15 questions with The Zombies lead singer Colin Blunstone

Colin and The Zombies will be returning to St Albans and Harpenden this week for their festival between Friday, November 8 to Sunday, November 10, for a weekend full of entertainment.

The Zombies pose for a group picture. (Image: Alex Lake)

Q:. What does the festival mean to you?

A: "It's a great celebration of all things Zombies, and last year people came from all over the world to join in, that's what makes it so special.

"It is just a real fun time, and I surprised myself because I performed a little bit on the Friday night but after that I was a festival goer and had a fantastic weekend."

Q:. What can people expect at the Begin Here Festival in 2024?

"Everything's on a bigger scale this year because we've got a concert on the Friday night in Harpenden, at the Eric Morecambe Centre, where I'm going to play with my solo band. 

"Then on the Saturday night we're going to have a celebration of Rod Argent's 60-year career in the music business and Sunday rounds off with a brilliant 'Battle of The Bands' at the cathedral."

Q: What is special about Begin Here Festival and St Albans?

A: "I think the reason that St Albans was chosen is it's such a beautiful place.

"Also, it's great to go back there and see it in all its history and a beautiful architecture that's there. I think it's a lovely place.

"For us, it's the reason that the band got together because everyone went to school in St Albans."

Q: Where did everyone go to school?

A: "I went to the grammar school with one of the original band members named Paul Arnold who was eventually replaced by Chris White.

"Then three of the guys came from others in the area - Rod Argent, Hugh Grundy and Paul Atkinson."

Q: What has changed the most about the city since you grew up?

A: "The overall thing that struck me is that St Albans has got more beautiful over the years.

"A lot of places you go back and you're really disappointed and you know you might feel that they've gone downhill a bit, but I think St Albans has enhanced itself over the years."

Q: What are your top 5 things to do/visit in the area?

A: 1. "Watch a rugby match" -  "I always like to go to Verulamians Rugby Club towards London Colney, especially if there is a home match to watch."

2. "Drive by the grammar school" - "I wouldn't' mind driving past the grammar school and having a look for old times sake. I've been back a couple of times when they have an open day and walk around and it's quite emotional walking around there."

3. "A visit to the cathedral" - I'd love to go to the cathedral, I had a walk around there last year and enjoyed it very much."

4. "Interesting exhibits" - "Walking around the town hall is great because they usually have interesting exhibits on, they even had one for us last year."

5. "A quick pint" - "I think a quick pint in the Blacksmiths Arms might be in order. We need to have a little celebration beer."

Q: What is your connection to The Blacksmiths Arms for those that don't know?

The Zombies' blue plaque at the Blacksmiths Arms. (Image: Google Maps) A: "There was a blue plaque put up there in 2012, and it marks where the band first met in Easter 1961, we were 15 and 14-years-old and we met outside the Blacksmiths Arms. It's important to remember it was outside."

Q: How does it feel to run a festival where it all began?

A: "It does make me feel quite emotional, to be honest. There's no way around it. You come back and there are so many memories that crowd your mind, and most of them good ones. I think it's quite overwhelming, really.

"St Albans became the pivotal point of my social life as a young man, I suppose. So this is where I spent my teenage years and they are really your formative years. A lot of my growing up was done in St Albans."

Q: Give me a brief summary of how The Zombies kickstarted?

A: "When we first got together I didn't dare to think that we could ever be a professional band. We won quite a big rock and roll competition, called the Heartbeat Competition.

"This was in Watford Town Hall, with around 2,000 people in there. It was really like a cup match at a football game. It was quite frenzied and we won it - no one was more surprised than us.

"As a result of that competition we turned heads and made our first record and pretty soon after that we were on 'Ready Steady Go' and 'Top of The Pops'."

Q: The Zombies have toured everywhere, why come back to St Albans?

A: "I mean we've travelled all over the states, we've played in every state in America and of course the distances you travel are incredible, you know you go where the demand is.

"There's something about St Albans though, it does feel like a homecoming really, and it's tinged with emotion and also surprise that all this has happened as a result of us meeting outside the Blacksmiths."

Q: You've gone through generations of music-listeners why should young people look out for The Zombies?

A: "I think it's really important for a band to appeal to a younger audience, as well as the people who've been with them on their whole journey.

"We've been very fortunate in that a lot of our music has a timeless feel about it and it's constantly being used in films and in commercials introducing us to a younger market."

Q: What makes the Begin Here Festival unique?

A: "What I like about it is there's no pressure, you can step out and go and have a meal or be quiet for a bit if you want, and then you can join up with what's happening later on.

"I think that's the lovely thing about this festival you don't have to go to everything, but if you want to, there's things happening from Friday lunchtime till Sunday night."

Q:  How will it feel to perform without Rod for the first time?

A: "It's going to feel very, very strange, I've always thought of Rod as the cornerstone of the zombies.

Colin (left) and Rod pictured together. (Image: Alex Lake) "The concert will be tinged with sadness, but we've got to concentrate on the celebration of all that he's achieved, because he's been a really successful away from the zombies.

"He's been a brilliant songwriter and he's been a really successful producer as well, played on countless hits as a keyboard player. He's just had a wonderful career."

Q: Any anecdotes about St Albans?

A: "Our first enthusiastic audiences were probably at the Verulamians Rugby Club where we built up a really strong following. These were incredible years from 1963 to 1964.

"When we used to play down there they'd have to put a big marquee on attached to the clubhouse because there was so many people wanting to come to the gigs. It was really magical."

Q: What would you say to someone to convince them to attend the festival?

A: "I think they'd be surprised at how many songs they'll recognise, because The Zombies, one way or another, have been involved in many hit records."

Colin will also be playing The Union Chapel London on November 25, performing his seminal album 'One Year' in its entirety for the first time on tour.

More information and tickets via: https://www.thezombiesmusic.com/