Click here to read a short interview with Rod regarding the release of 'Classically Speaking'.

'Classically Speaking' is now available for purchase. The first 1000 will be limited edition digi packs numbered and autographed by Rod.

The end of 1997 saw Rod complete a project which was close to his heart - the recording of a solo piano classical album entitled Rod Argent - Classically Speaking. There have been many attempts at crossover albums between pop/rock and classical music, but this is the very first time that a rock keyboard player has recorded a CD of purist classical pieces, unmodified or 'arranged' to try to satisfy both genres at the same time.

Although he was largely self taught, Rod’s love of classical music - and jazz for that matter! - goes right back to his childhood, and even when the Zombies were chalking up their first worldwide success with 'She’s not There', he saw no reason why he shouldn’t listen to the Beatle’s 'Revolver', Miles Davis’ 'Kind of Blue' and the Bartok string quartets with equal passion. In spite of this, it wasn’t until the last couple of years that Rod, with the encouragement of his great friend Robert Howes, a noted percussionist with several famous orchestras, including those led by Roger Norrington and Christopher Hogwood, began to seriously develop his playing of classical repertoire. Once he really got under way, he quickly became hooked, and the ideas that culminated in this album began to germinate.

Once he’d decided to make the record, its shape was influenced by several factors. Firstly, Rod wanted to make it an album of personal choice. He is convinced that there are many, many people out there who have travelled the road of popular music from Elvis and the Beatles through to the present day whose tastes have broadened to include a liking for classical music. However, in many cases they are not quite sure where to begin looking among the vast amount of music available, and anyway are still a bit put off by the elitist image and snobbery that sometimes attach themselves to this area. Rod believes that, having travelled the same road, he is in a good position to put forward a personal selection of great piano pieces to speak to this audience that in a sense has grown up with him, sharing many of the same enthusiasms and experiences.

 Secondly, he felt it was important to be able to have a varied selection of music, with composers of different periods and styles sitting next to each other - the unifying factor being his love and enthusiasm for each of the particular pieces. What he wanted to end up with was an album whose shape really satisfied and appealed to him.

Lastly, Rod wanted to include his own writing in the project, and to that end has found space for three new compositions.

All in all he feels that the recording has represented an exciting time: an opening of new paths for him, which he is now keen to develop towards live performance as well as further recording.

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