Rod Argent – the primary songwriter, keyboardist and founding member of the 1960s powerhouse rock band the Zombies – will retire from touring immediately after suffering a stroke. Argent and the Zombies team at Rocks Management announced the news today, writing in a statement that Argent's stroke occurred shortly after he returned to London from a tour with his band. The stroke led to an overnight hospital stay, with Argent's doctors advising “a few months of rest and recovery”. Find the full statement here.
“Rod has asked us to convey that he has made the very difficult decision to retire from touring immediately to protect his health,” Chris Tuthill and Cindy da Silva wrote in a statement. “He was already preparing to close his live schedule after health scares on recent tours. However, the stroke was an undeniable warning sign that the risks are too great. Rod still intends to pursue his other creative joy of writing and recording with the Zombies, and has already returned to his piano for some much-needed 'Bach therapy'.”
Argent formed the Zombies in St Albans, England in 1961 with singer Colin Blunstone. They were famously the second UK band, after The Beatles, to climb the US charts with a No.1 hit. Tracks like “She's Not There”, “Tell Her No” and “Time of the Season” established them as greats of the British Invasion.
In 1975, Argent retired from touring with the Zombies for the first time, hoping to spend more time with his family and focus on songwriting and production. But in 1999, Blunstone asked him to play six of his solo shows. Six concerts turned into an additional 25 years of touring and recording with the Zombies.
