Brand X

Brand X - THE PLOT THINS - A HISTORY OF BRAND X - 1992 - Virgin

Ten tracks from the band’s 1976-1980 period. The album is hardly a “history” of this great fusion band as ten tracks from six albums cannot do the band justice. Arguably, there are far better tracks available which could have been included on this compilation. But that is the problem with these compilation albums. You can’t please everybody’s favourite track choice, and many people will argue that these albums are released as a cheap moneymaking ploy when the tracks are mostly available on a band’s other albums. There is no doubt that Brand X was an immensely talented and creative fusion group and the tracks on this album demonstrate that. Listen to this album and if you like what you hear, check out the band’s other albums, especially “Unorthodox Behaviour” and “Morrocan Roll” [All tracks @ 320 Kbps: File size = 163 Mb]

TRACKS / COMPOSERS / ALBUM INFO

1 Nuclear Burn - Phil Collins / John Goodsall / Percy Jones / Robin Lumley (from Unorthodox Behaviour 1976) 6:20
2 Born Ugly - Phil Collins / John Goodsall / Percy Jones / Robin Lumley (from Unorthodox Behaviour 1976) 8:13
3 Why Should I Lend You Mine? - Phil Collins (from Morrocan Roll 1977) 11:12
4 Disco Suicide - Robin Lumley (from Morrocan Roll 1977) 7:49
5 Malaga Virgen - Percy Jones (from Livestock 1977) 8:52
6 Isis Mourning Part 1 - Phil Collins / John Goodsall / Percy Jones / Robin Lumley / Morris Pert (from Livestock 1977) 4:41
7 The Poke - Percy Jones / Peter Robinson (from Masques 1978) 5:07
8 Dance Of The Illegal Aliens - Percy Jones (from Product 1979) 7:49
9 Algon - Robin Lumley (Live at the Roxy, Los Angeles, September 23, 1979) 7:05 *
10 Triumphant Limp - Phil Collins / John Giblin / John Goodsall / Robin Lumley (from Do They Hurt? 1980) 7:31

N.B: * All these tracks can be found on official Brand X albums. "Algon", which was recorded live at the Roxy, Los Angeles, on September 23rd 1979 was later released on the 1997 "Live at the Roxy" CD, but the version on this 1992 release is far superior in audio quality. The studio version of the track originally appeared on the band’s 1979 “Product” album. A US release of “THE PLOT THINS” contains the extra tracks, “The Ghost Of Mayfield Lodge”, and “Cambodia”

MUSICIANS

John Goodsall – Electric & Acoustic Guitar, Sitar, Bass, Vocals, Background Vocals
Percy Jones – Bass, Harp, Autoharp, Marimba, Vocals
Peter Jones, John Giblin – Bass
Robin Lumley – Keyboards, Piano, Moog Synthesizer, Harp, Autoharp, Background Vocals, Chainsaw, Echo
Peter Robinson – Keyboards, Vocals
Morris Pert – Piano, Percussion
Phil Collins - Drums, Percussion, Piano, Vocals
Kenwood Dennard, Chuck Burgi, Mike Clark – Drums
Jack Lancaster – Wind
Michael Palin – Spoken Word, Voices

SHORT BIO

Brand X were a British jazz-rock fusion outfit formed by Genesis drummer Phil Collins and Atomic Rooster guitarist John Goodsall as a side project from their regular groups. Their initial lineup also included keyboardist Robin Lumley and bassist Percy Jones (the Liverpool Scene, the Scaffold). Brand X's debut album, Unorthodox Behaviour, was released in 1976; a live album, Livestock, and the studio effort Moroccan Roll followed in 1977. Collins left the group to concentrate on Genesis, and for 1978's Masques, he was replaced by Al Di Meola drummer Chuck Burgi, as well as additional keyboardist Peter Robinson, who had played with Stanley Clarke. Three further albums -- 1979's Product, 1980's Do They Hurt?, and 1982's Is There Anything About? -- followed before the group disbanded. In the mid-'90s, Lumley, Goodsall, and Jones reunited, issuing several live collections in the years to follow. © Steve Huey © 2013 Rovi Corp | All Rights Reserved http://www.allmusic.com/artist/brand-x-mn0000614982