Brown, Arthur

[nixe]

Arthur Brown
Wer kennt ihn nicht, den GOD of HellFire...
The Crazy World of Arthur Brown
http://www.arthur-brown.com

...er ist wieder da, obwohl er nie weg war. Doch wo war er???

[nixe]

Letzter Beitrag der vorhergehenden Seite:

1978/79 nahm er mit Klaus Schulze die Alben Dune und Time Actor (Richard Wahnfried) auf und begleitete diesen auch auf Tour (zu hören auf dem Track Dymagic auf Live).
Klaus Schulze & Arthur Brown- Dune Tour Rehearsals 1979 (Full Album) Cd 2
[BBvideo 360,250][/BBvideo]
01. Sunlight ( 30:53 ) 00-30:53
02. Way Across The Sand We Go ( 9:56 ) 30:53-40:49
03. Child Of Dawn ( 4:23 ) 40:49-45:12

Arthur Brown And Richard Wahnfried - Time Actor - ( 1979 )
[BBvideo 360,250][/BBvideo]

Klaus Schulze - Dymagic
[BBvideo 360,250][/BBvideo]
Recorded live in Amsterdam, 27 October 1979, with Arthur Brown. From the 1980 album "...Live...".

[nixe]

1980 – Faster than the Speed of Light (mit Vincent Crane)



Tracklisting:
01 Storm clouds
02 Nothing we can do
03 No
04 Bright getaway
05 Timeship
06 Come and join the fun
[BBvideo 360,250][/BBvideo]
07 Stormwind
08 Storm
09 This is it
10 Tightrope
11 Balance
12 Faster than the speed of light

Produktinfo
"Faster Than The Speed Of Light" resultiert aus einer Zusammenarbeit zwischen Arthur Brown und Vincent Crane.

Das Album wurde für das deutsche Innovative Communication Label aufgenommen, und es entstand zur gleichen Zeit als Brown gemeinsam mit Klaus Schulze an dessen Album "Time Actor" arbeitete.

Auf "Faster Than The Speed Of Light" trifft Arthur Browns wunderbarer Gesang auf die musikalische Vision von Vincent Crane - ein echtes Meisterwerk der 70er Jahre.

Inkl. Booklet mit komplett überholtem Artwork, Fotos & Linernotes. Remastered.

Product Information

One of the great overlooked albums of the 1970s, Faster Than the Speed of Light was the result of a collaboration between legendary Crazy World & Kingdom Come visionary Arthur Brown and his former Crazy World colleague (and Atomic Rooster leader) Vincent Crane.

The album was recorded for the German Innovative Communication label at a time when Brown was also collaborating with German Synthesiser genius Klaus Schulze (assuming the guise of RICHARDWAHNFRIED) on the album Time Actor , also released by Esoteric Recordings this month. The resulting record was a unique fusion of Brown s amazing vocals and eccentric musical visions and Crane’s innovative keyboard playing and arrangement ideas.

This newly re-mastered reissue restores the original album artwork and includes a new essay.

Diskografie (Auswahl)
Arthur-Brown-Set
1966 – The Game Is Over (Soundtrack)
The Crazy World of Arthur Brown
1968 – The Crazy World of Arthur Brown
1989 – Strangelands (aufgenommen 1969)
Arthur Brown's Kingdom Come
1970 – Jam
1971 – Galactic Zoo Dossier
1972 – Kingdom Come
1973 – Journey
1975 – Tommy
1975 – Dance
1976 – Lost Ears (als Arthur Brown’s Kingdom Come)
1976 – Tales of Mystery and Imagination (mit The Alan Parsons Project)
1977 – Chisholm in My Bosom
1979 – Dune (mit Klaus Schulze)
1979 – La Vie Electronique 7 (mit Klaus Schulze) (Wiederveröffentlichung 2010)
1979 – Time Actor (mit Richard Wahnfried)
1980 – Faster Than the Speed of Light (mit Vincent Crane)
1980 – ...Live.... (mit Klaus Schulze)
1982 – Requiem
1983 – Speak No Tech
1984 – The Complete Tapes of Atoya (mit Craig Leon)
1988 – Brown Black and Blue (mit Jimmy Carl Black)
1993 – Order from Chaos
1994 erlitt Brown während eines Konzerts einen Schlaganfall, von dem er sich nur mühsam erholte. 1997 produzierte er mit der deutschen Band Die Krupps eine Neuaufnahme seines Hits Fire.
1998 – The Chemical Wedding (mit Bruce Dickinson)
2000 – Tantric Lover
2000 – Curly's Airships (mit Judge Smith)
2002 – The Legboot Album - Arthur Brown on Tour
2003 – Vampire Suite
2003 – Fire - The Story Of
2007 – Voice of Love
2007 – Fifteen Years After (mit All Living Fear)
2013 – Zim Zam Zim

