In summer 1969, The Crazy World of Arthur Brown had to cease touring in the middle of their second U.S. tour because of keyboardist Vincent Crane's mental illness. When he recovered, he and drummer Carl Palmer took the step to leave Arthur Brown and return to England, the return date being Friday, 13 June 1969, which was the year of the rooster in the Chinese calendar, and arranged a meeting with Brian Jones to discuss a collaboration. After Jones's death, they adopted the name Atomic Rooster (with influence from the US band Rhinoceros), and soon recruited Nick Graham on bass and vocals. They followed with what had been The Crazy World of Arthur Brown arrangement of vocals, organ, bass, and drums.
 
In June 1971, just before they began configuring their line-up once again, the single "Devil's Answer" hit No. 4 in the UK. Atomic Rooster began recording In Hearing of Atomic Rooster (UK No. 18). Crane felt the band needed a singer who could "project" to an audience, and asked Leaf Hound vocalist Pete French to audition for the band. Not long after French came into the studio, Crane promptly sacked Du Cann, and Paul Hammond followed him to form Bullet, later renamed Hard Stuff. French recorded all the vocals on the album (save for "Black Snake," sung by Crane), and the album was released in August 1971.
 
The Atomic Rooster line-up featuring Pete French on vocals, Steve Bolton on guitar, Ric Parnell on drums, and Crane on keyboards toured Italy, then across America and Canada. This line-up ended their international tour to appear at a benefit gig in September 1971 at the Oval cricket ground, appearing in front of some 65,000 people, supporting The Faces and The Who. After this concert, French moved on to sign with Atlantic records and joined the American rock band Cactus.
 
Guitarist Steve Bolton left at the end of 1972.
 
In 2016, a new line-up of Atomic Rooster featuring Pete French and Steve Boltz Bolton played together with permission from Crane's widow. Over the last six years the band has risen to amazing heights on all the major Rock and Blues Festivals around the World.
 
Atomic Rooster are flying high again and are looking forward to landing in Colne for the debut appearance at the Festival.