Hell Week: Fire

Arthur Brown: Fire

[purchase]


Arthur Brown was the King of Hellfire, so much so he would arrive on stage wearing a flaming crown, as pictured above. Well before the days of Kiss and Alice Cooper, Art Brown would fuel a metal helmet with methanol and set it aflame - one time in Windsor it leaked out and his head caught fire. Lucky for him, two bystanders doused the flames by pouring beer on his head.

The Crazy Word Of Arthur Brown, the album from which Fire comes from, was produced by long-time Who manager and producer Kit Lambert, Pete Townshend was the associate producer. Carl Palmer, who went on to join Emerson, Lake, and Palmer, played drums. Fire hit #2 on Billboard, #1 in the UK in August 1968 and #19 in Australia in October 1968.