Telling the Real and Tragic Story of Atomic Rooster w/ Barry "Mr Vertigo" Winton

From their explosive beginnings to their turbulent highs and lows, Atomic Rooster's tale is one of creativity, resilience, and innovation. Helping me tell their story is a familiar face you all know. He knew the band personally and shares his never before shared on video stories. It’s "Mr Vertigo" Barry Winton. Today, we'll travel to key locations that define their legacy, starting with their origins right here in London. Join us as the real story unfolds..
Barry's Atomic Rooster article (Record Collector Mag Sep. 2010): recordcollectormag.com/issue/...
Join the BEST vinyl record collecting community on WhatsApp! 📲
Sign up here to be added:
www.unravelmedia.co.uk/vinylh...
Do YOU want to be in a Vinyl Hunters video? 🫵
Click the link and fill out the submission form:
www.unravelmedia.co.uk/vinylh...
Follow us:
Facebook - / thevinylhuntersyt
Instagram - / thevinylhuntersyt
TikTok - / thevinylhunters
My Production Company - www.unravelmedia.co.uk/
🔔 Subscribe for more videos: / @thevinylhunters

[@timholden3436]

In September 1970, I bought a ticket to see Taste with Rory Gallagher at Lancaster University. A few hours before the gig we were told that they had broken up and another band would appear instead. After 2 boring support acts that almost put us all to sleep (the beer didn't help), Vincent Crane walked onstage around midnight and just hit one note on his Hammond B3 at enormous volume whilst shouting "Wakey, wakey....!". We soon did. The whole band then broke into "Death Walks Behind You". A memorable moment at this late stage of my musical journey. I still cannot decide whether I am pleased I saw Atomic Rooster or sad that I missed out on Rory G.

[@thevinylhunters]

What an amazing story! I can just imagine it.

[@bigbabyjesus12]

Really digging John du Cann's work. Such an impressive career. The Attack, Five Day Week Straw People, Andromeda, Atomic Rooster, Hard Stuff. All awesome.❤

[@thevinylhunters]

Great musician!

[@Afterburner2]

I have been asking various people on YT in the last year begging for a documentary on A.R. but no response until this, the guy you are talking with may have been one of those people i asked, if so thanks, if not it doesn't matter, the main thing is it got done !, thanks very very much 🙏🙏🙏🐔

[@JWD1992]

Your interviews with Barry are amazing. Keep 'em coming! I need to get more Atomic Rooster. All I have is the In Hearing Of album, which I thought was pretty good.

[@Texeq]

Great video. My route to Atomic Rooster was through Hard Stuff. In the 1970's I was living with a couple bikers and hippies in a log house on the Strait of Juan De Fuca. The three most played albums there were Led Zep II, Uriah Heep Sweet Freedom, and Hard Stuffs Bulletproof. I'd never heard anything so hard as that Bulletproof album. Very aggressive in your face guiitar work. Loved it. So I became a John DuCann fan and tracked down his previous stuff and really liked the 3 Rooster albums he was on. In 1968 the hit Fire was one of my favorite songs. Learning it was Vincent Crane suddenly made sense. The Crazy World of Arthur Brown is an album my wife hated at night time with its galloping keyboards and kinetic vocals and screams. It prevented her from falling to sleep. The album is great but it caused me trouble in the girl department.

[@psantos5573]

There is one collaboration album with Arthur Brown and Vincent Crane which gets overlooked. Faster Than The Speed Of Light on Innovative Communication label. Released in 1979. This is an absolutely great album in my opinion.

[@kevintynan796]

Loved ‘ Death Walks Behind You ‘ saw Atomic Rooster at the Rugby Polytechnic around 1974. I asked if I could have Vincent Crane’s autograph and one of the roadies took me backstage after the show. He was a real gentleman and spared me a few minutes of friendly conversation. The opening band was ‘ Hustler ‘ they were really good also.

[@thevinylhunters]

Great story Kevin! thanks for sharing :)

[@timholden3436]

Vincent and Arthur released an album together on Innovative Communications label, Germany 1979, called "Faster than the speed of light" produced by Krautrock maestro Klaus Schultze, and backed by the Frankfurt Symphony Orchestra. The inner lyric sleeve includes a great photo of the two of them together. I know Vincent appeared on at least one Achim Reichel album in the early 80's but cannot recall which one because I (stupidly) sold my copy many years ago.

