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Esoteric Recordings is pleased to announce the release of a new boxed set featuring all of the albums recorded by the legendary ARTHUR BROWN & KINGDOM COME issued between October 1971 and April 1973. The band came together in 1970 following ARTHUR BROWN’s failed attempt to form a new band upon the disillusion of The Crazy World of Arthur Brown in 1969. Based in rural Dorset, Arthur had undertaken rudimentary recordings with the bands The Puddletown Express and Rustic Hinge before forming a new, more satisfactory band KINGDOM COME.
The initial group came together with a line-up of ARTHUR BROWN (vocals), BOB ELLWOOD (guitars), DAVE AMBROSE (bass), ROB TAIT (drums) and PETE BAILEY (percussion) to record a lengthy jam session in the studio. This tape was impressive enough to lead to a contract with Polydor Records and the album GALACTIC ZOO DOSSIER was the first album by the band. Issued in October 1971, the album featured Arthur Brown joined by ANDY DALBY (lead guitar / vocals), MICHAEL “GOODGE” HARRIS (keyboards), DESMOND FISHER (bass), JULIAN BROWN (VCS3 Synthesiser) and MARTIN STEER (drums). The band’s debut album was a conceptual work loosely based upon the subject of humanity living in a zoo and subject to cosmic forces. As a group, Kingdom Come took the mantle from where the Crazy World of Arthur Brown had left off, presenting a highly theatrical show which utilised the VCS 3 synthesiser and presented a form of experimental rock music which was far ahead of its time. This led to them becoming a popular act on the festival circuit (their memorable appearance at the 1971 Glastonbury Fayre was captured in the documentary film of the same name).
For the band’s next album, 1972’s KINGDOM COME, Desmond Fisher departed and was replaced by PHIL SHUTT. The album was another conceptual work and built upon the impact of their debut. Soon after the album’s release Martin Steer and Goodge Harris also departed the band. American musician VICTOR PERAINO joined the group on Mellotron, VCS3 and Theramin and Brown opted to utilise the Bentley Rhythm Ace drum machine instead of a drummer, bringing a new electronic direction to Kingdom Come’s highly inventive Space Rock. This incarnation of the band recorded their final and finest album in the Autumn of 1972, the highly influential JOURNEY. Issued in April 1973 the album was a superb conceptual work and featured such legendary material as “TIME CAPTIVES”, “SPIRIT OF JOY” and “COME ALIVE”. Despite the excellence of the album, KINGDOM COME disbanded soon after the album’s release leaving an impressive legacy.
This new remastered boxed set features the albums “GALACTIC ZOO DOSSIER”, “KINGDOM COME” and “JOURNEY”, along with the archive disc “JAM – THE FIRST SESSIONS 1970” and “AT THE BBC 1971-1972” a twelve track CD featuring sessions recorded for the BBC between March 1971 and September 1972, nine tracks of which are previously unreleased. The set also adds thirteen bonus tracks (two previously unreleased on CD) taken from studio out-takes and a rare single. Also included is an illustrated booklet with new essay featuring an exclusive interview with Arthur Brown and a replica poster. “ETERNAL MESSENGER” is a fine tribute to Arthur Brown, a unique and visionary musician.
Tracklist
DISC ONE:
GALACTIC ZOO DOSSIER
RE-MASTERED EDITION
– OCTOBER 1971
1. INTERNAL MESSENGER
2. SPACE PLUCKS
3. GALACTIC ZOO
4. METAL MONSTER
5. SIMPLE MAN
6. NIGHT OF THE PIGS
7. SUNRISE
8. TROUBLE
9. BRAINS
10. MEDLEY:
GALACTIC ZOO (PART TWO) /
SPACE PLUCKS (PART TWO) /
GALACTIC ZOO (PART THREE)
11. CREEP
12. CREATION
13. GYPSY ESCAPE
14. NO TIME
BONUS TRACKS
15. ETERNAL MESSENGER (PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED ON CD)
16. I.D. SIDE TO BE B SIDE THE C SIDE (PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED ON CD)
A & B-SIDES OF SINGLE
17. SUNRISE (ALTERNATE VERSION)
18. METAL MONSTER (ALTERNATE VERSION)
19. SPACE PLUCKS DEM BONES
DISC TWO:
KINGDOM COME
RE-MASTERED EDITION
– OCTOBER 1972
1. WATER
2. LOVE IS A SPIRIT THAT WILL NEVER DIE
3. CITY MELODY
4. TRAFFIC LIGHT SONG
5. THE TEACHER
6. THE EXPERIMENT (FEATURING “LOWER COLONIC IRRIGATION”)
7. THE WHIRLPOOL
8. THE HYMN
BONUS TRACKS
9. TRAFFIC LIGHT SONG (ALTERNATE VERSION)
10. THE HYMN (ALTERNATE VERSION)
11. THE EXPERIMENT (FEATURING “LOWER COLONIC IRRIGATION”) (ALTERNATE VERSION)
DISC THREE:
JOURNEY
RE-MASTERED EDITION
– APRIL 1973
1. TIME CAPTIVES
2. TRIANGLES
3. GYPSY
4. SUPERFICIAL ROADBLOCKS
i. LOST TIME
ii. SUPERFICIAL ROADBLOCKS
iii. CORPORA SUPERCELESTIA
5. CONCEPTION
6. SPIRIT OF JOY
7. COME ALIVE
BONUS TRACKS
8. TIME CAPTIVES (ALTERNATE VERSION)
9. CONCEPTION (ALTERNATE VERSION)
10. COME ALIVE (ALTERNATE VERSION)
11. SPIRIT OF JOY (SINGLE VERSION)
12. SLOW ROCK (B-SIDE OF SINGLE)
DISC FOUR:
JAM – THE FIRST SESSIONS 1970
RE-MASTERED EDITION
1. JUNGLE DREAMS
2. INCONSTANT WISDOM
3. WATER
4. THE FINGER
5. EARLY MORNING
6. WATERFALL
7. BEHOLDIN
8. WATER IS MY FRIEND
9. ELEMENTALLY
DISC FIVE:
AT THE BBC 1971 – 1972
RE-MASTERED
1. NO TIME (23rd MARCH 1971) (PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED)
2. SUNRISE (23rd MARCH 1971) (PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED)
BBC RADIO ONE “TOP GEAR” SESSION 23rd MARCH 1971
3. ETERNAL MESSENGER (15th JUNE 1971) (PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED)
4. GALACTIC ZOO (15th JUNE 1971) (PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED)
5. CREEP (15th JUNE 1971) (PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED)
BBC RADIO ONE MIKE HARDING SHOW SESSION 15th JUNE 1971
6. NO TIME (3rd SEPTEMBER 1971) (PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED)
7. SPACE PLUCKS / CREATION (3rd SEPTEMBER 1971) (PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED)
8. SIMPLE MAN (3rd SEPTEMBER 1971) (PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED)
9. METAL MONSTER / TROUBLE (3rd SEPTEMBER 1971) (PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED)
BBC RADIO ONE ALAN BLACK SHOW SESSION 3rd SEPTEMBER 1971
10. SLOW ROCK
11. SPIRIT OF JOY
12. TRIANGLES
BBC RADIO ONE JOHN PEEL SHOW SESSION – 19th SEPTEMBER 1972