Spontaneous Combustion (English band)

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For other uses, see Spontaneous combustion (disambiguation).

Spontaneous Combustion
Also known asTime, Transit Sound
OriginPoole, Dorset, England
Genres
Years active1968-1977
Labels
Associated acts
Past members
  • Gary Margetts
  • Tris Margetts
  • Tony Brock
  • Steve Evans
  • Jode Leigh
  • Mike U'Dell
  • Alec Johnson
  • James (Jay) Sharkey
  • Pete Taylor

Spontaneous Combustion was an English progressive rock band formed in 1968 in Poole, Dorset,[1][2] with brothers Gary Margetts (guitar, lead vocals) and Tris Margetts (bass, vocals), and Tony Brock (drums, vocals).[3][4] The band released three albums and four singles before splitting in 1977,[5] and worked with producers Greg Lake, Robert Fripp, Robert Kirby, and Conny Plank. Some of their albums are out of print and have become collector's items.[6][7]

History[]

The band was originally formed under the name Transit Sound in 1968 by Gary Margetts and his school friend Steve Evans, soon to be joined by Tris Margetts and Tony Brock.[8] Evans soon departed and the band continued as a trio, initially playing cover songs in local Dorset clubs but soon adding their own original music.

In 1970 they were spotted by Greg Lake, who lived in the same town, and at the time had achieved success as a member of King Crimson and had recently formed Emerson, Lake & Palmer.[9] Lake offered to produce the band and encouraged EMI Records to sign them.[10][11] Lake also suggested a name change to Spontaneous Combustion.[citation needed]

The band opened for Emerson, Lake & Palmer several times in 1971-72. Their first album, Spontaneous Combustion, which was produced by Lake, was released in 1972.[12] Their single "Sabre Dance", covering the classical composition by Aram Khachaturian, featured a guest appearance by Robert Fripp.[13] The band's second album Triad was released later in 1972,[14][15] and they supported the album with a headline appearance at the Harvest Mobile Tour Fall '72 promoted by EMI.[16]

Drummer Tony Brock left the band in 1973 and later formed The Babys.[17] The Margetts brothers continued the band with new drummer Jode Leigh and guitarist/singer Alec Johnson. This lineup recorded the album Time in 1975.[18]

The band broke up in 1977; their song "Spaceship" appears on the 2007 Harvest Records compilation album Picnic – A Breath of Fresh Air. Tris Margetts was a member of Greg Lake's band from 1981 to 1983, and appeared on two studio albums.[19][20]

In 2012, interest in the band was revived when their early song "Just a Dream", produced by Greg Lake, was inadvertently included in the 2012 deluxe reissue of Emerson, Lake & Palmer's 1971 album Tarkus, as a bonus track titled "Unknown Ballad". This unlabeled recording was discovered in the ELP archives by reissue producer Steven Wilson, who errenously believed it to be an unreleased ELP song from the Tarkus sessions.[21] After the origin of the recording came to light, the reissue was withdrawn. In 2016, Lake produced another reissue of Tarkus with the Spontaneous Combustion song included, along with an explanation of the 2012 error.[22]

In 2020, rock historian Brett Milano included the debut Spontaneous Combustion album in his list of "Classic Albums By Young Musicians: 25 Age-Defying Greats".[23]

Discography[]

  • Spontaneous Combustion (1972)
  • Triad (1972)
  • Time (1975)

References[]

