The Pop Corporation

You already know who Rod Argent is – songwriter extraordinaire, keyboardist, and founder of the achingly wonderful group, The Zombies. Rod is going to immediately retire from the touring life after suffering a stroke, and we’d just like to wish him good health.

Argent and the Zombies management team made an announcement, which you can read in full here.

They say: “Rod has asked us to convey that he has made the very difficult decision to immediately retire from touring in order to protect his health. He was already preparing to wind down his live performance schedule after health scares on recent tours. However, the stroke was an unmistakable warning sign that the risks are too great. Rod still firmly intends to continue his other creative joy of writing and recording with the Zombies, and has already been back at his piano for some much-needed ‘Bach therapy.’”

Rod retired from the road once before, but was tempted back out after fellow Zombie Colin Blunstone asked him to play a handful of shows, and he was then on the road for decades more. Touring is tough on young artists, so it’s only right that Rod gets to recoup, and hopefully enjoy putting his feet up and making fun stuff in the studio at his own pace.

Here’s a lovely video of Rod in rehearsals, doing the fabulous, pastoral ‘Beechwood Park’.