English musicians and music geeks extraordinaire Steven Wilson and Tim Bowness have posted a new episode of their podcast The Album Years. They talk about 1968, discussing albums by Jimi Hendrix, The Zombies, The Small Faces, The Beach Boys, and a whole lot more. This is part #1 about this year. Also: the pair can be watched on YouTube now as well.
"Hanging on in quiet desperation is the English way". Some comfort from a playlist while the UK is struggling to make sense of the whole Brexit fuck up. Whatever happens, the music remains. In alphabetical order: Alberteen, Fairport Convention, Led Zeppelin, Nick Drake, Pink Floyd, Robert Wyatt, Small Faces, The Kinks, The Smiths, The Zombies.
Rod Argent sat down with Larry Crane T for an in-depth Tape Op magazine interview, discussing the 50th anniversary of Odessey and Oracle:
On the signature harmonies that make The Zombies instantly recognizable:
We always try to explore music harmonically, in terms of chord progressions, and in terms of voicings and harmonies too. I don’t think there were many bands that didn’t just do harmonies in root, third, and fifth; everyone singing in parallel, pretty much. We always looked at it as something a bit more.
Chattanooga garage grass band Strung Like a Horse have made a colourful video for their cover of The Zombies classic Time of the Season. They stick close to the original, but the violin solo gives it an extra boost.
Live dates:UK pop legends The Zombies have unveiled a video, the lead single from their latest album Still Got That Hunger released on The End Records.
Thier European tour kicks off in Barcelona on November 20th.
English psychedelic pop pioneers The Zombies stream of I Want You Back Again, the second single form their forthcoming new album Still Got That Hunger out on The End Records on October 9th. It's a re-recording from their 1965 North America only classic, a bit more jazzy and a showcase for keyboard player Rod Argent.
English legends The Zombies are still going strong. With original members Colin Blunstone and Rod Argent as the heart and soul of the band they continue releasing quality albums and playing shows all over the world. The new one Still Got That Hunger will be released on The End Records on October 9th.
They are sharing a stream of Moving On, the album's first single. They will be on the road in the States and Europe.
The Zombies tour behind their new studio album Breathe Out, Breathe In. The current line-up includes founding members Rod Argent and Colin Blunstone, with Jim Rodford, Steve Rodford and Tom Toomey.
They have a concert in Israel before flying to North America.
HCTF review of Odessey and Oracle {revisited} - The 40th Anniversary Concert.
When Rod Argent and Colin Blunstone of The Zombies ambled on stage at the Shepherd's Bush Empire in London, March 7th 2008, for the first night of their three night stand performing Odessey and Oracle in its entirety, the audience had to wait a bit longer. First they got the Zombies Touring Band playing Zombies cuts, Colin Blunstone solo stuff and two Argent songs. Not that it mattered that much - what's an hour or so if you have been waiting for 40 years. For those who weren't there the DVD is the visual document of that night (a live 2CD-set was already released in 2008).
The CD set already proved that they can still play, but the DVD documents the sheer joy of the band playing the Odessey and Oracle song cyle for the very first time. When it was frist released in 1968 it flopped and the band broke up, frustrated. Introduced by Al Kooper, who picked them up as a young A&R guy for Capitol Records, this album gets the recognition as a lost classic that can stand up to such monuments as Pet Sounds and Revolver. Never mind that Chris White has trouble reaching the high notes - most singers would pale in the presence of Colin Blunstone whose phrasing reaches new heights - check out Say You Don't Mind and Hung Up On A Dream.
The Zombies will release a live DVD of their performance of their 1968 album Odessey and Oracle. Overlooked back then, but now widely regarded as an essential album. The band will embark on a tour of the UK and mainland Europe starting in April.
During March 2008, The Zombies performed their legendary 1968 psychedelic album "Odessey and Oracle" for the first time in 40 years since its original release. The band played three consecutive sold out concerts at the London Shepherds Bush Empire. One of these nights was filmed for DVD, which will be released in the UK on Monday 20th April by Red House, distributed by Absolute via Arvato.First Half - The Zombies Touring Band
UK tickets are on sale via ticketweb.co.uk.
One more time. The Zombies play their entire Odessey & Oracle album in the UK, April 2009. Reviews of the 40th anniversary shows this year were quite favorable. Tickets on sale from Thursday September 25th.
Live dates:
There are three kinds of singers: singers, vocalists and people with a VOICE. Colin Blunstone is a voice who made The Zombies stand out in the Sixties. The other resident über musician in that band was Rod Argent who brought Bach, Stravinsky, Ravel and Bartok to the fore in popular music.
The Zombies' compilations can take half a shelf in you collection, so do you need another? Well ... The Zombies and Beyond is a handy collection for the newbie and good enough to lure the geeks. All the major Zombies tracks are on it, plus the best of Colin Blunstone and Rod Argent tracks (and sadly also the truly awful Old and Wise, a song that Blunstone sang with the Alan Parsons project).
The Zombies and Beyond is released on Universal. Release date: June 2.
» en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Zombies
» colinblunstone.co.uk
» rodargent.com
