After the Deviants folded in 1969, Farren recorded a solo album, Mona, with a short-lived Pink Fairies line-up that featured ex-Pretty Things drummer/singer Twink and Steve Peregrin Took. When this first Pink Fairies fell apart and Twink ran off with the name to form Pink Fairies mark 2, Farren initially considered continuing to work Steve Took using the band name Steve Took's Shagrat with Larry Wallis. Took and Farren fell out so it didn't happen.
Many of the band members for the Deviants and the Pink Fairies were interchangeable and both names have been used for various one-offs over the years. In February 1984, Farren was joined by ex-Pink Fairies member Larry Wallis and original Deviant (as well as Pink Fairies member) Duncan Sanderson. They were billed as the Deviants and played a London gig at Dingwalls which was released as the album Human Garbage. Mick Farren's latest incarnation of the Deviants, Dr Crow, in 2002 which opens up with the title track "When Dr Crow Turns On His Radio".
As a lyricist Farren provided the words for 'Lost Johnny', recorded by Hawkwind(1975) and Motörhead(1977); as well as for several songs on Larry Wallis' first ever solo album Death in the Guitarfternoon released in 2002.
THE DEVIANTS STORY
By Mick Farren
From MOJO Magazine October 1999
originally published under the title "We Mean It, Maaan!)
******************************
SHALL WE BEGIN AT THE HIGH END...
I had ingested something. I can't quite recall what. I'm pretty sure it wasn't acid, more likely out of those alphabet-soup fringe psychedelics, ineptly manufactured from some hellspawned combination of nerve gas and horse tranquilliser, that either fried your mind or did nothing at all. In this case, the result was to make me paranoid and jumpy, and it transformed visuals into the cheap colours of a Japanese monster movie. Even though the discontent among we four Deviants was, by that point, growing like a festering boil, we all know that the afternoon's show in Hyde Park was significant and I had sworn that I'd behave myself. And so, being plainly drugged, I was already getting some dubious looks, particularly from guitarist Paul Rudolph and head roadie Boss Goodman.
continuation...
2) Norwegian band: http://www.nrk.no/urort/artist/thedeviants/default.aspx
Youve Got To Hold On
The Deviants Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Unfamiliar city
As the leaves turn brown
Summer smiles in pity
But you're always gonna play that part
And you're never gonna miss your cue
Melodrama or Performance Art
Woah oh ho ooh woah
No matter what you try to do
She's still got a hold on you
Looking over your shoulder, backseat driver
Nagging voice inside you woah oh woah
After everything she put you through
She's still got a hold on you
Even when you're holding someone else
She's still got a hold on you
She's still got a hold on you
When it gets too much
You're never the leaving kind
You're living for the touch
Willing to be blind
How could everything just fall apart
When everything was still brand new
Like a toaster from a discount mart
Woah oh ho ooh woah
No matter what you try to do
She's still got a hold on you
Looking over your shoulder, backseat driver
Nagging voice inside you woah oh woah
After everything she put you through
She's still got a hold on you
Even when you're holding someone else
She's still got a hold on you
Still got a hold on you
Ooh ooh
Ooh hoo ooh hoo ooh
She's still got a hold on you
Hoo ooh hoo ooh
She's still got a hold on you
Hoo ooh hoo ooh
She's still got a hold
Even when you're holding someone else
She's still got a hold on you
The Deviants' song "You've Got To Hold On" is about a person who is trying to move on from a past relationship, but struggles to do so because they still have feelings for their ex-partner. The first verse of the song sets the scene of the person being in an unfamiliar place as the season changes. Even though they're trying to move forward, they know that they're always going to be the same person playing the same role, unable to escape the grip of their past. The second verse describes how the person is willing to ignore their own feelings and be with someone new, but they can't help feeling like their ex is still a part of them, as if they're looking over their shoulder and constantly nagging them. The repetition of "she's still got a hold on you" emphasizes the fact that this person can't fully move on from their past relationship.
The lyrics are emotional and relatable, expressing the internal struggle of trying to let go of someone you once loved. The use of metaphors, like "summer smiles in pity" and "like a toaster from a discount mart," emphasizes the feeling of being lost and alone, trying to move forward, but feeling like their past is always holding them back.
Line by Line Meaning
See the sun go down
Watching the sun set in a strange town
Unfamiliar city
Unknown and unfamiliar cityscape
As the leaves turn brown
Amidst the autumnal leaves changing colours
Summer smiles in pity
The memory of happiness fades away
But you're always gonna play that part
Consistently being a part of this unhappy, unfulfilling life
And you're never gonna miss your cue
Even when you're unhappy, you'll follow the script
Melodrama or Performance Art
Living in a dramatic, theatrical world
No matter what you try to do
All your efforts are futile
She's still got a hold on you
You're still in her grasp
Looking over your shoulder, backseat driver
Her constant presence in your thoughts, nagging you constantly
Nagging voice inside you woah oh woah
Her voice lingers in your mind, taunting you
After everything she put you through
Despite all the pain she's caused
Even when you're holding someone else
Even being with someone new can't break her hold
When it gets too much
Overwhelmed by the pain
You're never the leaving kind
You can't seem to break away
You're living for the touch
Still craving her touch despite everything
Willing to be blind
Ignorant towards what's really happening
How could everything just fall apart
Wondering how everything went so wrong
When everything was still brand new
Remembering how perfect things used to be
Like a toaster from a discount mart
Cheap and not worth the trouble
Still got a hold on you
She still has control over you
Lyrics © O/B/O DistroKid
Written by: Darrel Greaney, Pete Edge
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@buriedverydeep
Disposable is One of the Greatest Albums Ever...❤️🔥❤️🔥❤️
@seftonpark
Mick Farren scared the life out of me as a teen at the Weeley festival (1970?). I was half asleep in my tent and he stole the bit of string that tied my tent flaps together. BOO HOO. Scary man. I pretended to be fast asleep. Previously I had seen him at the Grovesnor Square demo against the Vietnam war, and the OZ trial march and thought he was so cool. The revolutionary string stealing incident made me less enamoured :)
@purpleonmymind
Cant stop laffin
@jarrettgardner0628
That's an amazing story you got there!!
...and Weeley Festival was August, 1971
...featuring a ton of great bands including Rory Gallagher, Stray, The Groundhogs, Edgar Broughton Band, Pink Fairies, King Crimson, Mott The Hoople, The Faces with T. Rex headlining!!
@WattisWatts
The Deviants and the MC5 would make a great bill.
@narinderdhanjal221
RIP Mick - your music will always live on!
@johnstallings4049
Yarp 💖
@DavidSandilands
The Deviants at their best. Still sounds as good as did then. Let's all go burn down the supermarket!
@christophernagy5603
Just fuckin' amazing... So kick ass... I love great music!
@diskochimp
This song is a TOTAL BLAST.