When the Zombies were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2019, it (so far) marked the end of a certain era. They were the last band with roots in the early 1960s enshrined in that glass pyramid in Cleveland as time inevitably marches on to more recent performers.
Though part of the British Invasion alongside the Beatles, Rolling Stones, Who, Kinks, Dave Clark Five, etc., the Zombies were seen by some as the odd duck of the group.
The well-mannered, clean-cut band from St. Albans only had two bona fide hits in their career with “She’s Not There” and “Time of the Season” (with a smaller one in “Tell Her No”). They put out only two scant albums during that period. And by the time “Time of the Season” hit No. 3 on the U.S. charts, the band had been broken up for nearly a year and a half.
Nevertheless, they garnered a cult following and famous musician fans and had an incredible second act when lead singer Colin Blunstone and keyboardist/singer Rod Argent formed a new lineup in the early 2000s, putting out new music and touring around the world until a stroke last year led to Argent’s immediate retirement and likely put a period on the band’s career.
There have been a couple of other band bios: Claes Johnson’s slim Hung Up on a Dream and the band’s own authorized coffee-table, visual-heavy The Odessey. But fans can rejoice now in the appearance of the solid and revelatory Times and Seasons: The Rise and Fall and Rise of the Zombies by Robin Platts (356 pp., $31.99. HoZac Books).
Platts seems to have had full access to the Zombies archive, and the amount of ephemera shown like old ads, gig posters, 45 sleeves and graphics is impressive. He also conducted extensive, revealing, and fascinating interviews with surviving members Blunstone, Argent, bassist Chris White, and drummer Hugh Grundy (the late guitarist Paul Atkinson is represented with archival quotes). And the use of then-contemporary ‘60s record and gig reviews and interviews add context. There’s a treasure trove of stories to surprise even the most die-hard fan.
The Zombies of course had no idea how important and influential 1968’s Odessey and Oracle album would become (the first word’s error was due to cover artist Terry Quirk’s lack of spelling prowess). In fact, they knew going into it they would break up once it was completed.
A long list of singles hadn’t been successes on either side of the Atlantic, so they wanted to take one shot at a swan song they would produce themselves. And if it weren’t for the enthusiasm of American keyboardist Al Kooper’s one-man-campaign to get it released in the U.S., the Zombies story might have ended there.
But “Time of the Season” proved to be a monster hit, albeit a slow, slow climb trace to the enthusiasm of one DJ in Boise, Idaho. Interestingly, Platts says the title came from Argent mishearing Smokey Robinson singing the line in “Tracks of My Tears” as “at the close of the season” rather than the actual “if you look closer it’s easy.” “Close” became “Time.”
And Blunstone apparently hated the song so much that he and Argent argued in the studio, with the singer telling the keyboardist he should take the duties himself. Of course, he admits he’s now certainly glad that didn’t happen.
These Zombies were not to be resurrected. Though that didn’t stop a slew of entirely fake “Zombies” band from playing across the U.S. and U.K., trying to capitalize on the success of the song (with one including 2/3rds of what would become ZZ Top)
There are even chapters on Blunstone’s solo career (after a brief post-Zombies stint working in…an insurance office); the rock success of Argent’s next group with White as a non-performing songwriter, Argent (“Hold Your Head Up” “God Gave Rock and Roll To You”), and Grundy and Atkinson’s activities. The latter became an A&R exec with a hand in signing ABBA, Judas Priest, and Bruce Hornsby and the Range.
There would be two brief reunion sets from the original five, and the later surviving four would revive Odessey and Oracle for live tours, combined with the current group.
One nitpick. They say you can’t judge a book by its cover, and that axiom is no better apparent than here. The definitive book of a cherished band comes to life with a dull, lifeless cover featuring a fuzzy picture of the band, with a weird color tint and boring fonts.
Nevertheless, Times and Seasons is an actual groundbreaking, informative, and detail-driven work on the Zombies, their music, and their legacy. Fans could not ask for a better book than Platts’ job here.
