Spontaneous Combustion (English band)

Spontaneous Combustion was an English progressive rock band formed in 1968 in Poole, Dorset, England, with brothers Gary Margetts (guitar, lead vocals) and Tristram Margetts (bass, vocals), and school friend Tony Brock (drums, vocals). The band released three albums and four singles 1971–75,  working with producers Greg Lake, Robert Fripp, Robert Kirby,  and Conny Plank, and self-produced their second album. Their music has been included on six progressive rock and psychedelic rock compilations alongside artists including Deep Purple and Pink Floyd. Their original records are collector's items.

The band's album cover artwork, designed by Paul May (first two albums, 1972) and Mick Breese Associates Ltd. (third album "Time", 1975)  included Paul May's comic-book-style gatefold cover featuring cartoon illustrations of the band and producer Greg Lake for the UK release of their self-titled debut album.

The band's records were reviewed by music publications including Billboard, Melody Maker, Disc and Music Echo, and Sounds.

Originally named Transit Sound, the band began in 1968 when best friends Steve Evans and Gary Margetts decided to form a rock band. Both guitarists, they asked another guitarist, Henry Harbin High School classmate Tony Brock, to play drums in the band, and enlisted Gary's younger brother Tris Margetts to learn to play bass. The band honed their skills with daily practice sessions at the Margetts home in the Oakdale suburb of Poole, then began playing covers of rock songs at shows in and around Poole and the Dorset area at venues including the Oakdale Youth Club and other halls and clubs available to minors, as the band members and many of the band's fans were teenagers. The band gained a popular following, and a fan club, playing their own music as well as covers.

By the time Transit Sound played at the annual Bournemouth Regatta Beat Group Competition in August 1970, and was awarded first place, the band had been introduced to Oakdale neighbor Greg Lake by Greg's friend Jon Pettersen. Having achieved success in King Crimson and ELP, Greg was looking to help other bands in their music careers. He had gained stardom as a teenager himself, playing at the same venues Transit Sound were playing. Excited by the band's music and talent, Greg proposed the band's name change to Spontaneous Combustion, offered to produce their first records, and brought them to EMI Records' A&R manager, who signed the band and brought their records out on EMI's progressive rock label Harvest in the UK and Capitol Records in the U.S.

The band toured opening for Emerson, Lake & Palmer  1970–72 in the UK and Europe, and were scheduled to open for ELP in the U.S. Spring 1972, but when the U.S. government denied the teenaged band work visas, in 1972 they self-produced their second album "Triad"; performed concerts in the UK and Europe opening for bands including Deep Purple, Genesis, and Electric Light Orchestra; recorded a single with Robert Fripp as producer and guest musician;   and headlined the Harvest Mobile Tour Fall '72 promoted by EMI to support the release of "Triad".

Tony Brock left Spontaneous Combustion in 1973 (after two albums, and four singles), joined Strider, and later became a founding member of The Babys.

Gary and Tris Margetts continued Spontaneous Combustion with new members. In 1974 they recorded their third album "Time"  with drummer Jode Leigh, lead guitarist and singer Alec Johnson, and lead singer Mike U'Dell, with producer Conny Plank at his studio in Germany, released in 1975. The band's name was left off of the album due to pending legal issues, leading some people to mistakenly think that the band's name also was Time. The band played concerts in the UK and Europe, including many at the Zoom Club in Frankfurt, Germany, before disbanding in 1977.

The Margetts brothers continued playing music in local bands; and Tris Margetts was bassist in the Greg Lake Band 1981–83 with Greg on guitar and lead vocals, lead guitarist Gary Moore, drummer Ted McKenna and keyboardist Tommy Eyre. The Greg Lake Band released three albums (two studio, one live concert album). Tris and Greg co-wrote the song "Haunted" on their second album Manoeuvres (1983). The band broke up when Gary Moore was signed to a recording contract to do his own music, and Tommy accompanied Gary into his new band. With the loss of Gary Moore's lead guitar playing and Tommy Eyre's keyboard skills, Greg decided not to bring in new musicians to tour "Manoeuvres" and he ended the band in 1983. He told interviewers that while he had been happy recording his two studio albums and had enjoyed trying different musical styles, he was looking for the same effervescence and inspiration he had felt at the height of ELP. Later in 1983, Greg performed some shows with Asia in Japan, as a favor to Carl Palmer.

In 2012 Spontaneous Combustion received renewed interest with the remastering, remixing and reissue of their three albums, which also featured their remastered singles as bonus tracks.

