Well, you sent me down a rabbit hole that started with, "How the heck have I never heard of Fanny?" If Bowie thinks that highly of them, it would seem that I, as a person who grew up steeped in music culture, should know about them. Turns out I do, I just didn't realize it.
It didn't take long to come across the song "Charity Ball", which was a hit in the early '70s. I bet a lot of you will recognize it as I did:
Anyway, I've emerged from the rabbit hole a big fan of the band. Bowie was right. These ladies are extraordinary musicians, and their harmonies are a rarity among rock bands. Sisters June Millington (lead guitar) and Jean Millington (base) sing lead on most of the songs, but what really grabbed me was how good each of the four members are on their instruments. They resisted label efforts to sex them up and glamorize their image. They just played the heck out of their instruments and managed to stay in the business long enough to released five albums, mostly with moderate retail success, but they did mange to pave the way for many all-female groups who followed.
For the sake of pure accuracy (Bowie's not mine), it should be pointed out that Bowie's relationship with bassist Jean Millington went beyond that of a pure fan. We'll leave it at that except to say the man had impeccable taste.
I've crawled out of the rabbit hole, but I'm glad for the journey. I really like this band, especially their live performances. Thanks for posting them.