Rod Argent formed Argent in 1969 after the demise of The Zombies.
The band visited the USA for their first tour in 1970, but it wasn’t until the 1971 Ring of Hands set that the group established an independent identity on record.
This second album drew strong interest and sales on both sides of the Atlantic, and put Argent on the brink of a breakthrough into the “flash-rock” hierarchy populated so lucratively by the likes of ELP, Yes, and Genesis.
Their third album, the 1972-released All Together Now, showed them veering away from the impressive restraint and dynamic control of the second – possibly the result of too much touring – and by the fourth release, In Deep (1973), Argent were displaying a tendency towards self-indulgence interpreted as presaging crisis point among some rock critics.
Between these two albums, the group did manage to notch up success in the singles chart in Britain and America with the cuts Hold Your Head Up (1972) and God Gave Rock And Roll To You (1973), which was later covered by KISS.
The February 1974 Nexus collection did little to lift doubts about the band’s direction and, towards the end of that same month, Russ Ballard, whose compositional ability had been one of the band’s strengths from the beginning, announced his departure in favour of a solo career.
Guitarist John Grimaldi was brought in as a replacement and, a few months later, singer-guitarist John Verity, whose own John Verity Band had previously played a UK tour as support to Argent, was similarly recruited, bringing the group to a quintet.
The late 1974 Encore release was a live double album featuring in-concert workouts of some of the group’s best-known material, including the two aforementioned singles.
Circus appeared in early 1975 before a switch to the RCA-distributed Good Earth label, for whom they recorded Counterpoint after some nine months off the road.
Grimaldi quit early in 1976 and the group subsequently folded.
Bassist Jim Rodford later joined The Kinks. He passed away on 20 January 2018.
Rod Argent Keyboards, vocals Russ Ballard
Guitar, vocals
Jim Rodford
Bass
Bob Henrit
Drums
John Verity
Guitar, vocals
John Grimaldi
Cello, mandolin, violin
Video
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Between these two albums, the group did manage to notch up success in the singles chart in Britain and America with the cuts Hold Your Head Up (1972) and God Gave Rock And Roll To You (1973), which was later covered by KISS.
