Colin Blunstone

Colin Edward Michael Blunstone,  es un cantante, compositor y músico inglés, reconocido por su asociación con las bandas The Zombies, Argent y The Alan Parsons Project y por su larga carrera como solista.

Si algún grupo en los años 60 tuvo que merecer mayor reconocimiento popular y crítico ese fue The Zombies, un espléndido conjunto que tenía como pieza clave de su sonoridad a Colin Blunstone, un fenomenal cantante de elegante, dúctil, melancólica y susurrante voz, que acariciaba de manera distinguida las grandes composiciones de Rod Argent y Chris White.

Cuando los Zombies dejaron de existir en 1968, Colin, que había nacido en St. Albans (Inglaterra), el 24 de junio de 1945, abandonó la música para trabajar en una compañía de seguros, mientras que Argent y White fundaban Argent junto a Russ Ballard, al mismo tiempo que firmaban un contrato como productores con Epic Records.

Los Zombies habían disuelto el grupo por su escaso éxito comercial, pero tras la publicación gracias a Al Kooper de su indispensable “Oddesey & Oracle” y el triunfo en single de “Time Of The Season” en 1969, Blunstone decidió regresar al mundillo musical a instancias del productor Mike Hurst.

Grabó de nuevo el tema “She’s Not There” pero con el seudónimo de Neil MacArthur y logró estimables ventas que estimularon su regreso.

Poco después publicó su primer LP, “One Year” (1971), ya adoptando su nombre real.

El disco es una maravilla que mezcla el pop y la música clásica, de ritmos pausados y con una atmósfera calma llena de arpas y violines.

El álbum fue producido por sus antiguos compañeros, Argent y White, quienes también le escribieron algunos cortes.

El propio Blunstone, que ya había hecho sus pinitos como compositor con los Zombies, compuso espléndidos y nostálgicos temas propios, como “Though You Are Far Away” o “Caroline Goodbye”.

Aunque el primer single, “Caroline Goodbye”, no consiguió entrar en listas, su segundo sencillo, “Say You Don’t Mind”, un tema de Denny Laine, le llevó al puesto número 15 en Gran Bretaña.

“Ennismore” (1972) fue su segundo disco, más pop-rock y con menor acentuación en los arreglos de cuerda.

Incluye los singles “I Don’t Belive In Miracles”, compuesto por el miembro de Argent Russ Ballard; y “How Could We Dare To Be Wrong”.

El LP volvió a estar producido por Rod Argent y Chris White.

“Journey” (1974) no funcionó tan bien a nivel ventas pero resultó otro álbum meritorio e infravalorado.

El disco fue producido en solitario por Chris White, aunque Argent siguió colaborando instrumentalmente, con sus inconfundibles pasajes de teclado.

El siguiente trabajo en LP, “Planes” (1976) fue su primer disco grabado en el sello de Elton John, Rocket Records, y su esfuerzo menos destacado hasta el momento.

Por esa época comenzó a colaborar con gente como Alan Parsons (en “Pyramid”, “Eye In The Sky” o “Ammonia Avenue”), Mike Batt (“Tarot Suite”) o Mae McKenna (“Walk On Water).

Su carrera en solitario descendió en calidad y publicó discos irregulares como “Never Evern Thought” (1978) o “Late Nights In Soho” (1979), su último disco en Rocket Records.

Posteriormente sacó al mercado el recopilatorio “I Don’t Believe In Miracles” (1982).

En los años 80 grabó con Dave Stewart, Alan Parsons y Smokey Robinson, además de probar fortuna con el grupo Keats, conjunto formado con varios músicos de Alan Parsons Project con los que grabó un estimable LP homónimo en 1984, producido por el propio Parsons.

En “Colin Blunstone Sings His Single Hits” (1991) el gran vocalista regrabó sus canciones más conocidas, tanto de su etapa con los Zombies como en solitario.

“Echo Bridge” (1995) fue un nuevo disco con temas originales publicado el mismo año en que se editó una brillante recopilación de sus éxitos.

Con posterioridad apareció “Light inside” (1998).

Sus actuaciones en directo, girando a menudo con Rod Argent, Jim Rodford, Mark Johns y Steve Rodford, cosecharon un gran éxito entre una audiencia entregada a su portentosa capacidad como cantante, sin duda una de las mejores voces en la historia del pop.

Argent y Blunstone publicaron en el año 2001 “Out Of The Shadows” (2001), un álbum bastante digno que volvía a recuperar en portada a dos componentes de uno de los mejores grupos de los años 60, los Zombies.

Más tarde grabó en solitario “The Ghost Of You And Me” (2009) y “On The Air Tonight” (2012).

En el año 2014 publicó el recopilatorio “Collected” (2014), con tres CDs.

Colin Edward Michael Blunstone (Hatfield, Hertfordshire, June 24, 1945) is an English singer, songwriter and musician, recognized for his association with the bands The Zombies, Argent and The Alan Parsons Project and for his long career as a soloist.

