The Crazy World of Arthur Brown [Import]

Arthur Brown | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (February 25, 1991)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Import
• Label: Polydor/PolyGram
• ASIN: B000006V2F
• Also Available in: Audio Cassette
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (48 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,041 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #22 in Music > Imports > Rock
  • #87 in Music > Classic Rock > Psychedelic Rock

Track Listings

1. Prelude - Nightmare (Mono Version)

2. Fanfare - Fire Poem (Mono Version)

3. Fire (Mono Version)

4. Come And Buy (Mono Version)

5. Time/Confusion (Mono Version)

6. Prelude - Nightmare

7. Fanfare - Fire Poem

8. Fire

9. Come And Buy

10. Time/Confusion

11. I Put A Spell On You

12. Spontaneous Apple Creation

13. Rest Cure

14. I've Got Money

15. Child Of My Kingdom

Editorial Reviews

1991 reissue of the 1968 debut by the theatrical rock singer's band, featuring both mono and stereo versions of five tracks, including the #2 smash 'Fire'. 15 tracks total.Pete Townsend was associate producer of the album. A Polydorrelease.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

39 of 41 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The Hieronymus Bosch of underground music!, September 3, 2001

By 

Gavin Wilson - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Crazy World of Arthur Brown (Audio CD)

Knowing only the 1968 classic 'Fire', it hadn't occurred to me, before I bought this album, that Arthur Brown was trying to deter people from indulging in naughtiness! He seemed to be having so much fun performing the single on 'Top of the Pops'. But Brown was a former philosophy student from York University -- some books say he had also been a teacher -- and the first five tracks of this album form a conceptual theme. To my knowledge, this is still the most recent pop album which has proposed a literal view of Hell as place of fire and damnation while still selling a bundle.

I first tried buying this album in 1973. But the LP had already been deleted. (I still keep the quirky correspondence from Virgin mail order regretting that they could not find the album in their 'dungeons'.) But what lasted for less than five years on LP has survived for ten so far on CD. It was re-released by Polydor in 1991, complete with mono and stereo versions of five of the tracks. In some instances (e.g. 'Time/Confusion'), the mono version sounds better. (In 1968 some listeners had stereo systems, but most of us in the UK had monaural Bush Dansette all-in-one portable record players.)

Brown's music was at a formative stage. To my ear there is not quite enough instrumentation -- a guitar might have helped here and there. The 'Austin Powers' movies have not helped the listenability of this Hammond organ-dominated style of music. It is not quite Vincent Crane's finest hour -- that would come with Atomic Rooster's DEATH WALKS BEHIND YOU. Nor is it Brown's. In 1973, Arthur Brown's Kingdom Come released the wonderful JOURNEY, which is easily among the top 20 rock albums of the last century. Unfortunately by 1973 he was practically forgotten, and the band was reduced to touring minor venues such as my school, where they gave the best concert I have ever witnessed. (JOURNEY was remastered on CD in the early 1990s for a single production run, which meant that it was deleted almost as soon as it was released.)

Brown had the voice of a Gillan/Dickinson/Blasquiz (only better), the weird imagination of Vivian Stanshall, and the manic strutting of Mick Jagger attempting one of John Cleese's silly walks. Was he a prophet or the devil? They say that the devil has all the best tunes. Sadly he doesn't seem to have enough of them, because Brown had to give away most of the royalties from 'Fire' when someone pointed out its similarities to another composer's tune. And I hate to say it, but isn't that the James Bond theme which Vincent Crane's left hand is playing on 'Child of my Kingdom'?

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An extraordinarily expressive & versatile singing voice!, September 17, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The Crazy World of Arthur Brown (Audio CD)

There are 3 things that make this album exceptional. The first is AB's singing voice: for those who have heard him it's obvious that he has a gift which few can equal. The second: the theme of the 1st half of the cd: a personal spiritual struggle of great tension. The third: Vincent Crane's fantastic Organ work & Carl Palmer's drumming. No guitar here, yet remarkably moving music that fits both the theme & ABs voice. "Fire" was/is a huge hit single, but the first 6 tunes are all great. Try Fire Poem or Come & Buy. AB is a very creative, ORIGINAL, & different artist. I say "buy"!

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The best of a breed, October 5, 2002

By 

Marc from Maine (Gray, ME USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Crazy World of Arthur Brown (Audio CD)

Before Arthur Brown there was little with which to compare his music...and his act! He was one of the first to really understand the theatricality of Rock n Roll, and a grand showman he became. From him flow Bowie, Cooper, Iggy and so many others. Before him there may have been Screaming Lord Sutch's "I Put A Spell On You" but Arthur's was even better...and more exciting. If Chris and Bruce read this they will remember and agree, as will anyone who saw him live.

This album was the begining of an era and a style, and although the Who had already dabbled with the rock opera format in "A Quick One While He's Away" the first side of this album was presented live as if it were a non-stop operatic piece and was mesmerizing. Close your eyes and imagine.

Oh, and just for the record, that is NOT Carl Palmer's drumming on the album, it is Drachian Thacker who was too scared of planes to make the tour wherein Carl Palmer was hired to play on the tour and then stayed with the band and accompanied Vincent Crane into Atomic Rooster.