The Deviants (band)

The Deviants
Company type	Band
Industry	Music
Founded	1966
Founder	Mick Farren
Defunct	1969 (initial period)
Headquarters	London, United Kingdom
Area served	United Kingdom, North America
Products	Psychedelic rock music, albums, singles, EPs

The Deviants—initially known as The Social Deviants—were a British psychedelic rock group active from 1966 until 1969. Following this period, the name became associated with the musical endeavors of writer Mick Farren until his passing in 2013.

Farren characterized The Deviants as a collective emphasizing mutual connection and reliance among its members. Their sound drew inspiration from artists such as The Who, Charles Mingus, The Velvet Underground, and Frank Zappa.

1960s

Established by vocalist and writer Mick Farren in late 1966 amid the Ladbroke Grove UK Underground movement, the band's initial roster featured Pete Munro on bass, Clive Muldoon and Mike Robinson on guitars, and Benny on drums. They played at the UFO club on Tottenham Court Road and served as the opening act for the Alexandra Palace Love-In festival. After lineup changes, Russell Hunter became the steady drummer. The group also shortened their name to "The Deviants" following the exit of Munro, Muldoon, and Robinson, who were succeeded by Cord Rees (bass) and Sid Bishop (guitar).

With financial support from Nigel Samuel, heir to a wealthy family, they self-produced their debut album Ptooff!, initially distributed through the UK Underground press before being acquired by Decca Records. This album has seen multiple reissues by various labels including Drop Out Records, Captain Trip Records, Esoteric Recordings, and Angel Air Records. Additionally, Alive/Total Energy Records released a 10" EP featuring selections under the 'Social Deviants' name.

Cord Rees departed mid-1967 and was replaced by Duncan Sanderson. The band’s sophomore release, Disposable, appeared on the independent Stable Records label. After Bishop left, Canadian guitarist Paul Rudolph joined, culminating in the release of The Deviants 3 through Transatlantic Records.

During a tour along North America's west coast, internal conflicts prompted Farren to leave; he returned to England where he collaborated with former Pretty Things drummer Twink and Steve Peregrin Took to create Mona – The Carnivorous Circus, an album combining music with interviews including one featuring a U.K Hells Angels member. Meanwhile, Rudolph, Sanderson, and Hunter continued performing under The Deviants name in North America before coming back to England in early 1970 to establish the Pink Fairies alongside Twink.

1970s onward

In the mid-1970s, Farren recorded the EP Screwed Up credited to Mick Farren and the Deviants with musicians such as Larry Wallis, Andy Colquhoun, and Alan Powell. This ensemble—without Rudolph—produced the album Vampires Stole My Lunch Money along with the single "Broken Statue," both released under Mick Farren's name.

By the late 1970s, Farren redirected his efforts toward writing and relocated to New York City. He sporadically revived The Deviants moniker for live performances; notably in 1984 he appeared alongside Wayne Kramer and Wallis’ band in a show later issued as Human Garbage. In 2002, a refreshed lineup featuring Doug Lunn, Ric Parnell, and Michael Simmons issued Dr. Crow.

Farren maintained occasional recordings and shows under The Deviants banner involving musicians like Andy Colquhoun and saxophonist Jack Lancaster. The 1996 release Eating Jello With A Heated Fork was attributed to Deviants IXVI, followed by Dr Crow in 2002.

After returning to Britain, Farren performed at the 2011 Glastonbury Festival with 'The Last Men Standing', which included Andy Colquhoun alongside original rhythm section members Sanderson and Hunter.

During a rare London performance by The Deviants on 27 July 2013, Farren collapsed onstage and subsequently passed away in hospital.

Musical style

Richie Unterberger from AllMusic characterized The Deviants as the British counterpart to the Fugs, merging elements inspired by the Mothers of Invention with British R&B rock groups such as the Yardbirds and Pretty Things. Their origins are deeply rooted in London's psychedelic scene during 1966-1967.

