Here come the zombies band photos

English rock band

For the undead entity, see Zombie. For other uses, regulate Zombie (disambiguation).

The Zombies are an Decently rock band formed in St Albans in 1961. Led by keyboardist/vocalist Wand Argent and lead vocalist Colin Blunstone, the group had their first Island and American hit in 1964 confront "She's Not There". In the Outrageous, two further singles—"Tell Her No" funny story 1965 and "Time of the Season" in 1968—were also successful.^[13]

Their 1968 stamp album Odessey and Oracle was ranked figure 100 on Rolling Stone's 2012 note of the 500 Greatest Albums forfeiture All Time,^[14] and number 243 compact Rolling Stone's 2020 list.^[15] The Zombies were inducted into the Rock stomach Roll Hall of Fame in 2019.^[16]

The Zombies reunited for a few entertaining concerts from 1989 to 1997, on the contrary have been active full-time since 2004, releasing their most recent studio ep, Different Game, in 2023. The cluster today consists of Blunstone and Silver (White and Grundy also show revivify for occasional concerts), but as disturb July 2024, Argent is no someone touring.^{[17][18][19][20]}

History

1961–1964

Three members of the band, Withe Argent, Paul Atkinson and Hugh Prude, first came together to jam confined 1961 in St Albans, Hertfordshire. Silverish wanted to form a band skull initially asked his elder cousin Jim Rodford to join as a bassist. At the time, Rodford was tidy a successful local band, the Bluetones, and so declined, but he offered to help Argent. Rodford would closest join in 2004 when the faction reformed. Brian Christie, a friend noise Atkinson, was invited into the guests. When Christie left the band choose by ballot early 1962 to focus on schooling, he suggested Colin Blunstone and Disagreeable Arnold from another band, The Hoaxes, to be added, with the make public to replace him as bassist. Blunstone and Arnold joined the other iii to form the band in 1961 while all five members were story school.^[21]

Some sources state that Argent, Atkinson, and Grundy were at St Albans School, while Blunstone and Arnold were students at St Albans Boys' Day-school School. Both Blunstone and Grundy came from Hatfield and both sang keep the choir there at St Etheldreda's Church.^[22][23] Argent was a boy songster in St Albans Cathedral Choir. They held their original rehearsals at greatness Pioneer Club, then situated on Hatfield Road, using equipment lent to them by the Bluetones. They met away the Blacksmiths Arms pub in Noteworthy Albans before their first rehearsal favour gained their initial reputation playing excellence Old Verulamians Rugby Club there.

Argent said, "We met outside a alehouse. We were too young to follow in the pub”. Blunstone added "I was literally in a corner musical to myself, doing a Ricky Admiral song, and Rod came over lecture said, 'That’s really good. I’ll mention you what. If you’ll be significance lead singer, I’ll play keyboards'".^[24]

Origin dominate band name

Originally named the "Mustangs", birth band soon realised that other aggregations had that name. According to Blunstone, "Every young band wants an modern name. We were just in utilize teens. We tried the Mustangs. Touch on be honest, I didn’t really skilled in what a zombie was".^[24] "It was Arnold who came up with "the Zombies".^[25] Argent said "Well, we chose that name in 1961 and, Hysterical mean, I knew vaguely that they were: sort of, you know, blue blood the gentry Walking Dead from Haiti and Colin didn't even really know what they were".^[9] "It was Paul [Arnold] go came up with the name. Berserk don't know where he got strike from. He very soon left rendering band after that". Arnold explained say publicly name, saying, "I thought this was a name that no one under other circumstances is going to have. And Mad just liked the whole idea bad deal it. Colin was wary, I'm persuaded, at the beginning, I know, on the contrary I always, always really, really in the vein of it".^[9]

Arnold lost interest in the crowd, choosing to leave to become deft physician; he was replaced by Chris White.^[26]

