Colin Edward Michael Blunstone
(born 24 June 1945 in Hatfield, Hertfordshire) is an English pop singer/songwriter, best known as a member of the pop group The Zombies, and for his participation on various albums with the Alan Parsons Project. [1]
|
COLIN BLUNSTONE TICKETS
|
Biography
He attended
St Albans County Grammar School for Boys.
Blunstone's plaintive, wistful
voice was one of the factors making
The Zombies'
single, "
She's Not There" (written by fellow band member
Rod Argent), such a big
hit worldwide. After the amicable split of the band, shortly after completing the
baroque pop classic
LP,
Odessey and Oracle
, Blunstone briefly worked in the insurance business before resuming his musical career. In 1969, he signed with
Deram Records and cut three singles under the
pseudonym of
Neil MacArthur
, including a re-make of The Zombies' hit, "She's Not There" which charted in the UK.
He had some success as a
solo artist, singing in a much gentler, softer style, notably in 1972 with "
Say You Don't Mind" (written by future Wings member
Denny Laine) and "I Don't Believe In Miracles" (written by Argent member
Russ Ballard), both with distinctive string arrangements by
Christopher Gunning
One Year
(released in 1971 and produced by
Chris White) was his first solo
album, and includes the song "Caroline Goodbye" about Blunstone's break-up with the
model and
actress Caroline Munro. This was followed by
Ennismore
, which is now considered a classic of that period, and
Journey
, of which the highlight was a track released as a single, "Wonderful", written by Chris White and featuring the keyboard work of Rod Argent.
He signed with Elton John's
Rocket Records
and released three albums,
Planes
(1976),
Never Even Thought
(1978) and
Late Nights In Soho
(1979), which was only released in Europe.
Blunstone also contributed his unique, breathy vocals to
Dave Stewart's hit
cover version of the
Tamla classic, "
What Becomes of the Brokenhearted" (1980).
He went on to appear on several albums by
The Alan Parsons Project including
Eye in the Sky
and
Ammonia Avenue
. In 1984, he joined with other Parsons musicians to form
Keats.
He has appeared quite a few times on the principal radio and TV shows in the UK. He and his band performed several sessions for the
John Peel Show and
Johnnie Walker Show and on the
Old Grey Whistle Test
in 1971 where he performed live with a string quartet.
He has had only a limited acting career. He was in "The Savages" (2001) TV Series and
Keep the Aspidistra Flying (1997) both as a singer. Other TV appearances include "The Dan and Dusty Show" (2004) as The Zombies, "Shindig! Presents British Invasion Vol. 2 " (1992) also as The Zombies, and "Pop Quiz" (1982). His sole movie part was in
Bunny Lake Is Missing
(1965) a movie directed by
Otto Preminger (as The Zombies) and starring
Laurence Olivier.
Blunstone still tours to this day, sometimes on his own, occasionally in tours with 1960s bands such as
Manfred Mann - and most often with his old Zombies colleague Rod Argent. Some of his recent albums are
As Far As I Can See
, the mid 1990s
Echo Bridge
and
Out of the Shadows
(with Rod Argent).
His new solo album, is called The Ghost of You And Me and is released in the UK, Benelux and Scandinavia on 9 March 2009. Colin has just completed a very successful 12 date UK tour, his first in years. He continues to tour with Rod Argent as The Zombies touring band, and the original surviving members of The Zombies play four reunion concerts performing Odessey and Oracle album straight through, in April 2009 in the UK. Dates can be found at www.colinblunstone.co.uk
Discography
Singles
- Mary, Won't You Warm My Bed
/ I Hope I Didn't Say Too Much Last Night
- Epic EPC7095 (1971)
- Caroline, Goodbye
/ Though You Are Far Away
- Epic EPC7520 (OCT 1971)
- Say You Don't Mind
/ Let Me Come Closer
- Epic EPC7765 (Jan 1972) (UK #15)
- I Don't Believe In Miracles
/ I've Always Had You
- Epic EPC8434 (Oct 1972) (UK #31)
- How Could We Dare To Be Wrong
/ Time's Running Out
- Epic EPC1197 (Feb 1973) (UK #45)
- Wonderful
/ Beginning
- Epic EPC1775 (Sept 1973)
- It's Magical
/ Summersong
- Epic EPC2413 (May 1974)
- When You Close Your Eyes
/ Good Guys Don't Always Win
- Epic EPC4576
- Planes
/ Dancing In The Dark
- Epic EPC4752 (Nov 1976)
- Beautiful You
/ It's Hard To Say Goodbye
- Epic EPC5009 (Feb 1977)
- Lovin' and Free
/ Dancing in the Dark
- Epic EPC5199 (April 1977)
- I'll Never Forget You
/ You Are The Way For Me
- Epic EPC6320 (May 1978)
- Ain't It Funny
/ Who's That Knocking?
