MUSIC MATTERS (Part 1)

NB. This blog was originally published in 2019. I am republishing it to coincide with the 'BEGIN HERE' FESTIVAL 3Oth Oct - 1st Nov 2026:

 I’ve just returned from the fifth tour of North America, singing backing vocals for The Zombies - specifically the ‘Odessey and Oracle’ set. This will be the final tour that involves performing the band's most famous album ‘Odessey and Oracle’ in its’ entirety, alongside the set of the current line-up of the band, who continue to tour and to create new music. 

The Zombies were on the bill with The Brian Wilson Band (who were touring ‘Surf’s Up’ and ‘Friends’) on the ‘Something Great From ‘68’ tour. It has been an incredible time.

It occurred to me (not for the first time) that we don’t listen to albums anymore in the way we used to. Is it a lost art to simply listen to and absorb the atmosphere of an entire album of songs?

Preparing to travel thousands of miles with The Zombies put me in a unique position and I was able to ask them all a question. Being a particularly generous lot, they agreed to think about it during the tour. It is obviously a nearly impossible question to answer for music-lovers and it generated a lot of discussion.

‘Part 1’ deals with those of us performing. We are all British except for Søren Koch (Danish) and Darian Sahanaja (American). Sadly, I never got to ask this question of the late, great Jim Rodford.

‘Part 2’ reveals the answers of the fabulous road crew surrounding the tour.

 So, my big question was: 

‘NAME THREE ALBUMS THAT, IN YOUR OPINION, EVERYONE SHOULD LISTEN TO

ALL THE WAY THROUGH AT LEAST ONCE IN THEIR LIFETIME.’

 

Colin Blunstone:

(Lead vocals with original and current line-up of The Zombies, songwriter)

1. ‘Blue’ - Joni Mitchell (1971)
2. ‘Pet Sounds’ - The Beach Boys (1966)
3. ‘Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band’ - The Beatles (1967)

Rod Argent:

(Keyboards / vocals with original and current line-up of The Zombies, songwriter, producer)

1. ‘Ray Charles In Person’ - Ray Charles (1959)
2. ‘Goldberg Variations’ - MUST BE 1955 mono version - Glenn Gould (1955)
3. ‘Talking Book’ - Stevie Wonder (1972)

Chris White:

(Bass guitar / vocals with the original line up of The Zombies, songwriter, producer)

1. ‘Beauty and the Beat!’ - Peggy Lee and George Shearing (1959)
2. ‘Sketches of Spain’ - Miles Davis and Gil Evans (1960)
3. ‘Peer Gynt Suites Nos. 1 & 2nd - Duke Ellington and his Orchestra (1961)

Hugh Grundy:

(Drums with original line-up of The Zombies)

1. ‘Agent Provocateur’ - Foreigner (1984)
2. ‘Cornerstone’ - Styx (1979)
3. ‘Falta Amor’ - Mana (1989)

Steve Rodford:

(Drums with current line-up of The Zombies)

1. ‘Physical Graffiti’ - Led Zeppelin (1975)
2. ‘Elemental’ - Tears For Fears (1993)
3. ‘Ring Of Hands’ - Argent (1971)

Tom Toomey:

(Guitar / vocals with current line-up of The Zombies, producer)

1. ‘Abraxis’ - Santana (1970)
2. ‘First Circle’ - Pat Metheny Group (1984)
3. ‘Bridge Over Troubled Water’ - Simon and Garfunkel (1970)

Søren Koch:

(Bass guitar / vocals with current line-up of The Zombies, guitarist, songwriter)

1. ‘East Side Story’ - Squeeze (1981)
2. ‘I’m With Stupid’ - Aimee Mann (1995)
3. ‘Temple Of Low Men’ - Crowded House (1988)

Darian Sahanaja:

(Keyboards / vocals with Brian Wilson Band, MD, keyboards / vocals for The Zombies ‘Odessey and Oracle’ set, songwriter)

1. ‘Pet Sounds’ - The Beach Boys (1966)
2. ‘Revolver’ - The Beatles (1966)
3. ‘Odessey and Oracle’ - the Zombies (1968)

Vivienne Boucherat:

(Vocals for The Zombies ‘Odessey and Oracle’ tour, songwriter, visual artist)

I already mentioned Elvis Costello’s ‘My Aim Is True’ and Ian Dury’s ‘New Boots and Panties!!’ in past Blogs, so I am going with:

1. ‘Led Zeppelin IV’ - Led Zeppelin (1971)
2. ‘Aretha Now’ - Aretha Franklin (1968)
3. ‘The Koln Concert’ - Keith Jarrett (1975)

So there you have it! A small scratch in the surface of music that inspired and is important in an exceptional way to each of us. During these long journeys by road and air over the last month I have listened to entire albums that are new to me. I wish I had heard some of them decades ago!

Huge thanks to everyone on the road for their input. I will be listening to absolutely everything on this list and the next (part 2). I have no doubt I will be inspired and will learn something great by doing so. 

 Love to all of you – and thanks to whoever took this photo! L-R: Hugh Grundy, Rod Argent, Chris White, Colin Blunstone, Tom Toomey, Steve Rodford, Søren Koch, Darian Sahanaja, Vivienne Boucherat