Dinosaurdays - Colosseum 2

Colosseum 2 was the brainchild of Jon Hiseman, one of the world's best and most respected drummers. Hiseman had been a founding member of the original Colosseum in the late sixties, as well as Tempest with Allan Holdsworth, Mark Clarke, Ollie Halsall and Paul Williams in the early seventies. Hiseman formed Colosseum 2, leaning much more to jazz/rock/fusion than the original Colosseum, with guitarist Gary Moore, keyboard player Don Airey, bassist Neil Murray and vocalist Mike Starrs. They released their excellent debut album, " Strange New Flesh" in 1976. Starrs left after this album, ( he would later surface in Lucifer's Friend and Target ), leaving vocal duties to seasoned pro Gary Moore ( who, incidentally, turned 48 years old on April 4th ). Bassist John Mole joined the band for the final two albums ( their third and final offering, called " War Dance", was also released in 1977 ). Hiseman has subsequently been involved with many different musicians and bands, including Paraphernalia, his wife, Barbara Thompson's, fusion outfit. He reformed the original Colosseum in the mid nineties.

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Biography by Steven McDonald
Several years after the dissolution of Colosseum, Jon Hiseman recruited Gary Moore and Don Airey to form Colosseum II. The mandate this time, however, was not the jazz- and blues-inflected rock of the original band, but a full-tilt journey into hyperkinetic jazz fusion that stretched the players about as far as they could go. The band proceeded to play and record with a passion for three years or so, before running out of steam. The first album featured vocalist Mike Starrs, who moved on to metal band Lucifer's Friend when the combination failed to work out. Also departing was bassist Neil Murray, who was replaced by John Mole. Andrew Lloyd Webber used the band for Variations, a composition for his brother, Julian Lloyd Webber. With three highly regarded albums to their credit, Colosseum II called it a day. Hiseman went on to do session work and to play with the United Jazz & Rock Ensemble. Sanctuary released an expanded version of their debut (Strange New Flesh: Upgraded) in October of 2005.