The first time I heard Jon Lord was when I listened to songs from Deep Purple's "Made in Europe", such as Burn or You Fool No One. The second time was when I heard "Deepest Purple" album. Since then, DP became an integral part of my life.
This is not a post to talk about the history of Deep Purple as one of the three main pillars holding Rock & Metal music structure (the other two are Black Sabbath and Led Zeppelin, of course).
This post is about what Jon Lord means to me since I was a kid to this day.
The first time I saw Jon Lord on video was many and many years ago. I used to live in Iraq, and back then there were small numbers of communities from different neighborhoods in Baghdad who shared passion for rock and metal. The knew which record shop to meet and welcome new comers, and they knew which record shop is the most resourceful with latest news and stories about their favorite bands.
I was one of those guys.
Back to that video tape. I borrowed it from a friend whom I would love to talk about one day on this blog (and whom I wish he is still doing well).
By the way, that friend I am talking about is considered as one of the few ultimate sources of rock and metal music in whole Iraq during these days.
The video tape was of Deep Purple playing California Jam concert from 1974.
Seeing Jon Lord playing Hammond organ - an instrument I am used to see and hear only in churches, it made me speechless. This was the first time I see such an instrument being recruited that way in music: melting Hammond organ sound in a heavy rock band music.
I thought this was his only trademark. I was wrong, because the creativity Jon Lord had in music exceeded that of being a professional rock star, because years later I learned that he already did something more advanced than any other musician in modern music history could made: he is the one who made the perfect marriage between classical music and rock come true. This was in the form of the Concerto for Group and Orchestra that came out in 1969.
Being a fan of Jon Lord became an integral part of me. Growing up listening to his work with Deep Purple and Whitesnake, as well as his solo work or with other musicians. It was not only about music, but it filled me in joy reading news about him back then or chatting with dear old friends about his stage performance, for example.
In the mid 1980's, a friend of mine showed me a magazine that was exclusive to Deep Purple family tree news. In Iraq, pop and rock magazines did not exist, and no import of such media source was possible, but that friend got it from a relative from abroad. Two things in particular I will never forget about that particular magazine: the first was seeing for the first time a picture of Glenn Hughes with Black Sabbath (from Seventh Star photo sessions), and reading how David Coverdale describing Jon Lord as being THE STAR and the gentleman out of all musicians he worked with while he was in Deep Purple and Whitesnake.
Jon Lord was one of my role models in life. If I was meant to work as a musician, part of me definitely would have a Jon Lord in it.
When I was in the first year in university I drew a portrait of Jon Lord based on picture from the Perfect Strangers album. I remember doing that during lectures - It didn't mean that I had no interest in those lectures, but making a portrait of Jon Lord was a priority too.
Speaking of Whitesnake, I got a video tape of one of their live concerts. Jon Lord's solo by combining classical, Hammond organ and synth's was mind blowing. Can anyone dispute that the remake of "Crying in the Rain" in 1987 album missed the Jon Lord touch in it compare it to that on "Saint & Sinners"?
The first time I saw Jon Lord live was in 2000 in Ahoy, Rotterdam, during Deep Purple's 30'th anniversary tour of the Concerto for Group and Orchestra. I won't forget his introduction to the concert warning that the concert will start slow and by the end will make us deaf. It was a sensational, one of the most special moments in my whole entire life.
One of the reasons I keep replaying John Peel's rock family tree on Deep Purple was the way Lord telling the story of this pioneer rock band. On a side note, I still can't believe it, but after all these years, I still enjoy every minute watching that documentary - eyes locked on screen. Don't know if I have to thank the great John Peel for the way this show was made, or is it because of my love of Deep Purple.
To everyone's knowledge, Jon Lord stardom was not only tied to Deep Purple material. Can anyone argue or say anything about Sarabande or Pictured Within, for example?
Even after departing ways with his mates in Deep Purple and focusing on classical music was stunning. The last album I bought was Boom of the Tingling Strings, a sensational album.
I was so thrilled when I read not long ago about Jon Lord was busy in the past months on completing a final studio version of the Concerto, with guest musicians such as Iron Maiden's Bruce Dickinson, guitar Virtuosos Joe Bonamassa and Steve Morse.
No one doubted for a minute about health issues. The news of Jon Lord having cancer was shocking prior to that, but many, including media I read confirmed that Jon was getting better... and the news of recording the concerto in Abbey Road was a sort of confirmation, a relief, in fact. My feeling of comfort and relief for that legendary musician strengthen when I read about tour dates advertised in Germany, until the moment when a friend of mine sent me an email late on that night to tell me that Jon Lord passed away.
That was it for me. I was for days in a state of disbelief.
I felt that music scene has lost something extremely vital to its essence, and this man's work for more than 40 years is a living proof. Jon Lord was unique. He was and will always be a titan among giants in music history. No doubt about that.
Rest in peace, Mr. Lord. You will remain in our heart and souls with what you gave humanity. Your music will remain for eternity.