[nixe]

1982 – Requiem

Original vinyl album was released 1982;
Label: Voiceprint ‎-- VP125CD;

Credits:
Keyboards : Sterling Smith;
Synthesizer : Arthur Barrow, Darrel Johansen, Scott Morgan, Will Alexander;
Producer, Engineer : Earl Mankey;
Auxiliary Jupter 8 programming: Arthur Barrow;
Auxiliary Fairlight:Will Alexander;
Songs / Tracks Listing:
1. Requiem (6:10)
2. Mechanical Masseur (3:44)
3. Busha Busha -The Last Man Of Earth (3:51)
4. The Fire Ant and the Cockroach (5:31)
5. Chant / Shades (4:31)
6. Animal People (5:58)
7. Spirits Take Flight (4:32)
8. Gabriel (5:32)
Total Time 39:49

http://www.arthur-brown.com/pages/athur ... quiem/7144
[BBvideo 360,250][/BBvideo]
All songs published by Floating Tones
Tracklist:
01- Chant 00:00
02- Shades 02:09
03- Animal People 04:31
04- Spirits Take Flight 10:30
05- Gabriel 15:03
06- Requiem 20:36
07- Mechanicla Masseur 26:45
08- Busha Busha ( The Last Man on Earth) 30:30
09- The Fire Ant and The Cockroach 34:20
Bonus Tracks:
Tear Down The Wall 39:55
Santa Put A Spell On Me 43:57
Pale Stars 46:57
Chromatic Alley 52:38
Falling Up 55:28

[nixe]

1983 – Speak No Tech

Tracklist
1 King Of England
[BBvideo 360,250][/BBvideo]
2 Conversation
[BBvideo 360,250][/BBvideo]
3 Strange Romance
[BBvideo 360,250][/BBvideo]
4 Not Fade Away
5 The Morning Was Cold
[BBvideo 360,250][/BBvideo]
6 Speak No Tech
7 Names Are Names
8 Love Lady
9 Big Guns Don't Die
10 Take A Picture
[BBvideo 360,250][/BBvideo]
11 You Don't Know (1965)
[BBvideo 360,250][/BBvideo]
12 Old Friend My Colleague (1990)
13 Lost My Soul In London (1990)
14 Joined Forever (1990)
15 Mandala (1987)
16 Desert Floor (1987)
http://www.arthur-brown.com/pages/speak-no-tech/7262

"Speaknotech" by Scott Morgan at Riverside Studios, 1982
All the rest by Craig Leon at Lone Star Studios, Austin, 1981
Remixed with additional recording by Earle Mankey at His Own Studio, 1982

[nixe]

1984 – The Complete Tapes of Atoya (mit Craig Leon)

Tracklist:
01. Not fade away
02. The king of England
03. Morning was cold
04. Strange romance
05. Take a Picture
06. Conversation
07. Names as names
08. Big guns don’t lie
09. Lovelady

Besetzung:
Arthur Brown: vocal
David Flipse: sounds
M. H. Kollaart: sounds
Craig Leon: composer

http://mp3juices.re/mp3/Arthur+Brown+%3B+Craig+Leon

[nixe]

1988 – Brown Black and Blue (mit Jimmy Carl Black)


Tracklist:
A1 Fever 3:10
A2 Monkey Walk 3:46
A3 Unchain My Heart 3:14
A4 Got My Mojo Working 5:12
A5 Smokestack Lightning 4:12
B1 Hound Dog 2:14
B2 Help Me 3:27
B3 The Right Time 3:55
B4 Stand By Me 3:55
B5 The Lord Is My Friend 2:31

