Although a famous Vogue cover shot by Patrick Lichfield of Marsha Hunt, naked, with a huge Afro, as a London cast member of Hair is an indisputably and quintessentially iconic image of the 1960s, Hunt remains under the radar of most music fans. For one (quite good) reason, there are exactly zero CDs of her music on the market currently and there is nothing on iTunes either. This is too bad, because she made some worthwhile music during her career. However, some pretty great clips of her live on European TV have been popping up on YouTube and many of her better known singles have made it to some audio blogs, as well, so there’s plenty for me to illustrate here what still makes Hunt the object of cult fascination. Eventually, I have no doubt, she’ll be rediscovered by music nerds.

Hunt, an insanely gorgeous, highly intellectual 19-year-old model, originally from Philly, who went to Berkeley (and marched with Jerry Rubin!), moved to swinging London in 1966. She married Mike Ratledge of the Soft Machine so she could stay in the country (and is still married to him to this day, although they have not been together for decades) and sang back-up vocals for blues great Alexis Korner. She became a cast member of Hair, having but two lines as “Dionne” in the West End production.

Below, a clip of Marsha Hunt performing her cover version of Dr. John’s Walk on Gilded Splinters:
 

 
Next up, my favorite Marsha Hunt track (Oh No! Not) The Beast Day. To my ears this sounds way, way, way ahead if its time, reminding me (a lot) of Demon Days by the Gorillaz or mid-career Talking Heads. Turn this up LOUD, you’ll be really glad you did:
 

 
She fronted several different groups, including one called White Trash, which was organized by former Deep Purple bassist, Nick Simper. In the below clip you can see an interview with Hunt and a performance with White Trash of the Supremes’ My World is Empty Without You at the the Bilzen festival in 1969:
 

 
Her association with Hair aside, Hunt has other roles that assure her a place in rock history, such as the fact that Brown Sugar by the Rolling Stones was written about her and that she is the mother of Mick Jagger’s eldest daughter, Dangerous Minds pal Karis Jagger. She also had a passionate affair with Marc Bolan, after they were introduced by a mutual friend, producer Tony Visconti.
 

 
Above, a performance on Italy’s Teatro 10 television program in 1972. Below, a performance of Simon & Garfunkel’s Keep the Customers Satisfied:
 

 
Hunt went on to a career on stage and in film and she recorded a few disco numbers in the late 70s. In the 80s and 90s she reinvented herself as a documentarian and novelist. She is a proud cancer surviver and on the cover of her 2005 autobiography, Undefeated, appeared naked just weeks after having her breast removed, recreating the famous Vogue cover again with Lord Lichfield. At age 64, Marsha Hunt is still wicked hot.

Marsha Hunt: ‘I’m glad Mick didn’t help raise our girl’ (Daily Mail)
 
Originally posted on 08/05/10.

Interesting that she says “Til Alberta”.  I always thought (and a quick search seems to corroborate) that it was “Til I burn up”. And it’s hard to imagine how Edmunton would end up as subject matter in a Doctor John song.

“Beast Day” is incredible!!!!!  What year was that recorded? How was it originally released?  Was it on an album?  Thanks so much for posting.  A great find!

Really enjoyed reading that. Thanks. Never satisfied to leave well enough alone, it makes me wonder whatever happened to another rumored inspiration for “Brown Sugar”, the beautiful former Ikette Claudia Lennear, later of Mad Dogs & Englishmen, the Bangladesh house band & even a spread in Playboy. Her trail seems to drop off around the mid-70’s.

You can witness Marsha Hunt’s acting career in “Dracula 1972 A.D.” which not only stars Christopher Lee and features a party scene with Stoneground playing amidst a plethora of hot pants, but due to its location shots also remains a very amusing time capsule of early ‘70s London.

@Heather

Well spotted!

Really beautiful, real-looking lady—i liked the “Beast” song okay.

i got ideas for two videos—Dracula 1972 and Girl on a Motorcycle. Thanks,guys.

Incredible.  I’ve heard that Claudia Lennear, another black r&b siren of the time, was the inspiration for “Brown Sugar”, as well as David Bowie’s “Lady Grinning Soul”, (see pix and info here - http://atsuy.web.fc2.com/vinyl/side04/phew.html)

But seeing as how Ms. Hunt has a daughter with Jagger, she seems a more likely candidate.

Regardless, the music and her style are awesome and her talent stands alone whether she was the muse for Jagger and Bowie or not.  Incredible stuff.

“For one (quite good) reason, there are exactly zero CDs of her music on the market currently and there is nothing on iTunes either.”

What’s the reason?

@Monstro, this is why the world still needs proofreaders and editors. The sentence probably should have had a colon instead of a comma:

“For one (quite good) reason: there are exactly zero CDs of her music on the market currently and there is nothing on iTunes either.”

Next, you’ve gotta go all detective and find us some video of the legendary early ‘70s nasty gal, Betty Davis. There’s photos galore to pique one’s curiosity, but no footage I’m aware of. Her most excellent debut LP featured members of Sly and the Family Stone backing her, and yes, she was married to Davis, Miles.

The record executives state side were asleep at the wheel..I only knew her as a Mick Jagger fling. She is talented as holy hell! I guess they did not think America was ready for a real African American looking beauty to front a rock and roll band.

Actually, the “Walk on Gilded Splinters” lyric is actually “Tit Alberta” meaning “Little Alberta” as in petite. I believe there is a voodoo loa named Alberta. See: http://www.amiright.com/misheard/song/walkonguildedsplinters.shtml

She has a lot of talent and dynamism.  Always thought of her as Mick Jagger’s bit o’fluff—glad to revise this conception.  Italy when I was a kid was a great area for blacks and eccentric English-speakers to perform…nice to see this video clip.

sorry to respond so late - just stumbled upon the article by accident. “beast day” is from 1973. it’s only out on a 7” on the vertigo label that turns up every now and then on ebay. prepare to pay around 30 bucks for it. by that time she had cut off her afro. the 7” has an amzing cover shot of hers with short hair and a cigarette between her lips. also there’s a pretty amazing lp of hers called “woman child” from 1971 that features the “gilded splinters” track. all in all not as amazing as beast day, still worthwhile seeking out.