That same year, their first professional recording "Just A Dream", produced by Greg Lake, was inadvertently released on the 2012 deluxe reissue of Emerson, Lake & Palmer's 1971 album Tarkus as a bonus track titled "Unknown Ballad". Soon after its release, remix engineer Steven Wilson announced that the record company stated the "Tarkus" reissue was going to be withdrawn, and reissued without "Unknown Ballad". A mystery and controversy developed, as commenters online questioned and debated whether or not "Unknown Ballad" was by ELP, and how the error occurred.

In 2016, Greg Lake produced another "Tarkus" reissue and included "Unknown Ballad". Tristram Margetts and Gary Margetts posted about recording the song, at their and Greg Lake's official Facebook pages.

In 2020, Spontaneous Combustion's first album was named as one of the "Classic Albums By Young Musicians: 25 Age-Defying Greats" by rock journalist Brett Milano, alongside musicians including U2, Amy Winehouse, Stevie Wonder, Ritchie Valens, Kate Bush, The Beach Boys, and more; he commended Spontaneous Combustion's second album also.

Gary Margetts plays shows occasionally in Australia. Tris Margetts enjoys playing music with local bands in the UK.

History
Spontaneous Combustion was an English progressive rock band formed in 1968 in Poole, Dorset, England, originally named Transit Sound. The power trio consisted of brothers Gary Margetts (guitar, lead vocals, VCS 3 synthesizer) and Tristram "Tris" Margetts (bass, VCS 3, vocals) and school friend Tony Brock (drums, percussion, piano, vocals). The band released three albums and four singles from 1971 to 1975  that are collector's items,  signed to EMI Records and released on EMI's progressive rock Harvest label  in the UK and Capitol Records in the U.S., working with producers Greg Lake,   Robert Fripp,   Conny Plank, and Robert Kirby  as well as self-producing their second album "Triad" (1972). Their records featured cover art by designers Paul May and Mick Breese Associates Ltd. The band's songs are included on six progressive rock and psychedelic rock compilations featuring Deep Purple, Pink Floyd, and others, released between 1973 and 2013  that also are collector's items.

The band's records were reviewed in publications including Billboard, Disc and Music Echo, Melody Maker, and Sounds.

The band's first single and album  were produced by Greg Lake,   who was introduced to the band by his friend Jon Pettersen (who had been a guitarist in one of Greg's early bands The Shame). Greg suggested the band's name change from Transit Sound to Spontaneous Combustion, and brought them to EMI Records' A&R manager, who signed them to EMI and brought their records out on EMI's progressive rock label Harvest in the UK and Capitol Records in the U.S. Their records were released also in France, Germany, Greece, Japan, Mexico, Portugal, Russia, and Turkey.

Spontaneous Combustion toured opening for Emerson, Lake & Palmer  in 1970 through 1972 in the UK and Europe, and were scheduled to open for ELP in the United States in Spring 1972, but the U.S. government denied the teenagers work visas (only Gary Margetts was legally an adult at the time, age 18; Tris Margetts was 16 and Tony Brock 17 at the start of the U.S. tour); Emerson, Lake & Palmer toured the U.S. without their scheduled opening band in Spring 1972.

While ELP toured the U.S., Spontaneous Combustion wrote and self-produced their second album "Triad", recorded in Abbey Road Studios, released 26 October 1972; toured the UK and Europe, playing shows with Deep Purple, Genesis, Electric Light Orchestra, and others; recorded a single produced by Robert Fripp, featuring guest lead guitar and Mellotron by Robert; and headlined EMI's UK Harvestmobile Tour to promote their new album "Triad" (1972), advertised by EMI in Billboard and local media. EMI Harvest also publicized the band and "Triad" with full-page ads in Billboard and Melody Maker.

Tony Brock left Spontaneous Combustion in 1973 (after two albums, and four singles), joined Strider, and later became a founding member of The Babys.

Gary and Tris Margetts continued Spontaneous Combustion with new members, and released their third album "Time"   (1975) with drummer Jode Leigh (later of rock group England), guitarist-lead vocalist Alec Johnson (later of Nightwing; the Alec Johnson Band; England), and lead singer Mike U'Dell, recorded with producer Conny Plank at his studio in Germany in 1974. The band's name was left off of the album due to pending legal issues, leading some people to mistakenly think the band's name also was Time.

Spontaneous Combustion played shows in the UK and Europe, including many at the Zoom Club in Frankfurt, Germany, before disbanding in 1977.

Gary Margetts continued playing music in local bands, sometimes with Tris Margetts. Gary still plays shows occasionally in Australia.

