So-called “God of Hellfire” remains just as unusual 57 years into his career
The name Arthur Brown may not be a household name, however, once you press play, we are sure you have heard his music. His 1968 hit single “Fire” encapsulated the globe for being catchy and having satanic themes.
Brown has a long, genre-bending catalog that covers everything from an early form of metal to psychedelic pop. But what made Arthur Brown stand out the most was his live shows. He would wear a helmet holding up an arc that he would light on fire while covered in face and body paint. Brown would frequently get arrested, thrown out of venues and even deported at one point. He, along with peers such as Jimi Hendrix, pioneered the rocker attitude.
This “living like there’s no tomorrow” style would be picked up by artists like Mötley Crüe and Rolling Stones. Arthur Brown is one of those “your favorite artist’s favorite artist” types of musician. Bands like Kiss and Insane Clown Posse brought gothic face paint to the mainstream. Even in 2022, during the “Donda 2 Listening Experience,” rapper Playboi Carti wore face paint eerily similar to Brown’s performance of “Fire” in 1968. He is one of the most influential figures in rock.
So, where does Long Long Road stand in Brown’s catalog? Well, he somehow continues to release amazing music that sounds nothing like his previous works. This album takes heavy inspiration from old blues-rock with a metal twist. It keeps you on the edge of your seat with avant-garde vocals but has enough pop-like appeal to not get too overwhelming.
It starts with the opening track, “Gas Tanks.” The nature sounds and droning synth give way to a jazz-rock piano and drum pattern. All of this while Brown is signing with an opera-like arpeggio. This track fades into the comedic spoken-word interlude “Coffin Confessions.” A personal favorite lyric is, “I loved you once, but I just can’t stand your politics.” The third and fourth track, “Going Down” and “Once I had Illusions (Part 1),” is a blues fan’s delight. The themes of going down to hell feel right at home with the usual themes of bluegrass bands.
The fifth song’s instrumental “I Like Games” sounds like it came straight out of a spaghetti-western film. The harmonica and banjo with twangy vocals made it a stand-out track. In the next track, “Shining Brightness,” Brown takes the foot off the blues pedal, and lets inspirations from his past work shine through. The blues theme returns with the aptly titled, “The Blues and Messing Round.” Finally, the album makes a strong closing run with some of the most bluesy cuts on the whole record, “Long Long Road” and “Once I had Illusions (part 2).”
It’s hard to find something to dislike about Long Long Road. Arthur Brown is one of those musicians that can create amazing music for a very long time. It is a great album full of funny lyrics and bluesy riffs and has a great atmosphere.
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