[@BlueBlazer47]

Great video, and very moving. Valentine's Days are usually either joyous or the opposite. Poor Vincent. Tomorrow Night is an exceptional song and a deserved hit. The band's story is complicated, but very interesting. Both Deep Purple and Thin Lizzy (two of my fave bands) had plenty of line-up changes too. Incidentally, Bullet / Hard Stuff appear on the front cover of Funky Junction Play a Tribute to Deep Purple, the '73 album of Thin Lizzy Mk.1 playing five DP tracks and interesting oddities. So many coincidences! The 1980 Atomic Rooster album is very enjoyable. It's great to hear how that album came to be. You and Mr Vertigo do a great job here. Subscribed, and thank you.

[@ramminrecords]

I collect records mainly 90s -2000s but like to watch any videos about record collecting. I enjoy your videos going out to record shops,something I wish I could do more! This mini series with Barry is so interesting and I think I could listen to him all day talking with passion and authority on the subject. So glad you met him and brought him into my world.

[@thevinylhunters]

Thanks mate! Barry is definitely a character. I'm happy to give him the platform for fellow collectors to hear his stories!

[@Vinylathome]

Death walks behind you I’ve owned for longer than l care to remember great album. Love the video and Barry so interesting and passionate.

[@kubhlaikhan2015]

Vincent Crane was an unsung hero. Not only was he immensely creative but he held the show together when others lost their way. I saw him in an incredible performance of the Crazy World of Arthur Brown and then with Atomic Rooster in north London. At the latter gig - everyone except Crane was drunk and pissing around. Crane soldiered through and more than made it worth the admission price (assuming I paid, often I didn't).

[@manu_sanz]

Glad to have Mr Vertigo back with his great knoledge and stories. Keep them coming. IMHO, the backing music is a bit of a distraction, and Mr V deserves a better set with less ambient noise.

[@davidtrahan3062]

Great job and great show 🎉❤

[@thevinylhunters]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@dimebagdave77]

Many thanks to Barry and The Vinyl Hunters ✌️✌️

[@punteral101]

I used to see them regularly at the Marquee in the early 80s. John used to have a photo of Hilda Ogden pinned to his shirt

[@stannisb7693]

Glad Barry is back😊

[@iroj3241]

Thàt was a great show, I love hearing stories from people like Barry who were around back then.

[@tobbebonzo]

Amazing video! Love listening to Barry’s stories. Many facts I did not know…such a great band, especially the John du Cann era. Very nice editing also! 👏🏻

[@thevinylhunters]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@jasonladd6400]

Could listen to this dude all day, lol.

[@olivervus3655]

Another great video! Keep it up!

[@thevinylhunters]

Thanks! Will do!

[@auroreboreale69]

thank you for this video, it's the first video of this format about Atomic Rooster and Vincent Crane on yt! it was moving and I learnt new stuff ;w;

[@JDsmiffy1]

Superb video thanks. I saw them live back in 1971 I think at Lowestoft College, such a memorable gig with Vincent throwing his long hair around over the keys. Sad that he passed so early - I also saw them live again at Cambridge Rock Festival a few years ago but not sure about either line up at the gigs.

[@thevinylhunters]

I'd have loved to have been there! Such a talented person.

[@petertaylorson5783]

A fascinating insight into some great musicians and bands from the golden period for rock music. Bought many of the albums mentioned at the time, and still own many in either vinyl or other formats. Many thanks for a great vid.

[@thevinylhunters]

Rock on!

[@captaincoconut8967]

I always thought that Vincent Crane was a great musician and composer that Arthur Brown album and those early Atomic Rooster albums are great one of my favorite songs is WINTER the words an music is so haunting there have been times In my life that I could relate to this song it’s such a sad but beautiful song i love this song 🥀

[@Green-yp9ix]

Brilliant band..

[@johnfloydman7735]

Fantastic video, very interesting.. thanks Mr V for sharing your memories 🙏.. Great job on the presentation vinyl hunters 🙏..

[@thevinylhunters]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@mikewest1542]

Just watched the video and it’s very interesting. Been an ELP fan for many years and heard a bit of the Nice but not too much of Atomic Rooster, I’ve also met Barry on a few occasions and he’s always mentioned Vincent Crane and said what a nice man he was .

[@whitey7998]

This was a superb interview Jake, Barry again providing a wonderful commentary

[@thevinylhunters]

Thank you mate! Glad you enjoyed it

[@ElfinMan]

Fascinating

[@simonwood992]

Very interesting. As usual Bazza you brought it to life

[@thevinylhunters]

He definitely did!

[@bloodboughtbigphilr8266]

Atomic Rooster were jazzy heavy prog rock at it's best. Quality band.

[@daveyinwonderland7053]

Good stuff, do more of this mate

[@thevinylhunters]

Thanks, will do!

