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Colosseum II was a British
progressive Progressive may refer to: Politics * Progressivism, a political philosophy in support of social reform ** Progressivism in the United States, the political philosophy in the American context * Progressive realism, an American foreign policy pa ...
jazz-rock Jazz fusion (also known as fusion and progressive jazz) is a music genre that developed in the late 1960s when musicians combined jazz harmony and improvisation with rock music, funk, and rhythm and blues. Electric guitars, amplifiers, and keyb ...
band formed in 1975 by former
Colosseum The Colosseum ( ; it, Colosseo ) is an oval amphitheatre in the centre of the city of Rome, Italy, just east of the Roman Forum. It is the largest ancient amphitheatre ever built, and is still the largest standing amphitheatre in the world ...
drummer and bandleader
Jon Hiseman Philip John Albert "Jon" Hiseman (21 June 1944 – 12 June 2018) was an English drummer, recording engineer, record producer, and music publisher. He played with the Graham Bond Organisation, with John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers and later form ...
, which featured guitarist
Gary Moore Robert William Gary Moore (4 April 19526 February 2011) was a Northern Irish musician. Over the course of his career he played in various groups and performed a range of music including blues, blues rock, hard rock, heavy metal, and jazz ...
.


History

Following the demise of his previous band,
Tempest Tempest is a synonym for a storm. '' The Tempest'' is a play by William Shakespeare. Tempest or The Tempest may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Films * ''The Tempest'' (1908 film), a British silent film * ''The Tempest'' (1911 film), a ...
, Hiseman announced his plan for a new, as yet unnamed, outfit in November 1974, but only
Moore Moore may refer to: People * Moore (surname) ** List of people with surname Moore * Moore Crosthwaite (1907–1989), a British diplomat and ambassador * Moore Disney (1765–1846), a senior officer in the British Army * Moore Powell (died c. 1 ...
was named as a member. Rehearsals were due to begin on 1 January 1975 but a permanent line-up was not finalised until May 1975. Among the musicians considered were singer Graham Bell, keyboardist Duncan Mackay and former Colosseum and Tempest bassist
Mark Clarke Mark Clarke (born 25 July 1950 in Liverpool) is an English musician, bass player and singer, best known for his work with Colosseum and Mountain, as well as brief stints with Uriah Heep and Rainbow. Career After seeing the Beatles and ma ...
. The line-up was eventually completed by singer Mike Starrs, keyboardist
Don Airey Donald Smith Airey (born 21 June 1948) is an English musician who has been the keyboardist in the rock band Deep Purple since 2002, after the retirement of Jon Lord. He has had a long and productive career, playing with such acts as Gary Moor ...
and bassist Neil Murray. The band was oriented toward
jazz fusion Jazz fusion (also known as fusion and progressive jazz) is a music genre that developed in the late 1960s when musicians combined jazz harmony and improvisation with rock music, funk, and rhythm and blues. Electric guitars, amplifiers, and key ...
, much of which was driven by the guitar work of Moore, leading to a much heavier sound than the original
Colosseum The Colosseum ( ; it, Colosseo ) is an oval amphitheatre in the centre of the city of Rome, Italy, just east of the Roman Forum. It is the largest ancient amphitheatre ever built, and is still the largest standing amphitheatre in the world ...
. After disappointing sales of their first album, ''Strange New Flesh'', Murray left and Starrs was sacked in July 1976. They continued with a new record label and a new bass player, John Mole, and recorded two further, largely instrumental, but still commercially unsuccessful albums. They also performed on ''
Variations Variation or Variations may refer to: Science and mathematics * Variation (astronomy), any perturbation of the mean motion or orbit of a planet or satellite, particularly of the moon * Genetic variation, the difference in DNA among individual ...
'' with
Andrew Lloyd Webber Andrew Lloyd Webber, Baron Lloyd-Webber (born 22 March 1948), is an English composer and impresario of musical theatre. Several of his musicals have run for more than a decade both in the West End and on Broadway. He has composed 21 musica ...
, which also featured
Julian Lloyd Webber Julian Lloyd Webber (born 14 April 1951) is a British solo cellist, conductor and broadcaster, a former principal of Royal Birmingham Conservatoire and the founder of the In Harmony music education programme. Early years and education Julian ...
on
cello The cello ( ; plural ''celli'' or ''cellos'') or violoncello ( ; ) is a Bow (music), bowed (sometimes pizzicato, plucked and occasionally col legno, hit) string instrument of the violin family. Its four strings are usually intonation (music), t ...
,
Rod Argent Rodney Terence Argent (born 14 June 1945) is an English musician, singer, songwriter, composer, and record producer. In a career spanning more than 50 years, Argent came to prominence in the mid 1960s as the keyboardist, founder and leader of the ...
on keyboards and Hiseman's wife, Barbara Thompson, on flute and sax. This album reached number 2 on the UK charts in early 1978. In August of that year, Moore left to rejoin
Thin Lizzy Thin Lizzy are an Irish hard rock band formed in Dublin in 1969. Their music reflects a wide range of influences, including blues, soul music, psychedelic rock and traditional Irish folk music, but is generally classified as hard rock or s ...
for a fourth spell, and Airey's brother Keith Airey replaced him on guitar. Plans for a fourth album fell through when Don Airey decided to join
Rainbow A rainbow is a meteorological phenomenon that is caused by reflection, refraction and dispersion of light in water droplets resulting in a spectrum of light appearing in the sky. It takes the form of a multicoloured circular arc. Rainbows ...
in December 1978.


