Colin Blunstone stood on the stage of Brooklyn’s Barclays Center on March 29 2019, a huge grin on his face, and basked in the glorious sight of 17,000 starstruck music fans cheering on the The Zombies, a band he’d co-founded an astounding 55 years earlier, as they were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Although The Zombies had only scored three Top 10 hits — She’s Not There, Tell Her No and Time of the Season (from Odessey and Oracle) — they were still adored and their influence has only expanded through the years.
Graced with one of the most distinctive, alluring and soulful voices in contemporary music, one that is every bit as strong today as during The Zombies’ early years, Blunstone’s long and fruitful solo career began in 1971, with the release of his debut solo album, One Year (which found its way to the UK top 15). Blunstone has since gone on to deliver 10 more albums of his own over a period spanning more than 50 years, occasionally lending his remarkable pipes to the recordings of many others, most notably the Alan Parsons Project, who featured Blunstone on their 1982 hit Old and Wise, as well as on several albums.
After years of not touring and through the urging of keyboardist friend, future Deep Purple member Don Airey, Blunstone returned to live performance. However, their band lasted only 18 months and Blunstone phoned Rod Argent, original keyboardist of The Zombies, to perform six shows with him. By the start of the new millennium, Blunstone and Argent were inspired to resurrect The Zombies, which led to twenty-five more years of prolific touring and new music, including the highly regarded albums As Far as I Can See… (2004), Breathe Out, Breathe In (2011), Still Got That Hunger (2015) and Different Game (2023).
In the midst, Blunstone still fit in two solo releases – On The Air Tonight in 2012 and now Less is More in early 2024, a set of five unheard demos, where each track showcases those velvety vocals accompanied only by acoustic guitar. Although The Zombies’ touring career has now come to an end, with Rod Argent’s decision to retire for health reasons in 2024, Blunstone is refocusing on his solo endeavours while also celebrating The Zombies’ legacy. He will continue recording and touring with his solo band, giving audiences a mix of his own material and Zombies’ favorites.
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