Child in Time: Jon Lord, 71

The Lord of the Hammond is Dead.

Yes, Jon Lord, Deep Purple's legendary keyboard player, "suffered a fatal pulmonary embolism today, Monday 16th July at the London Clinic, after a long battle with pancreatic cancer."

Jon Lord was one of the driving forces behind the success of British supergroup Deep Purple. He co-wrote many of the band's hits, including the seminal "Smoke on the Water." Although he played with other bands (Whitesnake) and musicians, he will always be remembered for his days with Deep Purple.

To rock and roll fans, he was the 'master of the keys' who in his heyday made his presence felt with his legendary 'duets and duels' with Ritchie Blackmore, Deep Purple's guitar god and legend on many of their hits, wherein their instruments competed for attention and dominance -- riff by riff, keyboard versus guitar, Hammond and Stratocaster that made their music click and unique.

Jon Lord made the keyboard a major part, if not the centerpiece of the relevant Deep Purple songs. Jon Lord can speak with you, play with you and travel with you to parts unknown with the sound coming from his keyboard. Yes, he can tell a story with the tips of his fingers and help you explore the hidden universe with the power of his music. Who can forget the intense and explosive playing that he did in Child in Time or the fast and furious waves on Highway Star or the soaring, hard-driven riffs on Burn?

I have been a life-long Deep Purple fan ever since I bought their Machine Head album in the early 80s, and I now own every single album and record of the band. And just like many rock music fans, I lament the fact that Deep Purple is not in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame but the likes of Madonna and other rap stars are in. It is really a shame that one of the pioneers of hard rock, an influence on many of today's best rock groups (including Hall of Famers Metallica (2009) and Aerosmith (2001)), and considered to be among the best musicians in rock and roll history, is being snubbed by the people in Cleveland, Ohio for whatever strange reasons that they have against the band.

But with or without the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame enshrinement, Deep Purple and Jon Lord's legacy is secure. Their music will live in the hearts and minds of true rock and roll fans. As long as there are people who love quality rock music, rock and roll will never die and Deep Purple and in essence Jon Lord's music will live forever.

It was really unfortunate that I have not seen Jon Lord play live since he retired from touring with the band in 2002. I have been to two Deep Purple concerts since 2008 with Jon Lord's very talented and very capable replacement, Don Airey, but still, his performance of the classic Deep Purple hits was not the same and will never be the same.

Jon Lord's death is not the end but only the beginning of another chapter in his musical journey. His website says it best, "Jon passes from Darkness to Light."

Goodbye and Goodnight, Mr. Jon Lord.


photo credit: Jon Lord The Official Website
Note: This article was previously published on Yahoo! Voices

And we all shine on...

"I believe in everything until it's disproved. So I believe in fairies, the myths, dragons. It all exists, even if it's in your mind. Who's to say that dreams and nightmares aren't as real as the here and now?"

- John Lennon

There's something about Mary

"All my lovers asked me why they couldn't replace Mary, but it's simply impossible. The only friend I've got is Mary and I don't want anybody else. To me, she was my common-law wife. To me, it was a marriage. We believe in each other, that's enough for me."

-Freddie Mercury on the love of his life, Mary Austin.

The Wizard of Mahwah is Dead

Les Paul (1915-2009)

Come Together

Dear Abbey,

“You say it’s your birthday. Well, Happy Birthday to You!”

Yes, the iconic cover of The Beatles’ "final" album Abbey Road wherein the Fab Four were seen crossing the zebra-striped asphalt on Abbey Road turns 40 today.

No album cover in the history of music has been scrutinized like the Abbey Road photo. What with rumors then that Paul McCartney had died in a car accident earlier and that the plate number of the VW Beetle parked on the left side of the road was actually a code that confirms his death.

Abbey Road went on to become one of the most successful albums in the Fab Four’s short but great career as a group. It was not only laden with beautiful songs written by the most prolific songwriters of all time but also a revolutionary one not only in their approach and arrangement but the use of technology that was available at that time that set the bar high for other bands to imitate or follow.

Hundreds of Beatlemaniacs trooped to Abbey Road today to celebrate the iconic photo’s 40th anniversary and if we are to believe the saying that life really begins at 40, we can be sure then that the legendary status of the Beatles as a pop culture icon will continue to grow in years to come…


If you want to see a live video of the famous Abbey Road Crossing in real time, click
HERE


Here's a rockin' treat from my fave Beatle, John-

Michael Jackson: In Memoriam

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I liked Michael Jackson.

I followed his meteoric rise to the top of the world and his free fall thereafter.

I did not buy the sexual molestation allegationss that were hurled against him by people with hidden agenda that was further fueled by the media into a conflagration that consumed his fragile soul.

He was part of my growing up years; I’ve danced to his music, listened to his songs and bought his records.

I understood his eccentricities and frailties as a person.

I was able to separate the genius from the man.

Wild Thing

In March 1967 at Finsbury Astoria in London, Jimi Hendrix lit a fire on his way to rock stardom. He literally and figuratively set his 1965 Fender Stratocaster afire onstage but he got burned in the process for his concert- ending stunt earned him a trip to the hospital for minor burnt injuries in his hands.

A lot had been said about that legendary night and the fate of his “Strat” went unheard of for decades until the nephew of Tony Garland, who was once Mr. Hendrix’s aide found the burnt guitar in his grandparents’ garage in England in 2007.

Today, that iconic guitar sold for $495,000 at an auction by the rock memorabilia firm, Fame Bureau and was bought by Daniel Boucher an American collector who plans to convert the guitar for right- hand playing so that he can play it himself. In case you don’t know it yet, the guitar god was a lefty.

Here’s a video of his US debut as the Jimi Hendrix Experience at the 1967 Monterey Pop Festival where his only other documented "guitar- burning” took place.