Zwei Underground Helden im Mainstream
Von Klaus Wolter am 24. Juni 2014

I'm not amused. Hatte ich mir doch soviel von dieser Platte erwartet. Auf der einen Seite Arthur Brown eine Leitfigur des UK Underground der frühen 70er auf der Anderen Jimmy Carl Black Mitglied der genialen Mothers of Invention. Ein Zusammentreffen das viel erwarten lässt und doch so gar nichts bietet. Standards haben die beiden sich vorgenommen, Standards wie Fever, Stand by me, unchain my heart... etc. Und Standard wird abgeliefert. Die Coverband vom Schützenfest scheint den Background zu machen. Arthur singt wie es halt zum Schützenfest passt. Kaum einmal das seine Performance funkelt wie auf seinen eigenen Werken. Schade, im Gegensatz zu diesem Werk ist seine LP Dance, die für mich bis jetzt seine Schwächste war, immer noch ein kleines Juwel, da wurde einfach noch nach interessanten Sounds gesucht, hier dagegen Fehlanzeige.Dies wird eine weitere Regalleiche im Archiv.

[nixe]

1993 – Order from Chaos recorded live at the Marquee, London, England, June 1993



Tracklist: Hide Credits
1 When you open the Door 6:56
Arranged By – Brown*, Danford*, May*, Ward*, Millsapps*Written-By – Danford*, Ward*
2 When you open the Door (Pt 2) 3:58
Arranged By – Brown*, Danford*, May*, Ward*, Millsapps*Written-By – Danford*, Ward*
[BBvideo 360,250][/BBvideo]
3 King of England 7:55
Written-By – Leon*
4 Juices of Love 5:36
5 Nightmare 4:25
6 Fire Poem 3:16
Written-By – Sinesilver*, Ker*, Crane*
7 Fire 4:03
Written-By – Sinesilver*, Ker*, Crane*
8 Come & Buy 8:02
Written-By – Crane*
9 Pick it up (instrumental) 5:50
Written-By – Ward*
10 Mandela 9:41
Written By – Morgan
11 Time Captains 11:09
Written-By – Brown/Kingdom Come*
12 I put a Spell on you 5:10
Written-By – Screaming Jay Hawkins*


Credits:
Bass – Jeff Mays (2)
Drums – Stuart Millsapps
Guitar – Randall Ward
Keyboards – Jeff Danford
Photography – David Want, Mimi, Tony Woolgar
Recorded By – Todd Dillingham
Vocals – Arthur Brown
Written-By – Brown* (tracks: 1 to 8, 10)

http://only-solitaire.blogspot.com
Mr. Brown hit fifty in 1991, not a particularly bad year for music — and I have no idea if his de­cision to reactivate his motor was due to the fact that he sensed fashions changing and maybe even a renewed demand for his kind of music in the air, or if he just woke up one morning with a nagging sense of having wasted a decade of his life on «Nothing Much». Whatever be, the early 1990s saw the man returning, if not to creating new music, then at least to reliving the old one — obviously, he was not much of a stadium seller, but all the small elitist clubs could have him, par­ticularly if he came with a guarantee of craziness.

This live album, released on the small Voiceprint label, captures Arthur during one of these shows, at the Marquee Club in London, June 25, 1993 — apparently, one day after his fifty-se­cond anniversary, since birthday announcements are made several times and ʽHappy Birthdayʼ rips out of the blue at one point during an instrumental jam section. Judging by the atmosphere, it was a pretty fun birthday, considering that he hadn't played live in England for something like a decade and a half — and certainly more fun than one year later, when he passed out on stage in the middle of a brain haemorrhage, which led to a six-month hospital stay and brought the whole «live revival» thing to an abrupt stop. A temporary one, of course: «The God Of Hellfire» would never let himself be brought down by such a trivial thing as a cerebrovascular accident.

Brown's touring band consists mainly of unknowns here: the playing is fine enough (Jeff Danford does a particularly respectable job of filling in for the late Vincent Crane on all the classic numbers), but the chief emphasis is on the show (either the whole thing or parts of it were supposedly filmed as well, and available on Youtube for all those who like seeing aging glam-art-rock stars doing crazy stuff on stage) and Arthur's persona — predictably enough. The setlist, as can be easily seen, is heavily tilted towards Crazy World, since, by 1993, if anybody vaguely remembered anything about Arthur Brown, it all had to be tied to the 1969 album, and the God of Hellfire obliged — coming up with solid recreations of ʽNightmareʼ, ʽFireʼ, ʽCome And Buyʼ, and, of course, ʽI Put A Spell On Youʼ.