Members

*
Jon Hiseman Philip John Albert "Jon" Hiseman (21 June 1944 – 12 June 2018) was an English drummer, recording engineer, record producer, and music publisher. He played with the Graham Bond Organisation, with John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers and later form ...
– drums, percussion *
Gary Moore Robert William Gary Moore (4 April 19526 February 2011) was a Northern Irish musician. Over the course of his career he played in various groups and performed a range of music including blues, blues rock, hard rock, heavy metal, and jazz ...
– guitars, vocals *
Don Airey Donald Smith Airey (born 21 June 1948) is an English musician who has been the keyboardist in the rock band Deep Purple since 2002, after the retirement of Jon Lord. He has had a long and productive career, playing with such acts as Gary Moor ...
– keyboards, synthesizers * Neil Murray – bass * Mike Starrs – vocals * John Mole – bass *Keith Airey – guitars


Discography


''Strange New Flesh''

Released on 19 April 1976 on
Bronze Records Bronze Records was an independent English record label founded in 1971 by record producer Gerry Bron on Oxford Street in London, eventually relocating to Chalk Farm. History Bron had been producing Uriah Heep for Vertigo Records, and he set up ...
. Produced by Jon Hiseman.


Track listing

#"Dark Side of the Moog" (instrumental) (Airey/Moore) – 6:22 #"
Down to You ''Down to You'' is a 2000 American romantic comedy film written and directed by Kris Isacsson, starring Freddie Prinze Jr. and Julia Stiles as young lovers who meet in college and go through the ups and downs of a relationship. Selma Blair, Sh ...
" ( Joni Mitchell, instrumental middle section by Airey) – 9:10 #"Gemini and Leo" (Moore/Hiseman) – 4:50 #"Secret Places" (Moore/Hiseman) – 4:00 #"On Second Thoughts" (Moore) – 7:29 #"Winds" (Moore/Hiseman) – 10:25


Expanded edition

Released in 2005 on
Castle Music Castle Communications, also known as Castle Music, was a British independent record label and home video distributor founded in 1983 by Terry Shand, Cliff Dane, and Jon Beecher. Its video imprint was called Castle Vision. The label's productio ...
. Re-released in 2012 on
Esoteric Recordings Esoteric Recordings is a UK independent record label specialising in 1970s progressive rock, folk, psychedelic, and jazz-rock reissues as part of Cherry Red Records. Its releases include both catalogue reissues and new works from artists who s ...
minus the last 3 tracks. Disc 1: #"Dark Side of the Moog" (instrumental) (Airey/Moore) – 6:22 #"
Down to You ''Down to You'' is a 2000 American romantic comedy film written and directed by Kris Isacsson, starring Freddie Prinze Jr. and Julia Stiles as young lovers who meet in college and go through the ups and downs of a relationship. Selma Blair, Sh ...
" ( Joni Mitchell, instrumental middle section by Airey) – 9:10 #"Gemini and Leo" (Moore/Hiseman) – 4:50 #"Secret Places" (Moore/Hiseman) – 4:00 #"On Second Thoughts" (Moore) – 7:29 #"Winds" (Moore/Hiseman) – 10:25 #"Castles" (version 1) (Moore/Hiseman) – 11:09 #"Gary's Lament" (instrumental) (Moore/Hiseman) – 7:00 #"Walking in the Park" (
Graham Bond Graham John Clifton Bond (28 October 1937 – 8 May 1974) was an English rock/blues musician and vocalist, considered a founding father of the English rhythm and blues boom of the 1960s. Bond was an innovator, described as "an important, und ...
) – 7:05 Disc 2: #"Night Creeper" (Airey/Moore/Hiseman) – 3:46 #"The Awakening" (Moore/Hiseman) – 11:43 #"Siren Song" (Moore/Hiseman) – 6:55 #"Castles" (version 2) (Moore/Hiseman) – 5:00 #"The Scorch" (instrumental) (Moore/Hiseman) – 4:39 #"Rivers" (Moore/Hiseman) – 4:27 #"Interplanetary Slut" (instrumental) (Moore/Hiseman) – 5:32 (recorded on ''Electric Savage'' as "Intergalactic Strut") #"Dark Side of the Moog" (live) (Airey/Moore) – 9:00 #"Siren Song" (live) (Moore/Hiseman) – 11:16 #"The Awakening" (live) (Moore/Hiseman) – 15:16 Disc 1 tracks 1-6: The original album.
Disc 1 tracks 7-9: Previously unreleased demos recorded August 1975.
Disc 2 tracks 1-4: Previously unreleased demos recorded mid-1976.
Disc 2 tracks 5-7: Previously unreleased demos recorded July 1976.
Disc 2 tracks 8-10: BBC ''In Concert'', recorded June 1976.


