The Crazy World of Arthur Brown

I need to try and dig that one out. I bet it has really held up over the years.

He use to come out on stage with something on his head that was actually on fire when he would do that song - " You're Gonna Burn, Burn............ Fire! "

Richard Pryor did the flaming bit too but I don't think it was on purpose.

If you like Arthur Brown, you should really dig Screaming Jay Hawkins, the originator of "I Put a Spell on You". He was Arthur Brown's main influence and inspiration. Indeed, I got deep into Screaming Jay Hawkins in the '60s, after first hearing his stuff done well, but less effectively, by Arthur Brown and by The Animals.

Vincent Crane was the keyboard player and actually wrote the song. He split off and formed atomic rooster.
There are actually quite a few brown albums worth owning and he has that screaming jay hawkins type shreiking down, which not everyone likes.

Arthur Brown: the rumor (who can remember accurately even the rumors of that era?) is that he was discovered by Peter Townsend as Pete heard him shrieking in the room next to his at a clinic. Brown had a mildly successful career until the crane which would deposit him onto the stage malfunctioned one night, leaving Brown suspended in air a few moments... in flames (he customarily would, while wearing protective clothing, be lit on fire to the opening bars of his signature song, and then quickly lowered to the stage to begin his concerts). Well, supposedly his mind regressed after that night and he was re-committed. I heard he came out again and tried to fire-up his career, but, alas, he was washed up. I think his work holds up remarkably well; can't hold the Screamin' Jay similarities against him, or one could summarily dismiss Clapton and Winwood for their "cloning" as well, no?

>> Vincent Crane was the keyboard player and actually wrote the song. He split off and formed atomic rooster. <<

And, if memory serves, the drummer was Carl Palmer (of ELP fame), who joined Vincent in Atomic Rooster. I saw Atomic Rooster at the Wheaton Civic Center *way* back when, I think the admission $.50 Awesome show...

Isn't that a brilliant Hammond organ in that piece?!
I recorded (on DAT) "Fire" right after another gem of the time: "The Days Of Pearly Spencer".... now that is a merry x-mas!!

I havn't heard Arthur in quite a few years; this thread made me dig out the vinyl. Any Wild Man Fisher fans out there? "The leaves are falling".

viridian, "come to rino records, on westwood blvd"....

I lived in LA for 18 years and made the rounds; I preferred Record Surplus. To each his own.
Marty

It does say on the album that Pete Townshend (the old psychoderelict himself) was one of the producers. In addition to Arthur's crazy screaming voice I love Vincent Crane's Hammond B3. I have the first Atomic Rooster album with Vincent Crane (there's a rooster's head right on the cover).

Arthur Brown continued to make great music throughout the 70s. His band Kingdom Come was a shining star in the space rock genre and recorded about 4 albums. The best of these was the spectacular "Journey" (available on the Voiceprint lable). No drummer on this record, but a cheap trend setting Bently drum machine. I hear that he now resides in Austin TX. practicing psychology. Hey Viridian... Monkeys vs. Donkeys!

I like Kingdom Come; didn't realize Arthur Brown was affiliated with them. "In Your Face" is my favorite Kingdom Come album.

Bob, that's a different band of a metal persuasion. Still lovin' your Rev B's.
Richard

Arthur moved back to england a few years ago and recently released a cd. He's always released stuff every 3 years or so since 1976, but you have to dig for them. He still plays live on occasion and uses 1 or 2 keyboard players and a drum machine. He made a video guest appearance on a k. shakur album about 2 years ago or so as well. He wore the original helmet from fire and started his famous shreiking at the end of that song too.
His albums of the 80's are kind of hit and miss a little bit & not as strong as his earlier material of the 70's. He gave up his royalties for "fire" to get off the track label and it's still in litigation.