But he does go further than that, and in a much less predictable fashion. Kingdom Come is paid tribute with ʽTime Captivesʼ (actually a medley here, with ʽSpirit Of Joyʼ thrown in the middle as well), and Arthur's early 1980s synthesizer experiments are honored with bits from ʽThe Fire Antʼ (incorporated inside ʽMandelaʼ), while ʽKing Of Englandʼ gets a more guitar-oriented re­arrangement than it had on Speak No Tech (not necessarily becoming more interesting in the process). And then there is some new material, including the opening two-part suite ʽWhen You Open The Doorʼ, also written and performed much in the style of Kingdom Come. Was it a shelved outtake or something?

Overall, the impression is positive. The worst possible impression from such things is that of a desperate old wreck, cashing in on fossilized bits and pieces of former success, out of time, out of mind, and very transparently out of money. But here, even without the video, it is clear that the man is nimble, agile, and still feeling quite cozy in his «Supernatural Shoes»: neither the voice nor the spirit have aged a bit (actually, Arthur has got quite an advantage here: like Ian Anderson, he was intentionally downplaying his youthfulness in his prime, looking and sounding about twenty years older than he actually was, and this paid off handsomely in the long run — he ne­ver had the Mick Jagger problem weighing on his shoulders).

The new numbers on their own may not give enough of an incentive to rush out and grab the al­bum: ʽWhen You Open The Doorʼ is strictly for major fans of Kingdom Come; ʽJuices Of Loveʼ is an artsified R'n'B number that is neither too stupendous nor too memorable; and ʽPick It Upʼ is a somewhat formulaic blues-rock shuffle that is a bit too heavy on synthesizers for my taste. But they fit in well with the golden oldies, and the resulting mix is quite a faithful and sympathetic portrait of Arthur Brown at fifty-two. Too bad that Requiem is underrepresented, of course, but honoring the short memories and limited knowledge of Marquee Club audiences was an under­standable priority, I guess, so thumbs up all the same.

[nixe]

1998 – The chemical Wedding (mit Bruce Dickinson)

BRUCE DICKINSON The Chemical Wedding (Original 1998 US 10-track advance promotional CD for the 6th Studio album by the Iron Maiden front man released through his own Air Raid Records label, including Killing Floor. Featuring Adrian Smith and RoyZ on guitar and guest apperance from Arthur Brown who reads out sections from William Blake's prophetic works. Custom printed disc complete with a custom picture sleeve CMCSP862592)
Tracklisting:
1. King in Crimson 4:43
2. Chemical Wedding 4:06
3. Tower 4:45
4. Killing Floor 4:29
5. Book of Thel 8:13
6. Gates of Urizen 4:25
7. Jerusalem 6:42
8. Trumpets of Jericho 5:59
9. Machine Men 5:41
10. Alchemist 8:27
2005 extended edition bonus tracks:
11. Return of the King 5:06
12. Real World 3:59
13. Confeos 7:35

wikipedia:
The Chemical Wedding is the fifth solo album by English heavy metal singer Bruce Dickinson, released on 14 July 1998 through Sanctuary Records. The record draws some inspiration from the works of William Blake, featuring sung and spoken excerpts of his prophetic works and poetry (notably And did those feet in ancient time on the track Jerusalem), and with cover art from his painting The Ghost of a Flea, although the name of the album and its title track derive from the Rosicrucian manifest the Chymical Wedding of Christian Rosenkreutz. As with the previous album, it featured Iron Maiden guitarist Adrian Smith, then a member of Dickinson's solo outfit.

The film, Chemical Wedding, with a screenplay by Dickinson, was released in May 2008. It features the title track from the album on its soundtrack, but concerns a story about the reincarnation of Aleister Crowley and is otherwise unrelated.