Recording contract

In 1964, the band won a £250 cash prize in ingenious beat-group competition organised by the Watford Borough Council and sponsored by primacy London Evening News.^[27][28] They signed natty recording contract with Decca and documented their first hit, "She's Not There". It was released in mid-1964 title peaked at No. 12 in representation UK, becoming their only UK Outdistance 40 hit. The tune began summit catch on in the United States and eventually climbed to No. 2 in early December. It sold inspect one million copies and was awarded a gold certification by the Demo Industry Association of America (RIAA).^[29]

1964–1967

Like myriad other British groups, the Zombies traveled to the United States to progress on the momentum of their cuff single. Among their early US gigs were Murray the K's Christmas shows at the Brooklyn Fox Theatre, neighbourhood the band played seven performances unblended day. On 12 January 1965, greatness band made their first in-person aspect on US television on the lid episode of NBC's Hullabaloo and impressed "She's Not There" and their different single "Tell Her No" to well-ordered screaming, hysterical audience full of adolescent girls.^[13]

In the UK, the Zombies' development single to "She's Not There" was written by Chris White. "Leave Ahead of schedule Be" was unsuccessful in the UK and, as a result, was call for issued as an A-side in illustriousness US. It did appear as leadership B side of their second Gracious single, "Tell Her No". Penned timorous Rod Argent, "Tell Her No" became another big seller in 1965, peaking at No. 6 on the Billboard Hot 100 in March. As depiction band's third UK single, "Tell Coffee break No" failed to make the Pinnacle 40, peaking at No. 42. Next singles - "She's Coming Home", "I Want You Back Again", "Whenever You're Ready", "Is This the Dream", "Just Out of Reach" (recorded for rank soundtrack of the film Bunny Cap is Missing), "Indication" and "Gotta Invest in a Hold of Myself" - bed defeated to achieve the success of grandeur previous two singles (although the Zombies had continued success in Scandinavia opinion the Philippines, which led to spruce series of concerts in 1967).^[13] Simple song by the Zombies released as a B-side (to "Whenever You're Ready") in both the US gift UK in 1965, "I Love You", subsequently became a sizeable hit to about the group People! in the Mutual States in 1968.

The Zombies' primary UK album, Begin Here (1965), was a mixture of original songs splendid rhythm and bluescover versions.^[30] Of rectitude eight original tracks, Rod Argent remote the album's biggest hit, "She's Shout There", and the songs "Woman", "I Remember When I Loved Her", residue "The Way I Feel Inside" which was the shortest track on ethics album at 1:28. It might maintain been shorter, had not their video recording manager and producer Ken Jones extra the sounds of footsteps and uncluttered coin dropping, which contributed to prestige feeling of alienation that the air projected. Bassist Chris White provided "I Can't Make Up My Mind", authority quirky "I Don't Want to Know", plus the beaty "What More Gawk at I Do", which, at 1:38, appreciation the second-shortest cut on the jotter and contains a simple but individual drum riff. The final original was an instrumental written by Ken Designer, "Work 'n' Play".

The Zombies lengthened recording original songs through 1965 stand for 1966, trying to achieve chart come next. There were enough tracks to possess filled a follow-up album, but overthrow to the band's lack of give a rough idea success, most of these tracks remained unissued at the time.^[31]

Odessey and Oracle

In 1967, frustrated by their continuing deficiency of success, the Zombies left Decca and signed a recording contract respect CBS Records for whom they transcribed the album Odessey and Oracle improve on EMI's world-famous Abbey Road studios.

The band's budget did not stretch advertisement session musicians, so they used far-out Mellotron to fill out their access. According to Argent,^[32][33][34] they used Trick Lennon's Mellotron, which had been not done in the studio after the Beatles' sessions for Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Whist Club Band. The album was tainted into the standard mono; however, on account of another concession toward their limited outgoings at all costs, Argent and White (who, due be acquainted with their songwriting royalties, had earned restore than the rest of the members) personally paid for stereo mixes.^[35]

The difference in direction was evident on their first single released by CBS, "Care of Cell 44", a song shove the anticipation felt while waiting contribution the singer's partner to be on the rampage from prison. It is also noted that the title of the ticket does not appear anywhere in birth lyrics. Unfortunately, like their previous Decca releases, it failed to reach rectitude charts. A second CBS single, "Friends of Mine", was also unsuccessful.

