God Gave Rock & Roll - Argent
Submitted by Rock and Roll Classics Blog
The Zombies, The Roulettes, Argent, what a lineup. In 1971 a vinyl LP (long playing) slid across my desk at the studio, and after listening to the whole thing (yes music heads) we use to actually have to get up to turn the album over. I just needed to know more about this progressive band, from across the sea.
Argent was founded in 1969 by English keyboardist Rod Argent, formerly of The Zombies.
The other original members were bassist Jim Rodford (and formerly with the Mike Cotton Sound), drummer Robert Henrit and guitarist/keyboardist Russ Ballard (both formerly with The Roulettes and Unit 4 + 2 respectfully). Lead vocal duties, when Argent first began were shared by the duo of Ballard and Rodford with Argent providing backing.
Rod Argent, Chris White (former Zombies bassist) and Russ Ballard were the group’s songwriters. Some of Ballard’s compositions became hits when they were covered by other artists, including Rainbow, Hello and Santana and Three Dog Night.
To date their most successful album was All Together Now a 1972 album and the third released by British rock band Argent. It was Argent’s first hit album and features their most successful single “Hold Your Head Up.” Other featured songs include “Tragedy,” “I Am The Dance Of Ages” and “He’s A Dynamo.”
The 1997 compact disc re-release of All Together Now through KOCH Records features an additional seven tracks not included on the original seven-track vinyl record. The bonus tracks include “God Gave Rock and Roll to You”.
Track listing
“Hold Your Head Up” (Rod Argent, Chris White) - 6:18
“Keep on Rollin’” (Argent, White) - 4:32
“Tragedy” (Russ Ballard) - 4:50
“I Am the Dance of Ages” (Argent, White) - 3:46
“Be My Lover, Be My Friend” (Argent, White) - 5:21
“He’s A Dynamo” (Ballard) - 3:48
“Pure Love” (Argent, White) - 13:07
CD re-release bonus tracks
“Celebration” (Argent, White) - 2:54
“Kingdom” (Argent, White) - 3:09
“Closer To Heaven” (Ballard) - 3:31
“Rejoice” (Ballard) - 3:47
“God Gave Rock and Roll to You” (Ballard) - 6:45
“Christmas For The Free” (Argent, White) - 4:16
“It’s Only Money (Part 2)” (Ballard) - 5:15
The sound of Argent I must say is a mix of rock and pop, but they also covered more progressive rock territory in songs like “The Coming of Kohoutek,” an instrumental from their Nexus album. When Ballard left the band after Encore, they took an even more progressive/fusion turn and signed to a new record label (RCA) for the two final albums. By 2005, all albums, including compilations, have been re-released on CD, except Counterpoints
When Ballard left in 1973, he was replaced by guitarist/vocalist John Verity and guitarist John Grimaldi and there followed a period of intense recording and touring until the band decided to come off the road late in 1976.
Side Notes:
The Russ Ballard song “Liar” on Argent’s first album became a hit for Three Dog Night.
Argent also recorded the original version of “God Gave Rock and Roll to You”, written by Russ Ballard, which was covered by Kiss in 1992 under the name “God Gave Rock ‘n’ Roll to You II”, and featured prominently at the end of the film Bill & Ted’s Bogus Journey.
The song also became a Contemporary Christian rock anthem and was twice covered by the Gospel band Petra, in 1977 (on the album Come and Join Us) and again in 1984 (on the album Beat the System), albeit with new verses.
Rodford, Henrit and Verity briefly continued together under the name Phoenix before going their separate ways, after Argents break up in 1976, with Rodford and then Henrit becoming members of The Kinks.
Discography
Argent (1970)
Ring of Hands (1971)
All Together Now (1972)
In Deep (1973)
Nexus (1974)
Encore: Live In Concert (1974)
Circus (1975)
Counterpoints (1975)
The Best of Argent - An Anthology [Compilation] (1976)
Hold Your Head Up [Compilation] (1978)
Music from the Spheres [Compilation] (1991)
BBC Radio 1 In Concert [Live] (1995)
The Complete BBC Sessions [Live] (1997)
Greatest: The Singles Collection [Compilation] (2008)
Singles
Sweet Mary (1971) #102
Hold Your Head Up (1972) #5
Tragedy (1972) #106
God Gave Rock And Roll To You (1973) #114
Enjoy: Kiss, Argent,Santana plus Three Dog Night on Rock and Roll Classics Radio
As Always
Peace