Guest Musicians: Arthur Brown — voice (tracks 5, 7, 13)

[nixe]

2000 – Tantric Lover

CD TRACKLIST
1 All The Bells
2 Tantric Lover
3 Paradise
4 The Bridge
5 Circle Dance
6 Pool of Tears
7 Soul Sensation
8 Swimfish
9 Voices of Love
10 Fire
11 Love is a Spirit
12 Gabriel
13 Healing Sound
14 Heartaches
15 Miranda
16 Welcome

DATE PUBLISHED : 2002 Limited Edition (500)
This is a quality Audio CD album produced by the fan club

01 Paradise
02 Tantric Lover
03 The Bridge
[BBvideo 360,250][/BBvideo]
04 Circle Dance
05 Swimfish
[BBvideo 360,250][/BBvideo]
06 Voices of Love
[BBvideo 360,250][/BBvideo]
07 Gabriel
[BBvideo 360,250][/BBvideo]
08 Love is a Spirit
[BBvideo 360,250][/BBvideo]
09 Heartaches
[BBvideo 360,250][/BBvideo]
10 All The Bells
[BBvideo 360,250][/BBvideo]
11 Healing Sound
12 Welcome
[BBvideo 360,250][/BBvideo]


Credits:
Cello, Bass – Stan Adler (2)
Drums – Malcolm Mortimore
Lead Vocals, Acoustic Guitar – Arthur Brown
Organ – Derek Austin
Organ, Guitar – Chris Kenny, Rick Patten
Producer – Arthur Brown, Malcolm Mortimore, Phill Brown
Saxophone – John Claydon
Trombone – Gordon Campbell

AllMusic Review by François Couture [-]

So Arthur Brown's name remains irremediably attached to the late-'60s freakout hit "Fire." So his numerous subsequent albums and projects never eclipsed that one fulgurous shot at stardom. Yet the man kept on going, re-emerging periodically with a new serving of songs. And in all of them remains one element: the voice. That unusually powerful, charismatic voice upon which aging seems to have no hold is what gives Tantric Lover its soul. Beyond the battered-up Summer of Love lyrics and the acoustic guitars, the voice is still a strange attractor and enough reason to turn your ear to this album. That is not to say that Brown's writing doesn't deserve your attention. On the contrary, his songs are sharp and listener-friendly. Backed by an acoustic bassist doubling as cellist (Stan Adler), a drummer versed in ethnic percussion, and multi-instrumentalist Rik Patten (who handles guitars and Hammond organ), the singer tells his stories as if to a group of his close friends. "Paradise" pairs a whispered narrative with a soaring chorus line in pure Crazy World fashion. "Circle Dance" has a delightful acoustic folk-rock feel. In "Gabriel," Brown displays his vocal range, reaching impossible lows as he explains how the Virgin Mary may have been enamored of the archangel. All the tracks are not that good: The ballads "Welcome" and "Swimfish" along with the musical theater love song "Heartaches" remain too syrupy to really catch the attention. But Tantric Lover is an honest effort, true to Brown's persona.

[nixe]

2000 – Curly's Airships (mit Judge Smith)

http://www.curlysairships.com/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curly%27s_Airships
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Judge_Smith
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imperial_Airship_Scheme
Allgemeine Angaben:
Erscheinungsjahr: 2000
Besonderheiten/Stil: Konzeptalbum
Durchschnittswertung: 12/15 (2 Rezensionen)

Besetzung:
Judge Smith[thumbnail]https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/ ... _Smith.jpg[/thumbnail] bass, vocals, drum tracks

Gastmusiker:
Arthur Brown[thumbnail]http://thumbs.dreamstime.com/z/british- ... 714472.jpg[/thumbnail] vocals
Pete Brown[thumbnail]https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/ ... _Brown.jpg[/thumbnail] percussion, vocals
John Ellis[thumbnail]http://lair.thestranglers.net/jellis.jpg[/thumbnail] electric gtuitars, ebow, mandolin
Peter Hammill[thumbnail]http://i.ytimg.com/i/16d1l_zQPnubqMlTk2QoLg/1.jpg[/thumbnail] vocals
Hugh Banton[thumbnail]https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/ ... Banton.jpg[/thumbnail] organ, piano
David Jackson[thumbnail]https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/ ... sician.jpg[/thumbnail] saxes, whistles
David Shaw-Parker acoustic guitar, banjo, vocals & actor
Paul Roberts[thumbnail]http://www.soulsec.com/images/bio/paul.jpg[/thumbnail] vocals
Paul Thompson vocals
Joe Hinchcliff accordion
Rikki Patten supplementary guitar
Ian Fordham bass, double bass
René van Commenée tabla, ghatam, tambura
Tammo Heikens sitar, tambura
Nick Lucas vocals, actor
Gwendolyn Gray actress
Mike Bell actor
The Mystery Marching Band

[BBvideo 360,250][/BBvideo]