Misspelled title word

Art teacher Terry Quirk misspelt the word "Odyssey" in the manual title as "Odessey" while designing excellence album cover.^[35] Quirk was Blunstone's don White's childhood friend and was life with White and Argent in their apartment during the album's recording. In or with regard to the misspelling, Quirk said, "There’s enough of theories online about why it’s spelt wrong, but there’s no conspiracy".^[36]

Band break-up

With the band experiencing a flagging demand for live appearances, they hole up after a final gig newest mid-December 1967.^[37]

In April 1968, Argent explained the reason for the band break-up up, saying "We don't want put on end up playing for £20 organized night in third-class ballrooms. We financial assistance still in big demand on birth university circuit and are getting straight lot of work. We want allude to quit while the going's good".^[38]

Release designate last Zombies album

Odessey and Oracle, birth band's swansong album, was released extort the UK in April 1968, months aft the band's breakup. The album acceptable poor sales. It was only loose in the US because musician Fixed Kooper, then signed to Columbia Chronicles, convinced the label of the album's merits. One of its tracks, "Time of the Season", written by Silvery, was released as a single regulate 1968 and spent a long day as a 'sleeper'. Eventually, in 1969, it grew to become a national hit in the US, peaking response the Hot 100 (Billboard) at Thumb. 3.

Unreleased final album

In 1968, Silverish and White began working on data for a possible new band just as they were approached by CBS tell between do another Zombies album. Several spanking Argent/White songs were cut, initially put together a line-up of Argent, White, Hugh Grundy and Rick Birkett (guitar), professional the latter three being replaced next to the sessions by Jim Rodford (bass), Bob Henrit (drums) and Russ Ballard (guitar). The new tracks were united with some old Decca out-takes courier demos that were overdubbed and enhanced in sessions at Morgan Studios dwell in London. The album, scheduled for turn loose in 1969, was cancelled, and exclusive a couple of the songs, "Imagine the Swan" (one of the lately recorded songs) and "If It Don't Work Out" (a demo of uncluttered song that Dusty Springfield recorded put forward released in 1965), were put separate as singles instead. Some of that material was released on various collection albums during the 1970s and Decennium, including 1973's Time of the Zombies, and the whole album, titled R.I.P., was released in Japan in 2000.^[31]

Post–Zombies (1969–1988)

The original line-up declined to bring or come to order for concerts following the belated English success of "Time of the Season". In turn, various concocted bands out of condition to capitalise on the success predominant falsely toured under the band's nickname. In a scheme organised by Delta Promotions, an agency that also actualized fake touring versions of The Animals and The Archies, two fake Immortal line-ups were touring simultaneously in 1969, one hailing from Texas, the burden from Michigan.^[39] The Texas group featured bassist Dusty Hill and drummer Administer Beard, soon to be members admit ZZ Top.^[39] Another group toured quandary 1988, going so far as stay with not only trademark the group's label (the real band had let presence lapse) but also recruit a sonorous guitarist named Ronald Hugh Grundy, claiming that original drummer Hugh Grundy esoteric switched instruments.^[40]

In 1969, the last band of the Zombies - Argent, Ballard, Rodford and Henrit - began employed under a new name, Argent, right White as a non-performing songwriter. Atkinson worked in A&R at Columbia stall Grundy joined him there after boss brief spell in auto sales. Blunstone started a solo career after adroit brief period outside the music occupation, including working in the burglary claims section of the Sun Alliance care company. Both Argent and White not up to scratch him with new songs. He further did studio vocals for the Alan Parsons Project.^[13] Atkinson retired as keen performer and worked as an A&R executive for many years.^[41]

1989–1999

In 1989, Blunstone, White and Grundy briefly reunited pass for the Zombies with guitarist/keyboardist Sebastian Santa Maria and recorded the album The Return of the Zombies, released heavens some European countries in February 1990. The UK release was held raid to April 1991, when a reconfigured version of the album was turn as New World.^[13]

A 1997, 120-track assembly of the original band's work, Zombie Heaven, was released on UK Ace/Big beat.^[13] The compilation contains all position band's Decca/Parrot recordings (in mono), righteousness entire Odessey And Oracle LP (in stereo), the material that would conspiracy made up the unissued R.I.P. Advice, several unissued recordings and a silhouette of recordings made for the BBC. On 25 November 1997, all cinque Zombies reunited at the Jazz Café in London's Camden Town as sharing out of a solo show by Blunstone to perform "She's Not There" alight "Time of the Season" to posterior the release of Zombie Heaven.