Personnel

* Mike Starrs - vocals *
Gary Moore Robert William Gary Moore (4 April 19526 February 2011) was a Northern Irish musician. Over the course of his career he played in various groups and performed a range of music including blues, blues rock, hard rock, heavy metal, and jazz ...
- guitars, vocals *
Don Airey Donald Smith Airey (born 21 June 1948) is an English musician who has been the keyboardist in the rock band Deep Purple since 2002, after the retirement of Jon Lord. He has had a long and productive career, playing with such acts as Gary Moor ...
-
Fender Rhodes The Rhodes piano (also known as the Fender Rhodes piano) is an electric piano invented by Harold Rhodes, which became popular in the 1970s. Like a conventional piano, the Rhodes generates sound with keys and hammers, but instead of strings, th ...
piano,
grand piano The piano is a stringed keyboard instrument in which the strings are struck by wooden hammers that are coated with a softer material (modern hammers are covered with dense wool felt; some early pianos used leather). It is played using a keybo ...
,
Hammond organ The Hammond organ is an electric organ invented by Laurens Hammond and John M. Hanert and first manufactured in 1935. Multiple models have been produced, most of which use sliding #Drawbars, drawbars to vary sounds. Until 1975, Hammond organs ...
,
Minimoog The Minimoog is an analog synthesizer first manufactured by Moog Music between 1970 and 1981. Designed as a more affordable, portable version of the modular Moog synthesizer, it was the first synthesizer sold in retail stores. It was first popul ...
,
ARP Odyssey The ARP Odyssey is an analog synthesizer introduced by ARP Instruments in 1972. History ARP developed the Odyssey as a direct competitor to the Moog Minimoog and an answer to the demand for more affordable, portable, and less complicated "per ...
,
Solina String Ensemble The Solina String Ensemble, also marketed as the ARP String Ensemble, is a fully polyphonic multi-orchestral synthesizer with a 49-key keyboard, produced by Eminent BV (known for their ''Solina'' brand). It was distributed in the United States b ...
, Clavinet * Neil Murray - bass *
Jon Hiseman Philip John Albert "Jon" Hiseman (21 June 1944 – 12 June 2018) was an English drummer, recording engineer, record producer, and music publisher. He played with the Graham Bond Organisation, with John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers and later form ...
- drums, percussion * John Mole - bass (disc 2, tracks 1-10)


''Electric Savage''

Released January 1977 on
MCA Records MCA Records was an American record label owned by MCA Inc., which later became part of Universal Music Group. Pre-history MCA Inc., a powerful talent agency and a television production company, entered the recorded music business in 1962 wi ...
. Produced by Jon Hiseman. All tracks are instrumental except track 3 which is sung by Gary Moore.


Track listing

#"Put It This Way" (Moore/Hiseman) – 4:55 #"All Skin & Bone" (Moore/Hiseman) – 3:46 #"Rivers" (Moore/Hiseman) – 5:50 #"The Scorch" (Moore/Airey)– 6:02 #"Lament" (Trad., arranged Moore/Hiseman/Airey/Mole) – 4:40 #"Desperado" (Moore/Hiseman) – 5:59 #"Am I" (Airey) – 4:16 #"Intergalactic Strut" (Airey) – 5:58


