The equally bizarre “C.F.D.T. (Colonel Frights’ Dancing Terrapins)” has a superb guitar break from Mick Hutchinson and a splash of Bond’s alto sax. The charmingly named “Mass Debate” follows with an erotic English ode of eccentricity straight out of Syd Barrett's Arnold Layne book of perversity. The clue to how it goes is in Brown’s opening lyric, "midnight mackintosh moves on its way".
The original album ends with the gently haunting “Looking For Time”. Once again it displays Bond’s piano gifts superbly. Meanwhile, the first of the bonus tracks “Milk Is Turning Sour In My Shoes” does the same for his Hammond skills. “Macumbe” ends this version by fusing a whole range of seemingly unlikely styles within its three and a half minutes.
Graham Bond was destined to continue his decline, finally ending up in a psychiatric hospital. The band folded when he was no longer able to perform live. Pete Brown subsequently worked with Jack Bruce, wrote music for films, and teamed up with ex-Man keyboard player Phil Ryan.
This re-release of Graham’s last recorded album is a fitting epitaph of his extraordinary life and career. Forever on the outside of life and the music industry, he remains a mysterious yet fascinating figure. This album underlines just why that is the case.
There is an active tribute website to Graham Bond which contains details of his life and his music. Esoteric Recordings' website contains a whole host of classic goodies.
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