Pretty Maids was founded in 1981 by guitarist Ken Hammer (aka Kenneth Hansen) with vocalist Ronnie Atkins (aka Paul Christensen), guitarist Pete Collins (aka Jan Piete), bassist John Darrow (aka Johnny Møller), keyboardplayer Alan Owen (aka Allan Nielsen) and drummer Phil Moorhead (aka Henrik Andersen). In 1983 they recorded an EP with producer Tommy Hansen in Jailhouse Studios. Shortly after Collins and Darrow was replaced by Rick Hanson (aka Kim Hansen) and Allan Delong (aka Allan Jensen). In 1984 they released "Red Hot and Heavy" again with producer Tommy Hansen in the Jailhouse Studios and guested by rock/blues-guitarist Billy Cross. Hanson left and was in a short period replaced by Benny Petersen (Ex White Lion) - but he left to found Jackal. In 1987 they worked with producer Eddie Kramer on "Future World", which featured Graham Bonnet on backing vocals and I consider it as the bands best effort. The band toured with Angel G. Schleifer, but as we all know he joined Bonfire in 1988. Instead the rest of the band hired Richy Marx (aka Henrik Mark) and shortly after they recorded "Jump the Gun" with producer Roger Glover and drummer Ian Paice - both from Deep Purple. But the long work on the record did not pay off - it flopped and Marx, Moorhead and Delong left.
Owen, Atkins and Hammer continued, though but with new bassist Kenn Jackson (aka Ken Jacobsen Ex White Mountain) and drummer Michael "Mini" Fast (Ex Hero/Fanny Hill). In 1992 they recorded "Sin Decade" with producer Flemming Rasmussen - but Owen left and was replaced with Dominique Gale (The Shout). It was a strong record but did not sell that good either. Later that year they released the EP "Off-side" wich gave them a minor hit with John Sykes "Please don't leave me". In 1993 "Stripped" was released wich featured keyboardist Henrik Nilsson and Knud Lindhardt on backing vocals. Hammer was also to be found in the coverband Find Lizzy. In 1995 Atkins made a guest appearence on Blind Guardian's "Imaginations from the other Side" and Pretty Maids released "Scream"- also a very good release. In 1997 Owen returned and the band released "Spooked" guested by keyboardist Tommy Hansen also. In 1998 the band recorded the album with the long title "Anything worth doing is worth overdoing" guested by Knud Lindhardt again and they toured with Gale as Owen didn't want to do concerts. In 2000 Pretty Maids has just released "Carpe Diem". And on the tour to support the album they have joined forces with new keyboard player Jørgen Thorup, known for his work with danish party rock/pop band SHU-BI-DUA.
Album in 2002 called "Planet Panic", recorded with good old Alan Owen behind the keyboard - and it's engineered by Tommy Hansen at Jailhouse Studios and mixed by former Skagarack bassist Morten Munch. In 2003 the Live album "Alive At Least" were released, recorded in Japan
and Europe. The danish edition of that album contains a bonus disc "First Cuts.." plus 2 videos.