If any group in the 60s had to deserve more popular and critical recognition, it was The Zombies, a splendid ensemble whose key part of its sound was Colin Blunstone, a phenomenal singer with an elegant, ductile, melancholic and whispering voice, who caressed in a distinguished way the great compositions of Rod Argent and Chris White.

When the Zombies ceased to exist in 1968, Colin, who was born in St. Albans (England) on June 24, 1945, left music to work in an insurance company, while Argent and White founded Argent together with Russ. Ballard, at the same time that they signed a contract as producers with Epic Records.

The Zombies have dissolved the group due to their limited commercial success, but after the publication thanks to their indispensable “Oddesey & Oracle” and the triumph in single of “Time Of The Season” in 1969, Blunstone return to the musical world at the request of producer Mike Hurst.

He recorded the song “She’s Not There” again but under the pseudonym Neil MacArthur and achieved considerable sales that spurred his comeback.

Shortly after he published his first LP, “One Year” (1971), already adopting his real name.

The album is a marvel that mixes pop and classical music, with slow rhythms and a calm atmosphere full of harps and violins.

The album was produced by his former partners, Argent and White, who also wrote some tracks for him.

Blunstone himself, who had already made his first steps as a songwriter with the Zombies, composed splendid and nostalgic songs of his own, such as “Though You Are Far Away” or “Caroline Goodbye”.

Although the first single, “Caroline Goodbye,” failed to chart, her second single, “Say You Don’t Mind,” a Denny Laine track, took it to No. 15 in Britain.

“Ennismore” (1972) was his second album, more pop-rock and with less emphasis on the string arrangements.

It includes the singles “I Don’t Belive In Miracles,” composed by Argent member Russ Ballard; and “How Could We Dare To Be Wrong.”

The LP was again produced by Rod Argent and Chris White.

“Journey” (1974) did not do so well at the sales level but it turned out to be another worth while and underrated album.

The album was produced alone by Chris White, although Argent continued to collaborate instrumentally, with his unmistakable keyboard passages.

The next LP work, “Planes” (1976) was his first album recorded on Elton John’s Rocket Records label, and his least prominent effort to date.

Around that time he began to collaborate with people like Alan Parsons (in “Pyramid”, “Eye In The Sky” or “Ammonia Avenue”), Mike Batt (“Tarot Suite”) or Mae McKenna (“Walk On Water).

His solo career declined in quality and he released irregular records such as “Never Evern Thought” (1978) or “Late Nights In Soho” (1979), his last album on Rocket Records.

Later he released the compilation “I Don’t Believe In Miracles” (1982).

In the 80s he recorded with Dave Stewart, Alan Parsons and Smokey Robinson, in addition to trying his luck with the group Keats, a group formed with several musicians from the Alan Parsons Project with whom he recorded an estimable self-titled LP in 1984, produced by Parsons himself.

In “Colin Blunstone Sings His Single Hits” (1991) the great vocalist re-recorded his best-known songs, both from his time with the Zombies and solo.

“Echo Bridge” (1995) was a new album with original songs released the same year that a brilliant compilation of his hits was released.

Later, “Light inside” (1998) appeared.

His live performances, often touring with Rod Argent, Jim Rodford, Mark Johns and Steve Rodford, were a huge success with an audience devoted to his prodigious singing abilities, undoubtedly one of the best voices in pop history.

Argent and Blunstone published in 2001 “Out Of The Shadows” (2001), a quite worthy album that brought back two members of one of the best groups of the 60s, the Zombies, on the cover.

Later he recorded solo “The Ghost Of You And Me” (2009) and “On The Air Tonight” (2012).

In 2014 he published the compilation “Collected” (2014), with three CDs.

	Género Rock, Pop
N°	Escuchar Tema
1	She Loves The Way They Love Her
2	Misty Roses
3	Smoky Day
4	Caroline Goodbye
5	Though You Are Far Away
6	Mary Won’t You Warm My Bed
7	Her Song
8	I Can’t Live Without You
9	Let Me Come Closer
10	Say You Don’t Mind
11	I Want Some More
12	Pay Me Later
13	Andorra
14	I’ve Always Had You
15	Time’s Running Out
16	How Could We Dare To Be Wrong
17	Wonderful
18	Beginning
19	Keep The Curtains Closed Today
20	Weak For You
21	Beware
22	Smooth Operation
23	This Is Your Captain Calling
24	Something Happens When You Touch Me
25	Setting Yourself Up
26	Brother Lover
27	Shadow Of A Doubt
28	Beautiful You
29	Planes
30	Since I’ve Been Loving You
31	Ain’t It Funny
32	Only With You
33	I Can Almost See The Light
34	Good Guys Don’t Always Win
35	Loving And Free
36	Dancing In The Dark
37	It’s Hard To Say Goodbye
38	(Care Of) Cell 44
39	Tell Me How
40	I’ll Never Forget You
41	Lovelight
42	Ain’t It Funny
43	Who’s That Knocking
44	Never Even Thought
45	Touch And Go
46	You Are The Way For Me
47	Photograph
48	Do Magnolia
49	Hearts That Turn
50	Till We Try Again