Arthur Brown- The Long Long Road

8,379

5 Stars

*Wonderful artwork for Long Long Road—scary Viking helmet with flames shooting from the top.*
*One look and you think Arthur Brown.*

Audio CD (paid link)

Arthur Brown was born in Whitby, England. He had an average upbringing, nothing really pointed him out from others. He did well at School going onto The University of London, then The University of Reading studying philosophy and law. Then he moved to Paris, the Crazy World of Arthur Brown began.

By 1967 The Crazy World of Arthur Brown were a huge draw on both the Festival and College Circuit. A mixture of Hard Rock and Theatrics, something that the world seemed ill equipped to handle at the time. Released in 1968 their debut album became a huge hit on both sides of the Atlantic. It also sprung upon the world the Number One Hit Single Fire. The single was promoted with a film of the band rocking away with Arthur Brown out front with his head on fire. This was all part of their act which they performed every night, sometimes twice, on stage. It was a wonder how Arthur Brown ever survived.

*Arthur Brown being the God of Hellfire has its benefits as you get suitable*
*guard dogs. Hard work getting dog walkers, though.*

There was just too much talent in the band for it to ever gel properly. In the middle of the first tour of America the band fractured with Vincent Crane (keyboards) and Carl Palmer (drums) going on to form Atomic Rooster. By the time a rather bedraggled Arthur Brown got home to England he was hopelessly entangled in legal issues, stopping him from recording or performing.

Once the issues were resolved Arthur Brown forged out again with a new band Kingdom Come a very complex musical group with heavy theatrical leaning. It was of course weird, beautiful, brilliant and way ahead of its time. Kingdom Come could still pull big crowds live but album sales did not amount to much. Kingdom Come disbanded after three albums.

But undeterred, Arthur Brown carried on. Always on the fringe of stardom, but never really ever crossing over into the mainstream again.

In the mid 2010’s interest started to come back and although album sales remain slow, demand for his live appearances is higher than it’s ever been.

His performance at The New Day Festival in Kent 2018 stole the entire show.

*Arthur Brown in all his glory, preaching to the masses from the stage,*
*full make up and stage attire.*

The lack of album sales is really quite surprising as although there have not been many, what there has been have all been of the highest quality.

In 2022 Arthur Brown celebrates his 80th Birthday and as a treat we get a new album. The fine Long Long Road. The man may well be eighty years old, but the voice is still in the same fine fettle it was in 1968. Full of Pathos, Determination, Diction, Screams, and the full range you expect to hear from the man.

Opener ‘Gas Tanks’ fulfills all the promise, swirling Hammond Organ, beating piano, with a driving rhythm section over which Arthur Brown preaches to his subjects. The style of music is just updated from the sixties. What one hopes and demands from an Arthur Brown record.

From the sublime to the ridiculous. The next piece is spoken word, ‘Coffin Confession’ opening with the words, “Come out the toilet with your hands up, and put down that packet of crisps.” Thankfully it’s a short track of absurdity, before we get back to the music proper.

*Never jest with a Jester. They always come out on top.*

‘Going Down’ is even grander than previously on display. A brass section is brought out to add its support, not that Brown’s voice needs support in anyway—it’s as forceful as ever.

The central theme to the album is a twelve minute piece called ‘Once I Had Illusions.’ Perhaps autobiographical? Who knows? The music is split into two pieces so as not to dominate the whole album. But in this day of compact discs it’s easy to splice the two parts together with pleasing results. A repetitive riff played on an acoustic guitar leads you down into the lyrics as Arthur Brown lays his soul bare. The most satisfying piece of music Arthur Brown has recorded since the 1970s.

‘I Like Games’ is Arthur Brown gone retro with almost a nursery rhyme with a sparse arrangement.

*Do not try and outstare this man. You will again lose.*

‘Shining Brightness’ brings the menace back, as Arthur Brown comes at you through a megaphone, giving his voice an even more sinister tone, but it fits nicely into the general ambience of the album.

‘The Blues and Messing Round’ says it all in the title—what it says on the lid is what you get. Opening blues line, “She tried poisoning me with mushrooms,” leads you down the blues path with some suitable electric guitar accompaniment plus a lazy back beat from the bass and drums, tinkling piano, harmonica, and raging Hammond Organ all add to the atmosphere. Bring it on home Arthur. Of course Arthur Brown’s voice is perfectly suited to this sort of work out. A delight.

The title track is saved until the penultimate song and is the second solid gold classic on the album. Building from acoustic guitar and piano, the tune slowly builds, grabbing your attention as any good story should do. Lovely lyrics from Arthur Brown about the Long Long Road of the past. Nothing to do to change things, just reflection. Arthur Brown’s voice has never been better.

The album closes with the second part of ‘Once I Had Illusions’ where all that was good about this album is crammed into the last six minutes.

*Although internationally acknowledged as the God of Hellfire, Arthur Brown and his good lady always have time to take a photo with his fans.*

The album is only forty one minutes long, but never mind the quantity, feel the quality. If you want to hear more buy another Arthur Brown album or replay this one.

If you buy the deluxe book set of Long Long Road, you get the full works, a 48 page book with essays and pictures, plus a bonus CD with two further tracks, ‘No One To Blame’ and ‘Living In The Love,’ both worthy additions to your collection.