Atomic Rooster
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Atomic Rooster were an English progressive rock group formed by ex-Crazy World of Arthur Brown members, Vincent Crane and Carl Palmer in 1969. Their only hit singles came in 1971 with "Tomorrow Night" (a British #11 hit), and "The Devil's Answer" (which reached #4 in the British charts).
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[edit] History
In 1970, Atomic Rooster (at that time consisting of Crane, Palmer and Nick Graham) released their self-titled debut album.
Between Palmer's departure (to be one third of Emerson, Lake & Palmer), and the recording of a second album, guitarist John Cann (also credited as John Du Cann) joined the Rooster, giving a whole new dimension to the music with his distinctive guitar attack. Death Walks Behind You featured Paul Hammond on drums, and this record yielded "Tomorrow Night".
Having found success on the charts, the band was augmented with singer Peter French for their third effort on vinyl, In Hearing Of Atomic Rooster. It showed the band at full throttle, and yielded "The Devil's Answer". After this album, Cann, Hammond and French left the band. Peter French went to join Cactus, while John Cann and Paul Hammond teamed up with ex-Quartermass bass player John Gustafson and founded Hard Stuff.
Vincent Crane put the band together one more time recruiting 1960s British soul singer and ex-Colosseum vocalist Chris Farlowe, along with old chums John Goodsall, then known as "Johnny Mandala," and Ric Parnell (who composed material on the last album) and released Made in England.
They managed to release one more album, Nice 'n' Greasy, but the sound was somewhat diluted, although the tracks "Voodoo in You" and "Take One Take" reminded their fans of past glories. It proved to be their last record in the 1970s.
The band ceased to exist until the early 1980s, when Vincent Crane and John Ducann teamed up once again, going through a series of drummers and, during the New Wave of British Heavy Metal, had some hits in the charts like "Lose Your Mind" and a remake of "Tomorrow Night".
After this stint, Vincent Crane (born Vincent Rodney Cheesman, on 21 May, 1943, in Reading, Berkshire) went on to join Dexy's Midnight Runners in the mid-80s, and also recorded A Case For The Blues as part of Katmandu, a one-off project with Peter Green of Fleetwood Mac and Ray Dorset of Mungo Jerry. He died on February 14, 1989.
Du Cann recently licensed the release of the only existing tapes of Atomic Rooster that featured Crane, Palmer and himself: some BBC sessions recorded by John Peel in 1970 and 1971.
[edit] Discography
(Singles, lives, compilations and reissues are not listed.)
[edit] Studio albums
- (1970) Atomic Rooster
- (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
- (1986) Home to Roost
[edit] See also
- Progressive rock
- Roger Dean - features two album cover images
- Richard Wahnfried - Vincent Crane recorded 1 album with this project.
[edit] External links
[edit] Other definition
The Atomic Rooster was also a kind of bomb used in World War I. This blinds the person with a sudden flash not to kill them. This gives the enemy a chance to take their side. The Atomic Rooster was outlawed in 1950. Scientists had found the Atomic Rooster to contain mercury. This would kill anyone that inhales the gas.de:Atomic Rooster it:Atomic Rooster ja:アトミック・ルースター pt:Atomic Rooster
