Fanny: Four Fab Femmes Who Rocked!

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When the name of your band conjures up images of either (1) the human arse, (2) a vaudeville star named Brice, (3) a protagonist from an 18th century erotic novel by John Cleland, or (4) a character from a recurring 'Playboy' comic strip, you might have a bit of a problem being taken seriously. I'm referring to a mostly forgotten early '70s band named Fanny. The thing is, they were taken seriously -- at least for a while. They signed a major record deal, scored two top 40 hits, appeared on TV variety shows, and toured the U.S. with the big arena acts of the day -- before fading into footnotes. David Bowie once said, "Revivify Fanny. And I will feel that my work is done." So, Mr. Bowie, here's my contribution.

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Marianne Faithfull’s Tears Gone By

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"I slept with three of them and then decided the lead singer was the best bet." That was burgeoning pop singer Marianne Faithfull in 1964, telling "New Musical Express" magazine that the quickest route to success would be to snag a Rolling Stone -- most strategically, Mick Jagger. What a cocky thing to say, I thought when I first heard this quote as a kid. I'd always wanted to use the British term strumpet, and now was my chance. Why all the fuss about Marianne Faithfull, anyway? Sure, she was blonde, sexy and had a hit song. Big deal. So, it was with much skepticism that I decided to read her 1994 memoir "Faithfull." And by the time I finished it, I found her to be one of the most intelligent and independent women in rock -- a talented singer, songwriter, muse, actress, diarist, and survivor. Today is her 68th birthday.

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Selling Mick to Pay Con Ed

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On this date in 2012, a set of 10 love letters that Mick Jagger wrote to his one-time paramour Marsha Hunt were auctioned off for £187,250 ($305,929). Hunt, a singer, novelist and model who appeared in the original London production of "Hair," met Mick in 1969. The couple secretly dated and produced a love child - Karis - born in 1970. She is the first of seven children that Mick fathered with four different women. Just how does he find the time for all these family affairs?

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Bob Dylan and Scarlet Rivera: Strings of Rolling Thunder

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Man, I can't tell you how many times my shrink has had to listen to me recount this dream: I'm strutting down the street decked out like Joan Jett -- carrying a guitar/amp/tambourine/harmonica - when a car pulls over and a famous, seasoned musician asks me to stop by a recording studio and rehearse with him. Instant stardom, based on nothing more than IMAGE. Hey, it's no more far fetched than grabbing 15 minutes of fame by being anointed "star du jour" by the glam-bam-thank-you-ma'am "American Idol" judges. Being swept off the street by a rock star may be nothing more than a wet dream for yer blogger, but this really did happen to a young violinist named Donna Shea, better known as Scarlet Rivera.

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Have You Seen Your Mother, Baby?

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The Rolling Stones' 1966 release, "Have You Seen Your Mother, Baby, Standing in the Shadow?" isn't a song normally thought of as a Mother's Day tribute tune. Nor was it intended as such. Its ambiguous lyrics hint that mom's doing something of a shadowy nature. Mick Jagger sings the narcissistic lyric, "tell me a story about how you adore me." Shouldn't that line be the other way around? Okay, so although this is definitely NOT a song you'd want to include on your mix-tape for Mother's Day, it does serve as a reminder: have YOU seen your mother lately, baby? Today let's take a look at the women who gave life to some famous entertainers.

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