  1. ^ Gough, Patrick (17 August 2009). "Seaside rock". Bournemouth Daily Echo. Bournemouth, England. https://www.bournemouthecho.co.uk/news/4548129.amp/ . Retrieved 19 March 2020.
  2. ^ (2009). Bournemouth Rocks! : A Brief History of Rock Music in Bournemouth, Boscombe and Poole, 1960–1980. Natula Publications. ISBN 978-1-897887-77-6. Retrieved 19 March 2020.
  3. ^ Artist biography and album review, album credits, track list, Spontaneous Combustion 1972 debut album Spontaneous Combustion. AllMusic. https://www.allmusic.com/album/spontaneous-combustion-mw0000847693 . Retrieved 16 March 2020. AllMusic Review by Steven McDonald.
  4. ^ Spontaneous Combustion band members. EMI Harvest Spontaneous Combustion Triad full-page advertisement in Melody Maker, reprinting Melody Maker's review of Triad 11 November 1972. Melody Maker, November 1972. (Date and page number blurry in image.) Retrieved 24 February 2020. "Working in a tight network of drums, bass and lead guitar ... heightened by fine production... Their material apparently written jointly by Gary Margetts (guitar, lead vocal), Tris Margetts (bass guitar, VCS3, vocals) and Tony Brock (drums, percussion and vocals) contains some imaginative lyrics. Melody Maker, Nov 11, 1972. See them on the Harvestmobile tour. New single: Gay Time Night. Harvest Records."
  5. ^ Artist biography and album reviews, album credits, track list with music samples, 1997 two-CD reissue of Spontaneous Combustion debut album Spontaneous Combustion (1972) and second album Triad (1972). AllMusic. https://www.allmusic.com/album/triad-spontaneous-combustion-mw0000608715 . Retrieved 16 March 2020. AllMusic Review by Steven McDonald.
  6. ^ Thompson, Fred (2002). The Music Lover's Guide to Record Collecting. Chapter: Harvest. Backbeat Books, London, United Kingdom. 326 pages. ISBN 978-0879307134. Available in .pdf: https://books.google.com/books?id=GtGGDwAAQBAJ&pg=PT492&lpg=PT492&dq=spontaneous+combustion+band+uk&source=bl&ots=Yt6QWrJGAc&sig=ACfU3U0VdijCqDEkqWq5rz4-BA00VlGSXw&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiC3biE0__nAhXSoFwKHeSNAAM4HhDoATAJegQICRAB#v=onepage&q=spontaneous%20combustion%20band%20uk&f=false. Retrieved 7 March 2020. "...Spontaneous Combustion. ... Singles by these bands are colossally hard to collect."
  7. ^ Grishin, Yuri (2007). The Famous British Collectable Record Labels, Volume 2: Harvest Label 1969 - 1980. Limited Edition. Available in .pdf. https://eil.com/shop/moreinfo.asp?catalogid=651937 . Retrieved 7 March 2020. "Artists & groups: ... Adam Faith, The Beatles, The Hollies, ... Deep Purple, ... Pink Floyd, ... Spontaneous Combustion, ..."
  8. ^ "Rain Beat" (21 August 1970). (No author byline.) Christchurch Herald, Poole, No. 462. Times-Herald Newspapers. https://m.facebook.com/spontaneouscombustionbanduk/photos/a.114209955312995/114625308604793/?type=3&source=54 . Retrieved 19 July 2020.
  9. ^ "Spontaneous Combustion | Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved 28 May 2021.
  10. ^ Shipston, Roy (1971). "ELP, They're All Absolutely Shattered!". Disc and Music Echo. http://ladiesofthelake.com/cabinet/disc71.html . Retrieved 17 July 2020.
  11. ^ Epstein, Dmitry M. (May 2013). "Interview with Greg Lake". DMME.net. http://dmme.net/interview-with-greg-lake.html. Retrieved 28 February 2020.
  12. ^ Spontaneous Combustion - Spontaneous Combustion | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic, retrieved 28 May 2021
  13. ^ Daves, 23 (2 September 2020). "Left and to the Back: Spontaneous Combustion - Sabre Dance/ And Now For Something Completely Different". Left and to the Back. Retrieved 28 May 2021.CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  14. ^ Triad - Spontaneous Combustion | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic, retrieved 28 May 2021
  15. ^ Melody Maker review of Spontaneous Combustion's second album Triad (11 November 1972), reprinted in EMI Harvest Triad full-page advertisement in Melody Maker. Melody Maker, November 1972. (Date and page number blurry in image.) Retrieved 24 February 2020. "Working in a tight network of drums, bass and lead guitar ... heightened by fine production... Their material apparently written jointly by Gary Margetts (guitar, lead vocal), Tris Margetts (bass guitar, VCS3, vocals) and Tony Brock (drums, percussion and vocals) contains some imaginative lyrics. Melody Maker, Nov 11, 1972. See them on the Harvestmobile tour. New single: Gay Time Night. Harvest Records."
  16. ^ EMI announcement: Spontaneous Combustion headlining Harvestmobile Tour, Fall 1972. "International News Reports: EMI to Launch MoWest (Motown West) in the U.K., With Big Promo Splash. Harvest Drive". (No author byline). Billboard. 16 September 1972, pages 44, 49. https://books.google.com/books?id=5ycEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA44&lpg=PA44&dq=spontaneous+combustion+band+uk&source=bl&ots=DoYD1WIyGr&sig=ACfU3U1mEG9zpoK3eVLhTiEeOhV18mjZWw&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiP177T1P_nAhXiQkEAHXMLCWg4WhDoATAEegQIBRAB#v=onepage&q=spontaneous%20combustion%20band%20uk&f=false . Retrieved 7 March 2020.
  17. ^ "On the Beat with Tony Brock of the Babys: Talks Nostalgia and Walking to His Own Beat". Modern Drummer Magazine. 28 April 2017. Retrieved 28 May 2021.
  18. ^ Track list, photos and credits, Spontaneous Combustion third album Time (1975). https://www.discogs.com/Time-Time/master/549987 . Retrieved 23 January 2021.
  19. ^ Prasad, Anil (2011). "Greg Lake: New Perspectives". Innerviews. https://www.innerviews.org/inner/lake.html . Retrieved 27 April 2020.
  20. ^ Pilato, Bruce (1997). The Greg Lake Retrospective: From The Beginning (1997) two-CD set, 36 page booklet with interview and images. http://images.45worlds.com/f/cd/greg-lake-esdcd-552-4-cd.jpg . Retrieved 8 May 2020. Page 23.
  21. ^ Milano, Brett (3 November 2020). "How Steven Wilson Made Prog Rock Cool Again | uDiscover". uDiscover Music. Retrieved 28 May 2021.
  22. ^ Emerson Lake & Palmer – Tarkus (2016, CD), retrieved 28 May 2021
  23. ^ Milano, Brett (11 May 2020). "Classic Albums By Young Musicians: 25 Age-Defying Greats". uDiscover Music. https://udiscovermusic.com/stories/young-musicians-classic-albums/ . Retrieved 16 July 2020. "Spontaneous Combustion: Spontaneous Combustion (1972)".
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