R.I.P Jon Lord, keyboardist for Deep Purple

[Jot the Dot Dot]

http://www.cnn.com/2012/07/16/showbi...html?hpt=hp_t2 He really created an interesting hybrid with his inclusion of keyboards into heavy metal. For proof, listen to 'Highway Star', http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jh0iihjANPc, and hear the organ solo at about 2:00.

[Wyliefan]

Not to derail the thread, but that's the second musician to die this week! Country pioneer Kitty Wells died the day before yesterday, aged 92.

[skateboy]

RIP to a talented musician.

[heckles]

Too bad the grim reaper went knocking at his back door.

[pumba]

R.I.P. Probably the most influential hard rock keyboardist. The great professional, and, judging by interviews, a very humble person. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PfAWReBmxEs

[overedge]

I remember seeing one of those "Classic Albums" shows about Deep Purple's Machine Head. When Jon Lord was interviewed, he seemed really annoyed at the whole thing. I got the sense that he was a really talented and versatile musician who was frustrated at being best known for playing on stoopid songs like "Smoke on the Water".

[KHenry14]

It's kind of a shame that today's bands don't use the Hammond B-3 organ anymore. It's a great piece for a rocking band to feature....and nobody was better at it than Jon Lord.

[snoopysnake]

Oh, those opening chords to "Hush" are the best!

[skatesindreams]

So many icons of music are leaving us.
RIP

[heckles]

I got the sense that he was a really talented and versatile musician who was frustrated at being best known for playing on stoopid songs like "Smoke on the Water".

Aww, don't be a hook-hater. Lord chose Ritchie Blackmore for the band, fully aware that he was the King of Hook. Smoke on the Water had the hookiest hook of all. Four decades of chh-ching for Lord and Co.

[overedge]

Aww, don't be a hook-hater. Lord chose Ritchie Blackmore for the band, fully aware that he was the King of Hook. Smoke on the Water had the hookiest hook of all. Four decades of chh-ching for Lord and Co.

I love "Smoke on the Water". A song can be stoopid and still be a great song. But I think Lord felt he wanted to be known for being able to play more than three chords.

[KHenry14]

"Smoke on the Water" was THE song every garage band had to know how to play when I was in High School. That and "Sweet Home Alabama" LOL

[heckles]

I think Lord felt he wanted to be known for being able to play more than three chords.

Eh, Lord sold out as much as he could. He didn't join Whitesnake with David Coverdale years later thinking that he was going to be creating intricate orchestral works for them. One doesn't play keyboard for a song titled Slide It In and predict it will compete for a spot in history with Copeland's Piano Concerto.

[overedge]

Eh, Lord sold out as much as he could. He didn't join Whitesnake with David Coverdale years later thinking that he was going to be creating intricate orchestral works for them. One doesn't play keyboard for a song titled Slide It In and predict it will compete for a spot in history with Copeland's Piano Concerto.

I do believe he participated in Whitesnake while they were a more bluesy band, on their first album, and left before they had their bigger commercial successes and models prancing around in their videos.

[heckles]

Lord was in Whitesnake from 1978-1984, just in time to contribute to inspirational ballads including Ready an' Willing and its twin, Come an' Get It. He returned to Deep Purple in 1984.

[PrincessLeppard]

His solo on Whitesnake's Sweet Talker is pretty damn awesome.

[heckles]

I think some of his best work in rock was on Deep Purple's Perfect Strangers album. As compatible as he was with Blackmore I wonder what he would have been like with other guitarists of that general era. Say, with Jimmy Page on guitar...Dio on vocals, Keith Moon on percussion, and John Paul Jones on bass.

[Reuven]

It's kind of a shame that today's bands don't use the Hammond B-3 organ anymore. It's a great piece for a rocking band to feature....and nobody was better at it than Jon Lord.

Nothing like a B3 pushed through Leslie speakers! R.I.P. Jon Lord.