VALENTYNE SUITE COLOSSEUM 21st July 21st 1969


VALENTYNE SUITE by COLOSSEUM. An ambitious and bold yet so beautifully executed progressive jazz rock classical epic from master English musicians guided by band leader drummer Jon Hiseman. He completed the sleeve notes just as Neil Armstrong took "one small step for man, but a giant leap for mankind", July 21st, 1969.

Yes indeed VALENTYNE SUITE, basically a love song, is a giant leap in epic compositions, in concept albums and an bold experiment of artistic and music freedom in rock music. It was 1969 and the album stands as a beautiful document of an era when musicians did exactly what they wanted to do, just music no compromises. Art at finest. An era that had begun in Hendrix´s Ladyland and Procol Harum´s "In Held Twas in I" in previous year. Rock`n´roll was never the same anymore and Progressive Rock changed everything.
harold-not-the-barrel

Showing 5 responses by twoleftears

I got a new pressing made in Holland from an outfit in Shepherdsville, Kentucky, on ebay, and it sounds very good with a very quiet surface.  Nothing to compare it with, though...
Valentyne is great.

The other classic albums are Those who are about to die, salute you (also 1969) and Daughter of Time (1970).  To which we can add Colosseum Love (1971).  That's the heart of the original output.
On a related topic, do you have any of the Greenslade LPs: Greenslade, Bedside manners are extra, Spyglass guest, and Time and tide?

Some of the members of Colosseum went on directly into Greenslade, so there's a measure of continuity.

There are four basic albums: Greenslade [title], Bedside manners are extra, Spyglass Guest [something of a hit], and Time and tide.

My original Colosseum Live LP cover has reddish clear thin plastic record sleeves glued inside the outer cover, with thin foam strips inside the edge of the sleeves to stop the records from sliding out.  This can't have been great for the vinyl...