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Atomic Rooster

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Atomic Rooster
OriginEngland
GenresProgressive rock, hard rock, blues rock, psychedelic rock
Years active1969–1975
1980–1983
LabelsB & C
Dawn
Decca
EMI
Polydor
Towerbell Records
Pegasus
Past membersVincent Crane
John Du Cann
Paul Hammond
Carl Palmer
Chris Farlowe
Steve Bolton
Ric Parnell
Johnny Mandala
Pete French
Nick Graham
Preston Heyman
Bernie Torme

Atomic Rooster were an English progressive rock band, composed of former members of the The Crazy World of Arthur Brown. Throughout its history, keyboardist Vincent Crane was the only constant member, and wrote the majority of their material. Their history is defined by two periods, in the early 1970s and the early 1980s. Their genre in music is difficult to define, since they went through radical changes in very short times during the life of the band. However, their best-known era represented a more hard rock/progressive rock sound, exemplified by their only hit singles, "Tomorrow Night" (UK #11) and "The Devil's Answer" (UK #4), both in 1971.[1]

History

Original period (1969-1975)

In summer 1969, The Crazy World of Arthur Brown had to cease touring in the middle of their second US tour because of keyboardist Vincent Crane's mental illness. When he recovered, he and drummer Carl Palmer took the step to leave Arthur Brown and return to England, the return date being Friday 13 June 1969, which was the year of the Rooster in the Chinese calendar, and arranged a meeting with Brian Jones to discuss a collaboration. After his death, they adopted the name Atomic Rooster (with influence from the US band Rhinoceros), and soon recruited Nick Graham on bass and vocals. They followed with what had emerged as The Crazy World of Arthur Brown formula of vocals, organ, bass, and drums.

They soon undertook live dates around London; at their first headlining gig the opening act was Deep Purple. They eventually struck a deal with B & C Records and began recording their debut album in December 1969. Their first LP, Atomic Roooster was released in February 1970, along with a single, "Friday the 13th". By March, Crane felt it was best that they add a guitarist, and recruited John Du Cann from acid/progressive rock band Andromeda. However, just as Du Cann joined, Graham left. Du Cann (who played guitar and sang for Andromeda) took over vocal duties, whilst Crane overdubbed the bass lines on his Hammond Organ with a combination of left hand and foot pedals. Atomic Rooster resumed gigging until the end of June, when Carl Palmer announced his departure to Emerson, Lake & Palmer. Ric Parnell filled the drum spot until August, when the young Paul Hammond was recruited from Farm to the drum spot. They then recorded their second album, Death Walks Behind You, released in September 1970. Originally it was not commercially successful, as with the first album, but by February 1971, the single, "Tomorrow Night" reached #11 in the UK Singles Chart, with the album reaching #12 in the UK Albums Chart.[1] Atomic Rooster made an appearance on the Top of the Pops, and toured to support their music.

In June 1971, just before they began configuring their line-up once again, the single "Devils Answer" hit #4 in the UK.[1] Atomic Rooster saw considerable popularity, and singer Pete French was brought in at the end of June. They began recording In Hearing of Atomic Rooster (UK #18).[1] The sound diverged from Death Walks Behind You though, since French's vocals were much more bluesy, and the music followed suit. Both Du Cann and Hammond were unhappy with this, and left after the album was released to form Daemon (with John Gustafson (musician) and Hard Stuff, respectively. The latest Atomic Rooster line-up never played any concerts, and replacements were brought in: Steve Bolton on guitar and Ric Parnell on drums, who eventually joined the group permanently. This line-up went on tour, including a benefit gig in September, supporting The Who. At the end of the year, French moved on to join Cactus. Crane then recruited Chris Farlowe, at that time in Colosseum, to take the place of French. They went on tour and recorded another album in spring 1972. They released the album Made In England along with the single "Stand by Me", now on Dawn. They were more into soul at this point, and all the progressive and heavy rock leanings from the other releases had receded. The single did not chart, and the album just barely caught any attention, but touring followed through.

Steve Bolton left at the end of 1972, and was replaced by John Goodsall, under the name Johnny Mandala. They released the album Nice 'n' Greasy in 1973 with the single "Save Me", and a re-working of "Friday the 13th". This time, it was in a complete funk style. After nearly two years without any hits, Dawn Records dropped the group and Atomic Rooster began to split. After a tour, Farlowe, Mandala and Parnell left. The single "Tell Your Story, Sing Your Song" was released in March 1974 as "Vincent Crane's Atomic Rooster" on Decca. All subsequent gigs were played by Crane along with members of the blues band Sam Apple Pie. A final concert was played in February 1975, a benefit gig for the RSPCA. Afterwards, Crane disbanded Atomic Rooster.

During hiatus (1975-1979)

In the meantime, Vincent Crane put together the music for a number of plays and musicals in England between 1976 and 1977, including two of Peter Green's radio broadcasts. In 1978, Crane teamed up with Arthur Brown once again, and in 1979 they released the album Faster Than The Speed of Light. Crane and Brown would also perform a classic rendition of Frankie Vaughan's "Green Door," dressed in top hat and tails.

