RIP Jon Lord

I just got wind of this news. This sucks...R.I.P. Jon

lots of great music....RIP

R.I.P

Bought and played Machine Head(I've always ahd it on cassette) on vinyl. Think I'll have a Purplefest in his honor. I'll play The Gemini Suite album, as well.

I am listening to Perfect Strangers album and this news gutted me

It's so sad that an original member passed away, may you RIP John. Fir. show will be dedicated to Lord!

Wargod

I've spent the day listening to Deep Purple, it's been a melancholy experience to say the least. Sad because we won't be hearing his kind again, but also overjoyed at the incredible legacy he left behind.

Musicians who are classically trained pianists, composers, well-versed in blues & jazz improvisation and also truly groundbreaking on their respective instruments do not exist any more.

The dream band inside my head has a Hammond organ player because of Jon. May he rest in peace.

Sad news indeed. Rest in peace, Jon Lord.

The man who did the impossible task of making keyboards METAL! My favourite keyboard/organ player of all time. Will truely be missed, R.I.P.

From Joe Lynn Turner:

Joe Lynn Turner, of Deep Purple and Rainbow, sent this statement regarding his friend Jon Lord.

"I am deeply saddened about the passing of Jon Lord...I am proud and humbled to have known him both personally and professionally ...and blessed to share a special time with him. He was a true and gifted original...a gentleman of the industry ...and he shall be greatly missed! My sincerest sympathies to his family and relations...and to all of us who have lost one of the great musicians of our time!...R.I.P. Jon...may God hold you in his hands."

May he rest in peace.

Cancer sucks.

He was a master of his craft....

RIP

I only heard about this today, on account of our useless media apparently not regarding Lord or Deep Purple in general as subjects worthy of attention. Even in death, they get shafted.

Anyway, this was a real gut punch. RIP to Mr. Lord. I spent most of the afternoon listening to his music.

Sad news

Think I'll be listening to all my Deep Purple albums

Very cool rehearsal footage of Jon with Martin Mendez & Martin Axenrot of Opeth performing "Gigue" from Jon's 1976 album Sarabande.

One of my favorites from Mr. Lord:

Blackmore makes a rare statement:

“Jon was not only a great musician, he was my favorite dinner companion. We are all deeply saddened. We knew he was sick but the word was that he was recovering and doing much better. This news came as a complete shock. “Without Jon there would be no Deep Purple. He lives on in our hearts and memories.” - Ritchie Blackmore, Deep Purple

“He always had a regal, gentlemanly manner. His humor was right up my alley, with us exchanging ridiculous thoughts like, ‘If Brenda Lee married Tommy Lee, her new name would be Brenda Lee.' Jon was the powerhouse keyboard player that brought rock and classical directly together many times.” -Steve Morse of Deep Purple

“He was the most amazing character, and I suppose the Godfather of Deep Purple. We all looked up to him with tremendous admiration. If there was such a thing as a typical English gentleman in rock music, it was Jon Lord.” - Ian Gillan of Deep Purple

Jon Lord left a powerful mark on music and enriched millions of our lives with his soulful musical statement. We performed with Deep Purple over the years and Jon's authority on the mighty Hammond organ was profound and moving. Plus he was a gentleman and consummate professional. His touch will live forever. –Ted Nugent

"RIP the great Jon Lord, Deep Purple's cornerstone/keyboardist. So many great, great songs and that incredible SOUND of his...Thank you." – Tom Morello

Jon Lord put the 'deep' into Purple; he contributed greatly to their sound. Whatever he did, it was first-class. I feel privileged, honoured and grateful to have been able to work and create with him. He was a great musician and a gentlemen. He gave his Hammond organ and Leslie speaker a special 'growl', my joke nickname for him was 'Growly Hammond'.
Jon has departed, as we all must, but he'll never be forgotten, he was truly one of the greats. Rock on Jon, you're in the 'real world' now! - Bob Daisley.

Witchfinder wrote:

One of my favorites from Mr. Lord:

Yes! Listened to this song last night. Awesome track.