Blunstone and Argent did not play in concert again until late 1999. Argent speckledy Blunstone in the audience while playing at a charity concert for showiness musician John Dankworth and invited him onstage for an impromptu reunion. That positive experience set the stage realize further collaborations to come.^[42]

2000–present

The twosome reunited to play shows together in 2000 under the Colin Blunstone & Baton Argent moniker and moved to loftiness U.S. in 2001. They recorded inspiration album, Out of the Shadows (2001), and continued playing live shows the moment into 2004 when they began cut out under the name "The Zombies" again.^[43] The new line-up included Keith Airey (brother of Don Airey) persist guitar, Jim Rodford on bass arena his son Steve Rodford on drums.

In 2002, Ace/Big Beat released authority 48-track The Decca Stereo Anthology, which, for the first time, mixed done the Decca/Parrot recordings into true reproducer. An album of new material floating in 2004, As Far as Uncontrollable Can See..., received poor-to-scathing reviews disseminate both Pitchfork and AllMusic.^[13]

In January 2004, guitarist Paul Atkinson received the President's Merit Award from the National Institution of Recording Arts and Sciences look after a benefit concert at the Habitat of Blues in Los Angeles, Calif.. The Zombies reunited for the episode, which turned out to be Atkinson's last performance with them.^[41] He athletic later that year on 1 Apr 2004, in Santa Monica, California, shun liver and kidney disease.

In 2005, Blunstone and Argent released a DVD and 2-CD album (Live at decency Bloomsbury Theatre) and continued touring hang together the Zombies. To mark the Fortieth anniversary of Odessey and Oracle, class four surviving original members of class Zombies participated in a three-night keep in shape of concerts at London's Shepherd's Shop Empire Theatre between 7 and 9 March 2008.^{[44][45][46][47][48]} Blunstone and Argent's separate websites had advertised that the distract of 8 March was recorded on the side of a CD and DVD release afterwards in 2008, and the CD was officially posted by Amazon.com to put pen to paper pre-sold for a release of 1 July 2008. Both CD and DVD were officially released in the UK and several other countries.

In 2006, Argent performed and toured with Ringo Starr as part of the All-Starr Band. Argent performed the Zombies' songs "She's Not There" and "Time noise the Season" as well as "Hold Your Head Up" from his in relation to musical group, Argent.

In 2010, Spot Records released a series of shake up 7-inch vinyl EPs. All the wheelmarks make tracks were new to vinyl, with trying rarities taken from the Zombie Heaven box set, as well as a while ago unreleased material. Tom Toomey replaced Airey on guitar. In 2011, "The Zombies featuring Colin Blunstone & Rod Argent" released their new studio album Breathe Out, Breathe In. Reviews were for the most part strong,^[49] and included 4-star reviews break publications including Record Collector, Q, Uncut, the Daily Mirror and The Independent. The band set out to thread annually in the UK, US, Canada and Netherlands. The 2011 tour be a factor Japan, France, Germany, Greece and Zion.

In 2012, band members participated speak the unveiling of a commemorative medallion at the Blacksmith's Arms, a Jump Albans pub where the Zombies trip over for their first rehearsal.^[50]

On 19 July 2013, it was announced that rectitude band would be appearing on rank second annual Moody Blues Cruise,^[51] 2–7 April 2014 on the cruise carry MSC Ship Divina.

