COLOSSEUM - BACK INTO THE FIELDS  - Tickets

COLOSSEUM

The name sounds bombastic, and indeed COLOSSEUM are something like dinosaurs in the history of rock music: an association of tremendously virtuoso soloists, yet with a cohesive, compact sound and in the various constellations musically always very innovative. The first two albums, "Those Who Are About To Die Salute You" and "Valentyne Suite", both 1969, reached the Top 20 in the British album charts.

The band was formed in 1968 by drummer Jon Hiseman and saxophonist Dick Heckstall- Smith along with organist Dave Greenslade, bassist Tony Reeves and guitarist/vocalist James Litherland. Hiseman and Heckstall-Smith met in 1967 in the GRAHAM BOND

ORGANIZATION (with Ginger Baker later Cream) and then joined JOHN MAYALL'S BLUESBREAKERS (with Mick Taylor later Stones) to record the studio LP "Bare Wires." This first COLOSSEUM line up was part of the legendary rock movie SUPERSESSION with Eric Clapton, Buddy Guy, Stephen Stills, Buddy Miles & Led Zeppelin.

The actual head of the band was drummer Hiseman - his musical background also shaped the stylistic diversity of COLOSSEUM: He actually came from jazz, but had also gained experience in blues and rock and was eager to implement complex musical ideas with a group of skilled craftsmen. And he succeeded: critics were enthusiastic about the record debut, especially about the interplay of refined horn sections with the virtuoso, but at the same time tremendously powerful rhythm machinery. The second album ("Valentyne Suite", 1969) was initially best received by the public & COLOSSEUM managed to build a reputation as an outstanding and innovative live act. In early 1970, Litherland went to MILLION and Reeves retired to his post as producer again, this time for Sandy Denny and John Martyn. Hiseman replaced them with former BAKERLOO guitarist Dave 'Clem' Clempson, bassist Mark Clarke, and enlisted a professional vocalist, Chris Farlowe. Farlowe was considered a prominent representative of the British rhythm'n'blues scene & had already had a number one hit in 1966 with the ROLLING STONES song "Out Of Time". In this line-up, reinforced by Barbara Thompson, Hiseman's partner and outstanding jazz saxophonist, COLOSSEUM recorded their third LP, "Daughter of Time" in 1970 - it was to be their last studio LP. Because a little less than a year later, in October/November 1971, this band of solo virtuosos could no longer be held together. Clempson went to HUMBLE PIE as Peter Frampton's successor; Farlowe - after an interlude with ATOMIC ROOSTER - continued to devote himself to his solo career; Greenslade founded a band under his own name & Heckstall-Smith also raised his own band. Clarke and Hiseman formed TEMPEST with singer Paul Williams (ex-Zoot Money band) and guitarist Allan Holdsworth, who would later join SOFT MACHINE.

Practically at the same time as the split of the band, however, a double album was released, which can certainly still be called a jewel of rock history: "Colosseum Live". It was compiled from recordings of two concerts in March 1971 in Brighton and Manchester & belongs as a classic of rock music actually in every record cabinet - there are hardly other recordings from that time, which document more vividly the alternately cross-fertilizing joy of playing virtuoso soloists in a complex group context. In early 1972, Hiseman released another authorized best-of compilation ("Collector's Colosseum") and then devoted himself to his new band, TEMPEST. In 1975 he tried to revive the old spirit with COLOSSEUM II: The line-up this time included former SKID ROW and THIN LIZZY guitarist Gary Moore, singer Mike Starrs, keyboardist Don Airey and bassist Neil Murray.

In this line-up they recorded "Strange New Flesh" in 1976, an album that is still relatively close to the old COLOSSEUM sound, despite the stronger hard rock influences brought into the band mainly by Moore's compositions. At the end of '76 Starrs went to LUCIFER'S FRIEND and Murray was replaced by John Mole. In 1977, two more albums, "Electric Savage" and "Wardance," both rock-heavy but jazz-influenced, were released. In 1978 Moore went back to THIN LIZZY, Airey's brother Keith came in his place; at the end of the year, when Don Airey opened RAINBOW with Richie Blackmore of DEEP PURPLE, it was finally over with COLOSSEUM II.

In 1994 the formation reformed in the 'classic' "Colosseum Live" line-up of 1971 and since then presented their program with great success on numerous festivals and European tours, flanked by their releases "The Reunion Concerts 1994", "Bread And Circusses" (1997), "Tomorrows Blues" (2003) & "LIVE '05" (2007) & "TIME On Our Side" (2014). For saxophonist Dick Heckstall-Smith, who died in December 2004, Barbara Thompson played the saxophone until the band's farewell concert on Feb. 28th, 2015, at the venerable Shepherd's Bus Empire. But the fans love the grandiose Colosseum works, and they know exactly that still enough members can set the legendary colossus in motion again: Concerts by the legendary sextet have started again in 2021. The Farlowe-Clempson-Clarke front line is intact; there are three newcomers. Who can replace Jon Hiseman, founder/drummer/boss who tragically passed on in 2018? Clem Clempson: "Malcolm Mortimer, our new drummer [Gentle Giant, Arthur Brown, Frankie Miller] takes risks like Jon Hiseman! We needed a new drummer for the Hiseman Memorial in London‘s Shepherds Bush Empire. Ever since then, Malcolm is drumming for Colosseum: not playing Hiseman, but whatever the song needs“. The saxophone slot in Colosseum is also crucial. Clem: „We had several contenders. One night we were sitting in a tiny little bar in Arnis, Northern Germany, when we saw the video of a Chris- Farlowe song featuring Kim. His solo really stunned us: he seemed the perfect player for Colosseum!“ Kim Nishikawara also toured with R&B legends like Cliff Bennett and Alan Price. And the new Greenslade? „When the search for a new keyboard player took up speed, it was Kim who recommended Nick Steed, who had performed all over Europe with a host of great musicians: Dennis Chambers, Gary Husband, Jeff Berlin, Steve Hackett, David Sancious, Ginger Baker, Van Morrison & Shakatak. Nick in turn supplied recordings. Those turned out to be impressive!“ In August 2021 in Hamburg, Nick steed showed how he can master the Colosseum trademarks with his own emotional stamp. Mortimer, Nishikawara & Steed give the Farlowe-Clempson-Clarke triumvirate a mighty kick. Farlowe – at almost 81 –hasn’t lost anything at all with regard to his vocal powers – tackling the classic Colosseum songs with obvious joy and conviction, not forgetting his famous scat singing – injecting „Stormy Monday Blues“ with lyrical quotes like “Flip, Flop & Fly“ and “The girl can’t help it – she’s in love with - me!“ Clem Clempson – band- und cheer leader on stage – calls the shots and breaks, guides dramatic climaxes in the repertoire, celebrates solo passages with all his skills and feelings, topping all that with humorous extras, like in the epic “Lost Angeles“. Mark Clarke is the anchor with his bass foundations, which often introduce an exquisite second melody line. Clarke is also essential as a reliable backing vocalist and occasional lead singer. And so this is not an „Endangered Species“ operation, but a vibrating band, working hard and in your face!This burning sextet is ready for the big European tour April/May 2022 & the festival summer, COLOSSEUM forever...

Source: Munzinger Archive & Uli Twelker (Good Times).