Rock and Roll Survivors: Fanny MkII

Rock and Roll Survivors Album from 1974

1974 saw the departure of June Millington and Alice de Buhr from the original Fanny line up. Patti Quatro and Brie Howard replaced them and with Nickey and Jean, recorded "Rock and Roll Survivors." They had also made the change from Reprise Records to Casablanca Records, best known for artists like Kiss and Donna Summers. Jean's song "Butter Boy" actually charted on Billboard's Hot 100 in February of 1975 at #29 as the group was finally breaking up, scoring their highest charting song ever.

ROCK AND ROLL SURVIVORS
Casablanca NBLP7007, 1974

1. Rock ‘n’ Roll Survivors (Nickey Barclay)
A change of line-up, producer and record label creates an entirely new ambiance on this album. It opens with the first of only two contributions from Nickey, a typically structured rocker comprising a riff-driven verse complimented by Brie’s Latin tinged drumming and a leisurely, pastoral interlude.

2. Butter Boy (Jean Millington)
Sadly, Jean’s song of lust became a belated hit for Fanny at a time when the band was in disintegration. There is a pervading 1950s undercurrent to this album, which manifests itself here by some ‘wah-oo’ backing vocals and a relentlessly jaunty rhythm.

3. Long Distance Lover (Patti Quatro)
A stop-start rocker from Patti that doesn’t quite gel until her Clapton-esque guitar solo over Jean’s descending bass riff really begins to hitch the excitement up a notch.

4. Let’s Spend the Night Together (Mick Jagger, Keith Richard)
This Stones hit from 1967 heralds the first of three covers on the album. Fanny’s workmanlike cover doesn’t really add much to the original despite Jean’s characteristically strong vocal and Nickey’s honky tonk piano.

5. Rockin’ (All Night Long) (Patti Quatro)
A breathlessly frantic riff-driven rocker from Patti that merely allows each band member a brief solo before diving back into the fray.

6. Get Out of the Jungle (Patti Quatro)
Another stop start melody from Patti, punctuated by some high register bass fills from Jean and piano motives from Nickey.

7. Beggar Man (Patti Quatro)
Arguably Patti’s best effort, this mid tempo rocker is given an unusual treatment by the use of her wah-wah rhythm playing, whispered vocals and some wonderfully moody keyboard shadings from Nickey.

8. Sally Go ‘Round the Roses (Zell Saunders, Lona Stevens)
A big hit for the Jaynetts in 1963, this is Fanny’s best cover on the album, benefiting from Brie’s cool vocal and some intricate instrumental arrangements.

9. I’ve Had it (Raymond Ceroni, Carl Bonura)
The Bell Notes originally recorded this song in 1959 and Fanny retain the fifties feel but with a more modern, strident production led by Brie’s pounding drums.

10. From Where I Stand (Nickey Barclay)
Nickey bookends the album with her second and final contribution, a typically multifaceted song. The fifties theme is continued by the use of a syncopated melody that brings to mind early Carole King songs of that period with a key change coda to finish.