Fanny (band)

Fanny
Company type	Band
Industry	Music
Founded	1969
Founder	June Millington, Jean Millington
Defunct	1975
Headquarters	Los Angeles, California, United States
Products	Music albums, singles

Fanny was a pioneering American rock ensemble active throughout the early to mid-1970s, distinguished as one of the earliest all-female rock bands to attain both critical acclaim and commercial achievements, including two singles reaching the Top 40 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

The group was established by sisters June (guitar) and Jean Millington (bass), who began collaborating after moving from the Philippines to California during the early 1960s. The band experienced several lineup changes before gaining the attention of producer Richard Perry. They signed with Reprise Records in 1969 under the name Fanny and released four albums. Following June's exit, the original formation dissolved. After producing one more album, Fanny officially disbanded in 1975. The Millington sisters have maintained their musical partnership and, together with former drummer Brie Howard-Darling, launched a related project named Fanny Walked the Earth in 2018.

Fanny earned praise for defying conventional girl group clichés by focusing on instrumental proficiency, subsequently inspiring later all-female bands such as the Go-Go's, the Bangles, and the Runaways.

Career

Sisters June and Jean Millington relocated from the Philippines to Sacramento, California, in 1961. During high school, they formed an all-female band called the Svelts, with June playing guitar and Jean on bass. After several personnel shifts, Lee and de Buhr created Wild Honey, which later included the Millington sisters. Wild Honey performed Motown covers and eventually moved their base to Los Angeles. Frustrated by limited progress in a male-dominated rock environment, Wild Honey disbanded following a final open-mic night at the Troubadour Club in 1969, where they caught the eye of producer Richard Perry's assistant.

Perry arranged for the band to sign with Warner Bros. Records' Reprise label under the name Wild Honey, despite not hearing them perform; their appeal was based largely on novelty alongside evident talent. The band lived together in a rented mansion near Sunset Boulevard. Prior to recording their debut album, keyboardist Nickey Barclay and former Svelts member Brie Brandt joined. The group was renamed Fanny—a term chosen to represent female empowerment rather than any slang connotation—with a lineup consisting of June (guitar), Jean (bass), de Buhr (drums), Barclay (keyboards), and Brandt (vocals/percussion). Perry dismissed Brandt to form a self-sufficient four-piece unit; all remaining members contributed lead vocals.

Perry produced Fanny’s initial three albums, beginning with Fanny (1970). During this time, Barclay toured with Joe Cocker, appearing on his Mad Dogs and Englishmen album. Their rendition of Cream’s "Badge" gained significant radio exposure. The subsequent album, Charity Ball (1971), featured its title track reaching number 40 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Additionally, Fanny served as session musicians on Barbra Streisand’s 1971 records Stoney End and Barbra Joan Streisand, aligning with Streisand’s preference for a smaller ensemble.

The band attracted notable admirers such as David Bowie, who sent them a fan letter and invited them to a post-performance gathering. With engineer Leslie Ann Jones acting as road manager and sound engineer, Fanny toured internationally, opening for groups like Slade, Jethro Tull, and Humble Pie, gaining particular popularity in the UK market. Their television appearances included shows like The Sonny and Cher Show, American Bandstand, The Old Grey Whistle Test, and Beat-Club.

Their third album, Fanny Hill (1972), co-produced by Beatles engineer Geoff Emerick, featured covers of the Beatles’ "Hey Bulldog" and Marvin Gaye’s "Ain't That Peculiar". The latter single peaked at number 85 on the Billboard Hot 100, with contributions from Rolling Stones saxophonist Bobby Keys and brass musician Jim Price. Rolling Stone magazine lauded the album, particularly highlighting June’s dual role as lead and rhythm guitarist.

The fourth release, Mothers Pride (1973), was produced by Todd Rundgren. By this stage, June sought to leave due to image restrictions imposed by their label and internal disagreements; she relocated to Woodstock, New York to pursue Buddhist studies while encouraging her bandmates to continue without her.

Following de Buhr’s departure, Brandt returned as drummer while Patti Quatro replaced June on guitar. This formation signed with Casablanca Records, releasing their final studio album, Rock and Roll Survivors (1974). The leading single "I've Had It" reached number 79 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Brandt left after marrying composer James Newton Howard; Cam Davis briefly took over drumming duties. During this era, Fanny also provided backing for Keith Moon’s cover of their song "Solid Gold" on his album Two Sides of the Moon. Barclay exited at the close of 1974.

The second single from that album, "Butter Boy," penned by Jean about Bowie, became their highest-charting hit at number 29 on the Billboard Hot 100 in April 1975. By that point, Fanny had already disbanded.

Post-split activities

Following the 1975 dissolution, the Millington sisters assembled a new Fanny lineup for a short tour, deliberately excluding any previous Fanny songs from their setlist. This ensemble eventually transformed into the all-female group known as L.A. All-Stars. Although some record companies expressed interest, they insisted on touring under the Fanny name and performing exclusively Fanny material, a condition June opposed, effectively halting reunion efforts.

During the 1980s, June pursued a solo career, releasing three albums and producing works for artists such as Holly Near, Cris Williamson, and Bitch and Animal. She also established the Institute for Musical Arts, an organization dedicated to empowering women in music. Jean married Earl Slick, guitarist for David Bowie, before later becoming an herbalist. The Millington sisters maintained their musical partnership, most recently collaborating on June's Fabulous Records release Play Like a Girl in 2011. Nickey Barclay released her solo album Diamond in a Junkyard in 1976 before retiring from the music industry. De Buhr transitioned into marketing roles at major record labels and was instrumental in promoting the Go-Go's—who acknowledged Fanny’s influence—and assisted with reissuing Fanny’s albums through Real Gone Music.

