Biography

A mainstay of the British psychedelic movement, singer/drummer Twink was born John Alder, first surfacing in 1963 as a member of the Colchester-based Dane Stephens and the Deep Beats; when the group signed to Decca the following year, they adopted the name the Fairies. Rechristened Twink, Alder turned up in 1967 as a member of the seminal UK psych band Tomorrow, appearing the following year on their lone LP before forming the equally short-lived Aquarian Age, which disbanded after just one single, "10,000 Words in a Cardboard Box." He next joined the Pretty Things, appearing on their acclaimed rock opera effort S.F. Sorrow before exiting their ranks in 1969, at which time he began work on his solo debut, 1970's Think Pink. The sessions led to the formation of the Pink Fairies, which Twink founded with members of the psychedelic combo the Deviants; after completing their 1971 debut Never Never Land, he left the lineup, returning to action the following year in Stars, a trio featuring legendary Pink Floyd alum Syd Barrett and bassist Jack Monk. Stars' career proved remarkably brief -- Barrett walked offstage halfway through their debut live appearance and did not return -- and Twink spent the better part of the decade accepting infrequent session dates, also participating in a 1975 Pink Fairies reunion before finally issuing the solo EP Do It (With the Fairies) three years later. Despite a prolonged absence from the studio, Twink continued touring and joining in the occassional Pink Fairies reunion during the years to follow, and in 1989 he issued You Need a Fairy Godmother, a live record cut with the neo-psych band Plasticland; Mr. Rainbow appeared a year later. ~ Jason Ankeny, Rovi