THE Zombies are coming home – the sixties chart-toppers are returning to St Albans as part of a tour celebrating their half century and to launch a new album.
Founding members Rod Argent and singer Colin Blunstone are appearing with The Zombies at the Alban Arena next Sunday, November 27, and they will be joined by fellow Albanians, bassist Jim Rodford and his son Steve on drums. Completing the line-up will be guitarist Tom Toomey.
Back in the sixties, The Zombies were responsible for such hits as She’s Not There, Tell Her Now and Time of the Season as well as their album Odessey and Oracle.
The new tour not only celebrates 50 years in the music business but the release of their new album, Breathe Out, Breathe In.
Rod said: “We didn’t want to recreate the past but we wanted to capture The Zombies’ essence and meaning. Our energy and enthusiasm for making music is the same as it was when we first started and the magic and mystery of the whole music-making process, we are still thrilled by it all.”
He explained how he first met Colin outside the Pioneer Youth Club in St Albans for The Zombies’ first rehearsal – and he had a broken nose and two black eyes sustained in a rugby game.
Colin went on: “The first rehearsal went really well because we got to borrow The Bluetones, a local St Albans band’s, equipment. Jim Rodford, who now plays bass in The Zombies, was in them funnily enough.
“Our own equipment was dreadful though so when we played on that it brought us down to earth. I would judge how well our gigs went by the amount of blood Rod would lose from this thumb when he played his Jerry Lee Lewis runs on the piano.”
Breathe Out Breathe In was recorded over a year in Rod’s Red House Studios and it features 10 songs, six penned by Rod including the title piece and another track, Let It Go. Colin enthused: “The Zombies have been on a fantastic journey. We’ve gone from playing in the back of pubs to headlining festival and it still feels like it is just the beginning.”
The Zombies come on stage at 8pm and tickets are �22.50 and �20.50, available from the Arena box office on 01727 844488 or online at www.alban-arena.co.uk
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