Track Listing

1. Death Walks Behind You
2. Vug
3. Tomorrow Night
4. Seven Lonely Streets
5. Sleeping For Years
6. I Can't Take No More
7. Nobody Else
8. Gershatzer
9. Play The Game
10. Devil's Answer
11. Tomorrow Night
12. Shabooloo
13. Death Walks Behind You
14. Devil's Answer

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #2766 in Music
• Released on: 2008-02-26
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: .28 pounds
• Running time: 75 minutes

Customer Reviews

Vincent's finest 35 minutes
Of the trio who made this album, two (drummer Paul Hammond and keyboards/bass man Vincent Crane) died some time ago -- Hammond in an 'accident' and Crane in a 1989 depression-triggered suicide. Thus there's a macabre irony about the title of this LP and the cover shot of the threesome sitting in a graveyard.

But as a 70s teenager, I thought these dark allusions rather cool. The band appeared carefree in their scruffy, unkempt clothes, but as the sleeve-notes from Chris Welch revealed, the band members lived in filthy poverty until the success of this, their second album. Vincent Crane played piano, Hammond organ and and a rather indistinct bass -- either through the keyboard or the organ pedals -- presumably because the band couldn't afford a fourth musuician to play bass guitar. In that respect, Atomic Rooster reminds of Van Der Graaf Generator, who relied on organist Hugh Banton to provide bass for 'Pawn Hearts' etc.

The music is almost uniformly great, the interplay between guitar and organ being highly reminiscent to me now of Jon Lord and Ritchie Blackmore. But this 1970 album would have been released at about the same time as 'Deep Purple In Rock' so I suspect the influence flowed in both directions. Crane at times also sounds like Keith Emerson.

But the lesson of ELP vs Atomic Rooster is that for a trio to succeed, you had to be either outstanding musicians or all be good-looking. Sadly Crane was not a 'looker'. When you see repeats of Arthur Brown's 'Fire' on Top of the Pops, there are almost no shots I can remember of Crane, despite this being half his composition.

For me, this is a great record, and certainly in my Top 100 rock albums. I still enjoy it, 35 years after first hearing it, which is more than I can say for other favourites of the period.

Stepping Back In Time Or Still in Present Day
I cannot begin to explain the effect that hearing this felt like.Going back 30 years in time to my mis-spent youth but somehow still being very much in the present day.It blew my mind away and the cobwebs too.
I lost my vinyl- still had the sleeve.In my subconscious, I needed to hear it again so the memories would come flooding back.
Driving along with my impressionable 16 year old son, playing Atomic Rooster was unbelievable. How would he respond to it, I tentatively wondered? With disdain perhaps?
Thankfully not. He really enjoyed it and compared it to Maroon 5.He asked me to play it again.What better accolade could you get from the youth of today........
How come the re release in 2004?- chance or something more than a coincidence?
Favourite track- I love them all but love the build up to 'Sleeping For Years'
Go on, treat yourself to this gem of rock history.

Rooster At The Top Of Their Game
I saw Atomic Rooster live twice in 1970. Firstly with the Crane/Palmer/DuCann(Cann) line up and then the Crane/Parnell/DuCann temporary three piece. They were playing a mix of tracks from the first and the upcoming album (Death Walks....). Ric Parnell being replaced by Paul Hammond prior to recording. Death Walks Behind You as the title suggests is a dark voyage but full of terrific and at times aggressive rock. This was Roosters high point. Every track from the brooding opening track onwards stick in your head. Nothing they did later has the creative spark that this album has. After this DuCann was dumped from the line up (although he does appear on the third album where Pete French's mockney vocals don't do it for me)
So buy this album if you only want one Rooster CD.