Arthur Brown

[Gordon Taylor]

Further to Arthur Brown's KIngdom Come,   I saw this band on the tour they
did around the Journey album.   As previously noted they used an early drum
machine called a Bentley Drum Machine - also variously called an Ace Bentley
Rhythm Generator and a Bentley Rhythm Ace.   The "Bentley Rhythm Ace" name
was revived by a left field dance combo from Birmingham (UK not Alabama) in
the 1990s.   I don't know why they decided to use it instead of a real
drummer, in the early 1970s it must have been somewhat optimistic to use such
an untried piece of eqipment on a concert tour,   but I recall that when the
Sisters of Mercy introduced their drum machine (known as Dr. Avalanche) they
claimed that not only did it keep better time than a real drummer but it also
drank a lot less.

Kingdom Come also had a great light show.   Not as big as the one Hawkwind
used but a lot more effective especialy through the use of a translucent
screen at the front of stage on which slides were projected.

Arthur's first solo album as I recall was called "Dance" and was also very
good though after that the quality of his material declined rapidly.

An old school friend of mine somehow knew Arthur, don't ask me how, and would
tell me how the singer would be at my friend's parents' house, sitting
crossed legged and barefoot in the front room eating marshmellows.