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Get Behind Fanny Podcast

Godmothers of Women Who Rock

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Get Behind Fanny: Episode 14

In episode 14, Alice, Kristen, and Byron chat about two more songs. From Fanny’s third album, “Fanny Hill”, we go over June’s “Sound and the Fury” then jump back to the first album to discuss Nickey’s “Take a Message to the Captain”. They are joined by Jean and June Millington as usual in pre-recorded interviews.

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NOTE: These podcasts will be produced once every two weeks at present. A lot of work goes into these and we’re looking for feedback from the fans to drive the direction of the podcast.

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33 comments

  2. Thanks, Alice, for reinforcing my surmise, reported in the comments to episode 13, that “Take a Message to the Captain” was Nickey’s declaration of intent to join the band. It certainly figures. I imagine the song as set in the age of sail, before the arrival of they new-vangled tellyphones, oo arr. 🙂
    “The Sound and the Fury” struck a chord with me from the beginning, when I bought the Fanny Hill album in my student days. I could absolutely identify with June’s feeling of “otherness”, having been bullied at school, and it was such a comfort to know that someone else felt the same way. However, I didn’t manage completely to shake it off until the Internet came along and I could really find like-minded people, yay!
    Greystone Mansion is a sort of museum today, or at least a memorial to the Doheny family. The house formerly known as Fanny Hill should be signposted as a monument to the extraordinary creative legacy of Fanny and of Hedy Lamarr before them. In the UK it would perhaps be eligible for a blue plaque! 
    Whose idea was it to name that beautiful house Fanny Hill? It seems to be part of a literary thread running through Fanny’s work. From Google Street View it looks like a lovely island of tranquillity above the bustle of Sunset Strip.
    June, was it Faulkner’s novel or Shakespeare’s Scottish play (spot the amateur dramatics geek) which inspired the title, or (double meaning apart) something of both? We are lucky that your “sound and fury” found a resting place in such an uplifting song. Thank you June, Fanny and Pete. 
    I agree, it’s scandalous that none of the fine musicians who guested on Fanny’s recordings is credited. What were Warner Bros thinking of, if anything at all? D’oh!
    On another subject, let’s fervently hope the Lying Dorito Bugger doesn’t succeed in suborning the Electoral College…  You guys represent the America I’ve always admired and respected, and which it would be a tragedy to lose.
    Welsh Dave xx

    2. HI Dave,
      It must be synergy! I just read the comments from EP13 today, and when I read yours about “Take a Message To The Captain,” I asked myself if you’d somehow received a preview copy of EP14. We are most definitely on the same page. I thought I was the only one who’d put that together as a possibility.
      Anyway, you know what they say about great minds…….
      Yes, we’re hopeful that the Orange Cheeto doesn’t pull some rabbit out of his ass and ruin this country for good. Fingers are still crossed!
      Best, (in mind)
      Alice

      1. Hi Alice, the thinking rock drummer,

        Quantum entanglement? I thought of Nickey’s coded message as soon as I learned of Fanny’s fraught formation, but I think it’s understandable that you might not have spotted its significance, if true, with 1970 ears. You all had a lot of other things to think about at the time, to say the least, and much great art is born out of stress. Fanny, like the Beatles, thought out of the box, with songs that actually mean something. I get the impression that Warners weren’t ready for an *intelligent, independent-minded* all-female band. They really dropped the ball there.

        That song is also of significance to me in that I have a cousin once removed who, before the pandemic, divided her time between designing radio telescopes and crewing a cruise yacht in the Aegean.

        Stay safe,
        Dave.

  3. Thanks for another great podcast! Further evidence that there is no filler in the Fanny canon. I hope that you will be discussing The First Time in greater detail in a future podcast as its one of my favourite songs ever with a lot of personal relevance for me,and a perfect album closer from the great days when thought was put into album sequencing and flow.
    Loved your reactions to the election as well !

    1. Hi Neil! So sorry for the delay in replying to you. We’ll be covering “The First Time’ in greater detail on Ep. 16. Stay tuned and let us know what you think! Cheers, Kristen

  4. Fantastic episode as usual.

    I was delighted to learn of Sneaky Pete Kleinow’s contribution to Fanny on “The Sound & The Fury” and his respect for June.

    My intrigue was raised with Alice’s observations about Nickey’s mindset in “Take a Message to The Captain”. Will this prompt Nickey to raise her voice or will she maintain her Bobbie Gentry like silence.

    Finally, I share in your delight at the election outcome. Lord knows we’ve all been Bidening our time.

    With that I look forward to Episode 14 in a fortnight.

    1. Nickey, unfortunately, will not be joining the podcast in the foreseeable future. Her life has taken her in a different direction and it is not in the cards. I’m very saddened by this, but I respect her personal decisions and space.

      1. Sorry to hear about it. As long as Nickey is at peace with the direction life has taken her then perhaps it is for the best.

  5. Hi Aaron! So glad you enjoyed this episode! Indeed, we’ve all been Bidening our time, and hallelujah/fuck yeah, we righted the ship! (Insert Byron saying, “Aaargh!”) 🙂

  7. THE GROOVE REPORT

    Great episode once again from the Fanny crew!

    I have to say that unfortunately I don’t share your optimism about the election. It’s not over until January 20th and I have absolutely no confidence that the GOP will in anyway defend our democracy. While I’m glad Biden – Harris won (thank fucking Christ!), the undemocratic intransigence of the Trump administration and the vast majority of the GOP, plus the fact that some 70 million Americans wanted more of this bullshit is disheartening. If Democrats don’t take both Georgia Senate runoff elections in January, I’m afraid we are in for four years of grinding obstructionism and parliamentary bullshit from the GOP. I wish I could be more hopeful.
    Though I do take some pleasure in the hilarious performances of that ghoulish bag of shit formerly known as America’s Mayor. Fuck every one of them, but fuck him most of all. But enough about our nation’s festering sores.