John Du Cann dropped the "Du" from his name when he, Paul Hammond and John Gustafson released two albums as Hard Stuff between 1972 and 1973. Hard Stuff ended when Hammond suffered injuries in a car accident, and they split. Afterwards, Cann filled in the guitar spot in Thin Lizzy for a tour in Germany during 1974, before going off the road to write music for ads and jingles in England. In 1977, he recorded a solo album with members of Status Quo and Gillan, before learning his record company was not going to release it. In 1979, he had a minor hit with his rendition of "Don't Be A Dummy," used in a Levi Jeans ad. Also in 1977 Paul Hammond played drums with T.H.E., a three piece featuring Pete Newnham (Cockney Rebel/Window) on guitar and vocals, and Mike Marchant (Third Ear Band) on bass and vocals. A single was called "Rudi" was released that year on B&C Records under the name Pete Newnham, which has become a collectors item. That song and two unreleased tracks, "Johnny the Snark and "Play with Fire" now appear on Bored Teenagers #5 from Detour Records.[2]

Reformation period (1980-1983)

During 1980, Crane contacted Cann and after some discussion, got an Atomic Rooster reformation under way, with Cann reverting to his full surname again, as per the earlier incarnation of the band. They recruited session drummer Preston Heyman and recorded an album, along with one 7/12" single, on EMI Records. The 1980 album, Atomic Rooster, was followed by a tour, however in October Heyman left and Paul Hammond was once again in the drum seat after Ginger Baker filled in for two weeks. They continued touring and released two singles in 1981 and 1982. However, before their performance at the Reading Festival, Du Cann became absent without official leave. John McCoy stepped in on bass.

With Du Cann gone, Crane set about a new form of Atomic Rooster. Paul Hammond stayed on and played drums for the following album, recorded in late 1982. Several guitarists played on the album, including David Gilmour of Pink Floyd, Bernie Torme of Gillan and John Mizarolli. Crane added vocals to the album along with his wife adding backing vocals. A tour of Germany and Italy included Bernie Torme on guitar. Mizarolli played guitar for several U.K. dates. Headline News was released in June 1983, and featured a completely different sound from anything they had ever done, including electronics and synthesizers. The album was completely written by Vincent Crane, leading some to perceive it as a Crane solo album.

Crane disbanded Atomic Rooster once again at the end of 1983. In 1984, he went on to the project Katmandu with Peter Green, Ray Dorset and Jeff Whittaker, and they recorded the album A Case for the Blues. In 1985, Crane joined Dexys Midnight Runners, playing piano for their album Don't Stand Me Down and two singles, one becoming the theme song for the TV series Brush Strokes.

Dexys Midnight Runners disbanded in 1987 and Crane intended to reform Atomic Rooster with Du Cann once again. A German tour was planned for 1989. However, Crane's mental illness intervened, and he died when he overdosed on painkillers on 14 February 1989. Paul Hammond died in 1993. Of the band that recorded Death Walks Behind You, only Du Cann is still alive. More recently, Du Cann struck a deal with Angel Air Records and has overseen the release and re-release of much of his and Atomic Rooster's material, including live recordings, compilations, compilations of unreleased material and album reissues with extra material.

Discography (with UK release dates)

Albums

Date of release Title Peak US Billboard 200 position[3] Peak UK Albums Chart position[1]
1970
Atomic Roooster
-
#49
1970
Death Walks Behind You
#90
#12
1971
In Hearing of Atomic Rooster
#167
#18
1972
Made in England
#149
-
1973
Nice 'n' Greasy
-
-
1980
Atomic Rooster
-
-
1983
Headline News
-

Live albums

Compilation albums

Box sets

  • Resurrection (2001) - Akarma unlicensed CD reissues of first three albums, with 24-page illustrated booklet
  • Devil's Answer: The Singles Collection (2006) - reissue of first six UK singles on 7" or individual CDs

UK singles

  • "Friday the 13th" / "Banstead" - B&C CB121 (February 1970)
  • "Tomorrow Night" / "Play the Game" - B&C CB131 (January 1971) - UK #11[1]
  • "Devil's Answer" / "The Rock" - B&C CB157 (June 1971) - UK #4[1]
  • "Stand by Me" / "Never to Lose" - Dawn DNS1027 (1972)
  • "Save Me" / "Close Your Eyes" - Dawn DNS1029 (November 1972) - A-side is rerecorded, retitled "Friday the 13th"
  • "Can't Find a Reason" / "Moods" (credited to 'Farlow [sic.]/Crane') Dawn DNS1034 (1973)
  • "Tell Your Story (Sing Your Song)" / "O.D." (credited to 'Vincent Crane's Atomic Rooster') - Decca FR13503 (March 1974)
  • "Do You Know Who's Looking for You?" / "Throw Your Life Away" (plus 12" with extended A-side) - EMI EMI5084 / 12EMI5084 (June 1980)
  • "Play It Again" / "Start to Live" aka "Rebel with a Clause" (plus 12" with "Devil's Answer" live in Milan 1981) - Polydor POSP334 / POSPX334 (September 1981)
  • "End of the Day" / "Living Underground" aka "Night Living" (plus 12" with "Tomorrow Night" live studio rerecording 1981) - Polydor POSP408 / POSPX408 (February 1982)
  • "Land of Freedom" / "Carnival" (plus 12" with extended A-side) - Towerbell Records TOW37 / 12TOW37 (May 1983)

DVDs

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 33. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
  2. ^ Bored teenagers website
  3. ^ Charts & Awards "Billboard Albums". Allmusic.com. Retrieved 28 December 2010. {{cite web}}: Check |url= value (help)
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