Colin Blunstone continued – Journey was Colin’s next record, and again a strong album; a bit rockier, more up beat numbers, a bit more varied sounds.  Fave songs; the wonderful single ‘Wonderful’, ‘This is Your Captain Calling’ and ‘Brother Lover’.  But in 1976 Colin switched labels and signed to Elton’s label Rocket Records.  I don’t know what happened but somehow the two records he recorded next seem to be lacking.  They feel a bit safe, a bit predictable and bland.  I still bought them of course.  Planes came out in 1976, the title track being a Bernie and Elton composition.  And of course when you re-listen after some time you have a different perception.  The album is really quite good, nice choice of songs too.  ‘Only With You’, ‘Loving and Free’ and ‘Dancing In The Dark’ are my favourites.   His second album for Rocket was ‘Never Even Thought’.  Not so bad really, but somehow lacking that vital spark.  I like ‘Do Magnolia, Do’ but not much else.  Colin had a live album which is impossible to find on CD out in the late 70’s….and then he sort of disappeared.  He became a session singer, appearing on various Alan Parsons Project releases, a short lived band called Keats (one album, I had the cassette but almost impossible to find on CD too) and I suppose somehow kept going.  A Live at the BBC record came out in the early 90’s; A sort of greatest hits live – and very good it is too.

But not until 1995 did Colin dip his toe back into recording new material. Echo Bridge; a bit of a subdued record, his voice a bit deeper I think, and maybe it was just the choice of material – a bit less melodic.  Still, he was back in the game, or at least trying.  Best song is the Gallagher and Lyle classic ‘Breakaway’.  3 years later came The Light Inside; I only discovered this fairly recently and it is really quite good.  Colin still in great voice and a decent song selection. ‘Send Me Your Broken Dreams’ and ‘Losing You’ are particularly good.  Then, in 2001, came re-union with Rod Argent (of the Zombies) – not that they had ever really split; Rod contributed songs and played on a few of Colin’s records down the years.  They released an album under joint names ‘Out of The Shadows’.   And it is pretty good, songs all written by Rod and a couple by Colin.  ‘Sanctuary’ and ‘Living in the Real World’ are best tracks.  But compared to his first three or four records….well, no comparison.  Still – nice to see the old boys continuing.  There was a re-union of The Zombies after this, and things get a bit confusing because some records are credited to Colin and Rod and some to ‘The Zombies, featuring…”  Anyway, next up is ‘As Far As I Can See’.   More upbeat album; better melodies and a good production; fave tracks – ‘’In My Mind a Miracle’, ‘Memphis’ and ‘Southside of the Street.  The Ghost of Me and You followed, a nice record, mostly with string quartet again.  A delicate quiet album – best songs ‘Love Left A Long Time Ago’ and a revisited ‘Beginning/Keep The Curtain Closed Today’. 2011 saw ‘Breathe Out, Breathe In’ a Zombies featuring Colin record.  This is okay, but not my favourite by a long chalk.  Nothing really wrong with it, it jut doesn’t excite me.  And then came On The Air Tonight, which seems again a solo Colin album, and very nice it is too. Best songs – ‘The Best Is Yet To Come’, ‘Though You Are Far Away’ and ’17 Over You’.

That and a couple of collections is it (so far) for young Colin.  Actually he was a handsome bugger – very much frazzled and gnarled looking now.  ‘Ain’t we all.