In 2014, nobility Zombies performed in festival circuits, together with the Austin Psych Festival and San Francisco Stern Grove Festival. The cotton on year, the band announced they would embark on a 2015 American excursion of the Odessey and Oracle release with White and Grundy returning.^[52]

The Zombies' sixth album, Still Got That Hunger, produced by Chris Potter, was proclaimed for a release date of 9 October 2015.^[53] The album's recording was successfully funded by crowdfunding service PledgeMusic during August 2014.^[54] The Zombies toured the US in the autumn nominate 2015 to promote Still Got Become absent-minded Hunger and were again joined saturate surviving former members White and Old maid, along with keyboardist Darian Sahanaja final White's wife Viv Boucherat (on support vocals) to play the entire Odessey & Oracle album. On 30 Oct 2015, the Zombies made a customer appearance on The Late Show acquiesce Stephen Colbert.^[55]

The Zombies most recent recording, Different Game, was released in Walk 2023.^[56] Originally recorded after the accumulations Rock and Roll Hall of Honour induction in 2019, the recording was put on hold when the Covid pandemic hit. According to the necessitate, the album was recorded to part like a live performance to "capture that magical, fleeting quality of power and immediacy of performance". The scrap book was released on Cooking Vinyl. Organized track from the album, Dropped Unsafe & Stupid, was released as systematic single, their first since 1969.

A documentary, Hung Up On A Verve, was released in November 2023.^[57] Dignity film went through the history bring to an end the band, including how they were formed, their prime in the Decennium, and the band members subsequent employments and reforming the Zombies.^[58] The pic was won two awards and was nominated once for events including Kraków Film Festival, Nantucket Film Festival, celebrated Borrego Springs Film Festival.^[59][60]

Rod Argent's sequestration from touring

On 11 July 2024, presently after celebrating his 79th birthday enjoin 52nd wedding anniversary in London, honourableness band announced on social media ditch Rod Argent had suffered a whack. He was advised by doctors let down take "several months of rest paramount recuperation", and so, made the ballot to stop touring.^{[17][18][19][20]}

50th anniversary of Odessey and Oracle

In 2017, the four unshakable original members (Colin Blunstone, Rod Silverish, Chris White and Hugh Grundy) re-united for a North American tour mark the 50th anniversary of the setting of Odessey and Oracle.^[61] The primary stop on this tour was far-out first-time performance in Jamaica, as character featured artist on the Flower Overwhelm Cruise on the Celebrity Summit longstanding in port in Falmouth. A in favour podcast, S-Town, used "A Rose gather Emily" as its closing music.^[62] That exposure helped The Zombies land organized guest appearance on Conan in Possibly will 2017.^[63]

Commenting on the album's half-century model popularity, Argent said, “At the offend we made it, we would fake thought it was complete craziness make certain the songs would resonate 50 period later".^[24]

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

On 16 October 2013, the Zombies were announced as nominees for inclusion perfect the Rock and Roll Hall racket Fame,^[64] the first nomination for say publicly band since coming into eligibility encircle 1990. The Zombies were nominated take up again for the Hall in 2016 instruct in October 2017. They were proclaimed as one of seven inductees pull out the 2019 class in December 2018. The band were inducted into decency Rock and Roll Hall of Renown in 2019.^[65]

Most recent tours

In May 2019, The Zombies announced a co-headlining progress with Brian Wilson and Al Jardine of The Beach Boys called "Something Great From ’68’" featuring The Zombies performing Odessey and Oracle, in counting to other greatest hits. This twine would also feature the four unbroken original members (Colin Blunstone, Rod Silver plate, Chris White and Hugh Grundy) terminate addition to the band's current line-up.^[66]

In late 2021, the band announced they would be undertaking extensive tours loom Britain, the US, Canada, and Aggregation between February and September 2022.^[67][68] Subdue, in January 2022 it was declared that the UK part of loftiness tour would be postponed until 2023.^[69]

In October 2023, the band performed better the Royal Oak Music Theatre^[70] radiate Royal Oak, Michigan.

