• The history of the
band •
Early days and "Fire" and Atomic Ro-o-oster
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• The history of the
band •
Early days and "Fire" and
Atomic Ro-o-oster
 Born in Reading on 21/5/43, Vincent's formal
Music Training was at Trinity College of Music, London . He studied there for three years
and gained his LTCL and GTCL. His early bands were J.C. & THE MACHINE (with Phil
Kinnora, Ray Dussel, John McVee and Bob Downes) and the jazz and poetry group THE WORD
ENGINE (founded by Paul A. Green,
with Red Reece, Phil Seaman, Pete Brown, John Surman and Bob Downes. His first
professional gig was at the Marquee Club, London, in 1963 as the VINCENT CRANE BAND. |
 In 1966, he joined up with Arthur Brown and
formed THE CRAZY WORLD OF ARTHUR BROWN and by 1967 they were playing gigs such as the UFO
Club, Tottenham Court Road; the Alexandra Palace 'Love In'; the Reading Festival and the
Montrose Festival. During 1968 they were out on their 1st American Tour and the
"Fire" single and "Fire" album topped the USA charts. The single was
No.1 in England & Europe, and the album Top 5 . The band headlined at that year's
Reading Festival. In 1969 they returned to America playing Fillmore East and Madison
Square Garden. By the end of the year and after a 3rd USA tour problems had set in.
Vincent lived in New York for three months and finally returned to England with Carl Palmer on Friday the 13th.
During 1970 they formed ATOMIC ROOSTER as decided in New York, and the band's first gig
was headlining at the Lyceum, London, with DEEP PURPLE as support. The 1st ATOMIC ROOSTER
single was "Friday the 13th", c/w "Banstead" and the 1st Album
"Atomic Ro-o-oster". |
 In
1971 John DuCann joined ATOMIC ROOSTER and added guitar to the American version of
"Atomic Ro-O-oster". Carl Palmer left to join ELP and Paul Hammond joined
ROOSTER as drummer. This year saw the band's 1st hit single "Tomorrow
Night",/c/w "Play the Game" and their 1st Top 10 album "Death Walks
Behind You", followed by a 2nd hit single "Devil's Answer",c/w "Play
the Game". The band also played the Reading Festival.(During this year, Vincent also
guested on piano for the Self Titled "Rory Gallagher" album released on
Polydor.) |
 In
1972 Pete French joined the band on vocals and they played the Oval with the WHO
headlining. A 3rd album was released, "In Hearing of.." with cover design by
Roger Dean. This was the year of ATOMIC ROOSTER'S 1st USA tour, playing the Troubadour, LA
and Fillmore East, NY. John DuCann and Paul Hammond left the band to form HARD STUFF with
Johnny Gustaveston and Ric Parnell & Steve Bolton joined. Pete French left to join
CACTUS with Carl Minnaplice, replaced in ROOSTER by Chris
Farlowe .The band then went on to release their 4th album "Made in England"
and the 1st Compilation was released, "Atomic Rooster Assortment". The 2nd tour
took in the LA Amphitheatre, the Texas 'Rose Bowl' and the Dusseldorf 'Rock Festival' with
DEEP PURPLE and FREE. A 3rd single was released "Stand by Me, c/w
"Breathless". In 1974 the 5th ATOMIC ROOSTER album was released "Nice &
Greasy" and a 2nd Compilation "Home to Roost". The band left Gaff
Management and toured Spain, Italy, Germany, Holland & Portugal. In 1975 after a tour
of Belgium, France, Italy and Spain, Vincent stopped touring and took ATOMIC ROOSTER of
the road for an unspecified period...... |
The Missing Years
 Vincent divorced his first wife, Pat, in 1976 and remarried in 1977. With
ATOMIC ROOSTER off the road, Vincent's talents diversified. He did the music for Paul A
Green's "Ritual of the Stifling Air" for Radio 3. Influenced by his second wife,
Jean, he worked on "Dracula" at the Shaftesbury Theatre, the Ghost Train"
at the old Vic, the "Old Country at the Queen's, "Stevie" at the
Vaudeville, Rolls Hyphen Royce" at the Shaftesbury Theatre. He was Musical Advisor to
the Royal Court's Children's Theatre Festival, and Vocal Coach for a South London
Children's Festival. He was Musical Director for "Rain Dog" STOMU YAMASHTA'S RED
BUDDHA THEATRE COMPANY and renewed the jazz/poetry gigs with Paul A Green. |
 In 1978, Vincent met up with Arthur Brown again and they began writing
together and performing. By 1979, they had material together for a new album "Faster
than the Speed of Light" which was recorded in Germany at Klaus Schult's Studio. He
also recorded with Klaus on the "Dune" album and with Arthur and Klaus on
"Wahnfried". A classic moment of that time was a party thrown by the German
Record Company when Vincent and Arthur performed a classic rendition of Frankie Vaughan's
"Green Door", dressed in top hat and tails!! |
Together again and then not...
 1980 saw the reform of ATOMIC ROOSTER and Vincent working again with John
DuCann. Finally an EMI deal, a secret warm up tour, and the release of a new album
"Atomic Rooster" and a single "Do You Know Who's Looking for You"
Preston Heyman did the honours on drums, but by the time of the 1981 3 month tour of the
UK, Paul Hammond was back on drums. This year, saw the release of the 1st two Atomic
Rooster 12" singles, "Play it Again" c/w "Start to
Live"/"Devil's Answer" (live) and "End of the Day" c/w
"Living Underground"/"Tomorrow Night" (live) The band played the
Reading Festival with John mysteriously AWOL, Big John McCoy stepped in on bass. John had
decided to retire again, and subsequent tours of Germany and Italy were with Bernie Torme
on guitar. 1983 saw a new style of ATOMIC ROOSTER album "Headline News" with a 12" single "Land of Freedom" (extended version c/w Carnival), featuring guitarists, Dave Gilmour of the PINK FLOYD,Bernie Torme and John Mizarolli. Bernie subsequently toured with the band to Germany and Italy and an album of their live gigs has just been released. March 6th 2000, Atomic Rooster "Live in Germany '83" |
Final Days
 In 1984, Vincent disbanded Atomic Rooster and went on to make "A Case
for the Blues" as KATMANDU with Peter Green, Ray Dorset & Jeff Whittaker.The
following year he joined "Dexy's Midnight Runners" playing piano for the
"Don't Stand me Down" album. They toured in the UK and France, releasing two
singles "This is What she's Like" from the album and a second single, the theme
song to the TV series "Brush Strokes". |
 In 1987 DEXY'S was
disbanded and Vincent intended to reform ATOMIC ROOSTER. Due to ill health, a planned German tour was cancelled, and, sadly, Vincent died on 14th February 1989, Saint Valentine's Day. Since that time, Paul Hammond too has died. Of the "Death Walks Behind You" line-up of ATOMIC ROOSTER, only John DuCann remains. |
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• History • Band Bio • Records • Sleeves • Articles • Reviews • Photos •
• Lyrics • Memories • Community • Humour • Arthur Brown • Links •
