Published: Thursday, 15th May, 2008 06:00
The Zombies: "We live for what we do"
By Lucy Thorne
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THE Zombies are about to embark on a huge UK tour that calls at Reading’s Hexagon later this month. Although they are headlining, they will be sharing the stage with fellow 60s legends The Yardbirds.
Despite heading for his 63rd birthday, lead vocalist Colin Blunstone is really looking forward to their five-week UK tour and then a string of dates around the States.
He said: “It is the first time we have headlined a tour like this. It is something new for us, we are playing a lot of major venues and it is really exciting for us.
“We are touring quite intensely throughout the first part of the summer.
“I love playing live music. We are looking forward to the gig, and playing with The Yardbirds. I think it will work really well, there are not a lot of bands we could team up with.”
He added: “We live for what we do, no one would play music if they didn’t love what they were doing.
“It is something that is in your blood. Rod Argent and I love playing, writing and recording
“The travelling can be tiring, especially in the States, but it comes with the job.”
Since reforming in 2004, The Zombies have been working constantly.
Colin explained: “We got back together by chance and we have been enjoying it so much we just kept going.
“Music is usually feast or famine, if that is the choice, I want to be busy.
“When we reformed we started off not knowing if there was an audience for The Zombies. But we have learned over the years that people are really interested in us.”
He added: “Zombies fans seem to be a cross section of society, there are a lot of people who have followed the band since the 1960s but there are also a lot of young people.”
In March, The Zombies celebrated the 40th anniversary of their album Odessey and Oracle, which has been hailed as one of the greatest albums of all time and has provided the inspiration for dozen of artists.
Colin said: “It was never really a hit at the time but is now something people reference. It is quite remarkable how successful it has become, particularly as it never really sold to start with.
“We thought it would be nice to celebrate the anniversary with three nights at the Shepherd’s Bush Empire. It was a really exciting project, there were lot of musicians in the audience – Paul Weller came along twice as apparently it’s his favourite album.
“The appreciation validates and vindicates what we did, we always thought it was a special album but it fantastic that it is getting some commercial success after all this time. It is great to get recognition for something we did in the 1960s, it makes it more fulfilling.”
The Zombies are always working on new material and like to play their new tunes live.
Colin said: “We don’t just rely on the old hits, although we do play them. We get an exciting reaction to the new stuff and it’s just as strong as the hits.”
Colin is also well-known for his solo work and hopes to release a new album in the autumn.
He said: “I still do a lot of solo stuff but for the last few years I have really been concentrating on The Zombies. I am hoping to work with a string quartet for the solo album, I wanted to make it different to what I do with The Zombies.
“Rod and I will also play some of our solo stuff on tour.”
Reflecting on his music career Colin added: “I always sang when I was younger and always loved popular music but didn’t dream of becoming a professional musician. It was just a series of coincidences that led me to it. At school we sat alphabetically and Paul Arnold knew I played guitar, and turned around and asked if I wanted to be in a band.
“We never thought it would be a career, we just thought it was a bit of fun, a big record company offered us a recording contract and we thought we’d give it a go.
“Even now it surprises me when I think about how supportive our parents were when we started out.”
The band’s 20-track album, The Zombies and Beyond, featuring previously released Zombies tracks and tracks recorded by Colin and Rod Argent, is released on Monday, May 26.
See The Zombies at The Hexagon, Reading, on Friday, May 23. Tickets on 0118 960 6060 or online at www.readingarts.com
Alternatively catch them at the Wycombe Swan on Sunday, June 8. Tickets on 01494 512000.
They also play The Anvil in Basingstoke on Friday, June 20. Call 01256 844244.
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