John Charles Edward English musician Date of Birth: 29.11.1944 Country: Great Britain

1. John Charles Edward Alder - A Biography
2. Early Career
3. Joining 'Tomorrow'
4. Collaboration and Solo Work
5. Later Career and Islam

John Charles Edward Alder - A Biography

John Charles Edward Alder, also known as Twink, was an English drummer, singer, songwriter, and actor. He was considered one of the most important figures in English psychedelia during his time. Born on November 29, 1944, in Colchester, Essex, England, Alder grew up in a musically inclined family. He developed an interest in music from a young age.

Early Career

Alder began his professional career in 1963 as a drummer for the Colchester-based band "Dane Stephens and the Deep Beats." The following year, the group changed their name to "The Fairies," and Alder joined the revamped lineup, which included Dane Stephens, John 'Akky' Acutt, Mick Weaver, and John Frederick Gandy. In 1964, "The Fairies" recorded their single "Don't Think Twice It's Alright." During this time, Alder received bottles of a lotion called "Twink" from fans because of his long curly hair, and he later adopted the name as his pseudonym.

Joining 'Tomorrow'

In 1965, Alder moved to London and joined the band "The In-Crowd" in August 1966, which was looking for a new drummer. The group, which included Steve Howe, Keith West, and John 'Junior' Wood, changed their name to "Tomorrow" a few months later. However, the band did not achieve significant success, and West found success as a solo artist, leading to the eventual breakup of the group.

Collaboration and Solo Work

Alder briefly recorded with the band "Santa Barbara Machine Head" in early 1967, which included Jon Lord, Ron Wood, and Kim Gardner, all future members of "The Rolling Stones" and "Deep Purple." He also performed with "The Pretty Things" alongside Phil May, Dick Taylor, Wally Waller, and John Povey. Alder contributed to the recording of the band's famous album "S.F. Sorrow." He gained attention for his wild behavior during a concert in Hyde Park, London, where he climbed on microphone stands and dived into the crowd.

Alder released his debut album "Think Pink" while working with "The Pretty Things," with contributions from various well-known musicians of the time. In August 1976, he formed the band "The Fallen Angels" but was replaced by Phil May due to a car accident before their first concert. It is said that Twink coined the term "acid punk" to describe his own music accurately.

Later Career and Islam

In February 1978, Alder released the EP "Do It' 77'" before disappearing from the music scene for nearly a decade. He made a comeback in 1986 with the solo single "Apocalipstic" released under his newly created label. In 1990, he released his second solo album "Mr Rainbow" with the assistance of Robbie Gladwell and Andy Dowding.

Alder continues to perform actively to this day. In the 1990s, he briefly reunited with a couple of his old bands, but he eventually returned to his solo career. One of the recent news about Alder was his conversion to Islam, and he now refers to himself as "Mohammed Abdullah."