1969: Atomic Rooster – Music AmneZia1969: Atomic Rooster

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Atomic Rooster was an English progressive rock band, originally composed of former members of the The Crazy World of Arthur Brown. Throughout their history, keyboardist Vincent Crane was the only constant member, and wrote the majority of their material. Their history is defined by two periods: the early-mid-1970s and the early 1980s. The band went through radical style changes, however they are best-known for the hard, progressive rock sound of their hit singles, “Tomorrow Night” (UK No. 11) and “The Devil’s Answer” (UK No. 4), both in 1971. Atomic Rooster was a British progressive-rock group formed in 1969 with an original lineup of Vincent Crane (organ), Nick Graham (bass), and Carl Palmer (drums). Their debut album, Atomic Rooster, hit number 49 in the U.K. in June 1970, after which Graham and Palmer left the group. Crane maintained the name and recruited guitarist/singer John Cann and drummer Paul Hammond for the second album, Death Walks Behind You, which hit number 12 in the U.K., where it featured the number 11 single “Tomorrow Night,” and number 90 in the U.S. Pete French of Cactus assisted on the third album, In Hearing Of, which featured the number-four U.K. single “The Devil’s Answer” and reached number 18 in England and number 167 in America. Then the group split up again, and again Crane assembled a new Atomic Rooster, this time featuring singer Chris Farlowe, guitarist Steve Bolton, bassist Bill Smith, and drummer Rick Parnell. Made in England reached number 149 in the U.S. in 1972, but the group had split again by 1974. Crane fronted lineups of Atomic Rooster into the ’80s, before taking up with Dexys Midnight Runners in 1983. In 1989, he committed suicide.

Atomic Roooster (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

In the annals of Hard Rock and quasi Psychedlic bands of the 1960s and ’70s, there should be a place for Atomic Rooster. This British band, distinguished by keyboards, as well as the basic, guitar-bass-drums outfit, really did have some well-conceived and executed songs that stand the test of time. Their best album over all is In Hearing Of, with songs such as the propulsive”Your Head’s In the Sky,” raucous instrumental “A Little Bromide Helps the Pulse Rate Go Down,” and dirge-like “Black Snake.” Oh, yes, and the album cover is a hoot, too: on the front, an old lady is listening peacefully with her “earhorn,” on the back of the record cover, she’s spinning around looking shocked as all hell. That about sums up the boys’ effect on straight society — intentionally, of course.

Progressive rock
hard rock
blues rock
psychedelic rock

England

1971

1969–1975
1980–1983

Vincent Crane 1969 – d…1989
Carl Palmer 1969 -1970
Nick Graham 1969 -1970
John Du Cann 1970 – 1971, 1980 – 1981 d…2011
Paul Hammond 1970 – 1971, 1980 – 1984 d….1992
Ric Parnell 1970, 1971 -1974
Pete French 1971 – 1972
Steve Bolton 1971 – 1973
Chris Farlowe 1972 – 1974
John Goodsall 1973 – 1974
Preston Heyman 1980
Ginger Baker 1981
John Mizarolli 1983
Big John McCoy 1981
Bernie Torme 1981 – 1984

Albums

In Hearing of Atomic Rooster (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

1970 Atomic Roooster
1970 Death Walks Behind You
1971 In Hearing of Atomic Rooster
1972 Made in England
1973 Nice ‘n’ Greasy
1980 Atomic Rooster
1983 Headline News

Live albums

BBC Radio 1 Live in Concert 1972 (1993)
Devil’s Answer 1970-81 BBC Radio sessions (1998)
Live and Raw 70/71 (2000)
Live in Germany 1983 (2000)
Live at the Marquee 1980 (2002)

Compilation albums

Assortment (1974)
Home to Roost (1977)
The Devil Hits Back (1989)
Space Cowboy (1991)
The Best of Atomic Rooster Volumes 1 & 2 (1992)
In Satan’s Name: The Definitive Collection (1997)
The First 10 Explosive Years (1999)
Rarities (2000)
The First 10 Explosive Years Volume 2 (2001)
Heavy Soul (2001)
Homework (2008)
Close Your Eyes: A Collection 1965-1986 (2008; released under the name Vincent Crane)
Anthology 1969-81 (2009)

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

Devil’s Answer
Tomorrow Night 1971 Death Walks Behind You
Black Snake 1971 In Hearing of Atomic Rooster
Death Walks Behind You 1971 Death Walks Behind You
A Spoonful of Bromide Helps the Pulse Rate Go Down 1971 In Hearing of Atomic Rooster
Sleeping For Years 1971 Death Walks Behind You
Breakthrough 1971 In Hearing of Atomic Rooster
Decision/Indecision 1971 In Hearing of Atomic Rooster
I Can’t Take No More 1971 Death Walks Behind You
VUG 1971 Death Walks Behind You
Time Take My Life 1972 Made in England
Voodoo in You 1973 Nice ‘n’ Greasy
The Rock 1971 In Hearing of Atomic Rooster
Sly 1970 Atomic Roooster
Head in the Sky 1971 In Hearing of Atomic Rooster
Friday 13th 2006 Atomic Roooster
Stand by Me 1972 Made in England
Can’t Find a Reason 1973 Nice ‘n’ Greasy
Gershatzer 1971 Death Walks Behind You
Start to Live
Medley: Watch Out / Reaching Out
Dev’s Answer
Take It for Granted
7 Streets
Headline News 1983 Headline News
Seven Streets
Play The Game
Winter 1970 Atomic Roooster
Don’t Lose Your Mind 1980 Atomic Rooster
Metal Minds 1983 Headline News
Control of You
Friday the 13th 1970 Atomic Roooster