Journey

Kingdom Come entered Rockfield Studios at the end of 1972 to record what would be their third album, Journey. Joining Arthur Brown, Andy Dalby and Phil Shutt were two new additions: Victor Peraino on keyboards and the band's so-called fifth member, the Bentley Rhythm Ace. Operated by Brown, the Bentley was, of course, one of the first drum machines; and coupled with the synthesizer work of Peraino, the two brought an original texture to the record. This pioneering effect is immediately apparent on the opening track "Time Captives." Given the context, this was no cheap trick either; the Bentley is as integrated into their sound as well as any other instrument. The arrangements here are more open and spacious, and the pace even subdued, particularly on the following instrumental "Triangles." Dalby's underrated guitar work features prominently on "Gypsy," while "Superficial Roadblocks" benefits from Peraino's Mellotron. The requisite R&B-tinged anthem is Brown's "Spirit of Joy," which also served as the album's single; and it's as good a song as Brown would ever deliver. The album ends with the bluesy and bold "Come Alive." Unfortunately, the lifestyle and pressures that came with leading the band would cause Brown to abandon Kingdom Come for the spiritual retreat of the then-popular George Gurdjieff's Fourth Way—but not before turning up in Ken Russell's film version of Tommy. Under the guidance of Peraino, Kingdom Come would record No Man's Land album in 1975 before calling it a day. Shutt ended up in Kiki Dee's band, while Dalby appeared in a much later version of Camel. In 1975, Brown would record the first of two more commercial albums for the Gull label, and then disappear until the end of the timeline.