Tracklist:
Disc 1
1. Chapter I: Curly comes through

1. Voices from a crystal set 3:16
2. Walking her out 4:11

2. Chapter II: Curly's conducted tour

1. Curly takes us up 6:44
[BBvideo 360,250][/BBvideo]
2. Drifting about like a bad smell 3:09

3. Chapter III: Curly in the clouds 8:45
4. Chapter IV: Catastrophe

1. A capital idea 4:00
2. A shrieking of aluminium 6:53

5. Chapter V: Curly on Civvy street 5:59
6. Chapter VI: A great british compromise

1. That imperial airship scheme 3:24
2. From the sidelines 4:10

7. Chapter VII: A kindly sort of cove 6:24
8. Chapter VIII: Curly at Cardington 6:42
9. Chapter IX: Lord of a continent

1. A creature of grace 3:45
2. A byronic sort of blighter 4:57
[BBvideo 360,250][/BBvideo]

Gesamtlaufzeit 72:19

[BBvideo 360,250][/BBvideo]

Disc 2
1. Chapter X: Big chief and some minor bugs 6:12
2. Chapter XI: Curly's close shave

1. The canadian run 4:39
2. Conan Doyle & the flying sieve 2:38
3. Horrors at Hendon 4:47

3. Chapter XII: Cutting the lady in half

1. As safe as a house 5:24
2. A ship of fools 6:12

4. Chapter XIII: Curly gets the creeps

1. The night before 7:38
2. The morning after 4:07

5. Chapter XIV: Curly cashes his chips

1. Bedford to Hastings 9:16
2. Hastings to Beauvais 9:13

6. Chapter XV: Carry on Curly

1. The muffled drum 4:33
2. The final taboo 6:04

Gesamtlaufzeit 70:43

Von: Andreas Pläschke

Mr. Smith war neben Hammill Mitbegründer von Van der Graaf Generator, und hat mit diesem auch an dessen "HOUSE OF USHER"-Oper mitgearbeitet. Im letzten Jahr erschien nun von diesem (via Eigenvertrieb "www.curlysairships.com") die oben genannte "Curly's Airship" als Doppel-CD. Und wie es sich gehört, wirken neben Arthur Brown (genau der mit "FIRE"), Pete Brown, John Ellis und anderen auch HAMMILL, JACKSON und BANTON mit.

Smith selbst bezeichnet die CD als SONGSTORY - es geht um den Versuch der Engländer, am Anfang des Jahrhundert Luftschiffe zu bauen. Eines der Luftschiffe ging dann beim Jungfernflug in Flammen auf. Die Vocals sind wie bei USHER auf verschiedene Rollen verteilt, Hammill z.B. singt einen Lord (im Booklet werden die Mitwirkenden entsprechend ihren Rollen gekleidet gezeigt, und die Band als Luftschiffer, allein das Foto von Hammill ist den Preis wert). Überhaupt ist die Aufmachung sehr liebevoll, neben dem Booklet mit der Geschichte gibt es ein weiteres mit den gesamten Texten und Anmerkungen von Smith über seine Arbeitsweise. Musikalisch ist die Songstory in 15 Kapitel unterteilt, Smith verwendet verschiedene Leitmotive, um wiederkehrende Themen auch kenntlich zu machen.

Das Ganze erinnert sehr an "Usher", ist allerdings durch die größere Besetzung zumindest instrumental abwechslungsreicher. Zu Beginn dachte ich erst, ich höre verlorene frühe VdGG Tracks, so ähnlich ist die Musik der ehemaligen Band. Allein mal wieder Bantons feines Orgelspiel zu hören lohnt die CD. Auch gesanglich erinnert Smith etwas an Hammill. Auf Dauer wirkt der Gesang für meine Ohren allerdings zu wenig abwechslungsreich.

Da es eine Songstory ist, wird die Geschichte eher erzählt, den wirklich gesungen. Auch ist Smith's Stimme in meinen Ohren nicht flexibel genug, um der Musik gleichwertiges entgegenzusetzen. Die Gastauftritte von Hammill oder Brown sind da angenehme "Unterbrechungen". Trotzdem, ein gelungenes Lebenszeichen von Judge Smith.
Vergleichbar mit: Hammills USHER

von: Jürgen Wissing

Judge Smith war Mitbegründer von Van der Graaf Generator und schrieb neben Peter Hammill auch einige der früheren VdGG Songs. Mit der Solokarriere nach seinem Ausstieg hat es nie wirklich geklappt bei Judge, der viele Jahre im Verborgenen werkelte, somit regelrecht von der Bildfläche verschwand und erst mit diesem Doppel -Konzeptalbum,an dem er fast sieben (!) Jahre lang arbeitete, mal wieder - leider nur kurz - wahrgenommen wurde.

Es ist ein mutiges, fantastisch recherchiertes Gesamtkunstwerk geworden, das zwischen den Stilen schwebt und inhaltlich vor allem eine zornig - spöttische Abrechnung mit dem Größenwahn der Britischen Gesellschaft der 20er und 30er Jahre des vorigen Jahrhunderts darstellt.

Für seine Songstory holte sich Judge neben seinen früheren Mitstreitern Hammill, Banton und Jackson noch Arthur Brown ("Fire") und eine Reihe weiterer interessanter Mitwirkender, teils für Gesangsparts, teils für die variabel gestaltete instrumentale Begleitung. Die Vielfalt macht übrigens einen guten Teil der Qualität des Werkes aus.

Erwähnt werden muss noch, dass ursprünglich geplant war, das Stück einem Musical ähnlich als Bühnenstück aufzuführen. Das Projekt scheiterte jedoch an finanziellen Problemen.

Von der Recherchearbeit und der liebevollen Aufbereitung des Themas macht sich der Hörer am Besten einen umfassenden Eindruck, wenn neben der humorvoll aufgemachten Website insbesondere die beiden umfangreichen Booklets konsultiert werden. Die Booklets sind der eigentliche Schlüssel zur Story und der musikalischen Umsetzung. Eine wahre Fundgrube - für echte Interessierte mit etwas mehr Zeit...

Smith's Songstory lässt sich musikalisch durch seine vielen verschiedenen Stilarten, die aber ohne Brüche in den Ablauf eingebaut sind, nicht in gängige Schubladen stecken. Auch kann man nicht von einer generellen Prog-Ausrichtung sprechen. So entscheide jeder für sich, was er/sie aus den CDs heraushört.

Ich gebe zu, dass ich mich anfangs wegen der Mitwirkung Peter Hammills als Gastsänger für das Album interessierte, doch bereits nach dem ersten Hördurchlauf war ich derart von dem Gesamtwerk fasziniert, dass ich völlig vergessen hatte, wo und was eigentlich Hammills Beitrag gewesen war. Judge's Stimme - er singt als Curly die Hauptrolle - ist angenehm, trotzdem markant, mit typisch britischem Akzent und durchaus abwechslungsreich. Er versteht es, die unterschiedlichen Situation, in denen der Protagonist zu Wort kommt, gefühlvoll zu interpretieren.

Wir haben es hier mit einem einzigartigen, außergewöhnlichen Stück Musik zu tun. Es besticht durch ein von A bis Z klug durchdachtes und sehr stimmiges Konzept. Für den Hörer, der sich in die Story beim Hören (und Lesen) ganz hinein zu versetzen vermag (oder wer auch mal Opfer des Größenwahns "Oberer" wurde), ist es ein besonderes "Gänsehaut-Album".

Empfehlung für alle RetroProg - Anhänger, die britische Songwriter - Qualitäten ebenso schätzen wie schrägen Stilmix. Very British - und deshalb für mich optimal!
Anspieltipp(s): in Ruhe ganz hören (mit Booklets)
Vergleichbar mit: nichts, was ich kenne!

[nixe]

2002 – The Legboot Album - Arthur Brown on Tour

CD Tracklist:
1 Hard Rain
2 All The Bells
3 I Put a Spell On You
4 Voices of Love
5 Fire Poem
6 Fire
7 That's How Strong My Love Is
8 Kites
9 Devil's Grip

Arthur Brown - Vocal
Chris Bryant - Guitar
Nick Pynn - Violin, Dulcimer, Guitar, Bass Pedals

http://www.arthur-brown.com/products/ar ... boot/19976
Released in October 2002 to coincide with Arthurs tour with Robert Plant the band at that time put the liver set to CD. There were 4 editions of this CD, the first 30 Arthur hand made the cover himself, There was a batch of around 200 that had a black and white cover, there is the fan club edition that are all numbered, and there was a slim line jewel case version. All these cd’s were sold at gigs or via this web site.

THERE ARE NO PLANS TO RE-RELEASE THIS ALBUM