My 3rd time commenting on this video? lol I just had to come back to rewatch this. It's such a classic album. I should point out though(because you didn't really mention it on the video), when the album came out in the UK it still did rather poorly, most people at the time were into Anti-War Rock Music, so the album was basically ignored. But when musician Al Cooper(member of Blood Sweat And Tears) was in the UK on a trip, he picked out the album and when he played it he loved it. He was a producer or something for Columbia records at the time and he pushed the record company to release the album in the US because the album basically wasn't going to. So the album was released 2 months after the UK release and the album again still did rather poorly. But then a single release of Time Of The Season in late 68-early 69 finally skyrocketed the album. The single went to number 3 in the charts and it became an anthem of that year. In early 69 the album was reissued in US with Time Of The Season clearly on the cover. The album went to 95 on the charts. And since then the band and album has gotten praised. It almost breaks my heart because the album is so timeless and it blows my mind that it was done in 67 and yet it wasn't doing great when it first came out.
I really love the zombies, prime example of psychedelic music with more of a pop tone than artists such as the grateful dead. I also own an original copy of Odessy and oracle on vinyl.. Amazing album.
Excellent video. The Zombies were a very good band but never got the appreciation they deserved. Colin Blunstone, their lead singer went on to join the Alan Parsons Project and Rod Argent, their keyboardist, formed Argent, who had several albums and the gigantic hit, "Hold Your Head Up".
Saw the Zombies do Odessey and Oracle note for note, on May 8. They remain very special. This album is one of the greatest ever made. Glad it is being heard by many today. It is brilliant, especially the anti war song, A Butcher's Tale.
I absolutely love this show it is addictive. Full zombies were away too cool to have tattoos though. Colin Blundstone has one of the greatest voices on this planet. Have you heard of the track called Kickabout by Teenage Fanclub?
Great review! I hope to score this one one day in a crate digging adventure. All I have is the Time Of The Seasons single that I found at a thrift store when I was about 13. I played the flip side Friends Of Mine way more often though!
The 1965 Parrot album is like many British rock albums released in the US - an ad hoc compilation. Their official UK debut was "Begin Here". It's every bit as good as Odessey and Oracle.
Easily one of my top 10 albums of all time. The mono version is vastly superior to the stereo version. This Will Be Our Year is my favorite track too. Butcher’s Tale always bothered me because it didn’t seem to fit the flow of the album in the same way Short Order Steward doesn’t fit into Tripsichord Music Box’s eponymous album (another top 10 album for me).
Thanks for doing a video music review of The Zombies "Odessey and Oracle." My favorite song is "Time of the Season" I always smile and sing when I hear it. :-)
Oh wow, that's so cool. I would love to own an original copy on Date, but that may be a while. I still haven't checked out Smith's version, I gotta get on that.
Sometimes I guess things happen for a reason, because Rod Argent may have not gotten together with Russ Ballard and formed the band Argent a few years later, if the Zombies hadn't broken up.......
I loved this with every fibre of my soul. I cannot explain how excited I am to have found this show while researching Mrs. Magician. Amazing band. I've found a new love in The Zombies too!! SUBSCRIBED! I'll watch every show!
Wow I heard Time Of The Season before,but I didn't know It was The Zombies. The only zombies I know are the micro ones In my brain. Slowly chomping away. Thanks for the great Info. I will have to check out some of their other tunes. They only had this one album? Thanks for sharing---Colin
I have been playing guitar for four decades, and everyone act like the beatles invented fire but all music is related. Point is, the beatle music is neither bland nor unique. This is showbiz AND an art form and even now people are reacting to their muses and an inspiration from the past.
This was one of your best episodes. I remember hearing O&O and what an awesome experience it was. I need to check out the album by your friends Mrs. Magician. What style is their music?
I just had to watch this again! I remember watching it before and I don't think I had the vinyl yet but I finally got it sometime after that. I play tracks off the album but the main reason I got it was for Time Of The Season but today I played the whole album and its a masterpiece!
Eric, this is actually a grail for me - I have a great German import of it on CD with loads of bonus singles. "This Will Be Our Year" was our unofficial wedding song. Elliott Smith does a great cover of Care of Cell 44.
Jim Morrison had some of the best sound bites ever. “Think of us as erotic politicians,” “drugs are a bet with your mind,” “I touched her thigh, and Death smiled.”
Fabulous video review of Odessey And Oracle, I might do one as my first review. Its such a great album, it really influenced me growing up and I'm always playing Care Of Cell 44 and I'll Call You Mine.
Paulina Angel Thanks so much! It's a great one to start with. It's also interesting how many different covers (album art) there are. I found that after the fact. Check it ou www.discogs.com/Zombies-Odessey-And-Oracle/master/60877
That’s the only solid album The Zombies recorded back then, and it really transfers this bitter-sweet mood to you. And harmonically it’s much more complicated than everything that The Beatles have ever done. Any little peace of its sound is brilliant, absolutely perfect. I think the only reason Zombies were not stunningly popular in sixties is that they did never try to preach at people about politics, rebellion and so on, like The Beatles did...
Those guys obviously believe Jim Morrison was really the way the doors movie portrayed him. Ray Manzerick, when talking about the character of Jim in the movie said, "I wouldn't have hung out with that guy". Ray wasn't happy with the way Oliver Stone made Morrison appear to be a constantly mean, selfish, abusive, and destructive drunk. He said Jim was a caring, intelligent, and funny guy that people enjoyed being around. Jim did have his drunken moments, and struggled with drug abuse, but wasn't the guy in that movie. The Jim in the doors movie is Oliver Stones vision of how Jim should be in order to make the movie more entertaining, and sell more tickets. Many things in that movie were overdramatic, inaccurate to the truth, and some downright lies. It's unfortunate that as a result of that movie, some people believe Jim Morrison was really that way.
It's MAHT the HOOPLE. Like Mott's Applesauce. Other than that, wouldn't know them if I woke up with them. Great episode! Used to listen to the Zombies in real time, as in I was alive in the 60s. We thought they were "heavy."
Dont misunderstand me....I am a sub cuz I like the channel...but I do wish the tracks were played a little longer.. after all it's all about the music. Ahh just tell me ta shut up....lol great choice of artist....I learned something...great job
I have this very same reissue featured on the video. In my copy all the tracks are in true stereo. Funny Cell 44 is in mono and This Will Be Our Year is in fake stereo on this video....what happened?
It has to be said, Next to The Beatles, The Dave Clark Five and The Rolling Stones, The Zombies were my most favorite British Invasion Bands. I was in love with their music ever since I was a kid in elementary school. She's Not There and Summertime were the IT songs for me. When they visited Manila again in 2005 (the first concert of the Zombies in the Philippines was in 1967 shortly before they recorded this album in question), I watched the concert and they autographed by Zombies LPs (Begin Here and an earlier pressing of Odessey and Oracle) Who would have thought 6 years later, my band would be the opening act for this VERY band!. I am proud to say that in my 22 years as a professional musician, this is got to be the highlight of my career. I was able to chat with all the members but in particular the present bassist Jim Rodford (Rod Argent's cousin and the bass player of Argent - the band formed by Rod Argent and Zombies bassists Chris White after the Zombies broke up). He said he was impressed with our music because he is also a fan of soul music (I am in a soul band currently). This credential helped us secure a record contract which lead us to release an EP/CD two y ears after this concert!