Band members

Timeline

<timeline> ImageSize = width:1000 height:auto barincrement:20 PlotArea = left:110 bottom:60 top:0 right:50 Alignbars = justify DateFormat = dd/mm/yyyy Period = from:15/09/1966 till:27/07/2013 TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal format:yyyy Legend = orientation:horizontal position:bottom ScaleMajor = increment:2 start:1967 ScaleMinor = increment:2 start:1968

Colors =

 id:vocals    value:red        legend:Vocals
 id:sax       value:gray(0.6)  legend:Saxophone
 id:guitar    value:green      legend:Guitar
 id:keys      value:purple     legend:Keyboards
 id:bass      value:blue       legend:Bass
 id:drums     value:orange     legend:Drums
 id:record    value:black      legend:Record_releases

BarData =

 bar:Mick     text:"Mick Farren"
 bar:Michael  text:"Michael Simmons"
 bar:Jack     text:"Jack Lancaster"
 bar:Alex     text:"Alex Stowell"
 bar:Mike     text:"Mike Robinson"
 bar:Clive    text:"Clive Muldoon"
 bar:Sid      text:"Sid Bishop"
 bar:Paul     text:"Paul Rudolph"
 bar:Larry    text:"Larry Wallis"
 bar:Wayne    text:"Wayne Kramer"
 bar:Tim      text:"Tim Rundall"
 bar:Ralph    text:"Ralph Hodgson"
 bar:Dennis   text:"Dennis Hughes"
 bar:Tony     text:"Tony Ferguson"
 bar:Jaki     text:"Jaki Windmill"
 bar:Pete     text:"Pete Munro"
 bar:Cord     text:"Cord Rees"
 bar:Mac      text:"Michael McDonnell"
 bar:Sandy    text:"Duncan Sanderson"
 bar:Andy     text:"Andy Colquhoun"
 bar:Doug     text:"Doug Lunn"
 bar:Benny    text:"Benny"
 bar:Russell  text:"Russell Hunter"
 bar:Alan     text:"Alan Powell" 
 bar:George   text:"George Butler"
 bar:Brock    text:"Brock Avery"
 bar:Ric      text:"Ric Parnell"

PlotData=

 width:11 textcolor:black align:left anchor:from shift:(10,-4)
 bar:Mick     from:15/09/1966 till:15/10/1969 color:vocals
 bar:Mick     from:15/09/1966 till:15/10/1969 color:keys width:3
 bar:Mick     from:15/08/1977 till:15/01/1978 color:vocals
 bar:Mick     from:15/01/1984 till:15/07/1984 color:vocals
 bar:Mick     from:15/05/1996 till:15/11/1996 color:vocals
 bar:Mick     from:15/03/1999 till:15/08/1999 color:vocals
 bar:Mick     from:15/08/2002 till:15/01/2003 color:vocals
 bar:Mick     from:15/06/2011 till:27/07/2013 color:vocals
 bar:Pete     from:15/09/1966 till:15/01/1967 color:bass
 bar:Ralph    from:15/09/1966 till:15/12/1966 color:keys
 bar:Benny    from:15/09/1966 till:15/12/1966 color:drums
 bar:Cord     from:15/01/1967 till:15/06/1968 color:bass
 bar:Sandy    from:15/06/1968 till:15/02/1970 color:bass
 bar:Sandy    from:15/06/1968 till:15/02/1970 color:vocals width:3
 bar:Sandy    from:15/01/1984 till:15/07/1984 color:bass
 bar:Sandy    from:15/06/2011 till:27/07/2013 color:bass
 bar:Sandy    from:15/06/2011 till:27/07/2013 color:vocals width=3
 bar:Larry    from=15-08-1977 till=15-01-1978 color:guitar
 bar:Larry    from=15-08-1977 till=15-01-1978 color:vocals width=3

</timeline>

Studio albums

Year	Album	Record Label	Medium
1968	Ptooff!	Underground Impresarios	LP
1968	Disposable	Stable	LP
1969	The Deviants 3	Transatlantic	LP
1996	Eating Jello with a Heated Fork	Alive	CD
2002	Dr. Crow	Track	CD

Live albums

Year	Album	Record Label	Medium
1984	Human Garbage	Psycho	LP
1999	Barbarian Princes	Captain Trip	CD

Compilation albums

Year	Album	Record Label	Medium
1996	Fragments Of Broken Probes	Captain Trip	CD
1999	Have Left The Planet	Gonzo	CD
2000	This CD Is Condemned	Total Energy	CD
2001	On Your Knees, Earthlings	Total Energy	CD

Extended plays

Year	Title	Record Label	Medium
1977	Screwed Up	Stiff	7"

Singles

Year	Title	Record Label	Medium
1968	You've Got To Hold On	Stable	7"
2013	Fury of the Mob	Shagrat	7"

Bibliography

Keep it Together! Cosmic Boogie with the Deviants and Pink Fairies by Rich Deakin (2007), Headpress, UK, ISBN 978-1-900486-61-3

External links