Atom Seed: Get in Line (1990)
With their vibrant, forceful, propulsive funk-metal sound, the Atom Seed were England’s de facto answer to the Red Hot Chili Peppers -- or at least they tried to be ...
Maybe it was the easy prospect of marketing them as such that convinced FM/Revolver to sign the London-based quartet (comprised of singer Paul Cunningham, guitarist Simon James, bassist Chris Dale and drummer Amir), because they sure rose rapidly through the ranks of the city’s pub scene.
In any case, within a year of the Atom Seed’s formation, their debut full-length Get in Line was already in stores, and plucky barnstormers like “What You Say,” “Shake that Thing” and “Bitchin’,” were indeed pure Chili Peppers, leaving little to the imagination thanks to Cunningham’s percussive barks and Dale’s accomplished slap-bass shenanigans. (*)
On the rare occasions when they weren’t blatantly ripping off Flea and co., the Atom Seed recalled others, among the era’s many funk metal disciples, including the Infectious Grooves (“Rebel”), Saigon Kick (the title track) and Faith No More (“What?!”).
This reverential formula is only abandoned for three anomalies: the vaguely psychedelic groover “Shot Down,” solid acoustic ballad “Better Day,” and a righteous alt-metal trip aptly named “Castles in the Sky,” showcasing impressive escalating riffs and licks from James.
But none of it could hold a candle to the real deal R.H.C.P, as they neared the peak of their creative and commercial powers.
Later licensed for American release by London Records, Get in Line unfortunately went absolutely nowhere and the Atom Seed were promptly dropped (**) before too long, leading to their break-up before the summer of 1993.
* The talented Dale went on to play with Bruce Dickinson’s Skunkworks project.
** The demos for a sophomore album entitled Hard Sell Paranoia were allegedly rejected and said album allegedly still lingers, unreleased in somebody’s vaults.
More Funk Metal: 24-7 Spyz’s Harder than You, Electric Boys’ Funk-O-Metal Carpet Ride, Extreme’s III Sides to Every Story, Faith No More’s Introduce Yourself, Incubus’ Make Yourself, Jane’s Addiction’s Nothing’s Shocking, Living Colour’s Vivid, Mind Funk’s Mind Funk, Mordred’s In This Life, Primus’ Frizzle Fry, Saigon Kick’s Saigon Kick.