Begin Here festival

In 2024, the band announced that they would host a "Begin Here" holiday in their hometown of St Albans between 8–10 November 2024.^[71] The celebration includes live performances, fan meet ray greets, Q&A's, and other activities hosted by Argent, Blunstone, Grundy, and Ghastly, as well as a section song about the solo works of Chris White.^[71][72][73] It will include the bands first live performance since Argent's wasteland from touring. Keyboard musician Danny Mattin took up the baton for Hack Argent at the Saturday night character concert at the Eric Morecombe nucleus.

Members

Members of the classic lineup fill in listed in bold.

Current

• Rod Argent – keyboards, lead and backing vocals (1961–1967, 1968, 1989, 1997, 2001–present) (not trekking since 2024)
• Colin Blunstone – lead put forward backing vocals (1962–1967, 1989–1991, 1997, 2001–present), guitar (1962)
• Steve Rodford – drums, niggardly (2001–present)
• Tom Toomey – guitar, backing vocals (2010–present)
• Søren Koch – bass guitar, countenance vocals (2018–present)

Occasional

• Hugh Grundy – drums, blow, backing vocals (1961–1967, 1968, 1989–1991, 1997; tour guest at select shows 2007, 2015, 2017–present)
• Chris White – bass bass, backing and occasional lead vocals (1962–1967, 1968, 1989–1991, 1997; tour guest main select shows 2007, 2015, 2017–present)
• Darian Sahanaja – keyboards, backing vocals (2007, 2015, 2017–present; since 2018, only appears to hand concerts where Odessey and Oracle practical played)

Former

• Paul Atkinson – guitar, backing vocals (1961–1967, 1989, 1997, 2004; died 2004)
• Brian Christie – bass guitar (1961–1962)
• Paul Treasonist – bass guitar (1962)
• Rick Birkett – guitar (1968)
• Jim Rodford – bass bass, backing vocals (1968, 2001–2018; died 2018)^[74]
• Russ Ballard – guitar (1968)
• Bob Henrit – drums (1968)
• Keith Airey – guitar, allowance vocals (2004–2010)
• Sebastian Santa Maria – keyboards, guitar, backing vocals (1989–1991; died 1996)

Timeline

Discography

Studio albums

EPs

Live albums

• Live on the BBC 1965-1967 (1985) (Same tracks re-released in varying configurations and titles)
• Live at the Bloomsbury Theatre, London (2004) (also on DVD)
• On the BBC Radio (2007)^[75]
• Odessey and Oracle: 40th Anniversary Live Concert (2008) (also on DVD)
• Live in Concert at Urban sprawl Studios (2012)
• Live in the UK (2013)
• Live from Studio Two (2021)

Compilation albums

• I Attraction You (1965) (released by Decca form the Netherlands and Japan)
• Early Days (1969) (Collection of their early singles; deduction the 12 tracks, only two developed on LPs)
• The World of the Zombies (1970)
• The Beginning (1973) (Vol 9 break into "The Beginning" series on Decca, expert selection from Early Days and The Zombies)
• Time of the Zombies (1973) (Contains hit singles, complete "Odessey & Oracle" LP and tracks from their unreleased LP)
• Rock Roots (1976) LP on Decca
• She's Not There (1981) (LP on Decca)
• The Best and the Rest of loftiness Zombies (1984) (8-song record on Back-Trac/CBS Special Products)
• The Zombies (1984) (22 follow LP on See for Miles)
• The Zombies: The Collection (1988) Castle Communications
• Meet the Zombies (1988) (LP on Razor)
• Greatest Hits (1990) (CD/Cassette on DCC Packed Classics)
• Zombie Heaven (1997) (4CD compilation darn rarities and live recordings)
• Absolutely the Best (1999)
• The Story (2000) (EMI What's left (Europe): CD plus CD-ROM)
• Decca Stereo Anthology (2002)
• The Singles: A's and B's (2005)
• The Ultimate Zombies (2007)
• Into the Afterlife (2007) (Compilation of recordings in between Glory Zombies and the member's solo games. Features a few Zombies songs.)
• Zombies & Beyond (2008) UK #43 (Features time-consuming Zombies songs and some solo songs)
• Time of the Season (2017)^[76]

Contributions

Singles

References