Some exciting news folks that will interest and thrill you no doubt……….!

To mark the occasion of the first gathering of The Zombies in 1961 a special historical Blue Plaque is due to be unveiled at The Blacksmith’s Arms pub in St. Albans.

Zombies and CB fan Tony Dawson-Hill has gone to a massive amount trouble to research and organise getting the Blue Plaque put up and has been liaising with the band and also the relevant building owners, checking local authority regulations etc. etc. – all from scratch without any prior knowledge about how to go about these things!

It has been a tremendous effort by Tony who deserves a massive pat on the back! He tells me that the leaseholders of the pub, Stonegate Pub Co. along with Ernst & Young have been extremely helpful and supportive of this wonderful venture.

The Blue Plaque confirms The Zombies status and important place in Rock and Pop history, and what a great place to mark the occasion – the pub where they first got together!

Friday 27th April at 2pm is set for the unveiling of the Blue Plaque, at:

The Blacksmith’s Arms
56 St. Peters Street, St Albans, Hertfordshire. AL1 3HG.

Colin and Rod have confirmed attendance. Hopefully Hugh and Chris will be also.

No doubt fans will be able to chat to Colin and Rod and take lots of photos of this proud occasion!

The Zombies are very proud to be the recipients of a prestigious Blue Plaque, which will acknowledge, for posterity, the location of the band’s formation and an unveiling ceremony will be carried out on 27th April at The Blacksmith’s Arms, St. Albans, which is where the original members met. This honour has come about due to the hard work of Zombies fan Tony Dawson-Hill who said, “I am a huge fan of The Zombies and have been ever since I first saw them live in ’63 / ’64 at the Ballito Stocking Factory in St Albans. The idea for the Blue Plaque came about because Rod Argent always tells the story of how all five original members of the band first met outside the Blacksmith’s Arms pub in St Albans. My wife Gill suggested it would be a good idea to commemorate this momentous occasion with a blue plaque!!”

Rod is thrilled at the news, as the band prepare for their UK tour, “Im really looking forward to touring with The Zombies again this year. It’s such a buzz being on stage these days – the band is better than it’s ever been! And I’m tickled pink about getting the blue plaque. It’s such a nice acknowledgement and reminder of where it all started for us 50 long years ago.”

Colin Blunstone shared Rod’s excitement: “I still feel as excited and energised by the thought of touring with The Zombies as I did when we first began all that time ago, but this year we have the added pleasure of being honoured by a blue plaque commemorating the first time we ever met in 1961 outside The Blacksmith’s Arms in St.Albans.”

The Zombies UK tour starts at The Garage in Swansea on May 7th. For full list of dates visit www.thezombies.net/future