This is another song I noticed on the BBC Life On Mars TV series in the mid-2000s.
Atomic Rooster… Now that is a name. I’ve been in short-term bands with different names such as… “The Flying Junebugs”, “The Cryin ‘Shame” and “Green Swingset” but Atomic Rooster is unique.
Atomic Rooster was an English rock band, originally composed of former members of The Crazy World of Arthur Brown. Throughout their history keyboardist, Vincent Crane was the only constant member and wrote the majority of their material.
The band was founded by the late British blues pianist Vincent Crane, originally with British drummer Carl Palmer, after Crane left The Crazy World of Arthur Brown which he had co-founded in 1966. During 1970 they formed Atomic Rooster as decided in New York, and the band’s first gig was headlining at the Lyceum, London, with Deep Purple as support. The first Atomic Roster single was “Friday the 13th”, and the first album was Atomic Ro-o-oster.
Their history is defined by two periods: the early-mid-1970s and the early 1980s. Their genre in music is difficult to define since they went through radical changes in a very short time during the life of the band. However, their best-known era represented a more hard rock/progressive rock sound, exemplified by their only hit singles… Tomorrow Night peaked at #11 in the UK and The Devil’s Answer peaked at #4… both in 1971.
The Devil’s Answer
People are looking but they don’t know what to do
It’s the time of the season for the people like you
Come back tomorrow, show the scars on your face
It’s a clue to the answer we all chase
Three, five and seven lift the heaviest load
reach the top of the heaven that’s fallen below
Devil may care but you wish for the best can’t you see there’s an answer that lies there
Come all you sinners and keep with the time
can we see all the faces that have fallen behind
Don’t make the reason it’s a secret for you
There’s a clue to the answer we all know
There’s no clue to the answer we all know
People are looking but they don’t know what to do
It’s the time of the season for the people like you
Come back tomorrow, show the scars on your face
It’s a clue to the answer we all chase
It’s a clue to the answer we all chase
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I’ve heard of them but pretty sure they didn’t get much airplay in Canada. Decent enough sound for the times I think.
When I heard this in Life On Mars it stuck to me. One of the best tv series I’ve ever watched.
I watched that show it was great though I don’t recall where this song was! The American version of the show was pretty good I thought, shame it didn’t last.
Did you see the BBC or the American version? The BBC version is the one I love…the American version never hit me the same. The BBC lasted for 16 episodes…came to an end…and then it was a sequel about the eighties…Ashes to Ashes
I saw both, the BBC original was the first one I saw. Ashes to Ashes was great also.
They were saying in 2022 that they will make a Life on Mars sequel with John Simm…I’ll watch… I watched the American one but favored the BBC version…Gene Hunt was one of the most interesting tv characters I’ve ever seen. An Anti Hero…supreme…
Oh this song plays when Sam plays soccer with his dad. I learned a lot of new songs from that show.
I don’t recall watching anything else with SIMM in it but he was very good in the role. I’d watch a sequel for sure.
I recall the name too but little else. Arthur Brown- now that was one chilled out sleepy eyed easy going guy, at least according to ‘Fire.’
I remember saying to the other kids in my class as a ten year-old that “I am the God of hell-fire!”.
Complete with the crazy eyes?!
Of course! All of us kids loved the song and the image.
I thought maybe you might have remembered this one…I didn’t know it until Life On Mars….yea that video to Fire…bizarre to say the least.
Oh yes! Now you’re talking!
A copper-bottomed classic cut. I loved it back in 1971 and I love it now.
Something about that glorious brassy riff reminds me of The Who’s 5:15 and the drumming puts me in mind of The Who’s The Real Me.
Glad you appreciate Life On Mars. The character of Gene Hunt is not a caricature – there really were many people like him around.
Oh Gene Hunt…the BBC Gene Hunt…was one of my favorite tv characters ever. He was Archie Bunker on steroids… I read in the UK where women loved that character…you wouldn’t think that but they did.
I love this song…I thought you would like this one!
Indeed women do love that sort of a guy. That’s why my wife married me 🙂
LOL…that is the best response of the day!
Talking of which, my wife and I were walking through the grounds of a stately home a couple of years ago and who should walk by but Philip (Gene Hunt) Glenister, dressed in nineteenth-century garb. He was filming a TV series called Belgravia (look it up).
