Twink: Think Pink (1970)

It’s sometimes difficult to take folks seriously based solely upon the name that they’ve landed upon. Would Jon Stewart be as effective if he went by his given name of Jonathan Leibowitz? Maybe, but then consider the fact that a ‘60s drummer responsible for beats on albums by the Deviants, the Pretty Things, Hawkwind and a few other folks was given the name John Alder, but eschewed that moniker to go by Twink – he settled upon the name after receiving some gifts from the hair care company of the same name. The switch obviously didn’t affect business, but it still sounds a bit too close to those delicious, plastic wrapped, cream filled desserts.

After putting in time with a significant portion of the ‘60s pysch groups from the UK that actually mattered, Twink was eventually granted the opportunity to record under his own name. Think Pink was the result. Of course, the fact that Twink didn’t play a melodic instrument could have presented a problem. Luckily, though, the drummer basically enlisted the Deviants in addition to Steve Peregrin Took (the percussionist from Tyranasaurus Rex) and a few others. At the helm of the sessions, though, was Mick Farren, who was about ready to split from the Deviants and dismiss the early Pink Fairies line up that Twink would be a part of.

Partially as a result of all these players being familiar with each other, Twink’s disc really comes in as one of the unheralded psych gems from that first tripped out period. It’s not the first Floyd album or Rubber Soul, but there’re enough different takes on the genre to make this an interesting listen. Benefiting from its release in 1970, a bit removed from the media fervor/suspicion surrounding these freaks (daddy), Think Pink moved between eastern influenced space oddities, hard psych and acoustic sing alongs. It wasn’t all peace, love and happiness – obviously. But the ability of these musicians assembled around Twink to move between the layered folk of “Suicide” and the drugged out orgy that seems to be taking place in the studio while “Fluid” was being recorded points to the acute musical prowess that each performer wields here.

Unheralded, but still hugely important to the disc was Deviants’ guitarist Paul Rudolph. The aforementioned “Fluid” greatly benefits from his lackadaisical slide work. There isn’t an overt focus on that particular aspect of the track, but with such a sparse rhythm section work out, there’s little else to hold on to apart from the guitar.

Considering the fact that the date leader here – while still singing – was relegated to sitting behind the drum set, but still capable of controlling this all encompassing disc should have made Think Pink a bit more popular. It didn’t unfortunately. Twink’s songs can’t be blamed, though. And even if “Three Little Piggies,” coming at the end of the disc, sounds like something cobbled together to fill out the album, it’s a lone valley amidst the highs (get it?) that comprise the rest of the effort.