Hi Steven

Do I know something you don't? No. What I said was based almost
entirely on stuff that is available to everyone. But I guess I
worded my statement slightly incorrectly. I should have prefaced it
with "logic suggests." Since I wrote it, Barbara Thompson in her
latest newsletter says that there will be no Colosseum at all in 2006
but they will be back on the road in the spring of 2007. But she
doesn't say where.

Why did I think Colosseum would never tour Britain again? Mainly
because of age, money, and Jon Hiseman's publicly stated attitudes.
Decide for yourself.

History: None of the bands led by Jon Hiseman have lasted for very
long at a time. Even though Colosseum eventually got reincarnated
after about a 24 year gap and again after a further 8 years and again
in 1993, age rules out any more largish gaps so the length of active
life at a time is relevant. (ColosseumII doesn't count as
Colosseum. The name was merely a marketing strategy but in any case
it didn't last long either.)

JH's work load: According to Dick Heckstall-Smith in his book, even
during the original Colosseum Hiseman felt he had too much to do and
D H-S considered that was one reason why ColosseumI came to an end.
Perhaps D H-S was wrong but since those comparatively simple days
Hiseman's work load has increased enormously and he certainly appears
to have a work overload complex. Quite apart from any playing, he
now runs a recording studio and his company Temple Music, for which
he apparently does most of the book work; he has to manage their
library of deteriorating tapes; he has many other interests. In his
dmme.net interview of last November this is what he said about his
work load:- "Fourteen hours a day I'm working. At the moment I'm
working on getting all the original masters for all the records I've
ever made.......I'm doing this slowly in my studio; this is a long
job. Also I'm writing this computer programme and creating very life-
like orchestral demos of all Barbara's music in the computer.....It's
a long slow work but it's interesting. I've got two Paraphernalia
live albums to mix and a Colosseum live album. I've got an Evelyn
Glennie album to finish and get released. I've just done a location
recording of Barbara's saxophone quartets album, all her
compositions, which we hope to get released next year. So much stuff
I can't move, I still have to do ten days a month in the office
administering all the royalties as I've got a publishing company,
Temple Music, which I run with more than five thousand titles! This
is big work. All the royalties for the boys to be processed twice a
year – I mean, I don't have a moment: this is really hard work, I
tell you." And he didn't even mention the work required to manage
the villa he owns for lease in Provence (see Internet) which has to
be maintained, bookings made, accounts kept etc etc. Not exactly a
man likely to be keen to keep on managing a band for long, and
especially not for touring low income British bookings, given in
addition his own stated attitudes below.

JH's attitude to playing:- Basically he is a producer/manager, not a
musician. As his wife Barbara said in her recent interview with "Dr
Iain":- "I am not married to a musician. I'm married to a
drummer." (And technician, which she is really thankful for.) And he
is apparenly not even all that keen on drumming any more and perhaps
never has been according to what he said in dmme.net:- "I was never
interested in the drums.....The drums for me are only a catalyst. To
mix things up and make them work. And I could have been a manager
and just sat in the audience and watch – actually this might have
been easier…."
"Who would you like to produce?" "Nobody. I've retired. I've had
enough. I just do my thing I'm happy with now. I produced an album
for my daughter who is a fantastic singer…."
"And what if you bring together some old friends and some not-so-old
friends and make a party album for people.....?" "I'm not
interested. I've done it before. Do you know how many concerts I've
done and how many albums I've played on? I don't have to do this at
all, I'm having a good time at the moment just doing the things I
like. I'm writing a serious computer programme....."
"What's next for Jon Hiseman then?" His answer? Basically helping
Barbara Thompson get her classical compositions recorded and issued.
Not the statements of a man bursting with enthusiasm to get back on
the road yet again. "Ive retired." "I've had enough." "I'm not
interested." "I've done it before." "I just want to do my
thing." "I'm having a good time doing the things I like." (Part of
which is helping BT with her important composing).
Remember, these are all JH's own statements!

Money:- The British bookings for Colosseum MUST pay somewhat less
than half German ones on average – the much smaller venues make this
inevitable. With 5 musicians and a singer plus roadies Colosseum is
not a cheap touring outfit. So it must be barely financially viable
to tour Britain. Sure, lots of bands tour Britain for damm-all
money. Always have done. But they are usually smaller, are young
and full of optimism and enthusiasm. Not late middle aged with
health problems, reasonably well off, and with the "I'm not
interested any more" attitude of Jon Hiseman.

Age: In the spring of 2007 JH will be nearly 63, and I was once
told, I think at Jazz Inn, that he has a blood pressure problem. I
can't remember if it was high or low and it doesn't matter, because
either way isn't good for a touring manager and drummer - if it's
true which of couirse we all hope its not. Barbara Thompson will also
be nearly 63 and sadly she has Parkinsons, thankfully mild enough to
enable her to still play at the moment, but unfortunately only with
the assistance of unwanted drugs. Greenslade will be 63 and Farlowe
approaching 67!!! Clempson and Clarke a bit younger but not much.
Sure, individually these ages are no big deal. But collectively, the
odds against them ALL being fit enough to tour anywhere in 2007 are
small, let alone pressure Britain. Try getting good terms with an
insurance company for such a collection of ages! And there comes a
time when promoters get chary too, no matter how good the history.
Touring low paying Britain again? You decide.

Other interests:
They all have other interests. JH has stated some of his above. Mz
Thompson has her far more important composing and her Paraphernalia
which in my opinion is more important musically than Colosseum. JH
is an important part of that group and anyway I've been told that
there is no way he would stay at home while his wife toured - for
whatever reason. The others all have plenty of other musical work.

Martin says he e-mailed JH and the reply was "Never say never."
Doesn't that extremely vague reply all but confirm my statement? The
reply from a wise band leader with even the vaguest intention of
touring Britain again would surely have been "Nonsense. We will be
touring Britain again in....."

Maybe they will all be fit enough and keen enough to play as
Colosseum in 2007. And good God, I sincerely hope so (despite my
reservations about the wisdom of Barbara Thompson squandering her
enormous talents with Colosseum instead of composing and touring with
Paraphernalia) for I have been a true fan of Colosseum for 36 years,
having seen them live about 50 times in Britain, Europe and USA. So
a German tour in 2007 maybe. But I really can't believe that they
will ever tour Britain again. So that's why I'm off to see them in
Moscow. Anyway, I might be dead by 2007!!! I'm as old as Farlowe!

Neil