1969: Atomic Rooster

 Feb, 18 - 2014   no comments   1970s Music


Atomic+Rooster-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

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

Atomic Rooster

  • 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

In Hearing of Atomic Rooster (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

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

Atomic+Rooster

  • 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

Atomic Rooster – In Hearing Of 1971 [FULL ALBUM]

 

DEATH WALKS BEHIND YOU [FULL ALBUM]

Atomic Roooster (1970) [FULL ALBUM]

The Ultimate Anthology 

I can’t take no more (Beat-Club Feb 1971) 

  • B & C
  • Dawn
  • Decca
  • EMI
  • Polydor
  • Towerbell
  • Pegasus
  • The Crazy World of Arthur Brown
  • Andromeda
  • Leaf Hound
  • Hard Stuff
  1. http://www.atomic-rooster.net/
  2. http://www.angelfire.com/ar2/vincentcrane/
  3. http://www.discogs.com/artist/310381-Atomic-Rooster
  4. http://www.last.fm/music/Atomic+Rooster
  5. http://www.allmusic.com/artist/atomic-rooster-mn0000611881/biography


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