The Zombies: St. Albans: 1962 – 1968
Article #96-Z Feb- 2019 for Radio WFNU
By: RLSchwinden aka MrZerr0
Funny thing, I can not quite recall when or where I 1st heard ‘The Zombies’ I imagine, it was sometime in 1973 or 74 when I was listening to the Radio quite a bit for the 1st time in my young life. I do vividly remember hearing the song “Time Of The Season” on the CD (sorry fans, Vinyl came to a CLOSE in Dec ’87) Soundtrack from the film”1969″ (Nov 1988) released in 1990. And then later in 2003, as I was trying to introduce The Monkees to an old flame, she fired back “I like The Zombies!” When we opened “Mr. Zero’s 55113” (10 years ago in this very location), we had many customers coming in looking for ‘The Zombies’ records, upon doing the research, I found out they were referencing the “Rolling Stone Top 500” for “Odessey and Oracle” (it’s always interesting to me, critics always pick highly UN-Successful albums to rate as THEE Best Of All Time, only frustrating the masses when they try to find a copy “In The Wild”) I was shocked to find out they really only had 2, maybe 3 albums in their short career, by in large this band was a 45 Singles band, releasing 19 Singles with several having different “B-Sides” in the UK vs. the USA! Making this over 40 songs on the 45 Singles, and over 13 songs not on any album, which would make an entire album of its own, which they should have as they only had 2 studio LPs. As the band was just inducted into the “Rock N Roll Hall Of Fame” this Jan. with this I will now give you a brief history of The Zombies.
> Sometimes: 1961 – 1963<
The time was 1961 in St. Alban’s Hertfordshire, England, 3 school chums came together to jam one Vocalist- Keyboardist Rod Argent (Rodney Terrance Argent: 14 June 1945: St. Albans, Eng) & Guitarist Paul Atkinson (19 Mar 1946- 1 Apr 2006) & Drummer Hugh Grundy (6 Mar 1945 Winchester, Eng) with initially Argent’s cousin Jim Rodford on Bass, as Rodford was already in a semi-successful band, he declined, The original Bassist Paul Arnold was the one to come up with the new name “The Zombies to replace the original name they went under “The Mustangs” however Arnold soon left the band afterwards. Argent decided he wanted to form a full time band so in April 1962, he recruited Guitarist- Vocalist Colin Blunstone (Colin Edward Michael Blunestone: 24 Jun 1945 Hertfordshire, Eng.) & Bassist Chris White (7 Mar 1945 Hertfordshire). In the beginning Argent was the Lead Singer, but very quickly it became apparent, that his keyboard abilities far outweighed his vocal abilities, and he turned the Lead singer spot over to Blunestone. It should be noted that Argent & White were the main song writers in the band.
> What More Can I Do: 1964<
In 1964 the band released a 4 song “EP” on Decca Records. Decca was one of the Leading Major Record Labels until the early 70s. Est. in the UK in 1929. In the UK “Extended Plays” were very popular with the buying public, in the USA, not so much. Remarkably the band’s 1st 45 Single was their biggest hit; “She’s Not There b/w You Make Me Feel Good” on Decca Records released in Aug ’64 and went to #2 on the Billboard Charts. In Oct ’64 the band makes their 1st appearance on the TV Show ”Thank Your Luck Stars” and in Dec 1964 the band make their TV appearance on “Top Of The Pops” in Aug 1964, later in Nov ’64 they release “Leave Me Be b/w Woman” on the band’s 1st US Tour the become the “House Band” at the Fox Theatre in Brooklyn NYC from Dec- 1964 to Jan 1965, on the “Murrey The K” Christmas Show.
> I Must Move; The Year Of The Zombies: 1965<
In doing my research I was astonished to find out that while this band did not release many LPs, however they did release a whole lot of 45 Singles and in fact did make many TV appearances to promote those singles. The band made the 1st of 4 appearances on “Ready Steady Go” starting in Jan. and then Feb, May & Sep of 1965; also in Jan ’65 they appeared on “Hullabaloo”. In Feb they released their 3rd single the #6 hit on Decca Records “Tell Her No b/w What More Can I Do & Leave Me Be” and make their 2nd appearance on “Thank Your Lucky Stars” in Feb, and 2 more in April, and then Sep ’65. The band release the #58 hit in Apr ’65 “She’s Coming Home b/w I Must Move” also released in Apr was their 1st LP “Begin Here” in the UK & “Self Titled” in the USA on Parrot Records which reaches #39 on the Billboard charts. On the 30th April 1965 Fri in Sioux City, Iowa at the Auditorium, the Zombies performed in concert, I am quite sure one Tommy R. Bolin (1951-1976) was in attendance at this show, as his Father Rich was quite fond of taking his son to Pop Shows. The band make the 1st of 2 appearances on the Dick Clark- Paul Revere & The Raiders Show ”Where The Action Is” in June 1965. Their 4th single “I Want You Back Again b/w Remember When I Loved You” was released in July 1965 and reaches #95 on the charts, followed by in Aug 1965 the single “Whenever You’re Ready b/w I Love You” again on Decca Records. The band appears on the show “Shindig” in Sep ’65 and release their 7th 45 Single “Just Out Of Reach b/w Remember You” this same month. In Oct ’65 the band have 3 songs on the Soundtrack LP “Bunny Lake Is Missing” on RCA Records. The Zombies make their final TV appearance for the year on “Ollie and Fred’s Five O’Clock Club” in Dec 1965.
