Phil May (singer)
The snarling, charismatic voice of The Pretty Things, a rhythm and blues pioneer who helped blueprint rock's rebellious attitude.
1944–2020 (age 76)·English vocalist·Birthday: November 9·The Silent Generation
Biography
With his leonine mane of hair and a raw, sneering vocal delivery, Phil May was the archetypal British rock frontman before the template was fully set. Co-founding The Pretty Things in 1964, he and the band carved a path that was deliberately rougher, raunchier, and more rebellious than their contemporaries. May's lyrics and attitude gave the group its dangerous edge. His most significant contribution was as the visionary lyricist for 'S.F. Sorrow' (1968), one of rock's very first concept albums, a psychedelic opus that predated more famous works like The Who's 'Tommy'. Despite never achieving massive commercial fame, May's commitment to the band was absolute; he was its only constant member for over 55 years, steering it through blues, psychedelia, and beyond, cementing its cult status and profound influence.
The Silent Generation
1928–1945
Born between the Depression and the end of WWII. Too young to fight, old enough to remember. They became the conformist middle managers of the 1950s — and the civil rights leaders who quietly dismantled Jim Crow.
Phil was born in 1944, placing them squarely in The Silent Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Phil Was Born
The biggest hits of 1944
#1 Movie
Going My Way
Best Picture
Going My Way
Phil's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1944Born
D-Day: Allied forces land at Normandy
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $3,400Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Swinging on a Star" — Bing CrosbyBest Picture: Going My Way
1949Started school
NATO founded; Mao proclaims the People's Republic of China
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,450Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Riders in the Sky" — Vaughn MonroeBest Picture: All the King's Men
1957Became a teenager
Sputnik launches the Space Age
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $10,550Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"All Shook Up" — Elvis PresleyBest Picture: The Bridge on the River Kwai
1960Could drive
Kennedy-Nixon debates become first televised presidential debates
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $11,900Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Theme from A Summer Place" — Percy FaithBest Picture: The Apartment
1962Could vote
Cuban Missile Crisis brings the world to the brink
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,800Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Stranger on the Shore" — Acker BilkBest Picture: Lawrence of Arabia
1965Turned 21
US sends combat troops to Vietnam
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,600Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" — The Rolling StonesBest Picture: The Sound of Music
1974Turned 30
Nixon resigns the presidency
Gas: $0.53/galHome: $22,600Min wage: $2.00/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"The Way We Were" — Barbra StreisandBest Picture: The Godfather Part II
1984Turned 40
Apple Macintosh introduced
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $59,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"When Doves Cry" — PrinceBest Picture: Amadeus
1994Turned 50
Nelson Mandela elected president of South Africa
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $90,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"The Sign" — Ace of BaseBest Picture: Forrest Gump
2004Turned 60
Indian Ocean tsunami kills over 230,000
Gas: $1.88/galHome: $157,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Yeah!" — UsherBest Picture: Million Dollar Baby
2014Turned 70
Russia annexes Crimea; Ebola outbreak in West Africa
Gas: $3.37/galHome: $160,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Happy" — Pharrell WilliamsBest Picture: Birdman
2020Died at 76
COVID-19 pandemic shuts down the world
Gas: $2.17/galHome: $248,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Blinding Lights" — The WeekndBest Picture: Nomadland
Key Achievements
- Co-founded and was the lifelong frontman of the influential British rock band The Pretty Things.
- Authored the lyrics for 'S.F. Sorrow', widely considered one of the first rock opera concept albums.
- Maintained the band's active recording and touring presence for over five decades despite numerous lineup changes.
- Helped shape the gritty, rhythm-and-blues foundation of the British Invasion's harder-edged side.
Did You Know?
The band's name was taken from a Bo Diddley song called 'Pretty Thing'.
May was a talented visual artist and designed several of the band's album covers.
The Pretty Things were banned from performing in New Zealand in 1965 due to their 'degenerate' appearance and behavior.
He turned down an offer to join the nascent band that would become The Doors in 1965.
“We were always the band that your older brother wouldn't let you listen to.”
