The Zombies Are Coming to South Milwaukee PAC

A chat with vocalist Colin Blunstone.

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Rod Argent glances at his watch https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zY2rTqD3dhk; coincidentally it is the conclusion of The Zombies hit, “Time of the Season.”

It has been over 50 years since to the original chapter of British beat group The Zombies closed with the now-legendary album Odessey And Oracle. It was released after the band had broken up. “Time of the Season” would be a posthumous hit thanks to A&R man (and sometime organ player) Al Kooper.

Further attempts as wit aside, The Zombies reanimated in the early ‘90s and have since released a small handful of albums that resumed the partnership of Argent and vocalist Colin Blunstone. 

The Zombies - Different Game Tour ’23 stops at South Milwaukee PAC is cancelled as Blunstone recovers from a throat inflammation. Tickets will be refunded at point of purchase.

A trans-Atlantic call opened with Blunstone being forewarned of the possibility of loud construction during our interview. On cue, the sound of an industrial drill immediately paused the conversation. Blunstone burst into laughter, later saying he was thankful for being reminded him of going to the dentist soon.

You and Rod Argent seem to have a great musical partnership. What is the key to that? 

We grew up together in The Zombies. Rod has often said he learned to write songs for my voice, and I certainly learned to sing professionally singing Rod’s songs. It’s quite rare someone could have spent their whole life working professionally with another musician—from the age of 16 through, what are we now, 78.

There is a strong musical bond between us. We often do two-man acoustic shows. It brings home the history we have experienced together.

Odessey & Oracle gets mentioned in same breath as Sgt. Pepper and Pet Sounds. Can you recall the band’s spirit during the recording sessions, did it feel like one last hurrah?

We went into it full of hope and optimism. It had been a difficult and challenging time for us, to be honest. There had been one or two projects that hadn’t worked as well as we hoped. But I remember going into Abbey Road the summer of ’67. When the album was finished my feeling was it was the best we could do. 

It was disappointing particularly in the U.K. that it didn’t get the reaction we were hoping for. It wasn’t even particularly criticized, but to a large extent ignored. “Time of the Season” was never a hit in the U.K. A couple of years later it was a big hit in the United Sates. To some extent we realized from the reaction to the single that we had put in some worthwhile work.

But the album took 10 or 12 years—a critic would say how refreshing and wonderful it was. Paul Weller was always a huge fan of the album and the band. In America the first person I remember recognizing it was Tom Petty, later Dave Grohl and Susanna Hoffs.

The Zombie continue to record and tour. What is that like?

We are one of the few ‘60s bands that are still playing, writing and recording new material. Different Game was recently released and charted in both the states and the U.K. That makes this band quite different.

What can you say about a band has been together longer that it originally had been the first time around?

We got back together again in 1999 so that’s been 24 years. The original band, we got together in 1961 and made our first record in 1964 and finished in 1967. When we were young it felt like a really long time. But looking back it was only six or seven years. This incarnation has been much longer.

A few years ago, I saw you play an outdoor concert in Cleveland. It was about 90 degrees and brutal. You were amazing. What do you do to keep yourself in shape?

We do all the songs in the original keys. Some were quite high even in the early days. I’ve been fortunate that I’ve kept my range. There are a few things I do that don’t sound very rock and roll, so let me apologize before I say this. 

I religiously stick to singing exercises before soundcheck and the show, so I have been singing for an hour before the show starts. The exercises make my voice stronger and more accurate. And it allows me to sing night after night for weeks on end. If anyone wants to sing professionally find a singing coach that works for you.

Then it is just looking after yourself in a way I never did as a teenager. Eat sensibly, and most importantly drink lots of water. You’ve got to stay hydrated and get enough sleep. 

Another perfectly timed dose of noi-zzzze from the drill.

You’d never get much sleep if you lived next door to that racket!! When you are young you want to party; when you get older there is a stampede to get back to the hotel to get some sleep. Touring is quite physical.

“Time of the Season” includes the distinct handclap riff that is punctuated by a breath. Is there a story behind that?

We fortunately ended up in Abbey Road in studio three. The Beatles had just left, and they had the technicians rig up a pair of four track machines to play together. We inherited that system. We had been used to recording on four tracks which left us free to add little inspirational hooks. I remember listening to it and Rod said, “I can hear a clap and a vocal bit.” 

I think it really made the track sound unique. It was just a moment of inspiration, and he was allowed to make it work with the extra tracks. We could also add extra vocal harmonies and keyboards. At the playout there are two keyboards—that only happened because of the Beatles.

Is it true you paid for a stereo mix for the album out of your own pocket?

Yes, it was just the time of the change from mono to stereo. CBS had given us (only) one thousand pounds. It was actually Rod and (bassist) Chris White who put up the money and managed to get it done in stereo.

Final question: You are headed for a deserted island, what do you bring?

The album Careless by Stephen Bishop. It is perfection. Listen to the song “Little Italy” in the morning and it will put a big smile on your face!”