Personnel

*
Gary Moore Robert William Gary Moore (4 April 19526 February 2011) was a Northern Irish musician. Over the course of his career he played in various groups and performed a range of music including blues, blues rock, hard rock, heavy metal, and jazz ...
- guitars, vocals (3) *
Don Airey Donald Smith Airey (born 21 June 1948) is an English musician who has been the keyboardist in the rock band Deep Purple since 2002, after the retirement of Jon Lord. He has had a long and productive career, playing with such acts as Gary Moor ...
-
Fender Rhodes The Rhodes piano (also known as the Fender Rhodes piano) is an electric piano invented by Harold Rhodes, which became popular in the 1970s. Like a conventional piano, the Rhodes generates sound with keys and hammers, but instead of strings, th ...
piano,
grand piano The piano is a stringed keyboard instrument in which the strings are struck by wooden hammers that are coated with a softer material (modern hammers are covered with dense wool felt; some early pianos used leather). It is played using a keybo ...
,
Hammond organ The Hammond organ is an electric organ invented by Laurens Hammond and John M. Hanert and first manufactured in 1935. Multiple models have been produced, most of which use sliding #Drawbars, drawbars to vary sounds. Until 1975, Hammond organs ...
,
Minimoog The Minimoog is an analog synthesizer first manufactured by Moog Music between 1970 and 1981. Designed as a more affordable, portable version of the modular Moog synthesizer, it was the first synthesizer sold in retail stores. It was first popul ...
,
ARP Odyssey The ARP Odyssey is an analog synthesizer introduced by ARP Instruments in 1972. History ARP developed the Odyssey as a direct competitor to the Moog Minimoog and an answer to the demand for more affordable, portable, and less complicated "per ...
,
Solina String Ensemble The Solina String Ensemble, also marketed as the ARP String Ensemble, is a fully polyphonic multi-orchestral synthesizer with a 49-key keyboard, produced by Eminent BV (known for their ''Solina'' brand). It was distributed in the United States b ...
, Clavinet * John Mole - bass *
Jon Hiseman Philip John Albert "Jon" Hiseman (21 June 1944 – 12 June 2018) was an English drummer, recording engineer, record producer, and music publisher. He played with the Graham Bond Organisation, with John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers and later form ...
- drums, percussion, cymbals, gong, bells


''Wardance''

Released November 1977 on MCA Records. Produced by Martin Levan and Jon Hiseman. All tracks are instrumental except track 4 which is sung by Gary Moore.


Track listing

#"Wardance" (Airey) – 5:56 #"Major Keys" (Mole/Moore) – 5:10 #"Put It That Way" (Moore/Hiseman) – 3:37 #"Castles" (Moore/Hiseman) – 5:40 #"Fighting Talk" (Moore/Hiseman) – 5:50 #"The Inquisition" (Moore/Hiseman) – 5:45 #"Star Maiden" (Mole) / "Mysterioso" (Airey) / "Quasar" (Airey) – 6:15 #"Last Exit" (Moore/Hiseman) – 3:22


Personnel

*
Gary Moore Robert William Gary Moore (4 April 19526 February 2011) was a Northern Irish musician. Over the course of his career he played in various groups and performed a range of music including blues, blues rock, hard rock, heavy metal, and jazz ...
- guitars, vocals (4) *
Don Airey Donald Smith Airey (born 21 June 1948) is an English musician who has been the keyboardist in the rock band Deep Purple since 2002, after the retirement of Jon Lord. He has had a long and productive career, playing with such acts as Gary Moor ...
-
Fender Rhodes The Rhodes piano (also known as the Fender Rhodes piano) is an electric piano invented by Harold Rhodes, which became popular in the 1970s. Like a conventional piano, the Rhodes generates sound with keys and hammers, but instead of strings, th ...
piano,
grand piano The piano is a stringed keyboard instrument in which the strings are struck by wooden hammers that are coated with a softer material (modern hammers are covered with dense wool felt; some early pianos used leather). It is played using a keybo ...
,
Hammond organ The Hammond organ is an electric organ invented by Laurens Hammond and John M. Hanert and first manufactured in 1935. Multiple models have been produced, most of which use sliding #Drawbars, drawbars to vary sounds. Until 1975, Hammond organs ...
,
Minimoog The Minimoog is an analog synthesizer first manufactured by Moog Music between 1970 and 1981. Designed as a more affordable, portable version of the modular Moog synthesizer, it was the first synthesizer sold in retail stores. It was first popul ...
,
ARP Odyssey The ARP Odyssey is an analog synthesizer introduced by ARP Instruments in 1972. History ARP developed the Odyssey as a direct competitor to the Moog Minimoog and an answer to the demand for more affordable, portable, and less complicated "per ...
,
Solina String Ensemble The Solina String Ensemble, also marketed as the ARP String Ensemble, is a fully polyphonic multi-orchestral synthesizer with a 49-key keyboard, produced by Eminent BV (known for their ''Solina'' brand). It was distributed in the United States b ...
, Clavinet,
tubular bells Tubular bells (also known as chimes) are musical instruments in the percussion family. Their sound resembles that of church bells, carillon, or a bell tower; the original tubular bells were made to duplicate the sound of church bells wit ...
* John Mole - bass, piano *
Jon Hiseman Philip John Albert "Jon" Hiseman (21 June 1944 – 12 June 2018) was an English drummer, recording engineer, record producer, and music publisher. He played with the Graham Bond Organisation, with John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers and later form ...
- drums, percussion, cymbals, gong


See also

* ''Variations'' (Andrew Lloyd Webber album) * ''Cricket'' (musical)


External links

* *
Billboard.com: Discography
{{Authority control 1975 establishments in England 1978 disestablishments in England British jazz-rock groups Musical groups established in 1975 Musical groups disestablished in 1978