Brand X
Despite sometimes being considered to be a Phil Collins side project (due to Collins' participation as drummer between 1975 and 1977 in between his commitments to Genesis), the band was in fact centred on a core composing/playing trio of John Goodsall (guitar),[1] Percy Jones (bass) and Robin Lumley (keyboards), with Lumley also playing a prominent production role.
Jones would ultimately remain the sole constant member throughout Brand X's existence (both during the original 1970s run and throughout the assorted twenty-first century reunions), with Goodsall and Lumley playing a part in most of the albums and tours.
When the vocals were negatively received by Island management, Goodsall, Lumley, Jones and Collins began secretly rehearsing as an instrumental four-piece, subsequently parting company with Spinelli and Bonas.
They had little in the way of funds, resorting to renting a synthesiser and PA system and operating with a small road crew, and often played support for the headlining act.
Collins briefly returned later in 1977 for a series of dates, including a spot at the tenth Crystal Palace Garden Party in London and the Fête de l'Humanité in Paris on the same day on a specially chartered plane, the latter attended by an estimated 200,000 people.
Goodsall was obliged to sit out part of the European and American tour due to a severe case of tendonitis, so Brand X brought in American session guitarist Mike Miller to cover for him in concert, although Goodsall continued as a member of the touring party ("to monitor the comings and goings, and to keep an eye on the cash").
[6] In 1979, Goodsall was fully recovered and able to join the band for a follow-up American tour, now minus Pert but with Phil Collins back on drums after a two-year absence.
Members have admitted that this facilitated "outrageous, sometimes destructive behavior", as well as helping them to fund and schedule rehab treatment for John Goodsall's "severe (but functional)" heroin addiction, which provided the band with another challenge.
While Goodsall has stated that this was in order to cope with musician unavailability or scheduling problems, Jones cited his own battles with label and publisher demands, in particular those of Hit & Run.
In order to pacify Charisma, Robin Lumley had obtained a favourable deal to rent Ringo Starr's Startling Studios in Ascot and pledged to record two albums there during the time usually required for just one.
During the day, a line-up of Lumley, Goodsall, Phil Collins and John Giblin recorded material with a more vocally-orientated and "rockier" aspect; during the night a line-up of Goodsall, the returned Jones, Peter Robinson, and drummer Mike Clark (sometimes joined by Morris Pert) recorded in the ongoing less commercial Brand X style that Jones favoured.
Product also generated a single, "Don’t Make Waves" - composed by Goodsall and sung by Collins (and inspired by the difficult band politics of the time).
"[6] Other issues affecting the band, however, included the impact of a long-running legal case between Charisma and Island Records, plus the release of Goodsall and Jones from Hit & Run management contracts.
This consisted of rough mixes and demos from the Startling Studios double-line-up sessions, and was put together by Lumsley at the behest of Charisma Records.
An album X-Communication was assembled "hastily", with Jones playing keyboards as well as bass, and with the band's old ally Danny Wilding contributing flute: it was released in 1992, to mixed reviews, and disappointing commercial returns.
Keyboard player Franz Pusch contributed to the album, as did vibraphonist Marc Wagnon (Jones' bandmate in Tunnels), and Danny Wilding on flute.
For a while, former Yes/Moody Blues keyboard player Patrick Moraz was in the frame to replace Sancious, but continuing problems in arranging concerts resulted in this line-up foundering as well.
After bassist Percy Jones refused to continue performing live with Brand X in 2020, Jeff Berlin was briefly announced as his replacement, but quickly backed out.
