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"HiGH ▀ iNTELLiGeNCE tRoLLS"
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a r t i s t : Brand X
t i t l e : The Plot Thins-A History Of Brand X
d a t e : 1992
l a b e l : Virgin Records CDVM 9005
g e n r e : Fusion
r l s. d a t e : June/2004
t r a c k s : 10
b i t r a t e : VBRkbps
s i z e : 134,5 MB
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All tracks as on original releases
*Except track 09, which is live, although no indication is
given in the liner notes.
This track was recorded at the Roxy, in Los Angeles, September
23, 1979,
and is also found on the "Live at the Roxy" cd. Although the
version on "The Plot Thins"
is in pristine quality!!
⌐ 1992 Virgin Records Ltd CDVM 9005
BRAND X
The circumstances surrounding the genesis of Brand X are lost
in the mists of time. Suffice to say that, some time in 1975,
its various members ran into one another in a recording studio
and made an album so obscure no-one seems to have a copy of it:
'The Eddie Howell Gramophone Record' (later released as the
'Man from Manhattan'). The musicians on this recording were:
Robin Lumley - keyboards
John Goodsall - guitars
Percy Jones - bass
Phil Collins - drums amd
Jack Lancaster - various wind instruments
Of course, in the same year, Collins and Jones had worked
together on the Brian Eno album 'Another Green World' which may
have had something to do with it. But, anyway, connections were
being made through the spring and summer of 1975 which resulted
in the band (now minus Lancaster) performing two gigs in
December 1975 along with various recording sessions. This then
translated into another, rather more official, recording
released in July 1976: 'Unorthodox Behaviour'; released on
Genesis's then label, Charisma. More scattered gigs ensued as
Phil attempted to fit them into to his usually hectic Genesis
schedule (i.e. between the Trick of the Tail tour and recording
Wind & Wuthering).
The fruits of some more snatched recording sessions in December
76 and January 77 were released in April 1977 when 'Moroccan
Roll' was issued, again on Charisma. Now though, Phil had to
give pride of place to Genesis recording and touring and other
drummers slipped onto the drum stool. However, in November 77 a
live album, 'Livestock', was released which featured Phil on
three of the five tracks (recorded at Ronnie Scott's in
September 76, Hammersmith Odeon on 12th November 1976 and the
Marquee Club in April 77).
In September 1978, the album 'Masques' was released, sans
Collins, and an autumn tour took place.
In the Spring of 1979, Phil rejoined for the making of
'Product', recorded at Ringo Starr's Startling Studios in
Ascot, Berkshire (previously John Lennon's house, Tittenhurst
Park, where the film for the 'Imagine' single was made). Apart
from the end result, these sessions were signifcant for Phil as
they involved two 'firsts':
his first use of a drum machine
his first use of his home 8-track to record demos then used in
a studio
The album's release in May 1979 was followed by a brief tour on
which Phil played, which took in two dates in the UK and a
quick thrash round the more sophisticated music cities of the
USA.
From then on, the history of Brand X drifts away with a series
of albums culled from earlier sessions involving Phil (i.e.
1980 - 'Do They Hurt?' [Product sessions]; 1982 - 'Is There
Anything About?' [various earlier sessions]), compilations
(1986 - Xtrax, 1992 - The Plot Thins, etc.) and a live album
(1996 - Live at the Roxy).
In 1997, a reunion tour took in the UK, Italy and Germany in a
hectic few weeks in May and June (between the two halves of the
'Dance into the Light' World Tour). At the same time two more
albums emerged from dust covered Brand X archives: 'The X-
Files' and 'Brand X: A History 1976-80'. They are clearly being
bred in captivity somewhere.
In its disjointed early days, Brand X gave Phil an outlet for
his interests in jazz-fusion music which had been triggered by
his love for bands such as Weather Report and the Mahavishnu
Orchestra.
