A Rockapaedia Obituary
Jim Rodfo
rd
Bands: Argent, The Zombies, The Kinks.
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Jim Rodford died aged seventy-six after a fall down stairs at his home. He is survived by his wife Jean, two sons and a daughter. Jim died just a few days after returning from America where he had played a few gigs with The Zombies.
Jim met his wife, Jean, at the Pioneer Club, St Albans, in the early days of his music career. They had a daughter, Paula and two sons; Steve, a drummer and Russell, a guitarist.
Jim Rodford was born on 7th July 1941, in St Albans, Hertfordshire, UK. Rodford was born on 7 July 1941, in St Albans, Hertfordshire, England. In the late 1950s and early 1960s he was a member of the Bluetones, the biggest band in St Albans at the time. Although he did not become a band member at this stage, Jim Rodford was instrumental in helping his younger cousin Rod Argent form the Zombies in 1964. Jim later joined the Mike Cotton Sound as a bass guitarist.
Along with Rod Argent, Jim Rodford was one of the founding members of Argent. When Rod Argent quit the band, the remaining three members Jim Rodford, Bob Henrit, and John Verity formed the short-lived band Phoenix. Eventually, Jim Rodford joined the Kinks as a bass guitarist in 1978 and played with them until their fina
l disintegration in 1996.
From 1999–2001 Jim Rodford appeared in a band that ex-Animals guitarist Hilton Valentine formed, The Animals II, which also featured former Animals drummer John Steel, and keyboardist Dave Rowberry. Jim Rodford continued with this band, which changed its working name to "The Animals and Friends" after Valentine left, until joining Argent and Colin Blunstone in the revival of the Zombies.
Jim Rodford never played with the Zombies in the 1960s, despite having been closely involved with them. However, he began to play the bass guitar with the band's reincarnation in the early years of the 21st century, with his son Steve on drums.
In 2008, Jim Rodford joined the Kast Off Kinks, on the retirement of John Dalton, whom he had followed into the Kinks after Andy Pyle. In 2009, Jim Rodford regularly played in "The Rodford Files" along with his sons Steve Rodford on drums and Russ Rodford on guitar, plus Derik Timms.
In 2010, the original line-up of Argent reformed and resumed playing in concert. They mounted a short tour including gigs in Frome, Southampton, Wolverhampton, Leamington Spa and London.