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Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular MusicA B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y ZZOMBIESUK pop group formed '63 by Hertfordshire schoolboys Rod Argent, keyboards; Colin Blunstone, vocals; Paul Atkinson (b 19 March '46, Cuffley), guitar; Hugh Grundy (b 6 March '45, Winchester), drums; Paul Arnold on bass, replaced same year by Chris White (b 7 March '43, Barnet). Band won talent contest, auditioned for Decca, signed on strength of Argent/ White songs like "She's Not Here' and "You Make Me Feel Good' along with ubiquitous R&B covers. Argent's second-ever composition, "She's Not Here' made no. 12 UK: classic pop song built around breathy Blunstone vocal and his rolling piano; both Argent and White became reliable writers. Followup "Leave Me Be' flopped, but "She's Not There' reached no. 2 USA, where band became a cult. "Tell Her No' was no. 6 USA, only 42 UK; further USA Hot 100 entries were "She's Coming Home' and "I Want You Back Again'; their polite yet potent pop infl. the Turtles, Critters, Association, even Simon & Garfunkel. Album Begin Here '65 mixed originals with R&B covers but was poorly received; they moved to CBS hoping to become an album band; Odessey And Oracle (sic) '68 was the underrated result (reissued on Rock Machine UK) incl. USA no. 3 hit "Time Of The Seasons' (promoted by Al Kooper), but by that time the disillusioned band had split. Argent formed eponymous progressive band, for which White co-wrote with him; Atkinson and Grundy became CBS A&R men. Like Manfred Mann, the Zombies could have done more than hit singles, but public preconceptions and rise of "progressive' rock forced the direction of pop music. Their jazzy, classy pop has lasted well. |