It’s a stuff of legend, as most of the things with Twink, the drummer of TOMORROW and PRETTY THINGS, and Syd Barrett, the crazy diamond of PINK FLOYD. The two (in)famously had a joint venture in 1972, STARS, short-lived and with no recorded legacy. Yet prior to that Roger Barrett and John Alder, as they were known to their mothers, played together in a different formation. Called THE LAST MINUTE PUT TOGETHER BOOGIE BAND, the ensemble emerged when Twink started working with American singer Bruce Michael Paine, soon to join STEAMHAMMER, and ex-JUNIOR’S EYES bassist John “Honk” Lodge, who also played in 1969 on Twink’s now-cult “Think Pink” album. Soon, though, Honk would be replaced by the ex-IN CAHOOTS Jack Monck (looks like the guys worked on a phonetic pattern: Twink, Honk, Monck…). And it was this this line-up, plus special guests, that played a set at Cambridge Corn Exchange on January 27th 1972.
Not widely available even in bootleg form, EMI confiscated the concert recording, on tape, in 1985, even though no band member had been signed to the label, but another copy emerged two decades later to be sold at an auction – and didn’t reach its reserve price. Purchased and licensed after that, the artifact has been properly restored and mastered and will be out in May. It might be the last Barrett cuts to surface, while Twink is back in action and his new record is to be released quite soon.
DME asked Twink to go down memory lane, and that’s what he has to say: “It was a wonderful day, my old mates from Ladbroke Grove coming to my new City Cambridge – and what a surprise was in store for us all! THE LAST MINUTE PUT TOGETHER BOOGIE BAND had arranged for Fred Frith to sit in with us. We were supporting HAWKWIND and THE PINK FAIRIES and were obviously going on first. Just before taking the stage Syd Barrett, who had jammed with us a few days earlier ar King’s College, arrived with his guitar and asked to jam again with us. The rest is history, and a couple of days later STARS was born.”
TOGETHER BOOGIE BAND –
Six Hour Technicolour Dream
As for what’s on there, the tracklist looks like this:
1. Sea Cruise
2. L.A To London Boogie
3. ICE
4. Nadine
5. Drinkin’ That Wine *
6. Number Nine *
7. Gotta Be A Reason *
8. Let’s Roll
9. Sweet Little Angel
* with Syd Barrett