> Don’t Go Away: 1966<
Having released their 1st LP in 1965, there will be no new album until 1968, however they do release their 8th 45 Single “Is This The Dream b/w Don’t Go Away” in Feb 1966. The band makes a 2nd appearance on “Where The Action Is” in May 1966. Their 9th single “Indication b/w How We Were Before” is released in June 1966, followed by an appearance on the TV Show “Hippodrome” in July 1966. With their 10th single “Gotta Get A Hold Of Myself b/w Way I Feel Inside” released in Sep ’66, they have now released 21 songs on 45 singles, with only 5 of these songs on the 1st studio LP of 14 songs. Things are winding down for the band in 1966, not having any real hits in ’66 there is no follow up album and they eventually leave Decca Records.
>Friends Of Mine; The End for the Zombies: 1967<
1967 sees the band release their 11th 45 Single and last on Decca “Goin Out Of My Head b/w She Does Everything For Me” in Mar 1967, followed by the 1st single on CBS records the single “Friends Of Mine b/w Beechwood Park” in Oct 1967 followed by their 2nd single on CBS Records “Care of Cell 44 b/w Maybe After He’s Gone” in Nov 1967, the band did find some success in other countries which lead to a foreign tour in ’67. Frustrated with lack of hits and tensions within the band compounded by a management dispute Blunstone, Atkinson & finally White leave the band.
>This Will Be Our Year: 1968<
Though the band has broken up they release their most famous song albeit NOT their biggest hit “Time Of The Season b/w I’ll Call You Mine” in April 1968, which did not fair too well upon its 1st release. Ironically the band’s 2nd album and 1st for their new record label was recorded from June to Nov ’67, but not released until April 1968 ”Odessey and Oracle” on CBS-Date Records and only rises to #95 on the charts. A follow up single “I Love You b/w The Way I Feel Inside” is released in June 1968, apparently there was going to be a 3rd studio LP for CBS entitled “R.I.P.” without Blunstone, recorded in late 1968 and scheduled for release in early 1969 but was shelved until 2014. At the urging of Al Kooper “Time Of The Season b/w Friends Of Mine” is released a 2nd time and rises to #3 on the charts in Mar 1969. Due to the success of their new hit the LP “Early Days” is released in 1969 a compilation LP that has only 2 tracks that were released on any album. In hopes of scoring another hit “Imagine The Swan b/w Conversation Off Floral Street” is released in May 1969 followed by the band’s final 45 Single “If It Dont Work Out b/w Dont Cry For Me” in July 1969. The LP “World Of The Zombies” a Best Of -Hits LP is released in 1970 to round out the band’s catalog.
After the Zombies broke up 2 members of The Zombies; Rod & Chris White went on to form the band ‘Argent’ from 1969 to 1976 with song writer vocalist Russ Ballard (31 Oct 1945 Hertfordshire, Eng) & bassist Jim Rodford (7 July 1941 St. Albans – 20 Jan 2018) the Cousin to Rod Argent with Drummer Bob Henrit, incidentally, both Rodford & Henrit went onto be in The KINKS until 1996. Argent released 9 Albums 13 Singles. They are most famous for the #5 hit ”Hold Your Head Up b/w Closer To Heaven” from Aug 1972.
I was able to see and meet The Zombies on 7 October 2004 Thurs in Minneapolis at 1st Ave. for the CD “As Far As I Can See” tour. Rod was collecting all the cover versions of their- his songs; like KISS: “God Gave Rock N Roll To You II” 1992 & Trip Shakespeare (from MLPS): “Time Of The Season” 1992. I told Rod about “Hold Your Head Up” by Steppenwolf released in 1982, he said “Thank you, I did not know about that one” This article is dedicated to Suzy-Kat where she may be.
You can check out my WDGY Radio Show which aired Sun. 6 Jan. 2019 on “The Zombies” @ www.MrZeroS.Com -Podcast (for FREE) and hear other artists of this same caliber on the “PsychoGello Show” Sunday’s 7am on Radio WDGY 740am & FM: 92.1, 103.7, 107.1. You can also hear “Mr. Zero’s Evolation Radio Show” Wed. 7am on Radio WFNU .org 94.1fm.
We shall hear you next time in the stars … MrZerr0
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