Colosseum II

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Colosseum II are a British band who rose from the ashes of the original Colosseum. Formed by the drummer of Colosseum Jon Hiseman in 1975, the new line-up featured Don Airey, John Mole, Gary Moore and Mike Starrs. The sound was oriented toward Jazz fusion, much of which was based around the guitar work of Moore, leading to a much heavier sound than the original Colosseum band. After disappointing sales of the first album, Murray and Starrs were unceremoniously sacked by the bands record label. (Bronze) The band continued with a new record label and a new bass player, (John Mole) and recorded 2 further largely instrumental (and still commercially unsuccessful) albums. The band decided to end the project in 1978, with Moore joining Thin Lizzy for a fourth spell. In 1978 they collaborated again, on the album Variations with Andrew Lloyd Webber, which also featured Julian Lloyd Webber on cello, Rod Argent on keyboards and Hiseman's wife, Barbara Thompson, on Flute and sax. This album reached Number 2 on the UK charts.