With the full co-operation of guitarist / vocalist / songwriter John Du Cann, Angel Air have made a whole host of Atomic Rooster rarities available over the past few years and Anthology 1969 - 81 pulls together the very best of these into a definitive 2 disc collection. So what you get here is not the originally released studio versions but a collection of demos, alternate versions and unreleased gems from Du Cann's own personal archive all of which (apart from three tracks to feature original drummer Carl Palmer) are concentrated on the "classic" line-up of Du Cann and the late Vincent Crane and Paul Hammond. The Atomic Rooster story really is one of bad luck and personal tragedy and should Du Cann ever decide to write his autobiography it really would prove a fascinating read. But the bands musical legacy lives on and in recent years their songs have been featured on the hugely successful BBC TV series Life On Mars and the likes of 'Devils Answer', 'Death Walks Behind You' and 'Tomorrow Night' are rightly regarded as classics. With Crane's Hammond organ, Du Cann's unorthodox vocal style, Hammonds fiery drumming and no bass player the Rooster had a distinctive sound that set them apart from their peers such as Deep Purple, Black Sabbath and Uriah Heep.
It was at the start of the 80's that the band almost had a second lease of life when they signed to EMI for a self titled album and cut two radio friendly driving rock singles for Polydor, 'Play It Again' and 'End Of The Day' which looked set to re-launch the band on the crest of the NOWBHM. Both of these tracks are included here together with other material from the same period that was intended for an aborted second album as once again circumstances conspired against them with record company politics intervening to signal the end of the band. Across these two discs there is some superb music to be heard and when you add in liner notes, rare pictures and track commentary courtesy of Du Cann it all adds up to an excellent package.
Track Listing
CD 1
1. Devil's Answer
2. Death Walks Behind You
3. V.U.G.
4. Friday 13th
5. A Spoonful Of Bromide
6. Sleeping For Years
7. Seven Streets
8. It's So Unkind
9. Head In The Sky
10. Break The Ice
11. I Can't Take No More
12. Play The Game
13. When You Go To Bed
14. They Took Control Of You
CD 2
1. Do You Know Who's Looking For You?
2. Broken Window (unreleased 1980)
3. Hold It Through The Night
4. No Change By Me
5. Play It Again
6. End Of The Day
7. The Rock
8. Gershatser
9. Shabaloo
10. Nobody Else
11. Don't Lose Your Mind
12. She's My Woman
13. Devil's Answer (live)
14. Death Walks Behind You (Live Studio 1981)
15. Tomorrow Night (live)
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