Photo: Noel Buckley for GRTR!
 

Sunday 19 May 2013, 18:00 The Songwriters Part 1 repeat

Sunday 26 May 2013, 16:00 The Songwriters Part 2 repeat

Broadcast History

Featured Artist: May 2012

We'll be adding more of Rod Argent's music to our general playlists including his work with The Zombies/Colin Blunstone, Argent and sessions/solo.

Sunday 6 May, 18:00

"The Songwriters" Part 1: Rod Argent

Rod talks to David Randall about his long career from the early years to Argent

20:00 Stuart Hamilton Profiles: The Zombies

Sunday 13 May, 14:00

"The Songwriters" Part 1: Rod Argent repeat

18:00 "The Songwriters" Part 2: Rod Argent

Rod talks to David Randall about his long career from Argent to the present

Sunday 20 May, 14:00

"The Songwriters" Part 2: Rod Argent

18:00 Favourite Tracks from Favourite Artists

Selected by Rod Argent

Sunday 17 June, 21:00 Favourite Tracks from Favourite Artists

Selected by Rod Argent

Saturday 29 December 2012, 17:00 The Songwriters Part 1 repeat

Tuesday 1 January 2013, 16:00 The Songwriters Part 2 repeat

ROD ARGENT

Rod Argent celebrated some 50 years in the music business in 2011  At the age of 16 he formed The Zombies with Paul Atkinson, Hugh Grundy, Colin Blunstone and Chris White.  The band recorded their first work with the Decca label and enjoyed a Top 20 hit in 1964 with 'She's Not There'.  Their debut album appeared a year later but it wasn't until 1968's 'Odyssey and Oracle' that they received wider critical acclaim although by the time of that album's release - in April 1968 - the band had split.

Rod Argent then set about forming his own band Argent with Russ Ballard, Jim Rodford and Bob Henrit.  By 1972 this band were a staple at many of the big festival events and their biggest album success was achieved with 'All Together Now' which spawned the anthemic and classic rock radio staple 'Hold Your Head Up'.  The album was reissued by Esoteric in April 2012.

In spite of wider success the band went through a major line-up change in 1974 when Russ Ballard left to pursue a lucrative songwriting/solo career and John Grimaldi and John Verity came in on guitar.  Argent released two more albums before they split in 1976.

After this time, Rod Argent pursued a successful solo and session career and in the next decade would contribute to albums by artists such as Jack Lancaster ('Skinningrove Bay') and Andrew Lloyd Webber ('Variations').  Also during this period he wrote the theme music to ITV's World Cup coverage in 1986.

The modern-day incarnation of The Zombies morphed out of Argent's early millennium work with his long-time musical journeyman Colin Blunstone.  'Out Of The Shadows' (2002) paved the way for 2004's 'As Far As I Can See' and subsequently the reconstituted band appeared for several concerts to celebrate the 40th anniversary of 'Odyssey And Oracle'. In 2011 The Zombies released the critically-acclaimed 'Breathe In, Breathe Out whilst continuing to tour.

In 2010 the original line-up of 'Argent' reformed for the High Voltage event and this led to a  series of dates in early-2012.

Rod Argent is perhaps best known for his trailblazing keyboard work in the context of the progressive rock genre and was an early exponent of the mellotron (which was used on the 'Odyssey' album) but has also had an interesting session and production career, the latter taking a higher profile in 1988 with the Tanita Takarem album 'Ancient Heart'.

Gig review

Tour Dates 2012

The Zombies

May

07 SWANSEA, THE GARAGE, NEW ROAD, PONTARDDULAIS, SWANSEA, SA4 8TB. 01792 475147 www.garagevenue.com

10 WOLVERHAMPTON, THE ROBIN2, 20-28, MOUNT PLEASANT, BILSTON, WOLVERHAMPTON, WV14 7LJ. 01902 401211 www.therobin.co.uk

12 LEEDS, BRUDENELL SOCIAL CLUB, 33, QUEENS ROAD, LEEDS, LS6 1NY. 0113 2752411 www.brudenellsocialclub.co.uk

15 MILTON KEYNES, THE STABLES, STOCKWELL LANE, WAVENDON, MILTON KEYNES, MK17 8LU. 01908 280800 www.stables.org

18 HERTFORD CORN EXCHANGE, 39, FORE STREET, HERTFORD, SG14 1AL. 01992 442992 www.hertfordcornexchange.co.uk

19 POOLE, MR. KYPS, 8a, PARR STREET, ASHLEY CROSS, LOWER PARKSTONE, POOLE, DORSET, BH14 0JY. 01202 748945 www.mrkyps.net

23 AND 24, LONDON, THE JAZZ CAFE, 5, PARKWAY, CAMDEN, NW1 7PG. HMV TICKETS 0843 221 0100 TICKETMASTER 0844 847 2514
Restaurant reservations, 0207 688 8899 www.meanfiddler.com

25 BROMSGROVE, THE ARTRIX, SLIDESLOW DRIVE, BROMSGROVE, B60 1PQ. 01527 577330 www.artrix.co.uk

26 BRISTOL, THE TUNNELS, BRISTOL AND EXETER HOUSE, LOWER APPROACH ROAD, BRISTOL, AVON, BS1 6QS. 0845 605 0255 www.thetunnelsbristol.co.uk

27 YEOVIL, WESTLANDS, WESTBOURNE CLOSE, YEOVIL, BA20 2DD. 01935 848380 www.westlandonline.co.uk Charity concert for 'Music For Africa'.

31 BRIGHTON, THE HAUNT, 10,POOL VALLEY, BRIGHTON, BN1 1NJ. 01273 606312 www.thehauntbrighton.co.uk

June

02 HOLMFIRTH, PICTUREDROME, MARKET WALK, HOLMFIRTH, WEST YORKSHIRE, HD9 7DA. 01484 689759 info@picturedrome.net www.picturedrome.net

07 NORWICH, MADDERMARKET THEATRE, ST. JOHN'S ALLEY, NORWICH, NR2 1DR. 01603 626560 www.maddermarket.co.uk

July

14 ABERTILLERY BLUES FESTIVAL, ABERTILLERY PARK, ABERTILLERY, BLAENAU GWENT, WALES. 01495 355800 www.abertillery.net
 

Rod Argent website

The Zombies website