Colin Blunstone
Listen – Caroline Goodbye – MP3
Greetings all.
I hope all is well by you.
It was a good thing I started out last week with a podcast, as I don’t think that circumstances (three days at home with sick kids) would have permitted additional posts.
All rogue bacteria now gone the way of buggy whips and Pong, we all managed to spend a fairly uneventful weekend of rest and relaxation, as well as errand running and such.
I did manage however to get some quality time in at the turntable/computer combo and managed to stockpile material for both blogs and plan out the next two Iron Leg Digital Trips (both UK-psych-ey), so the tunes will continue without interruption.
The song that I selected for presentation this fine day is a number by an artist whose name is familiar, where the tune itself may be un(familiar, that is).
Truth be told, the first time I heard this song, it wasn’t by Colin Blunstone, but on a 45 by one of my all-time favorite bands, the Sneetches (who if you haven’t heard, you’re missing out on one of the truly great pop bands of the last 20 years). The first listen set my ears a-tingle, and it took only a short trip to the label before I realized that the song was not a Sneetches original but rather a song written by Colin Blunstone.
My initial assumption – incorrect as it turns out – was that ‘Caroline Goodbye’ was a long lost Zombies number. It was but a short time later that I discovered that Mr. Blunstone had a fruitful, post-Zombies solo career.
Following the demise of the Zombies in 1968, Blunstone actually bugged out of the music biz for a turn in the (I swear I’m not kidding here) insurance industry, He was coaxed out of retirement to record a pseudonymous cover of the Zombies ‘She’s Not There’ (as Neil McArthur), and actually scored a hit. He carried on the McArthur deception for a few more singles before deciding to continue under his given name.
When he released his first proper solo album ‘One Year’ in 1971, it was almost a Zombies reunion of sorts, with production and songwriting contributions by fellow ex-Zombies Chris White and Rod Argent.
‘Caroline Goodbye’, apparently written about Blunstone’s breakup with Caroline Munro (uhhhh…hubba, hubba…) is a great showcase for his voice with a wonderful melody. Oddly enough, it was one of the first 45s released from the album and was a commercial failure. It wasn’t until another track, a cover of the Denny Laine tune ‘Say You Don’t Mind’ that Blunstone had his first solo hot under his own name. The rest of ‘One Year’ is quite good and if you dig this song you’d do well to grab the reissue.
Since then, Blunstone has continued to record, with his two most recent albums being Zombies reunions with Rod Argent.
I hope you dig the song, and I’ll see you later in the week.
Peace
Larry
PS Fall by Funky16Corners for a brand new podcast
1 Comment(s)
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One Year by Colin is one of my favorite albums of all time. Untouchably special for me and the lady. Soo jealous of your 45!
That Neil MacArthur stuff was recently reissued, among other post Zomb gems, on a sequel to the Zombie Heaven box called Into The Afterlife. Check out both records at my site if you want.
Great post! peace
-bren