Richard Shaw Brown

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Rick Brown
Occupation(s)Singer-songwriter
Instrument(s)Harmonica
Years active1964–1967 / 1982–1985
LabelsFontana Records
Cherry Red Records
Rough Trade Records
Ugly Things Records

Richard Shaw "Rick" Brown (born April 26, 1947) is an American musician and gemologist. He is perhaps best known for being the lead singer, harmonica player, and co-songwriter of psychedelic rock group The Misunderstood throughout the 1960s.[1]

Richard Brown is currently working as a

Band

The classic Misunderstood in London – 1966. Rick Brown on left.

A review by Terrascope stated, "

US Army to go to Vietnam. However, being opposed to the war, he escaped from boot camp and left the country for India, where he was a fugitive for 12 years.[9] Creem magazine, in a September 2004 review, wrote, "The saga of The Misunderstood is one of the most unbelievable, heartbreaking, and unlikely stories in the entire history of rock."[10]

India

In 1967 Brown was initiated as Hrisikesh Das by

Vrindavana, U.P., India for six and a half years.[12] Brown departed from Swami Bon and returned to his original guru, Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada in late 1973. During his time in Asia, Brown learned to speak Bengali, Hindi and Thai, and read Sanskrit and Hindi.[13]

Welfare activities in Asia

During his stay in India with Swami Bon Maharaj Brown was engaged in the establishment of Sri Krishna Chaitanya Academy, a primary school, in Nandagram, U.P.,[14] as well as expanding the Institute of Oriental Philosophy in Vrindavan, U.P.[15] Before returning to America Brown was also instrumental in establishing Sri Hari-siddhi Primary School in Dhulikhel, Nepal.[16] In 1999 he was a co-founder and is currently Acting Secretary of the Institute of Planetary Gemology in Bangkok, Thailand,[17] a school that teaches the Navaratna system of Asian birthstones.[18]

Influence in India

Through Swami Bon's educational service Brown moved in the highest circles of Indian society, even being received twice by India's President

V.V. Giri at Rastrapati Bhavan in 1972.[19] He successfully organized two high society functions in Bombay and Delhi during 1971–1972 which were supported by India's elite.[20]

Amnesty

In 1979, after 12 years in exile, Brown returned to

America where he was granted amnesty as a conscientious objector and discharged from the Army.[21][22]

Post-Misunderstood music

In 1982, the two core members, the singer and the steel guitarist, reunited as "Influence" and recorded two self-penned tracks, "No Survivors" and "Queen of Madness", for UK's Rough Trade Records in 1983. They disbanded in 1985 when Campbell moved to New Zealand and Brown moved to Thailand.[23][24]

Cherry Red Records (UK) released three albums of Misunderstood music: Before the Dream Faded (CDM RED 32) in 1992, The Legendary Goldstar Album (CDM RED 142) in 1997, and a full album of The Misunderstood's later material under the name of The Misunderstood: Broken Road (CDM RED 147) in 1998.[25]

In 2004, Ugly Things Records (USA) issued another full album of previously unreleased tracks named The Lost Acetates 1965–1966, that received international media coverage.[26][27]

A motion picture screenplay (The Misunderstood: WGA 977444) about the band and Rick Brown's adventures was written by rock historian Mike Stax (editor of Ugly Things music magazine) in 2002,[28] and is under revision.[29]

A novel, Like, Misunderstood, based on the script, was published in October 2007.[30][31]

Musical recognition

Recent activities

Queen of Thailand
in 1993

In 1983 Brown graduated as "gemologist" from the Gemological Institute of America (GIA). Brown's book Ancient Astrological Gemstones & Talismans[38] received the 1996 Benjamin Franklin Award[39] from the Publishers Marketing Association (PMA).

He is currently working as a gemologist and jewelry designer in Bangkok, Thailand for the popular brand Astral Gemstone Talismans.[40]

Published books

  1. Richard Brown (1975) Sri Chinta Mani, Astro Jewels Co.: Bangkok, Thailand.
  2. Richard S. Brown (1982) Handbook of Planetary Gemology, AGS Inc.: Laguna Beach, California.
  3. Richard S. Brown (1988) Handbook of Planetary Gemology II, Mckinney Intl.: Hong Kong.
  4. Richard S. Brown (1995) Ancient Astrological Gemstones and Talismans, AGT LTD. .
  5. Richard S. Brown (2000) Astral Gemstone Talismans Designs 2000, AGT LTD. .
  6. Richard S. Brown (2002) Astral Gemstone Talismans 2002, AGT LTD. .
  7. Richard S. Brown (2003) VOOM Collection, Hrisikesh Ltd. .
  8. Richard S. Brown (2004) Six Collection, Hrisikesh Ltd. .
  9. Richard S. Brown (2005). Sri Chintamani Collection. Hrisikesh Ltd.
  10. Richard S. Brown (2006). Akash Collection. Hrisikesh Ltd.
  11. Richard S. Brown (2007). Mangala Navaratna Collection. Hrisikesh Ltd. .
  12. Rick Brown & Mike Stax (2007). Like, Misunderstood. .
  13. Richard S. Brown (2007). Ancient Astrological Gemstones & Talismans – 2nd Edition. Hrisikesh LTD.