Tris Margetts continued playing and writing music with bands including Strange Brew and Wishful Thinking; and was bassist in the Greg Lake Band 1981 to 1983, freeing Greg to play guitar and sing lead, with guitarist Gary Moore, drummer Ted McKenna (previously drummer of The Sensational Alex Harvey Band; Rory Gallagher), and renowned session keyboardist Tommy Eyre. Tris co-wrote the song "Haunted" with Greg Lake on the second of their three Greg Lake Band albums Manoeuvres (1983). Their third album King Biscuit Flower Hour Presents Greg Lake in Concert, recorded live 5 November 1981, was released in 1995, and has since been reissued with different titles including "London '81"; some releases have tracks recorded from other 1981 concerts. In 1983 Greg broke up the Greg Lake Band after releasing "Manoeuvres", without touring the album, when Gary Moore was signed to a recording contract to do his own music, and Tommy accompanied Gary into his new band. With the loss of Gary Moore's lead guitar playing and Tommy Eyre's keyboard skills, Greg decided not to bring in new musicians to tour "Manoeuvres". He told interviewers that while he had been happy recording his two studio albums and had enjoyed trying different musical styles, he was looking for the same effervescence and inspiration he had felt at the height of ELP. Later in 1983, Greg performed some shows with Asia in Japan, as a favor to Carl Palmer.

In 2012 Spontaneous Combustion received renewed interest with the remastering, remixing and reissue of their three albums, which also featured their remastered singles as bonus tracks.

Also in 2012, their first professional recording "Just A Dream", produced by Greg Lake, was inadvertently released on the 2012 deluxe reissue of Emerson, Lake & Palmer's 1971 album Tarkus as a bonus track titled "Unknown Ballad". Soon after the "Tarkus" release, remix engineer Steven Wilson announced that the record company stated the "Tarkus" reissue was going to be withdrawn, and reissued without "Unknown Ballad". A mystery and controversy developed, as commenters online questioned and debated whether or not "Unknown Ballad" was by ELP, and how the error occurred.

In 2016, Greg Lake produced another "Tarkus" reissue and included "Unknown Ballad". Tris Margetts and Gary Margetts posted about recording "Just A Dream" (aka "Unknown Ballad") at Greg Lake's Official Facebook page and their own official Facebook pages.

In 2020, Spontaneous Combustion's first album was named as one of the "Classic Albums By Young Musicians: 25 Age-Defying Greats" by rock journalist Brett Milano, alongside musicians including U2, Amy Winehouse, Stevie Wonder, Ritchie Valens, Kate Bush, The Beach Boys, and more; he commended Spontaneous Combustion's second album also.

Gary Margetts plays shows occasionally in Australia. Tris Margetts enjoys playing music with local bands in the UK.

Unknown Ballad
In 2016 Spontaneous Combustion was identified as the band that performed the song "Unknown Ballad" released as a bonus track on the 2012 remastered deluxe reissue of Emerson, Lake & Palmer's 1971 album Tarkus. Found on the "Tarkus" recording session tapes during 2012 remixing, and with no information to indicate that another band had recorded on ELP's session tape, the song was believed to be by Emerson, Lake & Palmer. Because the lead singing voice sounded similar to Keith Emerson's voice on the couple of songs Keith sang with The Nice,  the song was mistakenly credited to Keith Emerson as composer, Greg Lake for lyrics, and ELP as performers.

The mix-up was identified soon after the deluxe reissue was released. It was announced the reissue was being withdrawn and would be released without "Unknown Ballad".

The song actually was the first professional recording of Spontaneous Combustion, "Just A Dream", arranged and performed by Spontaneous Combustion and producer Greg Lake, with music composed by Gary Margetts and lyrics written by his friend Mike Rowe. The new song, a demo arranged and recorded in about two hours, was not developed further for release by Spontaneous Combustion. Producer Greg had not asked recording engineer Eddie Offord to change to a different tape, and the song was recorded onto the ELP "Tarkus" tape in the recorder, leading to the mix-up forty-one years later.

The recording occurred when Keith Emerson and Carl Palmer needed to leave a "Tarkus" recording session about two hours early one day, and Greg called Gary Margetts to ask whether Spontaneous Combustion would like to come to Advision Studios to record something during the available pre-booked studio time. Although Spontaneous Combustion had music they had already been performing in their shows, Greg and Gary discussed working on a new song from scratch, to demonstrate the process of creating music in the studio, and Gary brought the new composition.

