Rarities and archival treasures spanning the entire Brand X trajectory - from their earliest unreleased sessions to the final contractual obligation album - plus one of the most unjustly obscure progressive rock albums of the late 70s. A goldmine for admirers of Percy Jones, John Goodsall, and the whole Canterbury-adjacent fusion scene.
Brand X needs no introduction to fusion aficionados. Formed in 1974 by Collins, fretless bass virtuoso Percy Jones, keyboardist Robin Lumley and guitarist John Goodsall, they melded virtuosity with tunefulness and a playfulness uncommon in such bands. While Collins took his knocks for yanking Genesis toward the pop charts, anyone who questions his drumming chops need only explore his tandem career with Brand X. Five studio albums between 1976 and 1980 - Unorthodox Behaviour, Moroccan Roll, Masques, Product, Do They Hurt? - established them among the most respected British purveyors of jazz-rock fusion.
Missing Period (BELLE 254165) collects the band's EARLIEST recordings - sessions from 1975-76, originally BBC radio broadcasts and studio material predating their debut album. Family members of Goodsall discovered a box of old band memorabilia containing these never-before-heard tapes. Prototype versions of tunes that would surface on later albums ("Dead Pretty" here became "Born Ugly" on Moroccan Roll). Evidence of just how naturally these musicians locked in together from the very start. A hyperactive fusion sound somewhere between Phil Manzanera's Quiet Sun and Return to Forever.
Is There Anything About? (BELLE 254164) - the final testament to Collins' typically overlooked capacity for complex fusion. By 1982, Brand X had ceased to be a working band, but they were still under contract for one more album. The solution: plunder outtakes and jams from 1979's Product sessions. The result is wildly varied - from the funky outer-space exploration "Swan Song" to the aptly-titled "Modern, Noisy and Effective". All but one track features Collins. Highlights include opening track "Ipanemia" and the synth-based "TMIU-ATGA" (short for "They're Making It Up As They Go Along"). Collins in fine form, but the real stars here are Goodsall and Jones.
The X-Files: A Twenty Year Retrospective (BELLE 254166-7) - an indispensable 2CD collector's item. This 1998 compilation gathers prime Brand X compositions alongside previously unreleased studio sessions, live recordings, and material from the parallel projects of Jones and Goodsall. Guest appearances from Bill Bruford, Chester Thompson, Pierre Moerlen, Malcolm Bruce and more. Disc one features Brand X proper; disc two explores Tunnels, Floor Project, Firemerchants, and various solo works. A journey through the whole extended Brand X universe.
The Big Jim Sullivan Band - Test Of Time (BELLE 254168) rounds out the box with a long-lost gem. Big Jim Sullivan was THE session guitarist of the 60s and 70s - 54 UK Number One hits, 750 charting singles, the man Jimmy Page was called "Little Jim" next to. In 1977 he assembled an all-star band featuring Percy Jones on fretless bass (connecting directly to Brand X), Simon Phillips on drums, Nicky Moore and Les Walker on vocals, Mo Foster on bass, and Dave Lawson on keyboards. Produced by legendary Mike Vernon. Originally intended as the third Tiger album, EMI shelved the tapes - they didn't see release until 1983.
Musically superior to the earlier Tiger albums, Test Of Time blends jazz-rock fusion with prog, hard rock, and Steely Dan-style urban jazz-blues. The standout track "Strange" is a prog-jazz epic straight from the playbook of Colosseum II or UK. Incredible guitar work from Big Jim throughout. Very rare on vinyl, a must for UK 70s rock enthusiasts.
Japanese mini-LP sleeve editions on high-fidelity SHM-CD, with liner notes and Japanese translations. Box available with purchase of all four titles.