For more information about Brand X albums click on the links
below (ones marked * feature Phil in whole or in part):
Unorthodox Behaviour *
Moroccan Roll *
Livestock *
Masques
Product *
Do They Hurt? *
Is There Anything About? *
Xtrax *
The Plot Thins *
Brand X Featuring Phil Collins *
Live at the Roxy *
Missing Period *
The X-Files *
A History 1976-80 *
Further information about the band can be gleaned from Chris
Welch's sleeve notes to the 1992 release, 'The Plot Thins':
Freedom! Ah yes, a heady wine, and one that we don't always
appreciate until we've drunk too deeply, and lost it. Freedom
to experiment and play the music that appealed to hearts and
minds, was one of the fringe benefits rock musicians enjoyed
during the Seventies. Before the winds of change blew through
"the music business, "it was possible to create hugely
successful commercial rock bands, AND find room for
imaginative, creative diversions too.
Brand X was one such unique gathering of like-minded musicians.
For them the joy of playing and writing together was the main
motivation. The fact that the band became extremely successful,
sold lots of albums, toured extensively and won many popularity
polls showed that music for its own sake, could still find an
audi-ence, even in the punk era.
Not that Brand X was a bunch of faceless, character-less musos,
intent on gloomy self-indulgence. Indeed the band was noted for
its desire to communicate, and a crazed sense of humour! Brand
X played jazz-rock, but that didn't mean they surfed on a tide
of flash. Amidst the waves of improvisation, and complex
arrangements there were vocals and themes that a rock audience
could relate to and enjoy.
The band enlisted a great number of players in a shifting
personnel, during its seven year existence, but two of the most
important figures were keyboards player and producer Robin
Lumley, and that bearded, long haired young drummer/vocalist
Phil Collins! Indeed Brand X became known as "Phil's other
band" during the late Seventies, when he was seen dashing up
and down the streets of Soho, London, in search of fulfilment.
Fronting and backing Genesis would be hard enough, but full of
energy and enthusiasm, Phil lent all his powers to the
musicians' collective that was dubbed Brand X.
Some fifteen years after the band finally broke up, there has
been a burst of re-newed interest in the music they made
together. It still sounds fresh and invigorating, and the
original vinyl albums, released on the Charisma label, have
been re-issued by Virgin on CD with great success. This
compilation celebrates the history of the band that had its
roots in casual jam sessions.
Back in 1974 guitarist John Goodsall was rehearsing a funky
Average White Band-style outfit, when he bumped into keyboard
player Robin Lumley who had been rehearsing an album project
with bass player Percy Jones. They teamed up and the new, band
began rehearsing at Island Studios. The head of A&R at Island,
ex-Melody Maker critic Richard Williams encouraged the new
project, and as they were still unnamed, jotted down into the
studio diary: "Brand X." The name stuck. Their first drummer
was Phil Spinelli, but when he decided to concentrate on
singing, Phil Collins came along for a blow, enjoyed himself
and decided to stay. Although Phil was already committed to
Genesis, where he had taken over as lead singer from Peter
Gabriel, he felt he could fit in recording dates and gigs with
the alternative project. It gave him a chance to get his rocks
off, for Phil was a supremely inventive contemporary jazz
drummer.
Although Brand X recorded an album under Richard's auspices at
Island, it was never released. Their musical direction had
under-gone a sea change. The early soul-funk policy was
replaced by a firmer jazz-rock direction, and they recorded a
new album for Charisma. Lumley, Goodsall, and Jones were signed
by Genesis' manager Tony Smith and the band was put on a firm
footing. The first album was called "Unorthodox Behaviour" and
reached the top thirty. The band started gigging and two weeks
at Ronnie Scott's Club, established their credentials. They
took on board an extra percussionist Morris Pert and they
released a new album "Moroccan Roll." The band's fame spread
and they embarked on a U.S. and Canadian tour in 1977 where
fans welcomed this gifted, unusual concept with open ears.
By then however Phil was too busy with Genesis work to tour
with Brand X and he was replaced by a deputy, Kenwood Dennard.
More jazz festivals and club gigs followed, and during one show
supporting Peter Gabriel in Paris Brand X played to 115,000
people.
