The Crazy World of Arthur Brown

The Kazimier
19th October 2013

Reviewed by John Owen

It seemed like the gig I was waiting for all my life was about to happen. So eager was I, I got to the venue three hours early. I had gone to other events including one at Oxfam. A terrible sick in the stomach queasiness rolled over me, like a punch you gave someone that may or may not have killed or permanently damaged them. Was the event cancelled? The door was closed, the street's tumbleweed flowed like confetti, it was chaotic and happy punters listening to free charity chugging musos doing their stuff for the real causes in this life! What was I doing? How could I rationalise such frivolity and sanction enjoyment like eating two Faberge chocolate eggs.

To begin hell or heaven won’t hold any surprises. God will have to do a pretty good show with his banjo to trump Arthur’s performance tonight. My Kingdom come forever and ever after ad infinitum.

How do you top the zenith? And go beyond? I thought I may even be too old to rock n roll but it was just before the gig nerves.This Nerve reviewing lark can give you moths in the abdomen, insane cramps and knots in your frog and stoat.

Was it as good for you as it was for me? Yes! Yes! Yes! I’ll have what she’s having without the mayo hold the baloney! Music, madness, mayhem, mime, theatre, dance, gurning, foreplay, then five play Coldplay after play, sexual grunts, oddball comedy gyrations and, above all, superb showmanship. Perfectionism, raw entertaining power, writ large without the bulbs or flash of television's X Factor.

Arthur was a human happy bomb dropped on the people. Despite a tight stage area and mass of theatrical stunts this guy bopped and danced, hopped, skipped and jumped his way through two hours of fantastic music stuff.

A peace bomb of love and kindness, hippy shit 60s crapola, call it what you will. It realised some basic human affection that comes out in song. I watched grandpas gyrating shouting Arthur! Arthur! Arthur! footie chant style! Young and old, together bopping. My initial cynicism melted away in seconds as he entered the stage arena. I’d seen him on the balcony and couldn’t muster up the nerve to go and interview him, in case he was a cold- hearted professional. How wrong was I?

His message since the seminal Fire of the late 60s was loud as a bell in full throat, classics old and new, crunched and urged us to action, clapping and cheering, transfixed were we.

The warm acts, brilliant that they were, seemed like slow-motion to this guy, who could breakdance like a twenty-year-old. What’s his secret music is the message. It truly makes the world a happy place, more sing sing and jaw jaw not war war!

Klatu narada vimto to you Gort!

This dehumanised trotbotnik humanoid, with too much of the city, and its industrial working class swearing reverential style. I needed this alternative injection from a travelling troubadour of times past. I was already a fan, now I’m even more so.

And to those not here they can wait till they meet St Peter, Allah, Satan or the last episode of the Archers, whichever is their Nirvana . I’ve seen the future, the past and heard the prophet who foretold it so well. Musically the best gig for a century in Liverpool.

The Crazy World Of Arthur Brown played in an unpronounceable named club (Kazimer), sent energy and positive waves that were enough to soften an old concrete jungle prolecult renegade and force him to learn to relisten as a child again.

Aged about seven or so I glimpsed him on TV, and now forty years later I’m seven again, twitching and twisting spasmodically to Fire. A song so indelibly tattooed on my pre limbic non mammalian brain it goes beyond the fight or flight reflexes. I can imagine Stonehenge rituals druids nailing similar beats to their flock of Beltane pagans with magic in the air.

All this despite an absence of drugs! Perhaps a salutary warning you need to take drugs! Addictions and phobias, hysteria, irrationality is good for you, so time for the captives to break free folks. The Hercule Poirots amongst you may have surmised I liked this gig. Take a step forward into the road. Like is not enough I want his babies, but I’ll settle for a cd this Xmas.

www.arthur-brown.com

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Sorry Comments Closed

Comment left by Rich Robinson on 25th October, 2013 at 15:44
Totally agree, being well old enough to remember the first appearance of Arthur on T.O.P I eagerly bought tickets for one of those "package" tours, The Crazy World being one of the acts on The Empire Liverpool I was bowled over then (being 17 at the time) now a more "mature"? 61 he Amazed me even more, and what a band..........nuff sed EXcellent night.