Vincent Crane

Vincent Rodney Cheesman (21 May 194314 February 1989), known professionally as Vincent Crane, was an English keyboardist, best known as the organist for the Crazy World of Arthur Brown (he was a co-writer of that group's 1968 hit single "Fire") and subsequently for Atomic Rooster.

Biography Born Vincent Rodney Cheesman in Reading, Berkshire, he taught himself boogie woogie piano as a teenager before attending Trinity College of Music between 1961 and 1964. Influenced by Graham Bond, he took up the Hammond organ. In late 1966 he formed the Vincent Crane Combo, which comprised bass player Binky McKenzie, sax player John Claydon and drummer Gordon Hadler. In 1967 he teamed up with Arthur Brown in the Crazy World of Arthur Brown. Their debut album The Crazy World of Arthur Brown (1968) contained the song "Fire", co-written by Crane, which was a chart-topping hit single in the United Kingdom, the United States and Canada, featuring Crane's organ and brass arrangements.

During their first tour of the United States in 1968, Crane had a nervous breakdown and returned to the United Kingdom where he spent some months in the mental hospital at Banstead. playing their first concert at the Lyceum in London on 29 August, headlining over Deep Purple.

Discography

Solo 1997: Taro Rota (recorded in the late 1970s, Arthur Brown erroneously credited on release)

The Crazy World of Arthur Brown 1968: The Crazy World of Arthur Brown

Atomic Rooster 1970: Atomic Roooster 1970: Death Walks Behind You 1971: In Hearing of Atomic Rooster 1972: Made in England 1973: Nice 'n' Greasy 1980: Atomic Rooster 1983: Headline News

Katmandu 1983: A Case for the Blues

Collaborations (incomplete) 1971: Rory Gallagher (with Rory Gallagher), piano on two tracks 1979: Faster Than the Speed of Light (with Arthur Brown) 1985: Don't Stand Me Down (with Dexys Midnight Runners)