Rating: **** (4 stars)
Title: The Crazy World of Arthur Brown
Company: Track
Catalog: 8190
Year: 1968
Grade (cover/record): VG+/VG+
Comments: minor ring, edge and corner wear
Available: 1
Price: $15.00
Here's a simple equation that serves as a decent career summary for Arthur Brown:
English + musician + eccentric = Arthur Brown
Today Brown's largely unknown, particularly to American audiences. If they recognize his name at all, it's almost certain as a result of his sole American hit; 1968's "Fire". That's unfortunate since over some three and a half decades, Brown's generated an extensive recording catalog; most of it unknown to all but hardcore collectors.
Having been expelled from the University of London, the mid-'60s found Arthur Wilton (aka Arthur Brown) pursuing a law degree at Reading University. Having formed a band to play parties and local clubs while earning some spending cash, graduating from college Brown dropped out of music and went into teaching. Having spent a couple of years working 9-to-5, in 1967 Brown decided teaching had been a mistake. Deciding music was his true calling he recruited keyboardist Vincent Crane, bassist Sean Nichols and drummer Drachian Theaker for The Crazy World of Arthur Brown. Featuring an eccentric combination of comedy, theatrics and rock and roll, the band quickly garnered exposure on the London club circuit, including the trendy UFO Club. Among fans, The Who's Pete Townshend took an active interest in the band, eventually convincing executives at Track Records (the Who's label) to sign Brown and company to a recording contract.
Produced by Kit Lambert with Townshend lending a hand, "The Crazy World of Arthur
Brown" stood as one of the year's strangest offerings. The combination of Brown's ranting vocals, Crane's fire breathing keyboards, combined with an-over-the-top stage show was unlike anything else on the market. Featuring a hodge-podge collection of musical genres, the album found the band taking stabs at a broad spectrum of styles, including psychedelia, hard rock, jazz, Sinatra-styled crooning ("Come & Buy"), and even R&B (a wild cover of Screamin' Jay Hawkins' "I Put a Spell On You"). Elsewhere, while it wasn't billed as such, the first five tracks actually served as a concept piece. Artistically fearless, Brown and company took enthusiastic shots at every genre;
indiscriminately mixing the ingredients on freak-out tracks such as "Prelude - Nightmare" and "Fanfare - Fire Poem" (geez, talk about a bad acid trip ... ). While not always successful, there was no denying the set's bizarre appeal. Released as a single Brown's frenzied performance on "Fire" b/w "Rest Cure" (Track catalog number 45-2556) provided the band with an unexpected American hit. In support of the fluke hit, the band undertook an American tour, their theatrical presentation - Brown frequently performed with a painted face while wearing psychedelic clothes and a flaming helmet, generating a wave of media attention. The hit and supporting tour propelled the parent album to #7. As an interesting side note, Brown's wild stage show and over-the-top image set him at odds with many conservatives; some who even branded him satanic. That was ironic since Brown was an admittedly deeply religious Christian, who worked Christian themes into much of his catalog (check out tracks such as "Time/Confusion" and "Child of My Kingdom").
"The Crazy World of Arthur Brown" track listing:
1.) Prelude/Nightmare (Arthur Brown) - 3:28
2.) Fanfare/Fire Poem (Arthur Brown - Vincent Crane) - 1:51
3.) Fire (Arthur Brown - Vincent Crane - Finesilver - Ker) - 2:54
4.) Come and Buy (Arthur Brown - Vincent Crane) - 5:40
5.) Time/Confusion (Arthur Brown - Vincent Crane) - 5:11
6.) I Put a Spell on You (Screaming Jay Hawkins) - 3:41
7.) Spontaneous Apple Creation (Arthur Brown - Vincent Crane) - 2:54
8.) Rest Cure (Arthur Brown - Vincent Crane) - 2:44
9.) I've Got Money (Arthur Brown) - 3:09
10.) Child of My Kingdom (Arthur Brown - Vincent Crane) - 7:01
Unfortunately, success took its toll. First Brown was hit with a copyright lawsuit; subsequently losing most of the royalties associated with "Fire." Adding to the group's problems, while at a party Crane was dosed with LSD. Left severely impaired, Crane had to drop out of the group and seek psychological help. (His replacement for the rest of the tour was Doug
Henningham.)
