ATOMIC ROOSTER – The Reunion Album (Cherry Red) (2 x CD) (Release date: 30th May, 2025)

Coming with a bonus CD of a gig the band played at the Marquee Club in 1980, there are also 11 bonus tracks (out-takes, demos and a rare single) that include ‘Throw Your Life Away’ the B-side of their 1980 single and ‘Moonrise’ from 1981 which would prove to be the band’s last act. Atomic Rooster was founded in 1969 by ex-Crazy World of Arthur Brown organist Vincent Crane and released five L.P.s between 1969 and 1973 before disbanding in 1975. In 1980 Crane and guitarist/ vocalist John Du Cann reformed the band to produce “Atomic Rooster” featuring Preston Heyman on drums (although Paul Hammond was back in the fold for the live tour to promote the album).

‘They Took Control of You’ is typically manic Atomic Rooster based on a guitar riff about ‘coming to take you away’ with a nod the growing popularity of punk in the growly in your face vocal, with electrifying organ and guitar breaks. The music is perfectly listenable but somehow not really Atomic Rooster: ‘Where’s the Show’ could be any one of numerous New Wave bands and every bit as good as them and, with Crane’s exhilarating organ playing and Du Cann’s incisive guitar breaks, arguably better. ‘In the Shadows’ is a reminder of the halcyon days especially in the organ passages, is better. ‘Do You Know Who’s Looking for You’ is the single from the album and, again, sounds somewhat out of place. The cowbell accentuated ‘Don’t Lose Your Mind’, with similarities to ‘Devil’s Answer’, is fine and the album certainly has its moments: for example, the instrumental ‘Watch Out!’ features terrific organ and guitar breaks from Vincent and John respectively. Of course, ‘Death Walks Behind You’, ‘Tomorrow Night’ and ‘Devil’s Answer’ all appear in the Marquee concert reminding us what a great musical legacy Atomic Rooster has left.

I look back to an article I co-wrote with Stuart Hamilton in “Acid Dragon” #32 with help from Vincent’s widow Jean where the conclusion we came to was: “Atomic Rooster were dropped (by EMI) and picked up by Polydor for two singles. Despite extensive tours, and with the inevitable line-up changes (Heyman out, Ginger Baker in, Baker out, the return of Paul Hammond), it wasn’t to be in a musically unadventurous period for Rooster (failing to recapture the pan dimensional sounds of their heyday in the seventies).” So, John Du Cann left and “Headline News” (1983) brought the story to end with the likes of Dave Gilmour filling in. We concluded that this was “an underappreciated album deserving of a much wider audience”. So, Vincent joined Peter Green in Katmandu, joined Dexy’s Midnight Runners for one 1985 album. Tragically, Vincent committed suicide on 14th February, 1989 – R.I.P. Your music will always be remembered.