The Pink Fairies emerged from a hippie commune in Ladbroke Grove, London, in the late 1960s. Initially guitarist Paul Rudolph, bassist Duncan Sanderson and drummer Russell Hunter teamed up with vocalist Mick Farren to form The Deviants. Future members of Hawkwind and T. Rex were also in their orbit. The Deviants released three albums before Farren left to become a music journalist and former Pretty Things drummer Twink was recruited as vocalist. Twink suggested the name of the Pink Fairies. The band acquired a growing reputation for drug-fuelled hedonism and playing free concerts, becoming highly influential in the underground scene. The Pink Fairies released their debut album Never Never Land in 1971. It featured some of their best-loved songs such as "Uncle Harry's Last Freak Out" and the proto-punk "Do It". After vocalist Twink left, the band continued as a trio and released their most commercially successful album What a Bunch of Sweeties in 1972. In 1973 guitarist Paul Rudolph left to join Hawkwind and was replaced by Larry Wallis from UFO, who played on the album Kings of Oblivion (1973). Twink briefly re-joined but the band broke up at the end of 1973, reuniting in 1975 for a Roundhouse gig with Martin Stone added on vocals. By 1977 the band had split up again. In 1987 the Fairies reformed - minus Paul Rudolph but with Twink and contributions from Mick Farren - and released the album Kill 'Em and Eat 'Em. In 2014 the Pink Fairies emerged again, this time centred on Russell Hunter and Duncan Sanderson plus Andy Colquhoun, Jaki Windmill and George Butler. They released the album Naked Radio in 2017 followed by Resident Reptiles in 2018. George Butler died in January 2018 and guitarist Larry Wallis (who also wrote four songs on Motorhead's debut album) died at the age of 70 on 19 September 2019. Duncan Sanderson died just two months later on 20 November 2019 and Russell Hunter died on 19 December 2023 at the age of 77. The Pink Fairies, featuring Paul Rudolph, Alan Davey and Lucas Fox, released the albums Screwed Up in 2023 and Covered in Pink in 2025.
