Colosseum - Elegy (The Recordings 1968-1971) (Remastered) (2024)

Limited six CD set. Colosseum came together in 1968, the brainchild of virtuoso drummer Jon Hiseman and saxophonist Dick Heckstall-Smith (who had played together in the Graham Bond Organisation and John Mayall's Bluesbreakers). Teaming with bass guitarist Tony Reeves and keyboard player Dave Greenslade, the line-up of the band was completed with the recruitment of guitarist and vocalist James Litherland. Their debut album, 'Those About to Die Salute You' was was one of the first successful attempts to fuse jazz, blues and rock reaching number 15 on the UK album chart. Their second album, 'Valentyne Suite', was the first release on the Progressive Vertigo imprint and spent nine weeks on the UK album chart, peaking at number 15. The album's focal point was the three part 'Valentyne Suite' which earned the band critical praise and is now regarded as a milestone in early Progressive Rock. In the USA and Canada the album appeared in different form in 1970 as 'The Grass is Greener' remixed and featuring new member Dave "Clem" Clempson (guitar, vocals), who replaced James Litherland in the group. The album also featured a series of songs unreleased in the UK. Released on the Vertigo in December 1970, 'Daughter of Time' heralded another line-up change within the group, featuring new recruits Mark Clarke (bass) and the distinctive lead vocalist Chris Farlowe. The album spent five weeks in UK Top 30. A series of UK concerts were recorded in 1971 and were issued in June of that year as the double LP 'Colosseum Live', a UK Top 20 hit. Colosseum dis-banded in October 1971, but were to reform in 1994. This Esoteric Recordings release also features studio bonus tracks and an additional CD of further live recordings from 1971.

Tracklist
CD 1
01. Walking In The Park 3:56
02. Plenty Hard Luck 4:27
03. Mandarin 4:24
04. Debut 6:19
05. Beware The Ides Of March 5:36
06. The Road She Walked Before 2:43
07. Backwater Blues 7:38
08. Those About To Die 4:57
09. I Can't Live Without You 4:14
10. In The Heat Of The Night 4:48
11. Those About To Die 4:09

CD 2
01. The Kettle 4:28
02. Elegy 3:13
03. Butty's Blues 6:46
04. The Machine Demands A Sacrifice 3:56
05. The Valentyne Suite: January's Search/Theme Two: February's Valentine/Theme 16:58
06. Tell Me Now 3:40

CD 3
01. Jumping Off The Sun 3:35
02. Lost Angeles 5:32
03. Elegy 3:12
04. Butty's Blues 6:45
05. Rope Ladder To The Moon 3:43
06. Bolero 5:29
07. The Machine Demands A Sacrifice 2:50
08. The Grass Is Greener 7:37

CD 4
01. Three Score And Ten, Amen 5:38
02. Time Lament 6:12
03. Take Me Back To Doomsday 4:25
04. The Daughter Of Time 3:33
05. Theme For An Imaginary Western 4:06
06. Bring Out Your Dead 4:20
07. Downhill And Shadows 6:13
08. The Time Machine 8:13
09. Bring Out Your Dead (Demo) 4:44
10. Jumping Off The Sun 3:36
11. The Pirate's Dream 12:04

CD 5
01. Rope Ladder To The Moon 9:46
02. Walking In The Park 8:22
03. Skelington 14:58
04. I Can't Live Without You 7:52
05. Tanglewood '63 10:16
06. Encore…Stormy Monday Blues 7:31
07. Lost Angeles 15:47

CD 6
01. Rope Ladder To the Moon[Live In Brighton] 10:57
02. Skelington[Live In Brighton] 14:44
03. I Can't Live Without You[Live At Manchester University, March 1971] 21:41
04. Stormy Monday Blues[Live In Bristol] 5:14
05. The The Valentyne Suite - January's Search-February's Valentyne-the Grass i 21:20