The band was voted Best Jazz Act in various polls, while Percy
Jones was voted Best Bassist and Robin Lumley Best new
Keyboardist. By 1978 Lumley was much in demand as a producer
and like Phil, took on a deputy, Peter Robinson, keyboard
player from the Stanley Clarke Band, while new drummer Chuck
Burghi came in from AI DiMeola's group. A live album
"Livestock" was followed by a new studio album "Masques."
(1978) This included Chuck on drums and was produced by Lumley.
After more American tours, Phil and Robin returned as full time
players and recorded in most unusual fashion. Two versions of
the same band recorded in the same studio - at the same time!
This involved yet another dep drummer Mike Clarke, playing with
Peter Robinson and Percy Jones.
The "other" version featured Collins, Lumley and Goodsall with
bass player John Giblin. This relay team was ensconced in Ringo
Starr's studio, and worked 24 hours a day for a month, in two
shifts, as The Day Band and the Night Band! With the musicians
becoming inter-changeable on each other's sessions, the result
was some 20 titles, some of which were used on the 1979 album
"Product." The following year a second album from these
sessions was released called "Do They Hurt?" More tours
followed, then came the final album, recorded for CBS in 1981
called "is There Anything About." The band felt they had
reached the end of a creative cycle and split up after seven
years and seven albums.
Robin Lumley has happy memories of those far off days and says:
"It was great that everyone really got on well, from beginning
to end. Funnily enough there was never really a leader. People
recognised Phil as a figure head and he had his own status, but
generally it was a band without a boss. We were all very good
friends socially, and we all shared the same sense of humour.
Yes, there were some very silly episodes with Super Glue on the
road! I refuse to take all the blame for that. But I did manage
to get some industrial strength glue that was used for sticking
aeroplanes together. So as far as sticking hotel room furniture
to the ceiling was concerned - that was easy!"
Robin feels the band had most fun when he and Phil were both in
evidence, but explains that Brand X didn't break up because of
the usual "musical differences."
"The fact is we wore it out. We certainly didn't hate each
other. We could no longer write any-thing together that made us
happy and we just got on with other things. Phil of course went
into his solo career, which became fantastically successful.
The interesting thing is that now the old Brand X records are
selling really well. I guess they are appealing to people who
have worn out their vinyl copies and want the CDs! We never
objected to being called a jazz-Rock band, but really we were
playing rock 'n' roll with jazz bits in it. We did all kinds of
crazy things. When I came back into the band we decided to keep
on my dep, Peter Robinson, because we had such fun together. We
built this huge castle of keyboards, about ten of them, which
made it look more visual. With two keyboard players we could
play all the overdubs live, and we made a joke out of diving in
and out of this huge rig. You could probably squash all that
lot down into three keyboards now. They used to be a roadie's
nightmare!"
Despite all the jokes and on the road lunacy, Brand X got down
to some serious music making. It would be hard to image Phil
today singing Sanscrit lyrics, as he did on "Sun In The Night"
on "Moroccan Roll." Brand X showcased the musicianship of
excellent players, not least the innovative Percy Jones, whose
mellow and melodic playing give a new dimension to the bass
guitar, on pieces like "Masques," and those who have fond
memories of Brand X will recall the frantic percussion displays
of Morris Pert. He was the man the band said: "Hit everything
from the QE2 to Idi Amin and undiscovered parts of Scotland!"
It would be interesting to hear Phil, Robin, Percy & Co. revive
the music of Brand X in a live situation. After all, the
technology of everything has improved - including the
Superglue!
_______________________________________________________________________
01-Nuclear Burn [06:22]
02-Born Ugly [08:15]
03-Why Should I Lend You Mine? [11:13]
04-Disco Suicide [07:50]
05-Malaga Virgin [08:54]
06-Isis Mourning Part 1 [04:44]
07-The Poke [05:08]
08-Dance Of The Illegal Aliens [07:51]
09-Algon [07:06]
10-Triumphant Limp [07:34]
-------
74:57 min
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