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The Deviants was a band project by the journalist, author, musician and singer Mick Farren. In 1967 they performed twice as The Social Deviants in the underground club UFO in London. They recorded their first album Ptooff! in the autumn of the same year. On this debut album, released in 1968 on the independent label Underground Impresarios, the group consisted of Mick Farren (voc, p) as bandleader, Sid Bishop (g, sit), Cord Rees (b, g), Russell Hunter (dr, voc) as well as Duncan Sanderson, Stephen Sparks and Jennifer Ashworth (voc). They played a dirty psychedelic street punk with an elemental rage that was unique at the time. In this respect, they had much in common with the later punk of the 1970s: a political agenda, a celebration of amateur musicianship and an aggressive grassroots rock sound. Despite limited distribution through mail order adverts in the International Times, OZ (an alternative underground magazine) and selected head shops, this album sold 8,000 copies before being re-released by Decca.
With their proto-punk, The Deviants are now regarded as the fathers of British punk. Therefore, their debut album as a UK first pressing in this spectacular pop art poster cover is extremely sought-after among collectors worldwide.
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