Atomic Rooster

Atomic Rooster emerged in 1969 as a British progressive-rock outfit whose founding members were Vincent Crane on organ, Nick Graham on bass, and Carl Palmer on drums. The band’s self-titled debut album entered the British charts at number 49 in June 1970; shortly afterward both Graham and Palmer departed. Crane retained the group’s name and brought in guitarist-singer John Cann along with drummer Paul Hammond, resulting in the second album, Death Walks Behind You. That record climbed to number 12 in the U.K., where it included the number-11 single “Tomorrow Night,” and reached number 90 in the United States. Cactus vocalist Pete French contributed to the follow-up, In Hearing Of, which featured the U.K. number-four single “The Devil’s Answer” and peaked at number 18 in England and number 167 in America. The group disbanded once more, prompting Crane to form yet another version of Atomic Rooster that now included singer Chris Farlowe, guitarist Steve Bolton, bassist Bill Smith, and drummer Rick Parnell. This configuration produced Made in England, which charted at number 149 in the U.S. in 1972, but the band dissolved again by 1974. Crane continued to lead various Atomic Rooster lineups through the 1980s before joining Dexys Midnight Runners in 1983; he took his own life in 1989.