Atomic Rooster — Atomic Rooster
Atomic Rooster was the sixth full-length album from this( then) three-piece Rock band. First released in the year 1980, the album saw the band stepping away from its previous blues/funk rock meets blue-eyed soul sound, for a rawer hard rock/ proto metal/ slightly punked sound. Here from Cherry Red’s Esoteric Records is a double disc CD reissue of the album, taking in the original album, eleven bonus/ unreleased tracks, and a whole ten-track live set.
The two CDs come presented in a gloss dark blue digipak- on its front cover, we have the original album artwork of a Cockerel crowing. This also includes a fourteen-page inlay booklet, with a new eight-page write-up on the band and album by Steve Pilkington, as well as a good selection of live raw pics, and credits.
Atomic Rooster were first formed in 1969 by Vincent Crane- keyboards, and Carl Palmer- drums, who had just left The Crazy World of Arthur Brown. Initially, the project was going to involve Brian Jones, who had been given the boot by The Rolling Stones, though, of course, sadly soon ended up dead. So instead they ended up adding Nick Graham on bass/ vocals to the band- this first version of the band existed between 1969 & 1975- releasing five albums, which shifted from prog, though to blues/funk rock meets blue-eyed soul.
In the year 1980, the second version of the band appeared, bringing together Vincent Crane – Hammond organ, keyboard bass, John Du Cann – guitars, vocals, and Preston Heyman – drums, percussion- though this line up only stood for this album/ touring, as by the bands next/ to date last album 1983's Headline News, it was just Crane, Paul Hammond on drums.
The first disc in the set includes the original album's ten tracks, plus eleven bonus tracks- taking demos of album tracks, B-sides, and live tracks. The album kicks off with the bounding rock riff, gunning Hammond tones, and rapidly smashing ‘n’ crashing drums of “In Control Of You” all finished off with Du Cann vocals, which for this track sounds somewhere between rock & leering punk. We have the tightly bound guitar chugg and Hammond groove of “ Where’s The Show” with Du Cann sounding even more fired-up/ cheeky.
In the second half, we go from kettle drum edged, Hammond organ grooved, and strutting baying guitar of “Don’t You Lose Your Mind” with Du Cann sounding like a weird meeting between Alice Cooper and Johnny Rotten. To “Lost In Space” with its wailing/ full keyboards, gunning guitars, and baying to rocking vocals sounds like a collision between 70’s raw rock & strutting new wave.
The eleven bonus tracks on this disc give one a good idea of how the band was moulding/ perfecting the album tracks. As well as where this line-up may have gone next, as we get a recording of this version band's final track together, “Moonrise”, a short, climbing instrumental track.
The second CD features a ten-track set recorded in the legendary Marquee Club in 1980. And this nicely amps up the rawer rock/ proto-metal side of the band's sound. The tracks are fairly evenly split between tracks from the self-titled album and early albums. The whole thing is mastered/ recorded well, with a good balance between the three players, though maybe Heyman’s drums are a little low in the mix in places.
In finishing, it’s great to see this double disc release appearing, as it shows Atomic Rooster offering up a distinct take on their sound. One for those who enjoy where raw rock, proto-metal, punk/ new wave meet.