PETE BROWN & HIS BATTERED ORNAMENTS
''A MEAL YOU CAN SHAKE HANDS WITH IN THE DARK''
JULY 1969
62:49
1/Dark Lady
Pete Brown/5:23
2/The Old Man
Pete Brown/5:29
3/Station Song
Pete Brown / Chris Spedding/3:25
4/The Politican
Pete Brown/12:16
5/Rainy Taxi Girl
Pete Brown/4:49
6/Morning Call
Pete Brown / Chris Spedding/2:51
7/Sandcastle
Pete Brown/9:25
8/Travelling Blues
Pete Brown/12:09
9/High Sorrow (Bonus Track)
Pete Brown/3:27
10/Raining Pins and Needles (Bonus Track)
Pete Brown/3:35
Alto Saxophone – Nisar Ahmed Khan On 1 to 4, 6
Banjo – Butch Potter On 2
Bass – Butch Potter
Congas, Percussion [African] – Pete Bailey
Design – Mal Dean
Drums – Rob Tait
Flute – Nisar Ahmed Khan On 5, 7
Guitar [Portuguese Chittarra] – Chris Spedding On 3
Harmonica [Mouth Organ] – Charlie Hart On 6
Lead Guitar – Chris Spedding On 1, 3, 6, 8
Organ – Charlie Hart On 1 to 3, 5, 8
Piano [Prepared] – Chris Spedding On 5
Producer – Andrew King, Dick Heckstall-Smith
Slide Guitar – Chris Spedding On 2, 4, 7
Talking Drum – Pete Brown On 7
Tenor Saxophone – Dick Heckstall-Smith On 1, 8
Trumpet – Pete Brown On 1 To 4
Vocals – Pete Brown
Whistle – Pete Brown On 8
REVIEW
by Richie Unterberger
Pete Brown's debut album may not have been as accessible as those of Cream (for whom he often helped write material) or even the early Jack Bruce (for whom he continued to collaborate as a songwriter). There are similarities, however, though more to Bruce's solo work than to Cream. For one thing, there are those lyrics, which are of a far higher standard than heard on most rock songs, ranging from ominous impressionism to take-out-the-piss political satire. Then there's Brown's voice, which rather resembles a gruff Jack Bruce, and is effective though certainly not as smoothly melodic as Bruce's vocals. And then there's the music, which grew out of the same jazz-blues-rock community that gave birth to the Graham Bond Organisation, Cream, and Colosseum. In fact, two other alumni of that scene, Bond (on organ) and Dick Heckstall-Smith (on saxophone), are among the supporting players, as is a young Chris Spedding. There are also unusual psychedelic and Middle Eastern accents here and there in the arrangements, though tasteful and subdued. Because there aren't the pop hooks of the songs Brown had a hand with in Cream, and because Brown's voice is not that of your average rock frontman, it's not something that ever got a wide audience. But it has its rewards for those looking for something a little more avant-garde and intellectual than much late-'60s psychedelic-prog rock, including the fairly grooving "Dark Lady" (which musically resembles Graham Bond's work), "Station Song" (where the likeness to some of Jack Bruce's more mysterious tracks is highest), and the beguiling downward-spiral melody of "Rainy Taxi Girl." Some of the bluesy tunes are more functional, but the 12-minute "The Politician" -- not the same as the Cream classic "Politician" penned by Brown and Bruce, though there are similarities -- is a highlight, as a very witty and scathing anti-establishment spoken word poem segueing into an off-kilter blues-rocker that exposes the "politician" for the lecherously hypocritical geezer he is.
BIOGRAPHY
by Andy Kellman
One of the key eccentrics of the Harvest stable and a successful collaborative lyricist for Cream ("I Feel Free," "Sunshine of Your Love"), poet/percussionist/vocalist/trumpet player Pete Brown was one of the many artists to arise from the British beat movement in the mid- to late '60s. Like a lot of his peers, Brown's spin on progressive rock came from backgrounds in folk, jazz, and blues.
