealand.html
In 1965, while other British groups set their sights on America, the Pretty Things invaded New Zealand, a culturally sheltered colonial outpost 12,000 miles from their home.
A disparate bunch of art student malcontents, brought together in one unholy collision of no holds barred `60s rhythm `n' blues and self-_expression, the Pretty Things were the most extreme band of their day. Fueled by a baiting, sensationalist tabloid press, their loud, anarchic music and outrageous antics on and off stage – particularly those of drummer Viv Prince – ignited a national scandal and a public outcry that would spread from the newspaper headlines to the Houses of Parliament.
More than ten years in the making, DON'T BRING ME DOWN…UNDER documents the Pretty Things' surreal, outlandish and frequently hilarious exploits in New Zealand through interviews with most of the major participants (including VIV PRINCE!), press clippings and more than 180 rare photographs, including 8 pages in full-colour".
MIKE STAX