What was The Pretty Things' debut album? Complete discography explored as drummer Viv Prince dies at 84

The Pretty Things members and fans mourn the passing of the band's former drummer, Viv Prince. The late musician played with the crew from 1963 to 1965 for only two albums, the self-titled debut and Get The Picture?.

Following Viv Prince's death, The Pretty Things' debut album is receiving renewed attention, as well as the band's complete discography.

Throughout their career, and after a multitude of band restructurings, The Pretty Things released a total of 13 studio albums, 7 extended plays, and 33 singles.

If you're up for a The Pretty Things deep dive, here’s a guide to the British Rock Invasion band’s releases across the years.

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The Pretty Things (1965)

In 1965, the band unleashed their eponymous debut album in the United Kingdom and North America. The collection, released under Fontana Records, showcased the British band's loud sound influenced by American singer and guitarist Bo Diddley.

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Get the Picture? (1965)

A quick sequel to The Pretty Things, the album had an opening track "You Don’t Believe Me" that was co-written by Jimmy Page.

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Emotions (1967)

The third album by The Pretty Things, Emotions was released just months after the band was struggling with its direction. Two members, Brian Pendleton and John Stax, left the band, who would then seek another record label.

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S. F. Sorrow (1968)

One of the first rock operas, the 1968 album was released under new labels, EMI Columbia (UK) and Motown (USA).

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Parachute (1970)

The fifth album was released without their guitarist, Dick Taylor. It was released under the American-British label Harvest.

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Freeway Madness (1972)

Released in late 1972, the sixth album was released under Warner Records Inc.

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Silk Torpedo (1974)

The Pretty Things' seventh studio album leaned more towards a glam-rock feel, which was a contrast to the psychedelic mood of their earlier records.

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Savage Eye (1975)

The album was released under Swan Song Records, a label launched by the English rock band Led Zeppelin in May 1974.

The Pretty Things would then disband a year later.

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Cross Talk (1980)

The band released its ninth studio album under Warner Bros. Records, containing 10 tracks in total.

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Out of the Island (1987)

The live-in-the-studio album is one of the British rock band's first CD releases, which features 14 songs.

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... Rage Before Beauty (1999)

The studio album, released under the independent label Snapper Music, was deemed one of the band's "best ever recordings."

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Balboa Island (2007)

The eleventh studio album, which contains 13 tracks, was released under the New York-based Latin jazz independent record label Zoho Roots in 2007.

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The Sweet Pretty Things (Are in Bed Now, of Course...)

(2015)

Released via Repertoire Records, a German label that specializes in reissuing classic rock from the '60s and '70s, it's Phil May and Dick Taylor's first album with their drummer, Jack Greenwood, and touring bassist George Woosey.

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Bare as Bone, Bright as Blood (2020)

Bare as Bone, Bright as Blood is the thirteenth and final studio album of The Pretty Things, released in 2020, just months after Phil May's passing.

Meanwhile, English band also released a total of 7 extended plays, which include The Pretty Things (1964), Rainin' in My Heart (1965), Road Runner (1965), The Pretty Things on Film (1966), SF Sorrow Live in London (2012), The Same Sun (2018), and Live in Europe 1966-67 (2018).

The band's singles include "Rosalyn" (1964), "Don't Bring Me Down" (1964), "Walking Through My Dreams" (1968), "Over The Moon" (1972), "Is It Only Love?" (1974), "Love Keeps Hanging On" (1999), and "The Devil Had a Hold of Me" (2020).

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Viv Prince legacy: A look at the "inspired and eccentric rock and roller" behind the drums

Born Vivian Martin Prince in Loughborough, England, in 1941, the late star initially played jazz guitar before switching to drums. He also toured Europe in the early '60s with traditional jazz bands, such as The Jazz Cardinals.

In 1964, The Pretty Things' managers encouraged Viv Prince to join the band. However, he only played on two of the band's albums — the self-titled debut and Get The Picture? — before he was kicked out a year later due to his outlandish onstage behavior.

Dick Taylor, the band's guitarist, talked about the dismissal in his chat with Classic Rock in 2021, revealing:

"The final straw with Viv came at The Twisted Wheel in Manchester. He refused to play because the pub across the road wouldn’t serve him."

He went on:

"What he hadn’t twigged was that it was attached to the hotel he’d been in the night before, causing mayhem with The Kinks. In the end, Phil [May, vocals] said: 'You’d better just go home.' He was a wonderful drummer, but…"

It was The Who's Keith Moon, a frequent attendee at The Pretty Things' shows, who closely watched Viv Prince and admired his skills despite his eccentric stage antics.

After being axed, Viv Prince had short stints with the likes of Honeycombs, Hawkwind, and The Who, and even released a solo album in 1966.

Following his passing on September 11, Jack White took to his official Instagram to deliver the unfortunate news and honor Viv Prince.

"Viv was an incredible drummer, wild and full of abandon. He played for the band The Pretty Things, and he influenced many other musicians like Keith Moon."

Accompanying his message are two of Viv Prince's nostalgic snaps in black and white that capture his youth. Jack White went on:

"I was lucky enough to meet Viv some years ago who was working on his farm in Portugal at the time. He was an inspired and eccentric rock and roller and maybe I’ll have to put together a team to work on a documentary about this man one day.”

The musician concluded his post with a heartfelt line:

"Safe travels into the sweet beyond Viv, you were one of the real ones."