- Epic EPC6535 (July 1978)
- Photograph
/ Touch And Go
- Epic EPC6793 (Nov 1978)
- What Becomes of the Brokenhearted
(with Dave Stewart) / There Is No Reward
(non Blunstone B Side) - Stiff Broken 1 (1980) (UK #13)
- Miles Away
/ Excerpts From Exiled
(non Blunstone B Side) - Panache PAN1 (Sept 1981)
- The Tracks of My Tears
/ Last Goodbye
- PRT 7P236 (April 1982) (UK #60)
- Touch
/ Touch
(Instrumental) - PRT 7P64 (Feb 1983)
- Where Do We Go From Here?
/ Helen Loves Paris
- Sierra FED22 (May 1986)
- She's Not There
/ Who Fires The Gun
- Sierra FED27 (Oct 1986)
- Cry an Ocean
/ Make It Easy
- IRS IRM151 (May 1988)
- She's Not There (Club Mix)
- Timecode 64 W/ Colin Blunstone - Dancetrax (1993)
As Neil MacArthur
- She's Not There
/ World of Glass
- Deram DM225 (Jan 1969)
- Don't Try to Explain
/ Without Her
- Deram DM262 (June 1969)
- It's Not Easy
/ 12:29
- Deram DM275 (Dec 1969)
Albums
- One Year
(1971)
- Ennismore
(1973)
- Journey
(1974)
- Planes
(1976)
- Never Even Thought
(1978)
- Late Nights In Soho
(1979)
- Sings His Greatest Hits
(1991)
- Echo Bridge
(1995)
- Live at the BBC
(1997)
- The Light Inside
(1998)
- Out of the Shadows (with Rod Argent)
(2002)
- As Far as I Can See (with Rod Argent as The Zombies)
(2004)
- Live at the Bloomsbury Theatre, London (with Rod Argent as The Zombies)
(2005)
- Odessey And Oracle 40th Anniversary Concert (Original Zombies members reunion)
(2008)
- The Ghost of You and Me
(2009)
Guest appearances
- The Alan Parsons Project Pyramid
(1978) "The Eagle Will Rise Again"
- Mike Batt Tarot Suite
(1979) "Losing Your Way in the Rain"
- Iva Twydell
Duel (1982) (Backing vocals)
- Alan Parsons Project
Eye in the Sky (1982) Old and Wise (US #22)
- Keats
Keats (1984)
- The Alan Parsons Project
Ammonia Avenue (1984) Dancing on a Highwire
- The Alan Parsons Project
Vulture Culture (1985) Somebody Out There
- Don Airey
K2 (1989) Julie
- Nadieh
No Way Back (1989)Splendid Morning (duet with Nadieh)
- The Bolland Project
Darwin (The Evolution) (1991) The Way Of The Evolution, Emma My Dear
- Just Like a Woman Soundtrack
(1992) Politics of Love
- Heineken Night of the Proms '93
She's Not There (Santana Version) Live
- Duncan Browne
Songs Of Love And War (1995) Misunderstood, Love Leads You, I Fall Again
- Steve Hackett
Watcher Of The Skies : Genesis Revisited (1997) For Absent Friends
- Mike Batt
Keep The Aspidistra Flying (1998) Tiger In The Night
- Mike Batt with The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
Philharmania (1998)(released only in Germany) Owner of a Lonely Heart
- Alan Parsons
The Time Machine (1999) The Ignorance Is Bliss
- Sir John Betjeman & Mike Read
Words & Music (2000) Peggy, In Memory
- Edward Rogers
Sunday Fables (2004) Make It Go Away (backing vocals)
References
- allmusic Biography