Patti Quatro contributed as a session musician for her sister Suzi and participated in reissues of their early band The Pleasure Seekers. Brie Howard (later Brie Darling) led American Girls, which released one album in 1986, and later fronted Boxing Gandhis, producing four albums since the mid-1990s. She also appeared in films like Android (1982) and is mother to Playboy Playmate Brandi Brandt. Both Quatro and Brandt toured with Electric Light Orchestra and featured on its 1976 album A New World Record.

In 2002, Rhino Records issued a limited-edition 4-CD box set titled First Time in a Long Time, compiling Fanny’s first four studio albums along with live tracks and outtakes. A reunion concert took place at Berklee College of Music in April 2007 featuring the Millington sisters and De Buhr; Barclay was unable to participate due to health reasons. At this event, they were honored with the ROCKRGRL Women of Valor award. Real Gone Records later reissued the original four Fanny albums with enhanced liner notes and remixed audio.

Brie Howard joined forces with the Millington sisters for a live show in 2016, sparking the creation of the new band Fanny Walked the Earth. Their self-titled album, released in March 2018, marked the first time June, Jean, and Brie recorded together in nearly five decades.

The 2021 documentary Fanny: The Right to Rock, directed by Bobbi Jo Hart, featured the band prominently. On May 20, 2023, they performed at Yerba Buena Gardens.

Musical style and legacy

While not the earliest all-female rock group signed to a major label—that distinction belongs to Goldie and the Gingerbreads and the Pleasure Seekers—Fanny was pioneering as the first all-women band to release a full-length album on a major label and among the initial female groups to reach the top 40 on the Billboard Hot 100. Their sound drew inspiration from the Beatles and Motown’s studio musicians, the Funk Brothers.

The band resisted record label attempts to market them through stereotypical girl group imagery or sexual appeal. Instead, they concentrated on regular rehearsals to establish credibility based on musicianship alone. Jean emphasized that having a commanding live act was essential to counteract doubts about women performing rock music. June remarked, "We knew we had to prove we could play and deliver live. Otherwise, no one would believe it."

Fanny experienced greater acclaim in Europe and the UK, where audiences showed more appreciation for their music compared to their home country. De Buhr expressed frustration that certain U.S. executives viewed Fanny as a novelty rather than serious artists. Promoter Bill Graham hesitated to book them as headliners out of concern that marriage and motherhood might dissolve the band; however, this was framed as practical business reasoning rather than sexism. Female fans frequently sought advice on forming bands during tours. Subsequent all-female groups like the Runaways and the Bangles have acknowledged Fanny as an important influence.

A retrospective published in Rebeat recognized Fanny simply as an excellent band without focusing on gender distinctions. June received accolades for her guitar prowess; Guitar Player magazine described her as one of the most talented female guitarists in the industry. Initially favoring a Gibson ES-355 paired with a Fender Twin Reverb, she later switched to a Gibson Les Paul Junior combined with Traynor amplifiers, using the Les Paul primarily for slide guitar work. Jean’s primary instrument was a 1963 Fender Precision Bass, which remains in her possession.

Little Feat’s Lowell George admired Fanny’s work and jammed with them in Los Angeles. In a 1999 interview with Rolling Stone, David Bowie praised them:

They were one of the finest fucking rock bands of their time, around 1973. They were extraordinary: they wrote everything themselves, played like madmen, were absolutely colossal and wonderful—and yet no one ever mentioned them. They are as significant as anyone else who has ever existed; it just wasn’t their era.

Initial line-up

Jean Millington – bass guitar, lead vocals
June Millington – guitar, backing vocals
Nickey Barclay – keyboards, vocals
Alice de Buhr – drums, vocals

Subsequent members

Patti Quatro – guitar, vocals
Brie Howard-Darling – drums, vocals
Cam Davis – drums

Fanny Walked the Earth lineup

Jean Millington-Adamian – percussion, vocals
June Millington – guitar, vocals
Patti Quatro – guitar, vocals
Alice de Buhr – drums, percussion
Brie Howard-Darling – drums, percussion, vocals
Mia Huggins – bass
Lee Madeloni – bass, percussion

Studio albums

Fanny (1970)
Charity Ball (1971) (Chart position: No. 150)
Fanny Hill (1972) (Chart position: No. 135)
Mothers Pride (1973)
Rock and Roll Survivors (1974)
Fanny Walked the Earth (2018, released under Fanny Walked the Earth)

Live albums

Fanny Live (1998; recorded in 1972)
Live on Beat-Club '71-'72 (2024)

Compilation albums

First Time in a Long Time – The Reprise Recordings (4-CD box set, 2002)
The Reprise Years 1970-1973 (4-CD box set, 2024) (A collection similar to the previous set with some variations)

U.S. singles

"Ladies' Choice" / "New Day" (1970)
"Nowhere to Run" / "One Step at a Time" (1970)
"Changing Horses" / "Conversation with a Cop" (January 1971)
"Charity Ball" / "Place in the Country" (September 1971) (Chart position: No. 40)
"Ain't That Peculiar" / "Think About the Children" (March 1972) (Chart position: No. 85)
"Wonderful Feeling" / "Rock Bottom Blues" (July 1972)
"Young and Dumb" / "Knock on My Door" (October 1972)
"All Mine" / "I Need You Need Me" (January 1973)
"Last Night I Had a Dream" / "Beside Myself" (April 1973)
"I've Had It" / "From Where I Stand" (June 1974) (Chart position: No. 79)
"Butter Boy" / "Beggar Man" (January 1975) (Chart position: No. 29)

References

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