Why is it so cold out here?

 

I've been listening to Side 1 of The Crazy World of Arthur Brown.  It's been a while.  That first side is a coherent suite of songs, all dealing with variations of hellfire, with themes (lyrical, structural, melodical) that run throughout the side.  I'm not aware of any earlier album that attempts this (Beach Boys surf stuff does not count).  I'm way too old to be searching for the mother lode of prog, and we know that's a fool's game anyway, but it just struck me while listening to this album that this may be unique, as in first ever. 

 

Are there other, earlier, albums that are mining this vein? 

 

Rules:

 

At least one side of album must have lyrical thematic consistency.

At least one side of album must have intertwining and reimagined (within context of song)  melodic consistency.

At least one side of album must have screaming vocalist (just kidding).

 

 

 

 

Proto and Prog Related questions or topics should go in the Proto and Prog Related Lounge.

 

Fact is, Arthur Brown is worthy to mentioned in the same sentence as Fripp, Emerson, whoever.  Obviously, my post was referencing that Crazy World album, but Galactic Zoo is nothing but 5 star, and the rest ain't too shabby, as they say.  Not underrated, just unknown. 

Eh...I think people into 60's psych rock are pretty aware of the London scene and the time period.  This topic just happens to be about Arthur Brown.....theres many people very into the 60's psychedelic scene, definitely including the London scene.  In fact I'd say the London scene and the West Coast American scene are probably the two most known.

 

Sad that is all you can see in the post.

 

It's like saying that Vincent can't play with anyone else, and he was a major part of the other band too! 

 

I did not specifically care for the other stuff that much, though and I can not tell you why ... and will have to listen to it again. I had followed Arthur Brown and even bought the Kingdom Come album just as it came out, and I can safely say I "didn't get it" (in terms of listening to it) ... but I enjoyed it. And would like to listen to it again and compare what I thought then and think now.

 

It was simply "different", and actually reminds me of listening to Peter Hammill the first time. You come out of it going ... wow ... this is either really good, or this guy is out of it. When you hear another piece by them, you KNOW the difference.

 

And ... since we are in the subject of Arthur, not that sure that many would appreciate the neat things he did with Klaus Schulze ... which are excellent ... but probably too arty and strange and weird compared to this discussion?

 

I'm not about a "band" ... I'm usually about the artist ... and Brown as an artist is not a minor one. And neither is Crane and the Broughton's in my book!

 

And these kinds of people represent what "progressive" was and should be all about ... courageous people that did things ... totally out of the partk and norm of the day ... and did them well! I hope you do not fail to catch my reverence in this matter!