Rating: *** (3 stars)
Title: The Journey
Company: Passport
Catalog: 98003
Year: 1973
Grade (cover/record): VG+/VG+
Comments:
Available: 1
Price: $20.00
"The Journey" track listing:
1.) Time Captives (Arthur Brown) - 8:12
2.) Triangles (Kingdom Come) - 3:20
3.) Gypsy (Arthur Brown - Dennis Taylor)- 9:10
4.) Superficial Roadblocks (Kingdom Come) - 6:56
a.) Lost Time
b.) Superficial Roadblocks
c.) Corpora Supercelestia
5.) Conception (Kingdom Come - Arthur Brown) - 2:06
6.) Spirit of Joy (Harris - Arthur Brown - 3:15
7.) Come Alive (Kingdom Come) - 8:45
Rating: *** (3 stars)
Title: Dance with Arthur Brown
Company: Gull
Catalog: GULP 1008
Year: 1974
Grade (cover/record): VG+/VG+
Comments:
Available: 1
Price: $15.00
"Dance with Arthur Brown" track listing:
1.) We've Got To Get Out of This Place (Barry Mann - Cynthis Weil) -
2.) Helen with the Sun (Andy Dalby - Sue Dalby) -
3.) Take a Chance (Arthur Brown) -
4.) Crazy (Arthur Brown) -
5.) Hearts and Minds (Arthur Brown) -
6.) Dance (Arthur Brown) -
7.) Out of Time (Mick Jagger - Keith Richards) -
8.) Quietly with Tact (Andy Dalby - Sue Dalby) -
9.) Soul Garden (Arthur Brown) -
10.) The Lord Will Find a Way (Lee Robinson) -
11.) Is There Nothing Beyond God (Arthur Brown) -
Rating: **** (4 stars)
Title: The Lost Ears
Company: Gull
Catalog: SDGU 2003/4
Year: 1976
Grade (cover/record): VG+/VG+
Comments: double album; gatefold sleeve
Available: 1
Price: $30.00
"The Lost Ears" track listing:
1.) Internal Messenger (Arthur Brown - Finesilver - Ker) - 4:27
2.) Space Plucks (Arthur Brown - Vincent Crane) - 3:12
3.) Trouble (Dalby) -
4.) Brains Stanshall - Kingdom Come) -
5.) Night of the Pigs (Arthur Brown - Kingdom Come) - 4:00
6.) Creep (Arthur Brown - Kingdom Come)
7.) Creation (Arthur Brown - Mitchell - Taylor - Theaker - Rickell) -
8.) Gypsy Escape (instrumental) (Taylor - Harris) - 11:30
9.) Love Is a Spirit (Arthur Brown) - 3:56
10.) The Experiment (Kingdom Come) - 8:38
11.) The Hymn (Kingdom Come) - 6:01
12.) The Traffic Light Song (Kingdom Come) - 2:40
13.) Spirit of Joy (Harris - Arthur Brown) - 2:50
14.) Time Captives (Arthur Brown) - 7:07
15.) Conception (instrumental) (Arthur Brown - Dalby) - 2:00
16.) Come Alive (Kingdom Come)- 8:20
17.) Sunrise (Arthur Brown - Kingdom Come) - 6:52
18.) Triangles (Kingdom Come) - 3:20
19.) Metal Monster (Harris - Arthur Brown) - 1:47
20.) Space Plucks (including Dem Bones) (Arthur Brown - Vincent Crane) - 5:46
21.) So High Up Here (Arthur Brown - Mitchell - Taylor - Theaker - Rickell) - 2:30
22.) Through the Planets (Arthur Brown - Mitchell - Taylor - Theaker - Rickell) - 3:52
Rating: *** (3 stars)
Title: Chisholm in My Bosom
Company: Gull
Catalog: GULP 1023
Year: 1978
Grade (cover/record): VG+/VG+
Comments:
Available: 1
Price: $15.00