Jim Rodford dead: Kinks and Zombies bassist dies aged 76 after fall on stairs

Jim Rodford, who has died aged 76
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Patrick Grafton-Green20 January 2018
The Weekender

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The Kinks bassist Jim Rodford has died at the age of 76.

The musician, who also played with The Zombies and Argent in a career that spanned six decades, died on Saturday after a fall on the stairs.

He had just returned home to England after completing a short tour in Florida with The Zombies.

His cousin and bandmate Rod Argent confirmed the news, paying tribute to his "dear cousin and lifelong friend".

He wrote on the band's Facebook page: "It is with deep sadness that I learned this morning that my dear cousin and lifelong friend, Jim Rodford, died this morning after a fall on the stairs.

"More details are not yet known about the exact cause of death.

"Jim was not only a magnificent bass player, but also from the first inextricably bound to the story of The Zombies."

The Kinks' Dave Davies wrote on Twitter that he was "devastated by Jim's sudden loss".

He added: "I'm too broken up to put words together, it's such a shock, I always thought Jim would live forever in true rock and roll fashion - strange - great friend, great musician, great man - he was an integral part of the Kinks later years."

Rodford played with The Kinks for 18 years between 1978 until they disbanded in 1996.

The band added on Twitter: "It is with deep sadness that we have learned that Jim Rodford passed away - he toured and recorded with the Kinks for many years and will be greatly missed. He was much loved by all of us."

Rodford was a founding member of Argent in the late 1960s, and later joined the reunited group in 1999.

Argent said he was dedicated to music "to the end" and added he "was unfailingly committed to local music".

"Often, Colin and I would compare notes a couple of days immediately after a US tour and discuss how long it would take us to recover from an intense, fantastic but exhausting couple of months - only to find out and marvel that Jim had already been out playing with local bands," he wrote.

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