16 Nov 2023
Morgan Howell, AKA, Supersizeart, was there for the return of St Albans’ own supergroup…
I arrived early and knocked on the glass door, while the capacity crowd of superfans as far travelled as Canada, Japan, the USA. and even China were still downing their drinks at The Blacksmith’s Arms at the other end of St Peter’s Street, where The Zombies’ Blue Plaque has adorned the wall since 2012.
There was just me and Jason Dealey, a real journalist from BBC 3 Counties Radio, in the otherwise empty Assembly Room at St Albans Museum + Gallery. We were lucky to save our seats.
The Zombies were back from their US tour for a weekend of celebration, dubbed ‘The Begin Here Festival’, in their home city of St Albans. They were sadly without founding member, keyboard and blues harp player, Rod Argent, who is on the mend after his recent illness.
Colin Blunstone, Chris White and Hugh Grundy took to the stage beneath the high ceilings and chandeliers as Classic Rock and Record Collector’s Jo Kendall led the conversation. The memories poured out.
When The Zombies formed outside The Blacksmith’s Arms in 1961, Colin Blunstone never intended to sing, and Rod Argent didn’t want to play keyboards. They were going to be a guitar band.
But then Rod heard Colin singing ‘It’s Late’ by Ricky Nelson, and Colin heard Rod play ‘Nut Rocker’ by Bee Bumble and the Stingers on the piano. With the late Paul Atkinson on guitar, Chris White on bass and drummer Hugh Grundy completing the original line up, they were away. Early gigs included The Pioneer Club and The Old Verulamium’s Rugby Club (rugby was Colin’s preferred career path at the time). And once they played in the very Assembly Room where around 100 of us were now sat and stood.
That night 60 years ago, the band had been auditioning here for a local gig at Ballito’s, the American-owned Stocking Factory in Fleetville, and in early 1964 the ‘Heartbeat Battle of the Bands’ competition would catapult them to fame.
Held in Watford, 10 bands over 10 days, so that’s 100 bands, including highly rated local talent such as The Bluetones and The Trespassers, competed for the coveted prize. To their amazement The Zombies triumphed!
They won a recording session at Decca’s West Hampstead Studios.
It was assumed that they would record cover versions, but in just three days, Rod had written ‘She’s Not There’ and Chris White ‘You Make Me Feel Good’, the eventual b-side.
On the 12th June 1964 Gus Dudgeon, having hastily replaced his drunken boss, produced his and their first 45. It would become US Cash Box No 1 single and reach No 12 in the UK.
The Zombies flew to NYC in a Boeing 707 with a No 1 single under their belts.
Landing at JFK, the first thing they heard was a New York police siren (back home police cars still had bells!).
Two shiny black Lincoln limos arrived to whisk them away.
Their debut was at New York’s Brooklyn Fox where they would share the bill with the likes of Patty La Bell, Ben E King, The Shangri-Las and The Beach Boys.
“Now back then,” as Hugh Grundy remembers, “there were no sound effects on hand. So when the Shangri-Las’ motorbike refused to start I was called in to get it going back stage and had to rev it up on cue while the girls sang ‘Leader of The Pack’ live on stage.”
The next day Decca billed them for the limos.
Back to the present as Tom Toomey joins Colin on the small stage. And what a treat as the rapt audience hear four stripped back live songs, three Colin Blunstone songs, ‘Andorra’ ‘Any Other Way’ and Misty Roses’ and then ‘She’s Not There’. The effect was to highlight Colin’s still extraordinary voice even more.
The new album, Different Game, their first ever to trouble the chart, is an absolute joy. My personal highlight is ‘Got To Move On’ featuring Rod Argent on blues harp.
The title track is perhaps a little familiar, but it’s honestly hard to find a track I don’t enjoy. ‘Merry-Go-Round’ ‘Love You While I Can’ and ‘You Could Be My Love’ with the arpeggio acoustic guitar parts and some really moving string arrangements are great tracks. If you haven’t already, go seek it out.
My one question to Colin Blunstone at the beginning of the evening was: “What one record would you have immortalised in paint?” (I declare an interest here).
‘She’s Not There’, he said, “it changed my life forever.”
Gus Dudgeon went on to produce Elton John.
Paul Atkinson would later sign ABBA.
The Ballito Exhibition is currently running adjacent to The Assembly Room at St Albans Museum + Gallery.
Check out Different Game here:
Following Friday night’s event at the Museum + Gallery, The Zombies spent the rest of the weekend meeting fans and performing as part of the Begin Here Now Festival.
Highlights included Colin Blunstone presenting a special screening of Zombies documentary Hung Up on a Dream at The Odyssey, followed by a photo session in the Cathedral grounds by the tree featured on the cover of his solo album The Ghost of You and Me.
Then there was a rare record signing by original members Colin, Chris and Hugh, as well as two of the current line-up, at Empire Records in Heritage Close.
Chris White explored the enchanting realm of his song writing process, themes and styles with The Chris White Experience: Love Songs & Anthems, hosted by Steve Rossi, at The Collective Gallery & Art Project Space on Holywell Hill.
Hugh Grundy and Steve Rodford showcased their different styles in a drumming workshop at the Mad Squirrel and Tap, before the whole band headed to Books on the Hill for a reading and book signing.
A performance by Arc & The Bunts brought the weekend to a close in honor of Steve’s father, Jim Rodford, at The Boot on Sunday evening.
Museum photos: Payley Photography. Empire Records photos: Marina Desclavis.
