Brand X
Product

Characters and Performers

Mike Rutherford: Mike Rutherford
Phil Collins: Phil Collins
Steve Hackett: Steve Hackett
Tony Banks: Tony Banks

Year: 1975.
Scene: Interior, a remote cottage in the UK.

Phil: “Damn, guys, Peter wasn’t kidding, he really ditched us! Look: he even took away the Slipperman costume.”

Tony: “What a relief! People ignored us, everyone just talked about him, it seemed like he was the one writing everything, and on top of that, concert reviews only talked about his costumes. What a pain!! Now we can finally show who we really are.”

Mike: “No, Tony, your utopian idealism won’t get us anywhere: we’re finished. When this gets out, everyone will start boycotting us. He gave our audience exactly what they wanted, and now it will be hard to find someone to replace him.”

Steve: “Well, I’ve got a couple of not-so-bad ideas.”

Tony: “Not now, Steve. Guys, enough chatter, we need to find another singer right away and keep them in line this time.”

Mike: “But Tony… how can an outsider take Peter’s place? Either we completely renew ourselves, or we might as well retire. Our accounts will end up in the red, our name will be mocked. It’s the end!”

Tony: “You make it sound so tragic… Why don’t we make some compromises for now?”

Mike: “Oh well, sure, I’d love to see you with the flower mask. You’re not particularly good-looking as it is.”

Tony: “Spoken like James Dean, spoken indeed.”

Steve: “But why don’t we just…?”

Mike: “Later, Steve. And what about the flute? How do you intend to replicate the flute? With your damned menotron?”

Tony: “It’s called MELLOTRON, you turnip head, I don’t know how else to say it! And you need to stop mocking it: it’s a little tech gem.”

Mike: “A real gem, indeed. With every power surge, it changes key, it shuts down for no reason, those bloody tapes take on a life of their own and tangle, and it causes a heap of other issues. That Robert fooled you; I knew it from the start, I never liked that guy. Every time we are forced to improvise something or come up with stupid stories. And there’s another sore point, the stories. Peter did that too. Now what do we do?”

Tony: “Well, since the mellotron is mine, I could come up with some filler stories.”

Mike: “Oh, sure: I can already imagine your fascinating anecdotes of accidentally buying a green sweater instead of the purple one you had in mind.”

Tony: “It might be like that, but at least I’ve never suggested doing circus acts between songs to solve the problem.”

Mike: “It’s called vaudeville, you ignorant boor!”

Steve: “Well, but if you’d let me….”

Phil: (interrupting him) “Guys, I’ve got it! Since we can’t replace Pete, why don’t we just move forward as an instrumental band?”

Mike: “…”

Tony: “…”

Steve: “…”

(they all burst out laughing together)

Mike: “Phil, you’re a real joker!”

Steve: “Alright, so you’ve started listening to fusion and everything…”

Tony: “…but at this rate, you’ll ask us to include the Memphis Horns on one of our albums!”

Mike: “Have you lost your mind?”

Phil: “Oh, is that how it is? Then, yes, I’ve lost my mind. And you know what? I’ll start my own instrumental project, and it will be a thousand times better than your fairy tales about giant hogweed and Romeo and Juliet.”

Tony: “And what will you call them? The More Fool Us?”

Mike: “No, Tony, it’s too commercial a name!”

(everyone continues to laugh, and Phil leaves the room, slamming the door)

And that’s how Brand X was born…. a challenge to everything, to prog, to Tony's complex melodies, to Mike’s 12-string arpeggios, and Steve’s piercing solos...

In 1979, Brand X would become two different formations, both led by Goodsall. Although both played the same genre, Lumley's faction (which also included Phil Collins) performed more accessible and traditional music, not averse to the occasional sung track, while the other, with Percy Jones, focused on more experimental things.

The two subgroups would record simultaneously in April 1979 at Ringo Starr's Startling Studios, and the material would be released across three albums over four years: “Product” (1979), “Do They Hurt?” (1980), and “Is There Anything About?” (1982). Live, meanwhile, the classic formation with Goodsall, Lumley, Jones, Pert, and Collins would perform. Due to the various commitments of the musicians involved, Brand X dissolved in 1980. They would reform in 1992 with only Goodsall and Jones from the original members, and then dissolve again in 1999.

“Product” is fabulous. Bad, seductive, dreamy, rhythmic... The bass and drums are heart-stopping. The rhythms intertwine with practically perfect keyboards and guitars. The soundwriting is stellar. Only “Moroccan Roll” might surpass it by a fraction. In “Dance of the Illegal Aliens,” there’s a bass solo that's worth the price alone... And then the deadly balance of instruments, the changes in atmosphere, the dialogues between bass, keyboards, guitars. In short... it’s a great album, where everything works perfectly, never being pretentious, but everything is essential to achieving those sensations that only the GREAT can give.

Highly recommended