I am sad to report that Rod Argent, who has performed with Colin Blunstone as the Zombies for 60 years, has had a stroke.
I am such a fan of the Zombies and Argent. Their music has left an indelible impression on the pop world since the 60s. Their hits — “Time of the Season,” “She’s Not There,” “Tell Her No” — have lasted and grown. I’ve used Rod Argent’s solo hit, “Hold Your Head Up,” as my ring tone forever.
Argent is 79 will now go into rehab and therapy. But the Zombies’ touring days are over. His managers say in an email:
“Rod has asked us to convey that he has made the very difficult decision to immediately retire from touring in order to protect his health. He was already preparing to wind down his live performance schedule after health scares on recent tours (a Fall 2024 USA run was in the works that was intended to be his final overseas tour, and a farewell to the country that launched The Zombies’ career in 1964). However, the stroke was an unmistakable warning sign that the risks are too great. Rod still firmly intends to continue his other creative joy of writing and recording with The Zombies, and has already been back at his piano for some much-needed “Bach therapy”.”
Argent was the writer, Blunstone was the singer. They split up, got back together, and went on. I saw them perform about 20 years ago and they still had it, combining classical and jazz elements into their contagious rock.
One of Rod’s lasting songs is “She’s Not There.” Years ago, Santana re-arranged and recorded it, and gave the song a whole new life. If you watch CBS, the network uses the opening notes as its music cues for station identification. Whenever I ever hear, I feel like Pavlov’s dog!
“Time of the Season” will outlast all of us. I do hope Rod has made a lot of money from his publishing so he can recover from this stumble. He and Colin deserve a cushy retirement. Colin will continue to perform solo.
Managers Chris Tuthill & Cindy da Silva have an important message to fans: “if a classic artist that has made music you love is performing nearby, don’t miss the opportunity to see them. You can sit on the couch and binge Netflix another day. The communal experience of a live performance by a veteran artist is a singular and joyous moment. These artists are treasures who have stood the test of time and are giving their all, but they are fragile human beings like all of us. Don’t miss out.:
How right they are!
I hope Rod gets paid for this, too:
