Page 1 of 4 1234 LastLast
Results 1 to 25 of 91

Thread: Thoughts on Colosseum II?

  1. #1
    Progdog ThomasKDye's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2012
    Location
    Vallejo, CA
    Posts
    1,012

    Thoughts on Colosseum II?

    So I was listening to an old Cozy Powell album of jazz-fusiony stuff and wanted something in a similar vein. Having seen that Gary Moore and Don Airey, who played exquisitely on Powell's "Killer," were in a band called Colosseum II in the seventies, I checked a couple songs out and they weren't bad. Some really fiery playing; definitely more fiery keyboards than I've ever heard from Airey, and that includes his recent solo albums and Purple contributions.

    What do others think?

  2. #2
    I may have heard a song or two in passing; they’ve sort of always been on my back burner but I never got around to buying them for whatever reason. Weirdly, I know their singer (Mike Starrs) better via his work with Lucifer’s Friend.

    -------------
    MIKE (a.k.a. "Progbear")

    "That's my purse! I don't know you!" --Bobby Hill

    N.P.:nothing

  3. #3
    Great prog-fusion!

    Electric Savage and War Dance are the ones to get.

  4. #4
    Member rapidfirerob's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2012
    Location
    near Berkeley, Ca.
    Posts
    1,194
    Quote Originally Posted by simon moon View Post
    Great prog-fusion!

    Electric Savage and War Dance are the ones to get.
    Totally agree. I have them on vinyl and they are killer. I bought Strange New Flesh on CD years ago and it wasn't that good IMO.

  5. #5
    All their albums are killer jazz rock!
    David Robin
    Filmmaker/Drummer
    www.steelyjam.com
    www.davidrobinfilms.com

  6. #6
    Quote Originally Posted by rapidfirerob View Post
    Totally agree. I have them on vinyl and they are killer. I bought Strange New Flesh on CD years ago and it wasn't that good IMO.
    Yeah, i totally agree on this-i have all three on CD.

  7. #7
    I only have Strange new flesh. Still hoping the other 2 will also be rereleased by Esoteric.

  8. #8
    That's Mr. to you, Sir!! Trane's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2004
    Location
    in a cosmic jazzy-groove around Brussels
    Posts
    6,091
    Quote Originally Posted by simon moon View Post
    Great prog-fusion!

    Electric Savage and War Dance are the ones to get.
    They're definitely the ones to get if you're into them.... but they're an uneven mixed bag... there are a few stinkers on both, mainly the ones with vocals

    I'm definitely not a Strange New Flesh fan, again partly due to the vocals
    my music collection increased tenfolds when I switched from drug-addicts to complete nutcases.

  9. #9
    Dreadful vocals, great instrumentals, and sorely in need of a reissue of the twin punch `Electric Savage' and `Wardance'.

  10. #10
    Member
    Join Date
    Nov 2012
    Location
    England
    Posts
    0
    Electric Savage is superb.

    I agree about the poor vocals.

  11. #11
    Tribesman sonic's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2012
    Location
    Progland
    Posts
    0
    Not a patch on Colosseum I.

  12. #12
    Another vote for Electric Savage (despite the vocals, which are more of a 'why bother' than 'unlistenably dreadful' to my ears). Gary Moore at his very best for me.

  13. #13
    Member TheH's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2012
    Location
    Germany
    Posts
    3,231
    So I really like all their 3 albums, I like Strange new Flesh the most. But I obviously the only one (here)

  14. #14
    There's some excellent playing on Strange New Flesh but at times the vocals are jarring...'Gemini and Leo' sounds like Tom Jones backed by Return to Forever.....
    On balance I think Electric Savage is the best they put out...

  15. #15
    Electric Savage and War Dance are excellent rock/jazz mostly instrumental albums.

    They had a lead vocalist on the first album, there is some good stuff there but more uneven.

  16. #16
    From recollection Gary Moore sang on the only vocal track on ES and he ain't a bad vocalist !

