Fabulous

Original version

BBC Radio Wales FM

BBC Radio Wales Extra

Factual

BBC Radio Wales - Fabulous

The story of The Fabs, an all-girl band from Wales who almost made it in a man's world.

The story of The Fabs, an all-girl band from Wales who rocked stages across Europe and Mexico City. It's a story of adventure, freedom and almost making it in a man's world.

“You’re fabulous, fabulous - to be with all the time, yay, to be with all the time”

So starts the opening ditty of a 60s girl beat band from South Wales. Sarah Wrigley from Cardiff was the lead guitarist, Maria Turner from Newport played rhythm guitar, Margaret Radcliffe from Trethomas played bass, and Linda Galliford from Barry was on the drums. 

Together these four took on the social mores of the time and the world of boy bands and became the Fabs. 

Initially under the guidance of their manager Wally (Waldini Bishop), they played in the holiday town of Ilfracombe. 

After returning to South Wales, they played the clubs and pubs, and constantly had to put up with the jibes and jeers from their fellow boy bands. One night, Roger Daltry of the Who put in his tuppence when they played in the same club: 

“Well you’re very good love”, he told singer and guitarist Sarah, “but you won’t come to anything. You see, when we play the girls come to watch us, and the boys come to watch the girls. That doesn’t work with you lot does it?”

But the Fabs proved him wrong. 

They went on to play in front of crowds of GIs across Europe, and then on to Mexico where they got a residency in a nightclub in Mexico City for a year. 

When they returned back to the UK to try to take their career to the next level and get a hit, they faced a wall of resistance. 

Now, several decades later, the women reflect on how pioneering their time touring as musicians in a man’s world was. There were female singers aplenty. But not whole bands made up of young women strumming guitars and smashing out rhythms on the drums.

Their story might have become buried and long forgotten along with many other extraordinary stories involving women. But guitarist Sarah Wrigley chose to use the recent lockdowns as an opportunity to pen a book '20 Pairs of Pants and  a Passport' about her time in the band. 

Journalist Selma Chalabi takes you through the story of one of Wales' most colourful yet almost forgotten musical phenomenons.

BBC Radio Wales

Comprehensive News and Sport, the latest information and the best entertainment for Wales.

Accessibility links

Programme Index

Fabulous

Genres

BBC Radio Wales FM

About BBC Radio Wales