Crazy World of Arthur Brown (band)
Encyclopedia
The Crazy World of Arthur Brown were an English psychedelic rock
band formed by singer Arthur Brown
in 1967.
" (released in 1968 as a single) was one of the one-hit wonders in the United Kingdom
and United States
in the 1960s. "Fire" sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc
.
The line-up practically dissolved on US tour in 1969. Crane and Palmer left to form Atomic Rooster
, Greenwood (known as Sean Nicholas during his stay in CWOAB) went on to Khan
(as Nick Greenwood), Theaker to Love
and then Rustic Hinge, and Brown to Kingdom Come.
The band re-formed in 2000 and released Tantric Lover.
Psychedelic rock
Psychedelic rock is a style of rock music that is inspired or influenced by psychedelic culture and attempts to replicate and enhance the mind-altering experiences of psychedelic drugs. It emerged during the mid 1960s among folk rock and blues rock bands in United States and the United Kingdom...
band formed by singer Arthur Brown
Arthur Brown (musician)
Arthur Brown is an English rock and roll musician best known for his flamboyant, theatrical style and significant influence on Alice Cooper, Peter Gabriel, Marilyn Manson, George Clinton, Kiss, King Diamond, and Bruce Dickinson, among others, and for his number one hit in the UK Singles Chart and...
in 1967.
History
Their song "FireFire (Arthur Brown song)
"Fire" is a 1968 song by Arthur Brown, Vincent Crane, Mike Finesilver and Peter Ker. Performed by The Crazy World of Arthur Brown, it was released as a single and on the band's debut album, also called The Crazy World of Arthur Brown. The single made #1 in the UK and Canada. In October, it made #2...
" (released in 1968 as a single) was one of the one-hit wonders in the United Kingdom
One-hit wonders in the UK
This is a list of artists who have achieved one #1 hit on the UK Singles Chart and no other entry whatsoever on the chart. The Guinness Book of British Hit Singles uses this definition of "one-hit wonder", which is a controversial term with various other proposed definitions.-Methodology:A hit is...
and United States
One-hit wonders in the United States
A one-hit wonder is a Top 40 phenomenon; the combination of artist and song that scores huge in the music industry with one single, but is unable to repeat the achievement...
in the 1960s. "Fire" sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc
Music recording sales certification
Music recording sales certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped or sold a certain number of copies, where the threshold quantity varies by type and by nation or territory .Almost all countries follow variations of the RIAA certification categories,...
.
The line-up practically dissolved on US tour in 1969. Crane and Palmer left to form Atomic Rooster
Atomic Rooster
Atomic Rooster were an English progressive rock band, 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, in the early...
, Greenwood (known as Sean Nicholas during his stay in CWOAB) went on to Khan
Khan (band)
Khan were an English progressive rock band of the Canterbury Scene during 1971-1972.Formed by Steve Hillage from Uriel, the initial line-up was Steve Hillage , Nick Greenwood , Dick Heninghem and Pip Pyle...
(as Nick Greenwood), Theaker to Love
Love (band)
Love was an American rock group of the late 1960s and early 1970s. They were led by singer/songwriter Arthur Lee and lead guitarist Johnny Echols...
and then Rustic Hinge, and Brown to Kingdom Come.
The band re-formed in 2000 and released Tantric Lover.
Personnel of 1967–70 line-up
- Arthur BrownArthur Brown (musician)Arthur Brown is an English rock and roll musician best known for his flamboyant, theatrical style and significant influence on Alice Cooper, Peter Gabriel, Marilyn Manson, George Clinton, Kiss, King Diamond, and Bruce Dickinson, among others, and for his number one hit in the UK Singles Chart and...
– vocals - Vincent CraneVincent CraneVincent Crane was a self-taught pianist, who studied theory and composition at Trinity College of Music, and graduated in 1964...
– organ, organ bass pedals - Dick Heninghem - organ (second US tour and a few dates in the UK)
- Sean Nicholas Greenwood – bass guitar (1968) (born 2 March 1948, HertfordHertfordHertford is the county town of Hertfordshire, England, and is also a civil parish in the East Hertfordshire district of the county. Forming a civil parish, the 2001 census put the population of Hertford at about 24,180. Recent estimates are that it is now around 28,000...
, HertfordshireHertfordshireHertfordshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England. The county town is Hertford.The county is one of the Home Counties and lies inland, bordered by Greater London , Buckinghamshire , Bedfordshire , Cambridgeshire and...
) - Drachen Theaker – drums (album) (born John Theaker, 1949, ManchesterManchesterManchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
, LancashireLancashireLancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...
, died 1992) - Carl PalmerCarl PalmerCarl Frederick Kendall Palmer is an English drummer and percussionist. He is credited as one of the most respected rock drummers to emerge from the 1960s...
– drums (US tour) - Jeff Cutler - drums (second US tour only) (born Rowland Jeffries Cutler, 8 September 1941, TorontoTorontoToronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, OntarioOntarioOntario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, CanadaCanadaCanada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
) - Pete SolleyPete SolleyPeter "Pete" Solley is a Hammond organ player, pianist and a Grammy-nominated record producer. He has recorded with Eric Clapton, Al Stewart and Whitesnake as well as producing records for Ted Nugent, Oingo Boingo, Motörhead, The Romantics, Peter Frampton, The Sports, Wreckless Eric and many...
- organ (born Peter Solley, 19 October 1948, LondonLondonLondon is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
)
Singles
- 1967: Devil's Grip / Give Him A Flower (Track 604008 UK)
- 1968: Fire / Rest Cure (Track 604022 UK), (Atlantic 2556 US)
- 1968: Nightmare / Music Man (aka What's Happening) (Track 604026 UK)
- 1968: I Put A Spell On You / Nightmare (Track 2582 US)
Albums
- 1968: The Crazy World of Arthur Brown
- 1988: Strangelands [The long lost 2nd album] (recorded 1969)
- 2000: Tantric Lover (CD, UK, Voiceprint RecordsVoiceprint RecordsVoiceprint Records is a company and record label based in England, founded in 1990 by Rob Ayling. They specialise in re-releasing old material, especially progressive rock, but also have new releases, all under the Voiceprint and other imprints....
) - 2003: Vampire Suite (CD, UK, Track RecordsTrack RecordsTrack Records is an English record label founded in London in 1966 by Kit Lambert and Chris Stamp, then managers of hard rock band The Who. The most successful artists whose work appeared on the Track label were The Jimi Hendrix Experience, The Who, The Crazy World of Arthur Brown, Thunderclap...
) - 2007: Voice of Love (CD, Zoho Music)