History : 1975–1980

Brand X started in 1975 as a "jam" band funded by Island Records, whose A&R rep Danny Wilding wrote down the name "Brand X" to keep track of their activity in the studio calendar and the name stuck. Original drummer/vocalist Phil Spinelli and rhythm guitarist Pete Bonas quit the band after recording the 1st (disappeared/unreleased) Brand X album. Genesis drummer Phil Collins took over on drums and in early 1976 Unorthodox Behaviour was released to coincide with an extensive UK tour. Collins was replaced in following years by a formidable array of drummers, including Kenwood Dennard, Chester Thompson, and Mike Clark (an innovative funk jazz fusion pioneer known for his work with Herbie Hancock's Headhunters). Most recently the drum chair was filled by Frank Katz. Percussionist and composer Morris Pert was added later for the follow-up Moroccan Roll. (The band had previously employed other percussionists, including Gaspar Lawal,[2] Bill Bruford and Preston Heyman).

In early 1977, Brand X decided to recruit a replacement drummer for Collins due to conflicting schedules with Genesis (although Collins rejoined for strategic dates throughout the year) and Kenwood Dennard of Pat Martino's group was recruited in New York, making his debut on the band's US tour (a 32-date affair in May and June 1977) and appearing on part of the live album Livestock. Collins came back to the fold for a series of dates in September 1977 including two appearances on the same day in London (Crystal Palace garden party) and Paris (Fete de l’Humanite) - the first time ever a band played two open-air shows in different countries on the same day. A second US tour followed late in the year, again with Dennard on drums.

In 1979, Collins re-joined Brand X for part of the series of recording sessions which would generate enough material for two albums, 1979's Product and 1980's Do They Hurt?. These took place at Startling Studios, located in Ringo Starr's countryside home (formerly owned by John Lennon), with two distinct line-ups operating in alternation (Mike Clark again providing drums on the other tracks), as Jones later explained. "Our record and management companies were both complaining about poor record sales and telling us we had to make the music more accessible. Some of the guys agreed to go along with this but I felt that to do this would not generate a new audience but would probably just alienate the one that we already had. The only solution was to have two bands, one being more accessible and the other being more experimental. For my stuff the lineup was Robinson, Clark, Goodsall and me; for the other direction it was Lumley, Collins and Goodsall with John Giblin on bass. We recorded in shifts, ours was 8pm to 4am and the others, 10am to 6pm".

A UK tour took place in April and May 1980 (co-headlining with Bruford), with Mike Clark again on drums.[3]

John Goodsall and Percy Jones, who wrote all but a few tunes by Brand X, have never been paid royalties for over 35 years of worldwide sales for the 1st 6 legally released albums or the subsequent 10 or more compilations. Only one company, Buckyball Records, an indie label has ever paid the 2 composers royalties. Hit And Run Music, EMI, Virgin, Passport Records, Ozone, Pangea Music etc. continue to default on their debts to Goodsall and Jones. Goodsall's composition 'The Poke' was wrongly credited to Peter Robinson who had no part in writing that tune.
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