Once in awhile, a rock fan's dreams come true when some of his favorite musicians suddenly get together to record and perform. Occasionally, it works...like Dylan & The Band, Van Morrison & The Chieftains, Elvis Costello & Paul McCartney. Unfortunately, more often it doesn't...just think of Blind Faith or The Style Council. Luckily, the combination of Bernie Torme and Hammond hero Vincent Crane's legendary hard prog rock group, Atomic Rooster was very much an alliance that worked. If you have any doubt about what I mean, just stick this CD in your player. It may sound raw and "live," recorded as it is out in the hall at a gig in Germany in 1983, but it has more spirit and character than most top notch, hi fi digi-tech recordings I can think of. Vincent Crane first shot to prominence as the linchpin of The Crazy World Of Arthur Brown, whose 1968 single, "Fire," along with a similary titled follow up album topped the charts all over the world. After three tours of America, Crane left this group in 1969 and formed Atomic Rooster. A single, "Tomorrow Night," reached #7 in the charts. The next single did even better, earning the group a #2 position with the single "Devil's Answer." In 1981, guitarist John DuCann left to make room for Bernie Torme, who had recently broke away from Gillan & Ozzy Osbourne. This recording was made during a tour of Germany in 1983 and shows three fine musicians challenging each other with their playing, and each playing to the limits of their abilities.

E-mail: retrowrek@ndirect.co.uk

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