Defecting Grey unedited - question.

[jb stanislas]

I stumbled upon this clip today.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=30xBn2OkXyk

The track is in my top 3 psych tracks of all time. I used to have an Australian pressing if this single but someone was hassling me a lot, for it and I sold it. The video clip is really fantastic and VERY trippy indeed. Beautiful. I don;t recall my single being 5mins 14 long so this clip is a longer version but can anyone tell me if this version appears on vinyl and if so, please tell me what the name of the release is and/or provide a link to it on the web.
Thanks muchly
JB

[effi_deep]

i think i've read somewhere that the unedited version was on an acetate only.
not sure about that, and not sure where it got first released (probably on some cd comp or something.)
anyway, it's available on a norton 10" here.

[LDJB]

The 45 is deffo and edit / different version. I have the 45 and it's in my 'never to be sold' box

[jakartajive]

I was chatting to Mike Stax the other day, who said Phil May told him this was his first stab at (admittedly coded) gay lyrics.
GREYS were what the PTs used to call squares, and the defecting grey was a bloke Phil picked up one day in the park.
Who knew?!

[jb stanislas]

i think i've read somewhere that the unedited version was on an acetate only.
not sure about that, and not sure where it got first released (probably on some cd comp or something.)
anyway, it's available on a norton 10" here.

Thanks MUCHLY for the tipoff. I will see if I can bag one a bit cheaper than what;s on offer on ebay/discogs, in the next week or so cos of high postage but if not, I will just buy it. Need to have that longer version on vinyl. It is unbelievably good.
Thanks to Jak-jive for the post about the meaning of the name. I had NO idea about that. I always wondered what it meant.

[jakartajive]

That track first surfaced on the Pretty Things' "Unrepentant" 2CD long-box anthology in the late '90s.
It's also going to feature on the new super comprehensive box set, which is being finished up at the moment.

[Tom B]

I was chatting to Mike Stax the other day, who said Phil May told him this was his first stab at (admittedly coded) gay lyrics.
GREYS were what the PTs used to call squares, and the defecting grey was a bloke Phil picked up one day in the park.
Who knew?!

Knowledge dropped - that's fascinating, thanks Hugh

[Shere Khan]

Well if anyone's keen to spend £25 on just the german pic sleeve get one here

[jakartajive]

Incidentally, the forthcoming box set will slay all Pretties' fans: about 20 CDs plus one 10" vinyl acetate repro (with 4 unreleased tracks from 1964 and 1967).

[LDJB]

Incidentally, the forthcoming box set will slay all Pretties' fans: about 20 CDs plus one 10" vinyl acetate repro (with 4 unreleased tracks from 1964 and 1967).

Jeez - better get saving then. Library stuff included Hugh?

[Mang]

I was chatting to Mike Stax the other day, who said Phil May told him this was his first stab at (admittedly coded) gay lyrics.
GREYS were what the PTs used to call squares, and the defecting grey was a bloke Phil picked up one day in the park.
Who knew?!

I never knew that! Amazing!

[jb stanislas]

I never knew that! Amazing!

So, a "pretty thing" is how Phil May, being gay, would describe himself? Did I understand that correctly? Is that what the band;s name means?

[Mang]

So, a "pretty thing" is how Phil May, being gay, would describe himself? Did I understand that correctly? Is that what the band;s name means?

I've always thought they took their name from the Bo Diddley song "Pretty Thing" but I could be wrong on that.

[jakartajive]

I've always thought they took their name from the Bo Diddley song "Pretty Thing" but I could be wrong on that.

Is the correct answer, but I think the ambiguity did them no harm in the shock and outrage stakes.

There's an amazingly frank interview with Phil May in the latest Ugly Things where he talks about a BBC session they once did, where they cut a version of 'Hey Mama Keep Your Big Mouth Shut' and he changed the lyrics to "I'm in love with your little girl - and your little boy's in love with me", which didn't exactly endear them to the top brass.

My impression - for what it's worth - is that he wasn't openly or explicitly gay at the time, but rather, indulged in whatever was available and swung healthily in most directions.