Argent

Argent was a British rock band formed in 1969 by former Zombies keyboardist Rod Argent. The group, which included guitarist and vocalist Russ Ballard, bassist Jim Rodford, and drummer Bob Henrit, emerged just as Argent's previous band, The Zombies, were experiencing worldwide success with "Time of the Season". Argent's debut album, Argent, was released in September 1969 and featured the song "Liar", which would later be covered by Three Dog Night. Their second album, Ring of Hands (1971), included the minor hit "Sweet Mary". The band achieved significant chart success with their third album, All Together Now (August 1972), which featured the Top 5 hit "Hold Your Head Up" in both the UK and US charts. This song sold over one million copies and was awarded a gold disc. Their subsequent albums, In Deep (1973) and Nexus (1974), continued their success with hits like "God Gave Rock and Roll to You" and "It's Only Money". However, internal tensions led to Russ Ballard's departure after the release of the live album Encore. The band regrouped with new members John Grimaldi and John Verity but struggled with poorly received albums Circus (1975) and Counterpoints (1975). Argent disbanded in 1976, with Jim Rodford, Bob Henrit, and John Verity forming Phoenix. The original lineup reunited for several tours between 2010 and 2013. Jim Rodford passed away on January 20, 2018, at the age of 76.