Short-lived though it was, the mid-80s band Phalanx lives on owing to the records it made and the inspiration it gave to other musicians. It was a powerhouse group that offered its members equal stakes. The four members were George Adams (b. 29 April 1940, Covington, Georgia, USA, d. 14 November 1992, New York City, New York, USA), James ‘Blood’ Ulmer (b. 2 February 1942, St. Matthews, South Carolina, USA), Sirone (b. Norris Jones, 28 September 1940, Atlanta, Georgia, USA) and Rashied Ali (b. Robert Patterson, 1 July 1935, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA). There were no stars with backing group, rather Phalanx was a kind of collective soloists showcase. The result was vivid and exhilarating music that came and went, like the band itself, with all the sudden energy of a passing comet.