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Fanny: The 70s Rock Band Bowie Praised, Forgotten
3 May
Summary
- Fanny, an all-woman band, was the first signed to a major label.
- David Bowie called them 'extraordinary' but noted they were overlooked.
- Their 1972 album, Fanny Hill, was a feminist utopia.
In 1972, the all-woman band Fanny released their album, Fanny Hill, a testament to their rock prowess and a vision of feminist utopia. The band, sisters June and Jean Millington, Alice de Buhr, and Nickey Barclay, lived together in a West Hollywood house, fostering a creative environment. This sanctuary was a hub for writing and jamming, attracting notable musicians like Bonnie Raitt. Fanny was groundbreaking as the first all-woman group signed to a major label and releasing multiple albums, a feat recognized by David Bowie who described them as "extraordinary" rock musicians. Despite their impact and Bowie's 1999 assertion that they were "as important as anybody else who's ever been," Fanny remains largely unacknowledged in rock history. They are absent from the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and often omitted from discussions of significant '70s rock bands or pioneering all-woman groups.
