zombies51

The Zombies made a new album, celebrating 50 years on tour with The Strawbs (dates)

by Andrew Sacher

The Zombies

Psychedelic pop legends The Zombies are celebrating their 50th anniversary this year. They formed in 1961. They’re celebrating the anniversary with an album of entirely new material Breathe Out, Breathe In. The album is credited to “The Zombies featuring Colin Blunstone & Rod Argent,” the two remaining original members. The album was released May 9 via Red House Records and can be purchased on Amazon UK or regular Amazon as an import or digitally for less than $10 on iTunes.

Drowned in Sound didn’t love the new album, but says:

It seems a tad churlish to pick at the flaws in Breathe Out, Breathe In, not least because this is the kind of album you will most likely be buying in good faith with modest expectations rather than in search of a stone cold classic. Nevertheless, ‘Let It Go’ is sickly sweet as closing tracks go, its final sign off being the overly theatrical “Shout it loud from high and low, just listen to your heart.” Following on from the similarly choral ‘I Do Believe’, it forms a limp ending to an otherwise fun album.

Says Colin, “We are still learning, and new discoveries energize us, it’s all part of being an artist, we are very proud of our achievement here. We hope it moves and touches people like it has us. The Zombies have been a fantastic journey, we’ve gone from playing in the back of pubs to headlining festivals and it still feels like it is just the beginning.”

You can also grab a free download of the track “A Moment In Time” at The Zombies’ website, and check out an in-studio video of the song below. We can’t find any physical US release details.

The Zombies recently finished up a European tour in support of the album and will head back out on an international tour starting in Japan this July. Blunstone and Argent are touring with Jim Rodford (Argent, The Kinks) on bass, his son Steve Rodford on drums, and session guitarist Tom Toomey. The band will make it over to North American in September with progressive folk pioneers The Strawbs (who will be playing acoustic). While they’re here, they’ll play NYC twice on September 26 and 27 at City Winery. Tickets are on sale now. All dates are listed below.

The Strawbs are also set to release a new album Hero and Heroine in Ascenscia on June 30 in the US via Witchwood Records. The album is a reinterpretation of their 1974 LP Hero and Heroine, which they played in full on a 2010 Canadian/European tour. You can purchase it at the Witchwood webstore.

Not that The Zombies need anymore accolades to confirm their influential place in history, but Fleet Foxes fans may be interested in knowing that their classic album Odessey and Oracle is an influence on Robin Pecknold. The album has also been highly regarded by Idiot Glee who plays Glasslands tonight (6/15), by The Vaccines, and countless others.

Check out some recent live videos and interviews about the new album, album art, tracklist, and all tour dates below…


The Zombies – “A Moment In Time”

Colin Blunstone Interview

Rod Argent Interview

The Zombies live in Greece 3/5/11

The Strawbs live in Canada in 2010

Breathe Out, Breathe In

Breathe Out, Breathe In tracklist:
1. “Breathe Out, Breathe In”
2. “Any Other Way”
3. “Play It For Real”
4. “Shine On Sunshine”
5. “Show Me The Way”
6. “A Moment In Time”
7. “Christmas For The Free”
8. “Another Day”
9. “I Do Believe”
10. “Let It Go”

Hero and Heroine In Ascencia

hero and Heroine in Ascencia tracklist:
1. Prologue – Lay A Little Light On Me Autumn
2. Sad Young Man
3. Just Love
4. Shine On Silver Sun
5. Hero And Heroine
6. Midnight Sun
7. Out In The Cold/ Round And Round
8. Lay A Little Light On Me/ Hero’s Theme/Round And Round (Reprise)


The Zombies 2011 Tour Dates (European date format)
08/07/11 – Tokyo Shimokitazawa Gardens Japan
09/07/11 – Tokyo Daidabashi Fever Japan
10/07/11 – Tokyo Shimokitazawa Gardens Japan
12/07/11 – Ossaka Shinsaibashi, Muse Hall Japan
30/07/11 – West Glamorgan Neath Resolven Rheola Festival UK
31/07/11 – Sutton Boom Boom Club UK
23/08/11 – Tel Aviv Reading 3 Club Israel
03/09/11 – Paris Cafe De La Danse France
09/09/11 – Ontario Casino Rama Canada
10/09/11 – New York Seneca Niagara Casino US
11/09/11 – New York Oneonta Theatre US
13/09/11 – Cleveland Beachland Ballroom US
15/09/11 – Bethlehem, PA Musikfest Cafe Arts Quest US
16/09/11 – Silver Spring, MD Montgomery College of Cultural Arts US
17/09/11 – Glenside, PA Keswick Theatre US
18/09/11 – Westchester, NY Tarrytown Music Hall US
19/09/11 – Annapolis, MD Rams Head On Stage US
21/09/11 – Foxborough, MA Showcase Live US
22/09/11 – Londonderry, NH Tupelo Music Hall US
23/09/11 – Norfolk, CT Infinity Hall US
24/09/11 – Uncasville, CT Wolf Den Mohegan Sun Casino US
26/09/11 – New York City Winery US
27/09/11 – New York City Winery US
28/09/11 – Pennsylvania State Theatre US
02/11/11 – Arhhem Luxor Live Netherlands
03/11/11 – Drachten Poppodium Iduna Netherlands
04/11/11 – Zoetermeer Cultuurpodium Boerderij Netherlands
05/11/11 – Dirkshorn Eetcafé de Kastanjeboom Netherlands
06/11/11 – Uden Live Pul Netherlands
16/11/11 – Stockton The Arc UK
17/11/11 – Wrexham Central Station UK
18/11/11 – Edinburgh The Caves UK
19/11/11 – Glasgow The Ferry UK
20/11/11 – Kinross Kinross Green Hotel UK
23/11/11 – Letchworth Plinston Hall UK
24/11/11 – Wimborne Tivoli Theatre UK
25/11/11 – Leicester Y Theatre UK
26/11/11 – Worthing The Grand Victoria UK
27/11/11 – St Albans The Alban Arena UK
29/11/11 – Kent The Stag Theatre UK
01/12/11 – Worcester Huntingdon Halls UK
02/12/11 – Canterbury University Of Kent – Gulbenkian UK