Best Atomic Rooster Studio Record
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Topic: Best Atomic Rooster Studio Record
Posted By: presdoug
Subject: Best Atomic Rooster Studio Record
Date Posted: February 02 2014 at 15:38
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The inimitable Atomic Rooster-I like all of their different phases and resultant recordings. This poll looks at studio records only, though Play It Again is live in part. There are also no best of compilations included here. My choice is definitely End Of The Day from 1982. In this record, the Death Walks lineup of Crane-du Cann-Hammond is reunited on record again. (though also with an added bass player in Big John McCoy) End Of The Day is great as it fuses together John du Cann's aggressive but vibrant guitar with Vincent Crane firing on all six cylinders, musically, and Paul Hammond pounding an infectious beat. McCoy is no slouch, either. It even includes a new version of Tomorrow Night. And the whole recording has a great production to it, better than the original Death Walks Behind You album. Unfortunately, EOTD went under the radar for many fans, and unjustifiably so. So what is your favorite studio effort? |
Replies:
Posted By: dr wu23
Date Posted: February 02 2014 at 15:42
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While the first 4 or 5 are all pretty good , Death is by far the best....imo. ------------- One does nothing yet nothing is left undone. Haquin |
Posted By: Man With Hat
Date Posted: February 02 2014 at 18:44
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D-Death. ------------- Dig me...But don't...Bury me I'm running still, I shall until, one day, I hope that I'll arrive Warning: Listening to jazz excessively can cause a laxative effect. |
Posted By: Sagichim
Date Posted: February 03 2014 at 00:36
| In Hearing Of... |
Posted By: verslibre
Date Posted: February 03 2014 at 01:19
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DWBY, followed by the debut. ------------- https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_ipg=50&_sop=1&_rdc=1&_ssn=musicosm" rel="nofollow - eBay |
Posted By: Cactus Choir
Date Posted: February 03 2014 at 02:40
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There's very little between the first three LPs which are all very good in terms of quality. In Hearing Of shades it due to featuring Pete French's great hard rock vocals, Paul Hammond's superb drumming, plus probably my favourite Rooster track Breakthrough. The later funk and metal combos were quite enjoyable but I think their peak era was the proggy/hard rock albums they made 1969-71. ------------- "And now...on the drums...Mick Underwooooooooood!!!" "He's up the pub" |
Posted By: ole-the-first
Date Posted: February 03 2014 at 02:43
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'Death Walks Behind You', followed by the debut LP, 'Made In England' and 'Atomic Rooster '80'. Never liked 'In Hearing Of Atomic Rooster'. ------------- This night wounds time. |
Posted By: proggman
Date Posted: February 03 2014 at 21:38
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Death Walks Behind You
------------- When he rides, my fears subside. For darkness turns once more to light. Through the skies, his white horse flies. To find a land beyond the night. |
Posted By: poeghost
Date Posted: February 04 2014 at 18:56
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This was tough for me to decide. It's a very close tie for Death Walks and In Hearing Of. I would have chosen Death Walks years ago, but these days I like In Hearing Of a little more. So that is what I voted for. |
Posted By: TODDLER
Date Posted: February 04 2014 at 20:12
| My favorite is In Hearing. I especially like the production on the drums. I like the sound of the snare drum on "Breakthrough" and of course the playing which comes across more sophisticated. I like Pete French as the vocalist, Vincent Crane is a wizard on keys, the guitar is produced well and fits the style of writing perfectly. It's a collection of dark songs which cross boundaries of Prog rock many times throughout the album, but especially to notice in the instrumental sections. The vocals are very open and grab your attention. The perfect amount of echo on Pete French's voice is utilized to produce a haunting affect on the listener. When he sings..."There must be a way outta here" on "Breakthrough" it's reminiscent of commonly used dynamics in musicals. It's producing the effect to the story line of the song and is well thought out by the band. "Black Snake" contains one of the strangest organ solos ever written in Progressive rock. It's very counterpoint in 1 particular section of the solo and the choice of notes to be held or sustained while other notes are being played are of the most creepy, blood thirsty, body freezing effect to make your mind drift off or travel to the darkside....whether you understand the darkside and the underworld or not..it makes no difference because Vincent Crane will take you there with the music. Even if it creates a small insignificant vibe like a long walk down a short, dark hallway....it will draw you in and creep up on you like arpeggiated equilibrium. I suppose Vincent Crane was a "dark child" himself, lighting candles..and practicing spells according to the reports of Chris Farlowe. Demonology, dark cloaks, an incense burner and the desire for death. The investigators decided to trace the pattern of Crane's final moment. Demons were awaiting!...and his appointment could not be broken. Think about the piano intro to "Death Walks Behind You". Vincent Crane made this band dark and interesting. |
Posted By: presdoug
Date Posted: February 04 2014 at 20:55
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^Hey, cool and insightfull post, Johnny. I remember Crane once said in an interview about keys playing, "It's just as much about what notes are not played, as those that are". Something to that effect. I always remember the time I saw Made In England guitarist Steve Bolton at a bus stop in downtown Ottawa, Canada around 1989. Did not chat with him, but there he was. |
Posted By: Tom Ozric
Date Posted: February 04 2014 at 21:51
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I have all the AR LP's but not 'Homework'. I still find their debut most wonderful and the album I spend most listening time with. That's the first vote for their S/T album !! ......oh yeah, and my ultimate favourite Rooster track is the song 'Black Snake' from 'In Hearing Of...' |
Posted By: Aussie-Byrd-Brother
Date Posted: February 05 2014 at 00:25
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Way to go, Tom (and welcome back from your holiday!), I feel exactly the same as you, and I know it was you personally who recommended I get that debut album at a Record Fair we went to. OK, so the vocals are a little dated, but the drumming is so snappy, plus all that sizzling Hammond work and those endless catchy tunes. When I eventually got it on CD, I burned a disc that had both this and the first Rare Bird albums onto one, both such special albums to me, and perfectly Bird related too!  Although the first three are all as good as eachother, I cannot believe so few votes for the first one! |
Posted By: Tom Ozric
Date Posted: February 05 2014 at 00:40
^ 
|
Posted By: tszirmay
Date Posted: February 05 2014 at 01:33
The Answer lies with the Devil. ------------- I never post anything anywhere without doing more than basic research, often in depth. |
Posted By: Aussie-Byrd-Brother
Date Posted: February 05 2014 at 02:02
That's a confusing answer, Thomas, because most of their albums have some kind of occult unease about them! 