  17. #17
    Member Since: 3/27/2002 MYSTERIOUS TRAVELLER's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2012
    Location
    The Kingdom of YHVH
    Posts
    2,770
    AVOID STRANGE NEW FLESH ! ! !

    having said that... Colosseum II are an excellent English clone of the phenomenal Prog Fusion band Return To Forever. Yes, C2 are *that* good. It is obvious that they are influenced by the albums Hymn... and Where Have... though
    Why is it whenever someone mentions an artist that was clearly progressive (yet not the Symph weenie definition of Prog) do certain people feel compelled to snort "thats not Prog" like a whiny 5th grader?

  18. #18
    Member Since: 3/27/2002 MYSTERIOUS TRAVELLER's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2012
    Location
    The Kingdom of YHVH
    Posts
    2,770
    Quote Originally Posted by ThomasKDye View Post
    So I was listening to an old Cozy Powell album
    and Cozy Powell was quite an excellent drummer... R.I.P. Cozy, see you in the resurrection
    Why is it whenever someone mentions an artist that was clearly progressive (yet not the Symph weenie definition of Prog) do certain people feel compelled to snort "thats not Prog" like a whiny 5th grader?

  19. #19
    Tribesman sonic's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2012
    Location
    Progland
    Posts
    0
    I felt they were a clumsy attempt at Fusion — good enough to pull the wool over your eyes for a couple of tunes but not enough to carry off a whole album. Add in the horrendous vocals and you may as well throw the albums out the window.

  20. #20
    Strange New Flesh is their best IMO. Voacalist Mike Starrs sounds a lot like John Lawton. On expanded 2CDs edition there are many bonus tracks, with Gary Moore on vocals.
    Their mext after SNF, Electric Savage is decent record, and War Dance is very similar, - I like beautiful song Castles, performed by Gary Moore. One track reminds of Return To Forever, particularly the Hymn Of Seventh Galaxy.

  21. #21
    Member
    Join Date
    Nov 2012
    Location
    England
    Posts
    0
    I think the name is poor. It sugggests they were trying to recreate the sound of Colosseum, but they were quite different.

  22. #22
    That's Mr. to you, Sir!! Trane's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2004
    Location
    in a cosmic jazzy-groove around Brussels
    Posts
    6,091
    Quote Originally Posted by sonic View Post
    I felt they were a clumsy attempt at Fusion — good enough to pull the wool over your eyes for a couple of tunes but not enough to carry off a whole album. Add in the horrendous vocals and you may as well throw the albums out the window.
    You're being a little harsh, IMHO... By compîling the better tracks of ES and WD, you'd have an excellent JR/F album...
    but compiling the tracks missing that cut, you'd have one hell of a turd

    Quote Originally Posted by Homburg View Post
    I think the name is poor. It sugggests they were trying to recreate the sound of Colosseum, but they were quite different.
    Yeah, I didn't think the name was a bright Hiseman idea....
    my music collection increased tenfolds when I switched from drug-addicts to complete nutcases.

  23. #23
    Tribesman sonic's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2012
    Location
    Progland
    Posts
    0
    Quote Originally Posted by Trane View Post
    You're being a little harsh, IMHO...
    It hurts doesn't it.
    Those guys can play for sure, but vocals aside, they sound like they're all about the chops and compositionally aren't a patch on RTF. I preferred Gary Moore in Skid Row. I think Gary's at his best when he's got some blues going on.

  24. #24
    Quote Originally Posted by Homburg View Post
    I think the name is poor. It sugggests they were trying to recreate the sound of Colosseum, but they were quite different.
    Quote Originally Posted by Trane View Post
    Yeah, I didn't think the name was a bright Hiseman idea....
    According to the booklet going with the rerelease of Strange new flesh, it was Gerry Bron, who wanted to be Colosseum (something). So for the sake of a record deal, they did that.

  25. #25
    That's Mr. to you, Sir!! Trane's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2004
    Location
    in a cosmic jazzy-groove around Brussels
    Posts
    6,091
    Quote Originally Posted by Rarebird View Post
    According to the booklet going with the rerelease of Strange new flesh, it was Gerry Bron, who wanted to be Colosseum (something). So for the sake of a record deal, they did that.
    Yeah, you're right Renate

    Actually I had read that somewhere too... maybe in Hiseman's biography book...
    my music collection increased tenfolds when I switched from drug-addicts to complete nutcases.

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •