All-Female Bands of the 1960s: Pioneering Women in Rock
When The Beatles revolutionized popular music, a wave of aspiring beat groups emerged worldwide. Among them were all-female bands, a novel concept at the time. An article from Amoeba Records provides a comprehensive list of these girl bands, including names like The Daughters of Eve, The Freudian Slips, The Moppets, The Bombshells, and The What Four. While most of these bands only released a few singles, they laid the foundation for what was to come.
It wasn’t until the 1970s that an all-female rock band made significant strides in the music industry. Contrary to popular belief, it wasn’t The Runaways who achieved chart success, but a group called Fanny.
Formed in Sacramento by Filipino sisters Jean and June Millington, Fanny became the first all-female band to release an album on a major label. Their self-titled debut on Reprise in 1970 paved the way for four singles to land on the Billboard Hot 100. These included tracks like “Charity Ball” and a cover of Marvin Gaye’s “Ain’t That Peculiar.” However, it was “Butter Boy,” a song by Jean Millington about David Bowie, that became their highest-charting success at #29 in 1975.
Born to a Filipino mother and an American serviceman father, the Millington sisters found solace in music during their challenging years at a Sacramento middle school. Rock music became their outlet to make friends and build a support system. Starting a band called The Svelts in their teens, they overcame obstacles like band members leaving due to marriage or controlling boyfriends. Eventually, with Addie Lee on guitar and Brie Brandt on drums, they rebranded as Wild Honey and later secured a record deal with Reprise under the name Fanny.
Despite being initially viewed as a novelty act, Fanny went on to tour with The Kinks and Humble Pie and even backed Barbra Streisand on her “Barbra Joan Streisand” album for a rock sound. In a 1999 Rolling Stone interview, David Bowie praised Fanny as one of the finest rock bands of their time.
After releasing five albums and undergoing some lineup changes, including bringing in Patti Quatro, the band eventually disbanded. Jean Millington would marry Bowie’s guitarist Earl Slick, while June came out as gay and later founded the Institute for Musical Arts to support the women’s music movement.
Despite their groundbreaking achievements, Fanny faded from rock consciousness and are often overlooked when discussing pioneering women in rock. However, in 2018, they reunited to release an album titled “Fanny Walked the Earth,” featuring politically charged songs and collaborations with renowned musicians like Cherie Currie and Kathy Valentine.
Rhino Records also reissued their first four albums in a box set in 2002 for those interested in delving deeper into their music.
Related Content:
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- Four Female Punk Bands That Changed Women’s Role in Rock
- How Joan Jett Started the Runaways at 15 and Faced Down Every Barrier for Women in Rock and Roll
- Chrissie Hynde’s 10 Pieces of Advice for “Chick Rockers” (1994)
- 33 Songs That Document the History of Feminist Punk (1975-2015): A Playlist Curated by Pitchfork
For more insightful content from Ted Mills, check out the artist interview-based FunkZone Podcast and his arts writing at tedmills.com. Follow him on Twitter @tedmills and explore his films here.