Monday 27 January 2014

Brand X/Percy Jones reviews



BRAND X Is There Anything About? / Missing Period / Live At The Roxy, LABRAND X
Is There Anything About? / Missing Period / Live At The Roxy, LA
Gonzo Multimedia
It’s feast time for fusion fans as a shedload of rare and unreleased material is thrust upon the world, starting with this triumvirate from fusion legends, Brand X.
Seems that John Goodsall aka Johnny Mandala found a bunch of reel to reel tapes which turned out to be Brand X rehearsal tapes from a time before their debut album. Dusted down and tidied up, “Missing Period” is an interesting insight into their formative days. Of course, time being what it is, we don’t really know what’s what but Goodsall and Jones reckon it features them, along with Atomic Roosters Preston Heyman, Robin Lumley on keyboards and some fella called Phil Collins.
Fast forward to 1979 and we have a soundboard recording from the Roxy in Los Angeles, stunningly titled “Live At The Roxy, LA”. Heyman had gone, Peter Robinson had arrived as a second keyboard player, and what you have is, in places, fantastic. Listen to the band firing on ‘Nuclear Burn’ and be amazed.
Finally we have the contractual obligation that is “Is There Anything About?”, so titled because they’d ran out of material to give to the label. Hence ‘TMIU-ATGA’. They’re making it up as they go along. It’s the least significant of these releases, and one for competists only.
PERCY JONES Cape CatastrophePERCY JONES
Cape Catastrophe
Gonzo Multimedia
 Fast forward to the late eighties and bass player Percy Jones is living in New York, where this solo album was recorded.
It’s a proper solo album with Jones doing all the synth programming, as well as playing his marvellous bass. It’s interesting rather than essential, and is most definitely an eighties album.
Chock full of electronic widdly bits, it would have come as a shock to Brand X fans, but as a curio of its time, it’s certainly worth a listen.
CURRENTLY AVAILABLE FROM GONZO
Tunnels
CD - £9.99
Cape Catastrophe
CD - £9.99
The X Files - A 20 Year Retrospective
2CD - £11.99
Is There Anything About?
CD - £9.99
Live at the Roxy, LA 1979
CD - £9.99
Missing Period
CD - £9.99

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