    By way of transition: I think Shakespeare and Faulkner would both agree the Trump administration is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing (though catastrophically damaging). I read Welsh Dave’s comment wondering about that reference and I was curious about that as well.

    Funny, Alice, I use 5A sticks as well, but old age and infirmity require I use the Vic Firth Vic Grip sticks so I can keep hold of the damn things!

    Sorry this Groove Report is so brief (though that might be a relief to some!) but it’s just hard to keep Groove thoughts in my head at the moment. Keep up the great work, have a wonderful Thanksgiving, and may the Groove be with you.

    Jim

    2. Good job you’re not quoting the Scottish play in a theatre, Jim! I did once without realising it in a moment of madness and was instantly told off by an 8-year old girl. I had to turn round three times and spit over my shoulder – into the dressing room sink, of course…

      Welsh Dave

      1. Three times and a spit? Is that the Curse Clear? Ha! Fortunately I’ve never been in the Scottish play, but I did stop whistling for a year once because it’s bad luck at the race track!

        I think the curse clear for that is burning donuts in the paddock and an engine fire!

        1. It’s one of them. They vary around the country, and the world, apparently. The curse is international. Fanny, is there a music equivalent?

          I didn’t know about the motor racing whistle test. Good job I can’t whistle! Cure sounds drastic, to say the least.

          One of our pantomimes actually broke a leg; the stage left tab jammed after the interval, and someone had to do stand-up improv with a big inflatable mobile phone for about five minutes on half a stage while we worked feverishly to free it…

  8. Thanks for another informative episode! Really interesting. ‘Sound and the fury’ such a powerful, even timeless, song – June was in a pensive mood at the time and that really rubs off on the listener. It’s so mellow. Funny to hear Alice say that playing on that song made her feel like this was it, her career – even, if necessary, she was going to be playing in a country band! And June saying she was never really into country – but everyone totally nails the whole tone! Those comments me in mind of that Buddy Rich anecdote when he was taken seriously ill in Hospital. The nurse administering his meds asked “is there anything you can’t take?”. To which Buddy replies ” Yeah. Country music”. I’ll be checking out the Flying Dorito Bros as I’ve never really heard them! So thanks for the tip. Great stuff!
    Cheers

  9. Very good Sir! ? By the way – enjoyed the apples riff factoid. Maybe you could work into every episode? Music trivia is always fascinating!

  11. Have just been catching up with some earlier podcasts. I really enjoyed hearing in Episode 11 about the background to Solid Gold lyrics which were wonderfully performed by Alice…and I say ‘performed’ rather than ‘sung’ on purpose. Alice, you created a persona, whether knowingly or unknowingly (that darned 5th), that in turned created an image (to me) of a rock star telling her story to a friend in a bar late one night, whilst quaffing the other four 5ths. It seems like a counterpoint to the later Pink Floyd song “Welcome to the Machine”.
    Then there was Episode 12. Listening to those various song lyrics with my own 2020 ears and so pleased that there were more than enough votes cast to give that outcome. That leads my nicely to Changing Horses. I just wanted to mention Nickey’s opening minute or so of piano meandering. So well structured and dare I say, misleading, as it takes the listener on a journey, but to an unexpected exit point…1, 2, 3, 4, 1, 2… Kapow! Or to reference another parlance “Fuck yeah!”. PS: Thanks Alice and Byron for special attention with the ’72 Live music.

  12. Wow! I just discovered this podcast! Can’t wait to hear them all.

    Say, is the 2nd beat club performance available anywhere? The 1st one is unbelievable. So great!

    Alice, what was the extra blue sparkle floor tom you toured with? Did you later get an extra 18″ one to match your Camcos?

    Sorry for the dorky gear question, it’s part of being a super fan. I LOVE your drumming.

    Thanks for all the great music.
    -Michael

    2. Hi Michael!

      Welcome to the audio adventures of the “Get Behind Fanny” podcast! Your “dorky gear question” is not dorky at all. We discuss Alice’s Camcos in an earlier podcast, so now you’ll have another excuse to listen to all the episodes. 😉

      Hope you’ll continue to comment on the episodes and let us know what you think.

      Cheers,
      Kristen

  13. Thanks for the name drop, and for consistently slam dunking the football right out of the park and into the corner pocket, knocking down all of the pins on the way (I don’t understand sports) with every episode. These are two terrific tunes. “Take a Message…” is always in heavy rotation at Chez Scruff. Thank you, Byron, Dr. K, Alice, and the Millington sisters, for everything you’re doing! This podcast is like a biweekly visit with good friends. It really sounds like Byron, Kristen, and Alice are having fun, and it’s infectious. ????

    ? To the Hall of Fame, they’ll be named, for their contribution ?

    1. Hello, Applescruff!

      So great to hear you’re enjoying the podcast and Fanny’s music, including that “Take a Message” is a staple on rotation at Chez Scruff. (Chez Scruff!) You are a part of the podcast now, so we are good friends indeed. Oh, and we three (i.e., A, B, and Dr. K) are absolutely having SO much fun…giggles and full-on guffaws abound! Here’s to all of the UFO’s getting Fanny inducted in the R&R HoF where they belong. Cheers! 🙂 ??

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