The Zombies had hits in the U.S. around the same time as the initial chart
appearances of the Beatles, the Rolling Stones and other British Invasion
groups.
Despite being more popular in the U.S. than in their native land, the Zombies had
a rather short career in general, though a few of the band's songs like "Tell Her
No" and "She's Not There" have endured the passing of three decades.
The Zombies were formed in 1963 in Hertfordshire, England, by pianist Rod
Argent, singer Colin Blunstone, guitarist Paul Atkinson, bassist Paul Arnold
(who was soon replaced by Chris White) and drummer Hugh Grundy, who was
born 54 years ago today in Winchester, Hampshire, England. Grundy had gone
to school with Argent and Atkinson.
The Zombies won the local Herts Beat competition, which ensured the band a
record deal with Decca Records. The group soon went all the way to #2 on
Billboard's Hot 100 with its debut single, "She's Not There" (it hit #12 in
Britain).
The Zombies' style was significantly different from that of their British counterparts
making headway on the U.S. charts. Tunes such as "She's Not There" (RealAudio
excerpt) emphasized Argent's innovative keyboard playing, as did another U.S.
top-10 hit, "Tell Her No."
Somehow, other Zombies' records like Is This The Dream? and Whenever
You're Ready flopped on both coasts, as was the case with most of the group's
future output. This commercial failure led to the Zombies' dissolution, after the
recording of its final LP, 1968's Odyssey and Oracle.
That last album made critics and record buyers take notice, partly due to the
great success of "Time of the Season" in the U.S. But the whole album was a
masterwork of progressive rock.
The original lineup was asked by several parties to reunite based on the
success of Odyssey and Oracle, but apparently the members' differences
could not be overcome. Grundy and Argent stuck together, adding new
musicians, for one final single, "Imagine the Swan." This "new lineup," minus
Grundy, effectively became keyboardist Argent's next band, Argent. Blunstone
went on to a solo career.
The Zombies regrouped in 1991 for New World, which didn't make much
of a splash. In 1997, the Zombie Heaven box set was released, and the
original Zombies jammed publicly together for the first time in more than a
quarter of a century at the record's launch party.
After the band's late-'60s breakup, Grundy became an A&R man for Columbia
Records. In the '80s, Grundy ran a horse-transport business in England.
Other birthdays: Sylvia Robinson (Mickey and Sylvia), 63; David Gilmour (Pink
Floyd), 55; Mary Wilson (Supremes), 55; and Kiki Dee, 52.
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