Jim Rodford
The steadfast bassist who anchored the sound of three legendary British rock institutions, providing a rock-solid foundation for decades of hits.
1941–2018 (age 77)·English musician·Birthday: July 7·The Silent Generation
Biography
Jim Rodford’s musical life was a family affair, woven into the fabric of British rock history. He began as a roadie for his cousin Rod Argent’s band, the Zombies, before co-founding the progressive rock group Argent in 1969, where his melodic bass lines drove hits like 'Hold Your Head Up.' His reputation for reliability and a powerful, propulsive style led to a nearly twenty-year tenure with the Kinks, where he became an integral part of their later sound, touring the world and recording numerous albums. In a fitting full-circle finale, he rejoined a reunited Zombies in 2004, playing with them until his death. Rodford was less a flashy star and more the essential, grounding force—the dependable anchor who helped shape the rhythms of several iconic bands across five decades.
The Silent Generation
1928–1945
Born between the Depression and the end of WWII. Too young to fight, old enough to remember. They became the conformist middle managers of the 1950s — and the civil rights leaders who quietly dismantled Jim Crow.
Jim was born in 1941, placing them squarely in The Silent Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Jim Was Born
The biggest hits of 1941
#1 Movie
Sergeant York
Best Picture
How Green Was My Valley
Jim's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1941Born
Pearl Harbor attack brings the US into WWII
Gas: $0.19/galHome: $3,060Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Chattanooga Choo Choo" — Glenn MillerBest Picture: How Green Was My Valley
1946Started school
United Nations holds its first General Assembly
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $5,150Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Prisoner of Love" — Perry ComoBest Picture: The Best Years of Our Lives
1954Became a teenager
Brown v. Board of Education desegregates US schools
Gas: $0.29/galHome: $8,925Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Little Things Mean a Lot" — Kitty KallenBest Picture: On the Waterfront
1957Could drive
Sputnik launches the Space Age
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $10,550Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"All Shook Up" — Elvis PresleyBest Picture: The Bridge on the River Kwai
1959Could vote
Fidel Castro takes power in Cuba
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $12,400Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"The Battle of New Orleans" — Johnny HortonBest Picture: Ben-Hur
1962Turned 21
Cuban Missile Crisis brings the world to the brink
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,800Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Stranger on the Shore" — Acker BilkBest Picture: Lawrence of Arabia
1971Turned 30
Voting age lowered to 18 in the US
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $18,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Joy to the World" — Three Dog NightBest Picture: The French Connection
1981Turned 40
MTV launches; first Space Shuttle flight; AIDS identified
Gas: $1.31/galHome: $52,300Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Bette Davis Eyes" — Kim CarnesBest Picture: Chariots of Fire
1991Turned 50
Soviet Union dissolves; World Wide Web goes public
Gas: $1.14/galHome: $82,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" — Bryan AdamsBest Picture: The Silence of the Lambs
2001Turned 60
September 11 attacks transform the world
Gas: $1.46/galHome: $126,400Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Hanging by a Moment" — LifehouseBest Picture: A Beautiful Mind
2011Turned 70
Osama bin Laden killed; Arab Spring sweeps the Middle East
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $138,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Rolling in the Deep" — AdeleBest Picture: The Artist
2018Died at 77
Royal wedding of Harry and Meghan; Parkland shooting
Gas: $2.72/galHome: $211,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"God's Plan" — DrakeBest Picture: Green Book
Key Achievements
- Co-founded the rock band Argent and played on all their albums, including the hit 'Hold Your Head Up.'
- Served as the bassist for the Kinks from 1978 until their dissolution in 1997, a key member of their later lineup.
- Completed his career as a full member of the reunited Zombies, contributing to their late-career renaissance.
- His long tenure with major bands made him one of the most consistently working bassists in British rock.
Did You Know?
He was the cousin of Zombies founder Rod Argent.
Before joining the Kinks, he was briefly a member of 1960s beat group the Swinging Blue Jeans.
He played on the Kinks' album 'Think Visual,' which marked a shift towards a more arena-rock sound.
Rodford's son, Russell Rodford, is also a musician and has toured with the Zombies.
“The bass line is the anchor; it must be felt, not just heard.”
