I see with great sadness that Moody Blues bassist John Lodge died a couple of days ago, and although I know that the passing of boyhood heroes is pretty much a daily occurrence now that I’ve reached my own senior years, this one still hurt.
Lodge was one of those musicians whom few people noticed — attention focused mostly on lead singer Justin Haywood and occasionally on multi-instrumentalist Ray Thomas — but if you ask any bassist what he thought of Lodge’s contribution to the Moody Blues, all you’ll get is praise. His playing was rock solid, either complex or simple as the song required, and he never tried to overpower the music with his undoubted virtuosity. Oh, and he was an excellent singer as well, either as the lead or in his tuneful harmonies.
Just listen to how the bass drives this classic Moodies song (written mostly by Lodge himself). And note that Lodge is not just playing the bass, but singing at the same time. You know: back when the musicians played their own music and didn’t have to rely on Autotune.
I think I’ll go and listen to a Moody Blues album or two. My favorites: On the Threshold of a Dream and In Search of the Lost Chord.
And I think I’ll make a series of this thread. Yeah, it’ll be somewhat tilted towards bassists and drummers, because I was once a bassist, part of the band’s rhythm unit. Sue me.
Sad. RIP.
You got me in a Moody Blues mood now too.
The Moody’s were a staple in my late teen years, and still. They have a special place.
My favorite:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=77rinB5pYqA
and:
https://tinyurl.com/4h5b6fmr
Goodbye, John Lodge. Thanks for the music!
If I may be so bold as to make a suggestion:
Follow the career of John McVie from his early days knocking around, to his first big opportunity with John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers (an incubator of rock stars if there ever was one), and then pairing up with Mick Fleetwood to become the “Mac” of Fleetwood Mac. His bass lines combined with Fleetwood’s drumming makes one of the best rhythm sections in the world.
Some others? (I know you didn’t ask, but here are just a few):
The Who – John Entwistle
Cream – Jack Bruce
Led Zeppelin – John Paul Jones
So many bass players had to share the stages with stellar players like Townshend, Clapton, and Page, and play at least as well or even better than those lead guitarists who usually got all the credit. I have the musical talent of a toad and couldn’t carry a tune in a bucket…but I love separating out and listening to a great bass line.
The Moody Blues famously did not allow individual standouts among the members of the band. As they put it, they were a communist band run by a capitalist board of directors. So I never knew; for 35 years while I was employed at Otto, an anonymous member or members of the band encouraged them to come to me for work because (as their then-road manager told me) they liked the science-fictionish nature of my art. As the latter days of the band continue on, I am coming to understand that that member of the band was John. I can add to that this tale. Back in 2006, I was commissioned by the band to do an illustration to be a DVD cover. It was never used. Universal, who owned the rights to the performance in question, refused to allow its released.
A poster using the art is shown here: https://pin.it/5FfIDlKhp
Five or so years later, the Moodies played Cincinnati. I went to the show and afterward, signed a copy of that poster and collected their autographs on another for myself. Of the three originals there — Lodge, Hayward, and Gray Edge — only Lodge took the time to talk with me about the poster itself and the art. Which led me to believe that *he* had been the one whose impetus drew the band to me.