Arlan Green –Moonbrite EP –Test pressing- Bell 1000 (UK 1974?)
I don’t
honestly know who Arlan is/was, his only near-official release appears to be a
demo version of Rock Hotel on Mooncrest in 1975…as well as this strange test
pressing EP. The EP plays at 33.1/3 and has the immortal words “not for sale or
broadcast” on the sleeve, so was it that
Bell Records were considering signing Arlan, but then desisted when there was a
severe lack of positive feedback? Regardless of its strange lack of release, it’s
a mighty weird yet compelling EP. Moonbrite starts off with analog space beeps,
then Arlan declares his desire to be the first dentist on the moon…it’s all bit
like Jobriath channeling Gilbert o’Sullivan delivering a futuristic toothpaste
commercial. The 2nd track I
Do is pure McCartney Pop (with a Lennon middle bit) and could have been an
outtake off the first Jellyfish LP with some quite extensive and adventurist orchestration.
Rock Hotel kicks off side 2 with novelty
voice weirdness before settling down into something resembling the Bonzo Dog
Doo Dah Band with Bowie at the helm auditioning for the Rocky Horror Show. The
last track The Next Time starts off kinda like a normal heart felt piano
ballad, but then our Arlan can’t contain himself and SHREEKS with the song then
taking several unexpected twists and turns (note something weird happens near
the end, it might be an on-purpose stick, or just a bit of dirt on the record…who
knows, but I hope it was on purpose. Arlan who the hell are you? I hope you’re
still around and can tell us all about it…
Hear the full
side 1
Hear the full
side 2
14 comments:
In addition to McCartney, I Do has a fair bit of Pilot in the influence, methinks;
and he seems to be channeling his inner Elton in The Next Time; the other 2 tracks
are simply bonkers...
Agree totally. Funny I was going to mention Pilot, but I have referred to them too many times here!
Who is he indeed, I been searching his name and come up with nothing. I can't believe this artist didn't go on to work in the industry in some capacity, even if doing commercial jingles or something, he's just too talented to have been thrown away. Or perhaps having been shelved after such an epic burst of songwriting and vocal gymnastics he walked away in disgust and took up a real job. I thought these were crazy joke tunes, but the more I listen they become amazing works of music production and as mentioned, the vocals and writing are unique.
If this is the same Arlen Green I knew, he was a bit of a balmcake. He had, if it's the same guy, 3-4 huge record deals and this is the first time I've ever seen anything by him actually make it out of the studio. He was a friend of a female relative of mine that's how I have heard of him and one of his proposed single releases that never happened, was a song about my cousin. He ended up in the USA and if it's the same guy, went through right adventures over there.
From memory, after yet another deal fell through, he "quit" the biz and was making his way to somewhere when he had a "vision", returned to LA to find yet another record company had offered him another big deal.
Probably used as a demo to get a record deal, rather than a unreleased test press.. as quite a few copies have turned up for sale. A friend said he had a rolling Stones acetate on Bell ?? maybe that label did a few custom pressings ?
I knew an Arlan Green in 1979. He was the pianist and music director for Toast - the group that was playing with Davy Jones from Monkees fame. Arlan lived in California then and went back to England in 1980.
I hope this is the same guy. He was a nice guy and a great musician.
That'ts the one Debbie, my cousin was close friends with the lass who managed and married Davy Jones.
Thanks for putting this up. I really enjoyed it. Arlan was my neighbor in West Hollywood in 1978 (?)Very talented unique individual. He wore a green jumpsuit embroidered with the saying "Let's do Lunch" with official red clown shoes. I think he wrote or co-wrote "Baby, You'll soon be 16" which was a hit for Davey Jones around 1980 and previously for another band (Bay City Rollers?) He had a contract with Arista, which may have been where these demo pressings originated, not sure. Brilliant pianist, writer and performer.
Thank you! I lost touch with him once he returned to England and wonder about him sometimes!
I met Arand Green and Davy Jones back in 1978 when I was to road manager for the Davy Jones and the best of the Monkees tour.
I met him on a cruise ship in 1971. He was in a two man band. As young as I was and he as well I knew he was extremely talented snd a good person. Also very cute and personable. Great talent!
I met Alan as a young girl. He was the entertainment on the cruise ship in the Caribbean. It was a two man band. I knew even then that he was motivated and a great musician. He was writing songs then. Very talented, very funny, very kind and decent. Oh and very cute. I don’t think he was a bakmcake. Looks like he did very well. If you search his name you can see that he wrote many songs for some top names. He’s very intelligent. He’s into Shakespeare as well. Check him out.
Alan is a good friend of mine to this day and was a good friend of my mothers from the 70s onwards.
He is the most interesting and talented man i know and is still as zany as ever.
His focus is now definitely more on shakespeare and you can find him here...https://tobeornottobe.org/biography/
He lives in California and is now in his 70s and is still working tirelessly on achieving his dreams but is definitely the man you are all talking about above. I would love to see a pic of him in that jumpsuit and clown shoes lol!
I met him in 1976 at the Manchester evening news. He was in to do an interview and I was working as a news boy. Nice guy, gave me a copy of his single but can't remember what it was called but piano man rings a bell or where it is now..
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