The Rings

The Rings were formed by Twink (real name John Alder), veteran of many psychedelic bands including Tomorrow and The Pink Fairies. While primarily a drummer, he took on the role of frontman in the band while Alan Lee Shaw played guitar and wrote the songs. Songs at the time included a mix of originals and Fairies numbers.  Rod Latter played drums (later to join The Adverts). The band was completed by Dennis Stow on bass. A one off deal with Chiswick Records brought the excellent single I Wanna Be Free / Automobile in May 1977 and the band played all the usual punk places like the 100 Club and Roxy.

“When your health is so shot that you don’t look at the bar for fear your liver might explode, an ex hippy and pink fairy fronting a …new wave band is not even funny. Twink and his band juggle superb old Fairies numbers with transparent new songs: ‘Chelsea 77’, ‘Teenage Rebel…Are the boys suprised the audience scream for a bucket when they round off the set with ‘I Wanna Get High’ Which bus to Woodstock mate.” 

 Live Music Machine Sounds 28.6.77 Jane Suck

Soon after, depending on what version you believe, Twink departed either supposedly tired of being gobbed at or was ousted by the band. At the same time Robert Crash replaced Dennis Stow and The Rings became The Maniacs almost overnight in August 1977 minus any hippies. The last comical episode had The Maniacs playing Mont De Marsan festival and Twink & another version of The Rings turning up to play in the same spot!

The truth is probably somewhere in between if this quote from a live review is anything to go by: “…a fine band. Except for the singer…Most of the set he spent at the back of the stage trying to evade the gobbing…surely within reason one should take it? He didn’t.” Sounds 16.7.77 Marquee.

A fact borne out by their manager photographer Ian Dickson

They were known as The Rings when I met them. I went to the Marquee to shoot The Damned and they were the support. I was quite impressed by them and did a session after they played. To be honest, i can’t remember how the question of managing them arose, but when I got home, I knew I was involved. We had talks a few days later and Twink (ex Pink Fairies and vocalist) made some extraordinary financial demands which raised a few eyebrows.

I think the other members (Alan Lee Shaw, Rod Latter and Robert Crash) were a bit pissed off with Twink, who’d performed from behind the drums during the Marquee gig to avoid the gobbing! I can’t really blame him for that, but it wasn’t in the punk spirit! The upshot was that they got rid of Twink, went out as a trio and changed the band’s name. That’s how the maniacs came into being.

 
 Ian Dickson – Manager 20.1.2002

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