- Vincent Crane
Infobox Musical artist
Name = Vincent Crane
Img_capt =
Background = non_vocal_instrumentalist
Birth_name = Vincent Rodney Cheesman
Born = birth date|1943|5|21|df=yReading ,Berkshire ,England
Died = death date and age|1989|2|14|1943|5|21|df=y
Genre =Progressive rock , rock
Years_active = 1967–1989
Instrument =Hammond organ ,piano Vincent Crane (
21 May 1943 –14 February 1989 ) was a self-taughtpianist , who studied theory and composition atTrinity College of Music . He graduated in 1964.Career
Born Vincent Rodney Cheesman in
Reading ,Berkshire , he was influenced byGraham Bond , and in 1967 teamed up with Arthur Brown and formed The Crazy World Of Arthur Brown. Their self-titled album (1968) contained the song "Fire", a chart-topping hit single in theUnited Kingdom ,Canada , and theUnited States .The Crazy World Of Arthur Brown dissolved on tour in the U.S., with Crane and
drummer Carl Palmer (later of ELP) leaving the band to formAtomic Rooster in 1969. They enjoyed success in 1971 with two hit singles, "Tomorrow Night", and "Devil's Answer".Crane was plagued by a
manic depression , forcing him to be treated inside and outside hospitals numerous times. Crane is associated with theHammond Organ which was central to "The Crazy World of Arthur Brown " album, and Atomic Rooster's music.He collaborated with other musicians on a number of albums, including
Rory Gallagher ("Rory Gallagher", 1971), Arthur Brown ("Faster Than The Speed Of Light", 1979), Peter Green,Richard Wahnfried andDexys Midnight Runners ("Don't Stand Me Down ", 1985). In 1983 he was part of the one-offblues outfit, Katmandu, withRay Dorset and Green, who recorded the album "A Case For The Blues".Crane died of an overdose of painkillers after a long fight against manic depression in 1989, at the age of 45.
External links
* [http://www.atomic-rooster.com/ Atomic Rooster and Vincent Crane site, maintained by his widow Jeannie Crane and dedicated to his memory]
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