The Rings - I Wanna Be Free

The Rings - I Wanna Be Free/Automobile
Chiswick S 14, released 20 May 1977.
Line-up: Twink: vocals
Alan Lee Shaw: guitar, vocals
Dennis Stow: bass
Rod Latter: drums
Produced by Martin Gordon

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 front man in the band while Alan Lee Shaw played guitar and wrote the songs (Shaw also appeared on Chiswick off-shoot label Big Beat with a record produced by Sex Pistol Paul Cook (Physicals - Be Like Me/Pain In Love NS 58)). 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. After Ted Carrol saw the band at Dingwalls, they signed a one off deal with Chiswick that brought the excellent single I Wanna Be Free/Automobile in May 1977.

Twink: "It was fun, and of course I was the lead vocalist with that band. Things were starting to happen and then we got a booking at the Mont de Masson, the festival in France on the Spanish borders. That's when thing started to fall apart. There was a whole load of stuff going on in the background which I wasn't aware of. The rest of the guys were forming another band to capitalize on the event, so what happened was that I was able to put another band together as The Rings. I phoned up the promoters and told them what was happening". The "other band" were the Maniacs (with Robert Crash replacing Dennis Stow).

Twink kept The Rings going for a while, and a follow up single was announced in Sounds 22.10.77 as being called Psychedelic Didgerdoo as the precursor to an album ! It never happened, at least not as The Rings.

Mark P. reviewed the 45 in Sniffin' Glue (issue 12, August 1977): "Christ,this is a burner.Goodn'yes a classic R&B,fast, breakneck,ex-Fairies,now split.Right Game,the Gorillas,the 101'ers,the Razors and now the Rings all split.Bad luck ...I hope they have better luck with MOTORHEAD!!!"

There are at least four different issues of this single: The usual Chiswick set: S 3 (in glossy sleeve) and NS 3 (in both cardboard and paper sleeves) plus the rare French issue (Chiswick/Barclay 640.126).

Resources: Alen Lee Shaw discography, Liner notes to the Chiswick Records Story 2CD, punk77, Sniffin' Glue, The Essential Punk Accessory, Terrascope (pdf file)