That is so cool Paul. I’ve seen him in interviews and he seems like a really cool guy…so does John Simms for that matter.
Yes he was friendly enough, considering he was working.
I have heard of Atomic Rooster, but I did not know their music, thanks for the introduction, Max.
Jim…I don’t know how much you watch tv…but if you ever get a chance to see Life On Mars…the BBC version…watch it. A modern cop gets hit by a car and wakes up in 1973…it only lasts 16 episodes.
I just looked it up and it says that I can stream Life on Mars by renting or purchasing on Amazon Instant Video, iTunes, Google Play, and Vudu. I could rent it on Amazon Instant Video one day.
Cool…America made a version…don’t go to that one…it’s not bad but the English one is best. The Cockney is hard to understand at times but its great.
Only Hunt is Cockney. The rest are “mancs” – Mancunians. From Manchester, where it is set.
See…I don’t know the difference. I’ve watched it around 4 times…and by the second time I used sub titles…I didn’t need them for the most part but for the rest I did. I learned a lot about early seventies culture over there…like “a box a musical box”… Camberwick Green. I even watched a few episodes .
I watched Camberwick Green as a child. I loved it.
Paul I’ll leave you alone about this after this…what was the beer/alcohol in the can that you had to use a can opener to get in? I think the number 7 was in the title but I can’t remember.
A Party Seven can, which contained seven pints in it. It was brewed by Watney’s I think.
YES! Oh how I love pop culture! Thank you!
https://www.europeanmalt.com/2020/10/14/2020-european-malt-company-celebrates-30-years-plus-the-return-of-the-infamous-watneys-party-seven/
That is so cool!
Great band! I have ‘In Hearing Of’ and’Death Walks Behind You’ LPs on vinyl. They get played A LOT! 🙂
I thought of three bloggers when I wrote this…and you were one of them. I thought you all would know these guys. I was late to the part on them but Life On Mars introduced me to a lot of music I didn’t know.
Death Walks Behind You is the only album of theirs I have reviewed. I remember the album from way back. A friend had it, I think.
I have never explored their other music which I will.
I’ve heard their name (it is one you remember when you notice it) but not the music, so like Jim says , thanks for introducing us to it. I think I remember you writing about ‘Life on Mars’ a few years back- sounds quite good but I’ve not seen it.
Dave…the show is really good…if you get a chance watch it! If you took a modern cop and sent him to 1973…it’s a lot of fun from there.
ELP brought me to this band (also to Nice and King Crimson). Had a buddy who thought he was Carl Palmer.
I like how different music takes us to new music.
Yup. That’s how I found most of the music i listen to. Proof is in the listening. Plus getting folks you trust to steer you to good stuff. Like Max On Wax.
Yes! I agree with that. Books also…if Dylan likes this artist…I’ll try…and usually I do. I agree…people we trust that steers you in the right direction.
Guys like Bob are fans just like us.
This is new to me but, the Carl Palmer connection is sweet, though he was only on the first album. I did a little digging. The Devil’s Answer is a lost damn child. Issued as a non-album single, it showed up just before In Hearing Of (1971…third album) was released. It’s not on the UK album but, shows up in the US version with dubbed vocals (Pete French). Re-issues of the first two albums has the original Du Cann/Carl Palmer demo (1970) and “Devil’s Answer” (original single) with different spelling. It doesn’t seem to belong, anywhere.
The music doesn’t really capture me but, the background stuff, does.
Correct your blog title. You are missing an “S”.
I saw it in Life On Mars…I learned a lot of music…thank you…it’s in there now…I looked at it but didn’t notice it…it’s funny though…I’ll tell you why later.
The Life On Mars show you watched…did you see the UK version or the US version?
Yeah. I’m still laughing…2019? DAMN, dude…LOL!
UK…I don’t like the US version but some do… I think run-sew-read liked both.
It’s worth a watch! I know!
I’m gonna dig for it on some of the streaming apps.
I’ve heard the name Atomic Rooster but can’t tie them to any song. “Devil’s Answer” is a cool rock with horns tune, a combination I generally like – a bit reminiscent of early Chicago with less pronounced horns!
Heard the name now I will hear them all these years later because of you…
Many people have said that…it was a different kinda name!
Good guitar solo in there.
I never realized it was the same guys who played with Arthur Brown. I guess it’s probably too obscure to come up at a trivia night.