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Posted By: Sagichim
Date Posted: February 05 2014 at 02:50
Could it be that the debut has two versions? One with guitars and one without guitars?? |
Tom Ozric wrote:Posted By: Tom Ozric
Date Posted: February 05 2014 at 03:12
^ No ; - one with tits and the other without  - seriously, I don't know the one with guitars - the LP I have (without the mammary glands) has Nick Graham on bass and flute mainly, and guitar on a song or two. Just love Crane's Hammond tone on this one (similar to Crazy World) and Carl's drums have an amazing sound for the time. Just one heck of an album.
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Posted By: Sagichim
Date Posted: February 05 2014 at 03:38
Yes, guitars appear in three songs if I remember correctly but I remember listening to a different version at a friend's house and his version had no guitars at all, or maybe they were just bonus tracks. Or maybe my mind wasn't so clear at the time 
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Posted By: VOTOMS
Date Posted: February 05 2014 at 04:34
| Atomic Rooster, followed by Death Walks Behind You |
Posted By: presdoug
Date Posted: February 05 2014 at 08:22
| ^hey, guys, cool to see some love for the debut. I remember hearing two different versions of "Friday the 13th", one with guitar and one without. I think one version was on a compilation. |
Posted By: TODDLER
Date Posted: February 05 2014 at 10:36
| Amazing to me how "Winter" from the debut...is reminiscent of Gentle Giant's songwriting. Although it doesn't have counterpoint, it creates the same style heard in Gentle Giant's 'Edge Of Twilight" Surf through tracks on Gentle Giant's debut and Aquiring the Taste ...then listen to "Winter". That's insane! The vocals, the melody, the choice of instruments for backing that are all in the vain of a Gentle Giant song. |
Posted By: Tom Ozric
Date Posted: February 05 2014 at 18:34
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^ Great comparison - I'll have to do this. I think there is a version of Friday 13th with DuCann on guitars. There are also several versions of Devil's Answer (one with Paul French on vocals and one with DuCann singing). There is a really tight instrumental on the 1980 S/T album called 'Watch Out!' - the drummer they had on that album is pretty good (session player Preston Heyman). Also worthy of note is the fantastic album by Crane and Arthur Brown from around this time, called 'Faster Than The Speed Of Light'. It's a real pearl. It should be included here at P.A..... |
Posted By: Andrea Cortese
Date Posted: February 06 2014 at 05:57
| Death Walks Behind You is the ultimate Atomic Rooster's album! |
Posted By: Xonty
Date Posted: February 06 2014 at 11:30
Death, shortly followed by In Hearing for me 
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Posted By: poeghost
Date Posted: February 08 2014 at 16:17
That is a cool observation. I do hear Gentle Giant in "Winter". I also hear "Child of My Kingdom" from The Crazy World of Arthur Brown in it. "Winter" is a beautiful sounding song. I have a 45 of "Friday The 13th" that I believe has the guitar added. I'll double check. There's also a remake of the song retitled "Save Me" on "Nice N Greasy". |
Posted By: Sagichim
Date Posted: February 28 2014 at 06:02
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Had to revive this poll to say lately I've been coming back to Made In England and forgot how good it is! I would gladly vote for it now, I love that soul thing going on there, I think it works perfectly for the band. Great album! |
Posted By: Barbu
Date Posted: February 28 2014 at 12:08
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Death Walks Behind You ------------- |
Posted By: Svetonio
Date Posted: March 01 2014 at 01:03
| Death Walks Behind You |
Posted By: Kentucky_Hawkwindage
Date Posted: March 01 2014 at 15:56
| I voted for Death Walks Behind You(what an awesome song as well),but i really like Made In England and Nice & Greasy as well. |