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Chris Farlowe and Clem Clempson. |
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"Are we there yet?" wonders Dave Greenslade. |
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The next day it was the long trek to Bochum to negotiate and during the journey I managed to interview Chris Farlowe in depth.
I got some really good stories, including a blinding tale of how he came to meet Marlon Brando. Brando even remembered his name when they met some years later in Helsinki as Chris's band watched in amazement, no doubt wondering: "How on earth does he know Marlon Brando?"
I went to the front of the bus and chatted to Clem about one of his passions, football. As a boy he supported West Bromwich Albion and witnessed the great teams they really had in those days. In my day I supported local rivals Birmingham City and, as we are roughly the same age, I knew the Albion players he was talking about. He still watches football today, but we concurred it is a very different game.
The time passed really quickly and before long the 170-odd miles had been rattled off. As the journey was so long there wasn't much time in the hotel before it was time to go down to the venue for the sound check. We passed Bochum football ground in the middle of their game with Hannover (from where I had flown in). We arrived at the old railway station that is the Bahnhof Langendreer at around 6:30pm to a crowd of autograph hunters, with the usual array of vinyl albums for the band to sign. It never ceases to amaze them where the fans get them from. The gig was sold out but Andre, the merchandising man, had a novel idea to sell more CDs. He went outside to offer the new album to fans that didn't have tickets and in the process sold 25 more copies!
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Chris Farlowe and Mark Clarke sign autographs for the fans. |
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Mixing desk for that colossal sound. |
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I started this gig watching from the side of the stage, but in the intermission it was suggested that I spend the rest of the show at the mixing desk with sound man Miles Ashton. This was the highlight of all the shows I had seen. Standing next to Miles you get the full and pristine sound of Colosseum.
All the punch and majesty is experienced here and proof that Dave's description of Colosseum as a "fearsome animal" is totally accurate.It was also fascinating to watch Miles work. He did subtle things like add echo to Chris's voice in a quiet section, and then would do the same to one of Barbara's soprano solos. I asked him after the gig if it was pre-arranged with the band. He answered in the negative, proof that he has a large degree of autonomy in his work. However, the proof of the pudding is in the eating and the sound was fantastic. He has worked with Jon and Barbara for many years and it's clear he knows what's expected of him.
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Gert Lange, Dave Greenslade, Jon Hiseman, Andre Bunning (merch), Martyn
Hanson and Barbara Thompson. |
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Bochum was my last gig with the band and there was a degree of sadness about it when it came to saying goodbyes. Colosseum had welcomed me into their world. It is a world that is unreal when living out of a suitcase. From the moment they get up in the morning, everything is geared towards the gig in the evening. The constant travelling, hotels and playing all adds up to a hard life. The gigs are arranged for months in advance and they must be fulfilled come what may! I left feeling drained and tired by the lifestyle on the road.
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Spotted at Hannover Railway Station — it seems the boys in the band even found time to open their own café! |
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As I boarded my train to Hannover, I imagined what it would be like to have another 4 weeks of touring (and me not having to play) and experience the stresses that build up as show time approaches. I imagine that long before the end of the tour the band and crew become mentally and physically washed out.
Colosseum made their way to Hamburg where they would be based for the next 4 days. Chris had been feeling under the weather for a couple of gigs but at least he had 2 days to recover before the Kiel show. As Jon told me: "When you have 6 guys on the road for a month or more that are getting on a bit, you are bound to have illness from time to time.”
So where do the band go next? In February they received an incredible reception when they went to Tokyo, their first concerts in Japan. From my conversations with Barbara on the tour bus, it appears that Colosseum are still looking to the future. What they would like to do next is to tour places they have never been before. |