Atomic Rooster
Atomic Rooster was a British
progressive-rock group formed in 1969 with an initial line-up of
Vincent Crane (real name Vincent Cheesman),
Nick Graham and Carl Palmer. Their debut album, Atomic Rooster,
hit Number 49 in the UK in June 1970, after which Graham and Palmer
quit the group.
Crane maintained the name and
recruited guitarist/singer John Du Cann, and drummer Paul Hammond for the
second album, Death Walks Behind You, which hit Number 12 in
the UK. This album also featured the Number 11 single Tomorrow
Night.
Pete French of Cactus assisted
in the third album, In Hearing Of, which featured the UK Number
4 single The Devil's Answer, and reached Number 18 on the
British album charts. Then the group split up again. Again Crane
assembled a new version of the band, this time with singer Chris
Farlowe, guitarist Steve Bolton, bassist Bill Smith and drummer Ric
Parnell.
Made In England reached
Number 149 in the US in 1972 but by 1974 the group had split once
again. Crane fronted line-ups of Atomic Rooster into the 80s before
taking up with Dexy's Midnight Runners in 1983. In 1989 he committed
suicide. 'Atomic
Rooster' isn't a name that's traveled well over the ages. Presumably
on their inception it suggested untold mystery and infinite
possibility. Then again, maybe not. Considering that Vincent Crane
once led an outfit called The Vincent Cheesman Trio, maybe he was just
crap at the name thing . . .
| The
Band |
Vincent Crane
Organ
Nick Graham
Bass
Carl Palmer
Drums
|
John Du Cann
Guitar/vocals
Paul Hammond
Drums
Chris Farlowe
Vocals
|
Steve Bolton
Guitar
Bill Smith
Bass
Ric Parnell
Drums |
|