Brown was kicking around the scene as a poet until being approached by Cream to assist in songwriting. Upon achieving chart success with the trio, Brown decided to go the musician route. Graham Bond asked Brown to help out with some songs for the Graham Bond Organisation, and he was eventually invited to sing with the group on-stage. Once they broke up, Brown helped form the Battered Ornaments, hoping to work with musicians whose skills didn't dwarf his own. The group fell in with Harvest, the progressive subsidiary of EMI that housed the likes of Syd Barrett, Deep Purple, and Roy Harper. The Battered Ornaments' only record with Brown, A Meal You Can Shake Hands With in the Dark, was released in 1969.
The Battered Ornaments booted Brown from the band on the night prior to a supporting gig for the Rolling Stones at Hyde Park; his vocals on the recording of the group's second record were eventually wiped off. The sacked singer immediately set about forming Piblokto!, a group that, for 1970's Things May Come and Things May Go But the Art School Dance Goes on Forever, comprised bassist Roger Bunn, guitarist Jim Mullen, organist Dave Thompson, and Battered Ornaments drummer Rob Tait. Bunn was replaced by Steve Glover for Thousands on a Raft, which was released six months after the debut. Another shake up in the lineup predated the final Piblokto! release, the single "Flying Hero Sandwich."
Brown teamed up again with Graham Bond for 1972's one-off Two Heads Are Better Than One, which featured contributions from several of Brown's former bandmates. With keyboardist Ian Lynn, who played on Thousands on a Raft, he formed Back to the Front, a group that performed but never recorded in their original form. The group lasted until 1977; Brown faded away from music, at least in a performance sense, until 1983's Party in the Rain, which featured most of Back to the Front behind him.
The '90s saw Brown working again with Phil Ryan, a keyboardist who played with Man, the Eyes of Blue, and the final lineup of Piblokto! They made two records together, Ardours of the Lost Rake and Coals to Jerusalem. Toward the end of the decade, he formed the Interoceters, a group that performed songs from his lengthy career. Brown has also maintained a working relationship with Jack Bruce and has participated in the making of several records by other artists.
DoWnLoAd
''A MEAL YOU CAN SHAKE HANDS WITH IN THE DARK''
JULY 1969
62:49
1/Dark Lady
Pete Brown/5:23
2/The Old Man
Pete Brown/5:29
3/Station Song
Pete Brown / Chris Spedding/3:25
4/The Politican
Pete Brown/12:16
5/Rainy Taxi Girl
Pete Brown/4:49
6/Morning Call
Pete Brown / Chris Spedding/2:51
7/Sandcastle
Pete Brown/9:25
8/Travelling Blues
Pete Brown/12:09
9/High Sorrow (Bonus Track)
Pete Brown/3:27
10/Raining Pins and Needles (Bonus Track)
Pete Brown/3:35
Alto Saxophone – Nisar Ahmed Khan On 1 to 4, 6
Banjo – Butch Potter On 2
Bass – Butch Potter
Congas, Percussion [African] – Pete Bailey
Design – Mal Dean
Drums – Rob Tait
Flute – Nisar Ahmed Khan On 5, 7
Guitar [Portuguese Chittarra] – Chris Spedding On 3
Harmonica [Mouth Organ] – Charlie Hart On 6
Lead Guitar – Chris Spedding On 1, 3, 6, 8
Organ – Charlie Hart On 1 to 3, 5, 8
Piano [Prepared] – Chris Spedding On 5
Producer – Andrew King, Dick Heckstall-Smith
Slide Guitar – Chris Spedding On 2, 4, 7
Talking Drum – Pete Brown On 7
Tenor Saxophone – Dick Heckstall-Smith On 1, 8
Trumpet – Pete Brown On 1 To 4
Vocals – Pete Brown
Whistle – Pete Brown On 8
REVIEW
by Richie Unterberger
Pete Brown's debut album may not have been as accessible as those of Cream (for whom he often helped write material) or even the early Jack Bruce (for whom he continued to collaborate as a songwriter). There are similarities, however, though more to Bruce's solo work than to Cream. For one thing, there are those lyrics, which are of a far higher standard than heard on most rock songs, ranging from ominous impressionism to take-out-the-piss political satire. Then there's Brown's voice, which rather resembles a gruff Jack Bruce, and is effective though certainly not as smoothly melodic as Bruce's vocals. And then there's the music, which grew out