The Zombies Cancel Tour After Key Member Suffers Stroke

The Zombies have canceled upcoming tour dates after founding member Rod Argent suffered a stroke.

Argent, the keyboardist and primary songwriter for the group, best known for the hit Time of the Season, was hospitalized with a stroke after celebrating his 79th birthday in London with his wife of 52 years.

He was released the next day, but doctors said he will need several months of rest and recuperation, The Zombies’ management said.

“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,” a statement said Thursday. “He was already preparing to wind down his live performance schedule after health scares on recent tours (a Fall 2024 USA run was in the works that was intended to be his final overseas tour, and a farewell to the country that launched The Zombies’ career in 1964). However, the stroke was an unmistakable warning sign that the risks are too great.”

Argent plans to continue writing and recording with The Zombies, management said, and he “has already been back at his piano for some much-needed ‘Bach therapy.’” It’s unclear if the band will reschedule shows in the U.S.

The current lineup includes original singer Colin Blunstone, who is also 79.

“As Rod’s experience shows, we don’t know what the future holds,” the statement said.

The Zombies were part of the British Invasion scene in the 1960s, creating hits like She’s Not There, Tell Her No, and Time of the Season. The band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2019.

Source: Variety