John's Children

Sixties English mod band John's Children 1966 single Smashed Blocked from the album Orgasm (1967 / 1970).

Marc Bolan joined the band as lead guitarist for a brief four month period in 1967. During which the single Desdemona was recorded. The song featured the rather racy lyric "Lift up your skirt and fly" to which the BBC replied, "Err, no, d'rather not" and promptly banned it.

Fancy a drink at the Korova Milkbar, Droogs? (Marc Bolan at right)

The band's fetching all-white attire (rather like mod Droogs from A Clockwork Orange, sans bowler hats and combat boots - interestingly, the band went by the moniker The Clockwork Onion in 1963) was the idea of their manager, Simon Napier Bell (of Yardbirds fame).

While Bell has also been credited with devising the band's stage act, band sources suggests that such performances were developed prior to Bell. A John's Children "happening" involving mock fighting (complete with blood capsules for effect), instrument trashing, flower stomping, pillow shredding and feather dispersion with Bolan chain whipping his guitar, incited Ludwigshafen audiences to riot during a German tour with The Who in 1967. Beware violence against soft furnishings and vegetation whilst touring Deutschland, ya?

The drummer, Chris Townson, has a fleeting resemblance to Pete Doherty don't you think?

John's Children official website