TGIF Rock-n-Roll Oldies: The Zombies - 1964

Reaganite Republican ^ | February 24, 2011 | Reaganite Republican

[Reaganite Republican]

The Zombies are an English rock band formed in 1961 and led by Rod Argent on piano and Colin Blunstone on vocals.

The schoolboy chums who came to be known as The Zombies got their start playing at a St. Alban's rugby club, but soon rose from unknown local act to score major US hits later in the decade, such as "She's Not There", "Tell Her No", and "Time of the Season". 

Their 1968 album Odessey and Oracle -comprising twelve songs by the group's principal songwriters, Argent and White- ranks #80 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the '500 Greatest Albums of All Time'.

The Zombies signed to Decca and recorded their first hit "She's Not There"- which was released in the Summer of 1964 and peaked at #12 in the UK. This minor-key, jazz-tinged number, distinguished by its musicianship and Blunstone's breathy vocal, was unlike anything heard in British rock at the time. 

It was first aired in the United States in early August 1964 on New York City rock station WINS by Stan Z. Burns, who debuted the song on his daily noontime "Hot Spot". The tune began to catch on in early fall and eventually climbed to #2 in the US.

Like many other British Invasion groups, The Zombies were sent to The States to tour in support of a new hit single. Among their most memorable early U.S. gigs were Murray the K's Christmas shows at the Brooklyn Fox Theatre, where the band played seven performances a day. Hugh Grundy later recalled also contributing to the sets by the Shangri-Las -not as a musician... but by revving a motorcycle brought backstage as a sound effect for their performance of "Leader of the Pack"- 

In January 1965 the band made their debut on live U.S. television, playing "She's Not There" to hysterical teen girls on NBC's Hullabaloo. "Tell Her No" became another big seller in the United States (in 1965), but failed to make the Top 40 in the band's native UK. 

The Zombies signed to CBS Records, for whom they recorded the album Odessey and Oracle. (The word odyssey was misspelled by cover designers.) 

Because the band's budget could not cover session musicians, they used a Mellotron, a device designed to imitate orchestral sections. By the time Odessey and Oracle was released in April 1968, the group had disbanded. The album sold poorly and was only given a U.S. release because musician Al Kooper, then signed to Columbia Records, convinced his label of the album's merits. An album track, "Time of the Season", written by Argent, was released as a single and eventually (1969) became a nationwide hit (#3). 

After The Zombies disbanded, Rod Argent formed a band called Argent, with Chris White as a non-performing songwriter. Colin Blunstone started a solo career after a brief period outside the music business... he also later worked with the Alan Parsons Project...

 The Zombies - She's Not There - 1964:


[video clip]

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[ZirconEncrustedTweezers]

The first time I remember hearing this song is when Santana released their cover of it. I didn’t hear the original until at least a couple years later.

[Hotlanta Mike]

I saw The Who live at The Fabulous Forum in 1980 and Argent was playing keyboards. Baba O’Riley was spectacular live with his assist.

[bigbob]

I don’t know exactly when the Zombies officially broke up but my buddy didn’t get the memo. He’d put on a few teen dances in our small Nebraska city and in ‘69 or ‘70 got a call from a promoter offering “The Zombies” for a cheap price. Except the contract came with a typo on it, no big deal he thought, it actually read “The Zombie”. Well, it was a big deal, because only one guy showed up - a guitarist who claimed to have played with the group and now called himself “The Zombie”. Fortunately Nebraska kids were entertainment-deprived and it all worked out. A good lesson in “the devil’s in the details” however!

[traderrob6]

Argent, “Hold Your Head Up”, Yea baby!

[Sans-Culotte]

I have a jukebox that plays 45’s. I only load songs from the 40’s, 50’s and 60’s on it. I have both “She’s Not There” and “Time of The Season” on it. It’s perfect for the songs by artists who are one (or two) hit wonders like The Zombies.

[traderrob6]

OOOooops, link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FBnSWJHawQQ

[JPG]

Hang in there...someday you can book, ‘The Beach Boy’.

[InvisibleChurch]

Thanks for posting these. It helps me come up for air.

[Maverick68]

One of my fave songs!

[mylife]

I have a few Argent Lps and even a solo Colin Blunstone Lp around here somewhere.

I always liked “God gave Rock and Roll”

[mylife]

God Gave Rock And Roll To You.

[mylife]

Ooops!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QsG5V-o6uxY

[mylife]

Groovy Shirt!

[Dixie Yooper]

I remember when "Time of the Season" started playing on WLS "in Chicago" regularly. It's still one of my all time favorites.

[Reaganite Republican]

My pleasure, Invisible

[mylife]

Argent~ It's Only Money Pt 2

[Eric in the Ozarks]

How I miss those Mr. Norm commercials on WLS.

[Dixie Yooper]

In the UP, we could only pick up WLS at night when they increased their power. I don't remember the disc jockeys from the 60’s, but I do remember Larry Lujack(”talent on loan from God”) and Little Tommy.

[vetvetdoug]

I think Chris White and the Zombies did I Love You which was later a hit by a group called People.