Rod Argent facts: The Zombies founder's age, career, family and illness explained

17 July 2024, 15:32

His career has spanned more than half a century.

As keyboardist, founder, and key creative force behind The Zombies, Rod Argent has had a hand in the most beautiful songs to come from the baroque pop genre.

Providing lyrics as well as sonic textures to the band's output, Argent ensured The Zombies broke through during the Brit Invasion phenomenon.

Beyond that, his experimentation with instruments like the Mellotron, harpsichord, and Hohner electric piano saw the band become a vital player in psychedelic and progressive rock's earliest iterations.

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• The Zombies’ Rod Argent announces retirement from touring after stroke

Despite various break-ups and lineup changes, Argent's musical legacy was duly recognised and rewarded when The Zombies were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2019.

For everything you need to know about Rod Argent, keep reading:

1. How old is Rod Argent and where was he born?

   

   Rodney Terence Argent was born on 14th June 1945 in St Albans, Hertfordshire. In 2024 he turned 79 years old.

   Raised in a working-class family, Argent wasn't taught to play the piano from a young age, though his father - Les Argent, an aeronautical engineer - could play the instrument and was a bandleader of two semi-professional dance bands.

   From the age of "eight or nine" having overheard his father play, Rod knew he wanted to become a musician himself.

2. When did Rod Argent get his start in music?

   

   Rod sang as a chorister in the St Albans Cathedral Choir, and whilst studying at St Albans School met guitarist Hugh Grundy and drummer Hugh Grundy, who would he'd later form The Zombies with.

   Recruiting singer Colin Blunstone and bassist Chris White, the lineup was finalised in 1961.

   We met outside a pub," Argent said about meeting Blunstone, who would become his creative foil for years to come.

   We were too young to walk in the pub”. Blunstone added "I was literally in a corner singing to myself, doing a Ricky Nelson song, and Rod came over and said, 'That’s really good. I’ll tell you what. If you’ll be the lead singer, I’ll play keyboards'."

   Trying their luck in a beat-group competition organised by the Watford Borough Council and sponsored by the London Evening News in 1964, The Zombies won a cash prize of £250 which was enough to record their first demo.

   That demo secured them a record contract with Decca Records, and turned into their debut single which would see the band breakthrough to the US: 'She's Not There'.

3. Has Rod Argent always been a member of The Zombies?

   

   Hold Your Head Up - Argent | The Midnight Special

   The Zombies dissolved in 1968 citing a lack of interest in their music, though their swansong album Odessey and Oracle achieved a top three single hit in the US with 'Time Of The Season' the following year.

   Rod Argent went on to form his own project, aptly named Argent, who achieved several hit rock singles.

   'Hold Your Head Up' went to number five in both the US and UK charts, whilst 'God Gave Rock And Roll To You' peaked at number eighteen on home soil.

   The keyboardist continued to make music for television as well as his solo career throughout the following years, until he rekindled The Zombies with Colin Blunstone in 2004.

   Argent has also toured with The Beatles' legend Ringo Starr as part of his All-Starr Band.

4. Who is Rod Argent’s wife and does he have children?

   

   Rod Argent met his future wife Cathy at a party in 1967.

   They married in 1972 and have been together ever since, sharing two children: Elesa and Mark.

5. Why has Rod Argent retired from touring with The Zombies?

   

   On 11th July 2024, it was announced by The Zombies' management that Rod Argent had retired from touring from then onwards.

   It was revealed that the keyboardist had suffered from a stroke only days earlier after celebrating his 79th birthday and anniversary with wife Cathy.

   "He was already preparing to wind down his live performance schedule after health scares on recent tours," the announcement read.

   "However, the stroke was an unmistakable warning sign that the risks are too great."

   In a positive update a week later however, Argent said he had "read every post" wishing him well since news of him suffering a stroke had come out.

   "I am absolutely overwhelmed by the outpouring of love and support that has happened in response to the news of my having suffered a stroke three weeks ago."

   "I do feel so lucky that physically l’ve escaped the worst possible effects, and while I’m still frustrated by not finding all my words easily, I feel really hopeful that eventually I will make a full recovery," he added.

   He even promised a return to making music, continuing: "It is with a heavy heart that I can’t carry on with the live playing that I love so much, but want to emphasise that, after a couple of months, do mean to carry on in the studio with writing and recording unabated, and with superb contributions from Colin, Steve, Tom and Soren."