of the same jazz-blues-rock community that gave birth to the Graham Bond Organisation, Cream, and Colosseum. In fact, two other alumni of that scene, Bond (on organ) and Dick Heckstall-Smith (on saxophone), are among the supporting players, as is a young Chris Spedding. There are also unusual psychedelic and Middle Eastern accents here and there in the arrangements, though tasteful and subdued. Because there aren't the pop hooks of the songs Brown had a hand with in Cream, and because Brown's voice is not that of your average rock frontman, it's not something that ever got a wide audience. But it has its rewards for those looking for something a little more avant-garde and intellectual than much late-'60s psychedelic-prog rock, including the fairly grooving "Dark Lady" (which musically resembles Graham Bond's work), "Station Song" (where the likeness to some of Jack Bruce's more mysterious tracks is highest), and the beguiling downward-spiral melody of "Rainy Taxi Girl." Some of the bluesy tunes are more functional, but the 12-minute "The Politician" -- not the same as the Cream classic "Politician" penned by Brown and Bruce, though there are similarities -- is a highlight, as a very witty and scathing anti-establishment spoken word poem segueing into an off-kilter blues-rocker that exposes the "politician" for the lecherously hypocritical geezer he is.
BIOGRAPHY
by Andy Kellman
One of the key eccentrics of the Harvest stable and a successful collaborative lyricist for Cream ("I Feel Free," "Sunshine of Your Love"), poet/percussionist/vocalist/trumpet player Pete Brown was one of the many artists to arise from the British beat movement in the mid- to late '60s. Like a lot of his peers, Brown's spin on progressive rock came from backgrounds in folk, jazz, and blues.
Brown was kicking around the scene as a poet until being approached by Cream to assist in songwriting. Upon achieving chart success with the trio, Brown decided to go the musician route. Graham Bond asked Brown to help out with some songs for the Graham Bond Organisation, and he was eventually invited to sing with the group on-stage. Once they broke up, Brown helped form the Battered Ornaments, hoping to work with musicians whose skills didn't dwarf his own. The group fell in with Harvest, the progressive subsidiary of EMI that housed the likes of Syd Barrett, Deep Purple, and Roy Harper. The Battered Ornaments' only record with Brown, A Meal You Can Shake Hands With in the Dark, was released in 1969.
The Battered Ornaments booted Brown from the band on the night prior to a supporting gig for the Rolling Stones at Hyde Park; his vocals on the recording of the group's second record were eventually wiped off. The sacked singer immediately set about forming Piblokto!, a group that, for 1970's Things May Come and Things May Go But the Art School Dance Goes on Forever, comprised bassist Roger Bunn, guitarist Jim Mullen, organist Dave Thompson, and Battered Ornaments drummer Rob Tait. Bunn was replaced by Steve Glover for Thousands on a Raft, which was released six months after the debut. Another shake up in the lineup predated the final Piblokto! release, the single "Flying Hero Sandwich."
Brown teamed up again with Graham Bond for 1972's one-off Two Heads Are Better Than One, which featured contributions from several of Brown's former bandmates. With keyboardist Ian Lynn, who played on Thousands on a Raft, he formed Back to the Front, a group that performed but never recorded in their original form. The group lasted until 1977; Brown faded away from music, at least in a performance sense, until 1983's Party in the Rain, which featured most of Back to the Front behind him.
The '90s saw Brown working again with Phil Ryan, a keyboardist who played with Man, the Eyes of Blue, and the final lineup of Piblokto! They made two records together, Ardours of the Lost Rake and Coals to Jerusalem. Toward the end of the decade, he formed the Interoceters, a group that performed songs from his lengthy career. Brown has also maintained a working relationship with Jack Bruce and has participated in the making of several records by other artists.
DoWnLoAd