[@adriancowley488]

Great video thanks very much 👍👍👍🤓

[@RockVinylChannel.]

Very Nice Story

[@ChrissHill-im7kj]

Had "In hearing of"on album Nice and greasy i have on compact disc..

[@stannisb7693]

Expresso Barry

[@ingohausmann]

Nice Jake, Mr Vertigo, AR, Andromeda, Hard Stuff, V.Crane and Carl Palmer, Thanks for that from germany Ingo the Vinyl Ghost

[@thevinylhunters]

Hey Ingo! Glad you enjoyed

[@dexterbigbags9326]

thanks for this .. these insights are great.. now held as a documented perspective and that is priceless

[@thevinylhunters]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@andrewarthurmatthews6685]

Yes the Roosters were a very strong tight rock band . Excellent drummer and keyboard

[@arbitrarium7336]

A friend of my half sister, Edward, said that a certain connection of Atomic Rooster , witnessed the formation of a band that later became Spinal Tap, was he joking ?

[@grahamallen9393]

Great work , wonderful to see you both bringing a terrific band into the light . Always loved the first album as I 'm a Carl Palmer nut and he comes out the gate fully formed on that album , Decline and Fall has some fantastic Hammond too , always liked Vincent Crane's tone

[@thevinylhunters]

Rock on!

[@123pilpil]

Another great video

[@thevinylhunters]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@bdi8541]

Interesting stuff👍

[@andrewarthurmatthews6685]

David Sutch was the original certainly in the UK and modelled his stage show on Screaming Jay Hawkins

[@steedday8278]

Great episode , made me go off and resurch attomic rooster i can hear that opeth were influenced by them from the herratage album on.

[@thevinylhunters]

Oh absolutely. You can hear so much of their heritage in Heritage!

[@marktubeie07]

Fantastic interview & great info ! Have you thought about becoming a music journalist? I think you have the 'art' of the interview. RCM could do with you! Well done indeed Jake !!

[@thevinylhunters]

Thank you Mark! No I haven't thought about it. I suppose I already am to a degree! Glad you enjoyed it :)

[@marklancaster6558]

I band I have heard of for years but never actually listened to. Ver interesting story. Cheers Jake. (P.S. Very nice to meet you and Dave at Southend Record Fair the other week. Hope you found some gems).

[@thevinylhunters]

You must pick up Death Walks and have a listen! It's a great album. Nice to meet you too, sorry that we weren't able to stop and talk properly!

[@written12]

Chris Farlow was a powerful singer. I think he’s still with us but I don’t know if he performs or records anymore.

[@tobydavies6366]

Still singing live with Coloseum.

[@bastienlacote5651]

Arthur Brown is awesome too

[@brucybabyy7355]

i always thought if BBA had a proper vocalist. it may have pushed them over the top. Pete would have been great. never saw that cloth cover of made in England ! cheers.

[@bathbadgerking]

Where can we get Barry's Vertigo book? ☮️&❤

[@exitthelemming145]

It's become revisionist wisdom that Rooster were always destined to be a 2nd division Prog band. This perception is perhaps inevitable given the unevenness and polarity of their output e.g they sit quite comfortably on the shoulders of Heavy Prog, Gothic Rock, Symphonic Prog but also Metal and Funk/Soul depending at which point you dip into their 9 year career. However, I think the main reason is that they are appraised using criteria inapplicable to their music. (Ditto Hendrix) If traced to its source, Vincent Crane's muse is closer to James Brown than it is to any of the anticipated precursors of Progressive Rock

[@tomuslial4611]

👌

[@tonymartin3655]

Okay

[@chrisguygeezer]

This is interesting and I did follow the band back then. Shame the video is drowned by the music, as well as the road noise.

[@paultanker5606]

G'day to you, Ah yes another of the Brilliant Groups when Mentioned folk would Shrug their Shoulders and say "Who?" like Budgie and Van Der Graaf Generator! Perth West Aust.

[@philpainter2806]

I've seen Arthur Brown live this year. Thought he was absolutely awful.

[@gonzofonso7572]

the bloke is in his 80s,have more respect

[@auroreboreale69]

I saw him last year I thought he was amazing ?

[@user-bw6uq6ce1g]

Couldn't watch very far, music too loud and can't hear him talk.. excuse me but I'm old

[@iroj3241]

I can hear music ,but it is very subtle, I don't think it overpowers the talking.

[@LydAndLostRecords]

Too many OK's...😊

[@andrewarthurmatthews6685]

Please cut the irritating back ground music as I tuned in to listen to the expert . It’s unnecessary and adds nothing to this video.

[@Robertocamero785]

You are right. It's so bloody annoying