Re: Spell on Arthur Brown

[Rev Fever <revfever@ubergadget.com>]

All true about Screamin' Jay and JB.

But, Arthur was the first (to my knowledge) to have done in this in  
the modern rock-n-rock context for it's time.
Or, at least he did it to such an extreme degree,  more than possibly  
anyone else had ever previously done.

Regardless, I would say he was THE godfather of  "rock theatre", and  
I doubt there are many who would argue with that.

I also recall seeing the footage of JB and his "emotional" cape  
routine. It was also great!

I have a (later reissue) LP copy of a Screamin' Jay album with him  
"emerging" from some fancy coffin.
He and his management likely paid off some funeral home let them take  
the pic of him, in the coffin sales room area. Hilarious!

Also, on Arthur Brown's first album, he and his band do a KILLER  
version Screamin' Jays' "I Put A Spell On You"!!!
The chicken before the egg, or the egg before the chicken? Dilemma!  
(snicker) :-)

-Rev. Fever

PS-For lovers of the synthesizer and other musical electronics, (as I  
most certainly AM!)  Arthur also put out the first ever all  
electronic "rock" album,
back in 1982 or so, entitled "Requiem" (still available on CD  
reissue), when he was still living in Austin,TX.

(And still doing a *house painting business*  with JImmy Carl Black.  
No kidding. I have long time Austin friends who can verify this.)

He was fortunate enough to have hooked up with some folks there who  
had access to, or owned, a lot of the latest state-of-the-art  
electronic instruments
and devices that were new and available at that time. Arthur was  
always a few steps ahead of the curve, as usual...


On Jul 26, 2007, at 3:14 PM, samba - wrote:

>
>  I remember Arthyr Brown from psychedelic days ( or daze) and he  
> was indeed outrageous.Don't want to take deserved props away from  
> him ,but he wasn't the first one to do spooky theatrics in rock/ 
> pop. I do believe he was inspired by Screamin' Jay Hawkins of I Put  
> a Spell on You fame, who would get out of a coffin onstage etc.  
> James Brown  copped part of his early schtick from Hawkins,   
> becoming so overcome with emotion that he fell down and would be  
> led off stage by someone who wrapped a cape around his shoulders 
> (Hawkins wore a cape) .JB would turn and throw off the cape and  
> ruch back center stage and go down on his knees and go back to  
> screaming.I believe it was on te song Please Please Please I saw  
> the bit in about 65 so I'm not sure.