I thought Lars had a very heartfelt response when Ronnie James Dio passed away, and he's stepped up to the plate once again and articulated what it means when another one of our childhood heroes have been taken away all too soon.



http://www.metallica.com/news/20120716-news.asp




A Master Passes

July 16, 2012

Ever since my father took me to see them in 1973 in Copenhagen, at the impressionable age of 9, Deep Purple has been the most constant, continuous and inspiring musical presence in my life. They have meant more to me than any other band in existence, and have had an enormous part in shaping who I am. So obviously I'm beyond bummed, saddened and devastated by today's news of the untimely passing of keyboardist Jon Lord.

We can all be guilty of lightly throwing adjectives like "unique," "one-of-a-kind" and "pioneering" around when we want to describe our heroes and the people who've moved us, but there are no more fitting words than those right now and there simply was no musician like Jon Lord in the history of hard rock. Nobody. Period.

There was nobody that played like him. There was nobody that sounded like him. There was nobody that wrote like him. There was nobody that looked like him. There was nobody more articulate, gentlemanly, warm, or smurfing cooler that ever played keyboards or got anywhere near a keyboard. What he did was all his own. Including obviously his unique sound. Whatever it was he did with that Hammond organ, the way the Leslie distorted what he was playing and pushed it to some unheard of place, the way he attacked it while he was throwing it around, and whatever the Smurf else it was that was going down between Jon and "The Beast", as he called his organ, it was unlike anything before, during or after. That simple.

Deep Purple of course was also an entity all their own, always unpredictable, often impulsive, never repetitive and most of the time, other worldly. I had the good fortune of seeing them three times in Copenhagen between ’73 and ’75, numerous times again on the reunion runs in ’85 and ’87. We even played a couple of gigs in Germany with them in the summer of ’87 and needless to say, every time was an experience that had a major impact on me. Seeing Jon on stage right playing the riffs, the colorings, the textures, the next level solos, intros, outros, blues bits, classical pieces and whatever else came into his head each night AND on top of that keeping up with Ritchie Blackmore song after song, night after night, was the sign of the master of his craft . . . the most accomplished, original and unique hard rock keyboardist that ever walked this planet.

In 1992 when we played Munich on the Black Album tour, Jon Lord and lead singer, Ian Gillan came down to the show and stood in the snake pit the whole time. I was in heaven. Performing in front of members of the band that had meant more to me than anything in my life was a dream come true. And when I got a signed note after the show that they had had to leave and get back to their milk and cookies and be ready for the recording sessions the next day, I was simply beyond psyched. My hero(es) in the fuckin snake pit.!!!!! "Look Mom, on top of the fuckin world!!"

....Full circle for the impressionable 9 year old from KB Hallen in Copenhagen in February '73.

Rest in peace Jon and THANK YOU for everything,

Lars

That was a very nice letter from Lars.

I've enjoyed reading so many heartfelt responses to his passing, from musicians from many different styles.

I have written a Jon Lord Tribute on my blog. I'd appreciate it if you all would give it a read.

Not one to miss an opportunity, Classic Rock is offering a special Deep Purple fan-pack featung Jon Lord's last interview and a disc of Machine Head covers by other artists...

http://www.classicrockmagazine.com/news/classic-rock-to-launch-deep-purple-fanpack/

The track listing for Re-Machined:

1. Smoke On The Water – Carlos Santana / Jacoby Shaddix
2. Highway Star – Chickenfoot
3. Maybe I’m A Leo – Glenn Hughes / Chad Smith
4. Pictures of Home – Black Label Society
5. Never Before – Kings of Chaos
6. Smoke On The Water – The Flaming Lips (who did they blow to get included here?)
7. Lazy – Jimmy Barnes with Joe Bonamassa
8. Space Truckin’ – Iron Maiden
9. When A Blind Man Cries – Metallica

Plus, exclusive to this special edition:
10. Highway Star – Steve Vai, Glen Hughes, Chad Smith, Lauchlan Doley