The original producer of ELP's first several albums including "Tarkus", Greg Lake had been offered the 2012 remaster-reissue project but had declined, stating he had given his best at the time of the original recordings and he thought that someone else bringing a new perspective was a valid way to move forward. Keith Emerson and Carl Palmer also declined to do the reissue project, citing similar reasons. Keith Emerson stated about "Tarkus", "I wouldn't want to change one note." Carl Palmer stated, "The music already was great." All three had collaborated and had final approval of their recordings; before they released any of their music, all three agreed that the recording represented their best possible work for that music.

When musician and remix engineer Steven Wilson was engaged to the project, it was in experienced respected hands. Steven mentioned difficulties arranging time with ELP to review the remix project. A reason contributing to the disconnect was that more than a thousand reissues of ELP's music had been released in four decades by 2012; "Tarkus" alone had more than 150 releases from 1971 to 2012. Emerson, Lake & Palmer were no longer together as a band: their last album was released in 1994, and they played their last show together in 2010. Their business partnership continued as they owned their recordings. They met every six months to review business matters. "Tarkus" was pressed and released with "Unknown Ballad" as a bonus track before ELP became aware of the mix-up. Four decades later, Greg had forgotten his friends came in and recorded a song on an ELP tape in a two-hour window of studio time. Keith Emerson and Carl Palmer were unaware of it, because Spontaneous Combustion did not enter the recording studio and begin working on the song until after Keith and Carl left. Although Spontaneous Combustion toured opening for Emerson, Lake & Palmer in 1970–72, forty years had passed. Keith Emerson stated in interviews that he didn't write or perform "Unknown Ballad" and he didn't know who did.

Ultimately, ownership of the "Unknown Ballad" recording was Emerson, Lake & Palmer's. It was recorded on an ELP master tape during ELP's studio time, produced by Greg, with Greg as a performer and arranger, and it was engineered by Eddie Offord, who was contracted to ELP's recording project.

"Tarkus" was reissued without "Unknown Ballad" in 2013 and 2014. Greg Lake included it again when he produced the 2016 "Tarkus" deluxe reissue.

It does not appear there was an official statement from the record company or ELP regarding the provenance of "Unknown Ballad"; but Tris Margetts' and Gary Margetts' description of recording "Just A Dream" (aka "Unknown Ballad") is at Greg Lake's Official Facebook page.

Discography
Singles

Spontaneous Combustion released four singles, 1971–73.

Three-track UK single Harvest HAR 5046 "Leaving" and "Lonely Singer" written by Gary Margetts "200 Lives" written by Margetts-Brock-Margetts Notes: - "Lonely Singer" was a non-album single for forty years, released in 2012 as a bonus track on the remastered debut album CD re-issue - "Leaving" and "200 Lives" were on Spontaneous Combustion's self-titled debut album released 7 January 1972
 * ' 'Lonely Singer' ' / ' '200 Lives' ' b/w ' 'Leaving' ' (released 26 November 1971) Produced by Greg Lake

UK single Harvest HAR 5060 "Gay Time Night" written by Chris Redwood, produced by Robert Kirby "Spaceship" written, arranged, and produced by Spontaneous Combustion Notes: - "Gay Time Night" was a non-album single for forty years, released in 2012 as a bonus track on the remastered "Triad" album CD re-issue - "Spaceship" was on Spontaneous Combustion's second album "Triad" released 26 October 1972 - "Spaceship" has been included on three compilation albums to date: "A Good Harvest" (1973); "A Visit to the Spaceship Factory: 20 Gems From the Early Years of Prog" (2007); "A Breath of Fresh Air: A Harvest Records Anthology / 1969-1974" (2007)
 * ' 'Gay Time Night' ' b/w ' 'Spaceship' ' (released 27 October 1972)

UK single Harvest HAR 5066 "Sabre Dance" composed by Aram Khachaturian, produced by Spontaneous Combustion Both tracks arranged by Spontaneous Combustion "And Now For Something Completely Different!–Sabre Dance" produced by Robert Fripp, Esq., who also played fuzz guitar and Mellotron (uncredited) Notes: - recorded at AIR Studios, Oxford Circus - "Sabre Dance" has been included on two compilation albums to date: "Harvest Festival" (1999); "Prog Rocks!" (2013) - "And Now For Something Completely Different!–Sabre Dance" is included on the compilation album "Art School Dancing" (2002)
 * ' 'Sabre Dance' ' b/w ' 'And Now For Something Completely Different!–Sabre Dance' ' (26 January 1973)

U.S. single (promo), 7" vinyl Capitol Records Harvest P-3558 "Chessboard" written by Chris Redwood produced by Robert Kirby "Chessboard" was a non-album single until 2012 when it was released as a bonus track on the remixed "Triad" album deluxe reissue, along with two other previously non-album singles, "Sabre Dance" and "And Now For Something Completely Different!–Sabre Dance". "Rainy Day" written by Margetts-Brock-Margetts, produced by Spontaneous Combustion
 * ' 'Rainy Day' ' b/w ' 'Chessboard' ' (March 1973)

