Brand X “Product”
Today’s Cool Album of The Day (#582 in the Series) is Brand X, Product.
Brand X was a band that wasn’t a band, well not at first were they a band, but then became a band. You Got it?
Here’s the idea. Genesis drummer and new lead vocalist Phil Collins along with Atomic Rooster guitarist John Goodsall were looking for something to do as a side project. How long was it supposed to go on? Well not long really. Just do some jamming and maybe record a platter or two if the sound came together. This was in 1976.
They added bassist Percy Jones and keyboard Robin Lumley to complete the band. They decided to release an album here and there. They turned out to be some darn good ones too.
Phil’s “real” job started to take up more time while Goodsall went the other way. Brand X turned into his main gig.
However, after a year or two, Collins
returned to record what eventually would be the band’s most popular work, Product.
It would include two tracks that would feature Phil on vocals. They were “Don’t Make Waves” and “Soho.” Besides those two, another highlight would be “..And So to F.” Phil included this song in his solo tours for many years. It’s a spectacular cut.
I’ve added the complete album to the playlist below. You also can find live cuts, some with video, in the second playlist below. Give them a listen. If you like hot playing with a real jazz fusion rock feel to it, then this is your band.
Product peaked at #28 on the Jazz chart and #165 on the Billboard Top 200 Album chart.
–Larry Carta 
Track listing
Side one
- “Don’t Make Waves” (Goodsall) – 5:28
- “Dance of The Illegal Aliens” (Jones) – 7:50
- “Soho” (Goodsall, Collins) – 3:38
- “And So To F…” (Collins) – 6:29
Side two
- “Algon (where an ordinary cup of drinking chocolate costs £8,000,000,000)” (Lumley) – 6:10
- “Rhesus Perplexus” (Giblin) – 3:59
- “Wal To Wal” (Jones, Giblin) – 3:13
- “Not Good Enough-See Me” (Jones, Robinson)
- “April” (Giblin) – 2:36
Personnel
- John Goodsall – guitar (except 7), backing vocals
- Robin Lumley – keyboards (except 2 & 4)
- J. Peter Robinson – keyboards (2 & 4)
- John Giblin – bass (except 2 & 4)
- Percy Jones – bass (2, 4 & 7)
- Phil Collins – drums (except 2 & 4), vocals (1 & 3)
- Mike Clark – drums (2 & 4)
- Morris Pert – percussion
Links
- Listen to other jazz fusion albums we’ve featured.
- See other album from 1979 that we’ve featured.
- Listen to Product on the ‘Cool Album’ MySpace page.
582???? What happened to 581? Yes, I am keeping a list!