The Zombies

The Zombies
The Zombies performing live in 2008 Left to right: Keith Airey (guitar), Colin Blunstone (vocals), Steve Rodford (drums), Jim Rodford (bass), Rod Argent (keyboards)
Background information
Origin	St Albans, Hertfordshire, England, United Kingdom
Genres	Pop rock baroque pop psychedelic pop beat
Years active	1962–1967 1990–1991 1997 2004–present
Labels	Parrot Date Decca CBS Tower The End
Associated acts	Argent The Kinks
Website	thezombies.net
Members	Rod Argent Colin Blunstone Jim Rodford Steve Rodford Tom Toomey
Past members	Keith Airey Paul Arnold Paul Atkinson Hugh Grundy Sebastian Santa Maria Chris White

The Zombies are an English rock band, formed in 1962 in St Albans and led by Rod Argent (piano, organ and vocals) and Colin Blunstone (vocals).

The group scored British and American hits in 1964 with "She's Not There". In the US two further singles, "Tell Her No" in 1965 and "Time of the Season" in 1968, were also successful. Their 1968 album Odessey and Oracle is ranked number 100 on Rolling Stone Magazine's list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.

Three members of the band, Rod Argent, Paul Atkinson and Hugh Grundy, first came together to jam in late 1961 in St Albans, Hertfordshire, England. Argent wanted to form a band and initially asked his elder cousin Jim Rodford to join as a bassist. Rodford was in successful local band the Bluetones at the time so declined, but offered to help Argent (Rodford would later join in 2004 when the band reformed). Colin Blunstone and Paul Arnold joined the other three to form the band in April 1961, while all five members were at school.

Some sources state that Argent, Atkinson and Grundy were at St Albans School, while Blunstone and Arnold were students at St Albans Boys' Grammar School (since renamed Verulam School). However, both Blunstone and Grundy came from Hatfield and both sang in the choir there at St. Etheldreda's church. Argent was a boy chorister in St Albans Cathedral Choir. They held their original rehearsals at the Pioneer Club, then situated in Hatfield Road, using equipment lent to them by local band the Bluetones. They met outside the Blacksmiths Arms pub in St Albans before their first rehearsal, and gained their initial reputation playing the Old Verulamians Rugby Club in the same city.