The Smiley Smile Message Board

Really into the Zombies lately, especially the "Odessey and Oracle" album (recorded 1967, released 1968).  Always hated that misspelling, but apparently the story goes that their cover artist misspelled "odyssey" and they didn't have time to make him correct it, so they changed the album title to conform.

"Hung Up on a Dream" is not my favorite track on the album by any stretch, but just listen to it and see if you agree that it would fit right in on the "Sunflower" album.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8XOd6Uajh-4

The Zombies are cool. I always forget how to spell "odyssey" correctly because of their album.

Awesome band, though don't listen to them as much as I used to. Begin Here is also a great album. Created pages for Begin Here and Odessey And Oracle on TV Tropes.

They were great before O and O...  That album just proved that they were excellent.  And then?  They sort of just split.  Thankfully Colin and Rod got back together... ... ...after that?  I don't know much other than I believe they have toured playing the complete O and O. :hat

Had it originally on a green lp label...DATE or something like that.  Got it on cd with bonus stuff now.  Always liked Tell Her No and She's Not There and some of the songs on that initial N American album too.  Was Summertime one of them?  Those guys could 'play'...and sing.

Check out the Colin Blunstone solo album One Year.  Chris White and Rod Argent produced it.  It's absolutely beautiful, a must listen if you like Odessey & Oracle.  And if you ever get a chance to see Colin and Rod's touring Zombies, they are absolutely incredible.

It's a beautiful thing too because these are guys who have always supported each other.  Their breaking up the band was more about wanting to go on to new things rather than because of any band turmoil.  Most of Colin Blunstone's solo material was supported by Rod Argent and Chris White as producers/songwriters/musicians, both whom of course also had some success with the prog group Argent.  It's all love with these guys, no drama like the Beach Boys.

I love Odessey & Oracle. I only heard it in full a few years ago. "Time Of The Season" makes great sense as the album's closer.

Actually, I saw Argent at the 1972 Melody Maker Poll concert. Can't remember much about it, except for the excellent hit single:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ApXhdT2P1g

(http://www.ukrockfestivals.com/argent-oval-72.jpg)

I saw them live in a small venue about a year ago, and they put on a fantastic show. Colin's voice is still great, the band can reall play, and I think it was the longest concert I've ever been to. Rod had like a 4 minute keyboard solo and it was amazing. Definitely one of the best shows I've been to.

They have some great, forgotten singles - Imagine a Swan, Goin' Out of My Head, Gotta Get a Hold of Myself and Is This the Dream are some favorites. I own the 'Singles Collection: A's and B's' on Big Beat and it's a great listen.

I took your advice but couldn't warm to it and stopped about halfway through side two----so shoot me!  ;D

Discovered an original pressing of O&O for €500 in a record shop a couple of weeks ago. I still don't own a copy although it's one of my favourite albums. :P



P.S. There's already some smaller Zombies/O&O threads - could the mods please join those and this one?

That album is fantastic; as good as O&O.

Our very own Soniclovenoize put together a very nice "final" Zombies LP here:

http://albumsthatneverwere.blogspot.com/2014/07/the-zombies-rip.html

Hey there
Me and the wife travelled to the Birchmere about 5 years ago to see the Zombies. They are awesome in concert and I recommend their 2 dvd's that are out there Live at the Bloomsbury Theatre and Odessey and Oracle revisited. You wont be disappointed.
Joe

Darian Sahanaja should be on that 2nd DVD, right? :)

O & O is a profoundly overrated album on Beach Boys fanboy sites.
It has a nice enough sixties feel.  But really...relax.  There is no great song,
no complex harmony, no understanding of history. No shift
in ontology.

:lol




You're joking, right..?

Otherwise.. I pity you.

 :lol Of course you're 100% right. :lol

Somewhere.  Just not on a MUSIC site. :lol

What about Time Of The Season? Or Butcher's Tale? Nonsense....

Oww, how I love it when somebody presents their subjective opinion as fact. I think O&O may just be the most consistent album I've ever heard on a song-by-song basis - there is not one track I don't love. Maybe 'Changes' but even that grew on me lately.

(http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41J71G0CK6L.jpg)

OK. I need to know which CD version of O&O has the best mono mix. So many Damn versions of this album!

1) 40th anniversary edition with both the mono and stereo versions. (Repertoire)

2) 2011 "The CBS years 1967-1969" with both the mono and stereo versions as well as the unreleased R.I.P. album. (Repertoire)

3) 2008 (Big Beat UK) version with both mono and stereo versions.

Any help would be appreciated.

Every single recording of theirs besides Odessey and Oracle that I've heard has been massively distorted. I'm talking almost unlistenable. Example: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AtWjYTWGu6I  - The vocals on the chorus are the biggest culprit on this song.

Am I just crazy? Is there a remastered version of their collection that doesn't have this problem?

That does sound rough!
Begin Here: The Complete Decca Mono Recordings 1964-67 has fantastic sound. An essential purchase.

Thanks Mike's Beard! Unfortunately, the cheapest copy I can find in Canada is $35. Too much for a student. I'll keep my eyes open for it to go down in price.

There's a needledrop of the mono LP floating around that's far better than any official cd release.

Also, R.I.P. is tremendous and there's some really good stuff on Into the Afterlife as well.

Very exciting news.  Colin and Rod are reuniting with Chris White and Hugh Grundy to take Odessey and Oracle on tour.  They had previously played the album in its entirety in London in 2008 but this is the first time they're taking it on the road. http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/classic-zombies-lineup-to-reunite-for-odessey-oracle-tour-20150720

Got my (overpriced) ticket. Should be a great show. I saw them last year for $22, this show was $70 for decent seats. Worth it, though.

... and it's been done officially too, by those nice people at Varese Sarabande:

R.I.P. (http://www.amazon.co.uk/R-I-P-Zombies/dp/B00IV5F2KO)