Albums

Produced by Greg Lake Side 1 written by Gary Margetts Side 2 written by Margetts-Brock-Margetts UK release: Harvest SHVL 801 U.S. release: Capitol ST 11021 Notes: Different album covers for the UK and U.S. designed by Paul May, who also designed the cover for the band's second album "Triad" released eight months later. The comic-book-style gatefold cover of the UK album features cartoon illustrations of the band members and the album's producer Greg Lake. The U.S. album cover features a geometric globe design and a psychedelic photo of the band. - Two songs from the debut album, "Leaving" and "200 Lives", were released on a three-track single before the album's release, along with the non-album track "Lonely Singer" - The band's first and second albums were released as a 2-CD set in 1997: ' 'Spontaneous Combustion' '/' 'Triad' ' See For Miles Records Ltd., SEECD 472 - Remastered CD reissue of "Spontaneous Combustion" (2012): Esoteric Recordings ECLEC 2339 with bonus track "Lonely Singer", previously available only as a 1971 non-album single.
 * ' 'Spontaneous Combustion' ' (7 January 1972)

Written, arranged and produced by Spontaneous Combustion Album cover art designed by Paul May UK release: Harvest SHVL 805 U.S. release: Harvest SW 11095 Notes: Spontaneous Combustion headlined concerts in EMI's "The Harvest Mobile Tour - Fall 1972" built around promoting the release of "Triad", touring the UK with fellow Harvest artists including Genesis and Electric Light Orchestra. - Remastered CD re-issue in 2012 on Esoteric Records (Esoteric ECLEC 2340) Included three bonus tracks previously available only as non-album singles: "Gay Time Night" (1972); "Sabre Dance", and the Robert Fripp-produced "And Now For Something Completely Different!–Sabre Dance" featuring Robert Fripp on fuzz lead guitar and Mellotron (1973).
 * ' 'Triad' ' (26 October 1972)

BUK Records (BULP 2005) Produced by Conny Plank, recorded at his studio in Germany All songs composed by Gary Margetts (credited as G. W. Margetts) and H. E. Yeatman Album artwork designed by Mick Breese Associates Ltd. Released on BASF Records subsidiary BUK Records Ltd. Band members: Gary Margetts, Tris Margetts, Jode Leigh, Alec Johnson, Mike U'Dell. Notes: The band's name was left off the album due to pending legal issues, leading some people to mistakenly think the band's name also was Time. - Remastered CD re-issue of "Time" (2012), Prog Temple (PTCD 8002)
 * ' 'Time' ' (1975)

Compilation albums featuring Spontaneous Combustion

5-CD Compilation Box Set Spontaneous Combustion - "Sabre Dance" Disk 5, Track 11.
 * ' 'A Good Harvest' ' - Various Artists (1973). Spontaneous Combustion - "Spaceship" Side 1, Track 4.
 * ' 'Harvest Festival' ' - Various Artists (1999)

Spontaneous Combustion "And Now For Something Completely Different!–Sabre Dance" Track 14.
 * ' 'Art School Dancing' ' - Various Artists (2002)

Spontaneous Combustion's "Spaceship" Track 14.
 * ' 'A Visit to the Spaceship Factory: 20 Gems From the Early Years of Prog' ' - Various Artists (2007)

Spontaneous Combustion's "Spaceship" (disc 3, track 9).
 * ' 'A Breath Of Fresh Air: A Harvest Records Anthology / 1969-1974' ' - Various Artists (2007)

5-CD compilation with 72 songs, including Spontaneous Combustion's 1973 single "Sabre Dance" (disk 1, track 14).
 * ' 'Prog Rocks!' ' - Various Artists (2013)

Albums

 * Spontaneous Combustion (1972)
 * Triad  (1972)
 * Time (1975)

Spontaneous Combustion was an English progressive rock power trio consisting of guitarist/lead singer Gary Margetts, bassist/singer Tris Margetts, and drummer/singer Tony Brock. The band released three albums and four singles 1971–75, the third album with new members drummer Jode Leigh, guitarist and singer Alec Johnson, and lead singer Mike U'Dell, after Tony departed the band in 1973. The band's name was left off of their third album Time due to pending legal issues, leading some people to mistakenly think that the band's name also was Time. Their music has been included on six progressive rock and psychedelic rock compilations alongside artists including Deep Purple and Pink Floyd.