See also

References

  1. .
  2. ^ Ranard, Andrew (October 31, 1994). "Gemologist Focuses On the Spiritual". International Herald Tribune. p. 20.
  3. ^ Roxas, Percy (August 1, 2008). "'To be Thailand's Own'". Look East Magazine. pp. 20–21.
  4. ^ Ure, Bronwyn (November 2008). "'Romancing the Stone'". Living in Thailand Magazine. pp. 44–45.
  5. ^ OUTLOOK (1992). Jewelry Based on the Stars. Bangkok Post.
  6. ^ OUTLOOK (1992). Astral Fashion with Gemstone Talismans. Bangkok Post.
  7. ^ "Review by Terrascope Online – Jan. 2008". Retrieved September 3, 2008.
  8. ^ "100 Greatest Psychedelic Records". Record Collector. 2005.
  9. ^ "MISUNDERSTOOD Website". Retrieved January 19, 2007.
  10. ^ Duff, Bruce. Creem Magazine: Issue September 2004.
  11. ^ "Disciples:H". Archived from the original on November 20, 2006.
  12. OCLC 31935694
    .
  13. ^ Ranard, Andrew (October 31, 1994). "Gemologist Focuses On the Spiritual". International Herald Tribune. p. 20.
  14. ^ ""True Story Of Krishna's School In Nandagrama" – Vaishnava News Network (VNN) – Feb 4, 1999 Website". Archived from the original on February 4, 2007. Retrieved March 3, 2007.
  15. ^ Stax, Mike. Ugly Things (Music) Magazine Issue 22 – 2004. p. 46.
  16. ^ "Info on schools established by Richard S. Brown". Archived from the original on October 22, 2006. Retrieved February 18, 2007.
  17. ^ ""Vedic Gemology Gets Organized" – Vaishnava News Network (VNN) – Feb 19, 2000 Website". Archived from the original on February 8, 2007. Retrieved March 13, 2007.
  18. ^ "Weblink". Retrieved February 18, 2007.
  19. ^ Stax, Mike. Ugly Things (Music) Magazine Issue 22 – 2004. p. 58.
  20. ^ "Weblink". Archived from the original on October 22, 2006. Retrieved February 18, 2007.
  21. ^ Daniel P. Reid (1988). Rishi.
  22. ^ Mike Stax (2002). Screenplay: The Misunderstood WGA 977444.
  23. ^ Ugly Things (Music) Magazine No. 22 by Mike Stax. 2004.
  24. ^ "Influence at Rate Your Music". Retrieved April 9, 2007.
  25. ^ "Amazon.com". Amazon. Retrieved January 28, 2007.
  26. ^ Entertainment-Reuters (Yahoo News) (June 18, 2004). "New Label Sheds Light on the Misunderstood". Billboard. {{cite magazine}}: |author= has generic name (help)
  27. ^ Rolling Stone Magazine Issue (September 2, 2004). "The Misunderstood The Lost Acetates 1965–1966 by David Fricke". {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  28. ^ Mike Stax (2002). Screenplay: The Misunderstood WGA 977444.
  29. ^ Ure, Bronwyn (November 2008). "'Romancing the Stone'". Living in Thailand Magazine. pp. 44–45.
  30. ^ "Like, Misunderstood web page". Retrieved September 3, 2007.
  31. .
  32. ^ "Record Collector Magazine's 100 Greatest Psychedelic Records: Web link". Retrieved January 6, 2008.
  33. .
  34. ^ Record Collector Magazine; et al. (2004). "100 Greatest Psychedelic Records". Record Collector Magazine.
  35. ^ "John Peel Quote". Top Gear (BBC Radio). November 8, 1968.
  36. ^ Mojo Magazine (April 2009). "I Can See For Miles: A-Z". {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  37. ^ Cult Heroes No. 18: The Misunderstood Archived June 17, 2010, at the Wayback Machine
  38. .
  39. ^ "Benjamin Franklin Awards". Publishers Marketing Association website. Archived from the original on January 28, 2007. Retrieved January 27, 2007.
  40. ^ Ranard, Andrew (October 31, 1994). "Gemologist Focuses On the Spiritual". International Herald Tribune. p. 20.

External links