Jon Lord: 1940-2012

[Serial_Apologist]

Not sure really. Those fellas emerged like some kind of triffid in the garden. Their sound and appearance for a while was the new organic. The eight year old Lat took on board the hits - Black Night, Fireball, Strange Kind of Woman - along with all the other music of the day, if a little less easily. Yes, it was how the future was to be. We would all be required to be a part of it. But somehow the idea of becoming a friendly local bank manager with hair down to my shoulders, a beard, moustache and loon pants was a bit too difficult to contemplate, not to mention all that progressive ape man grunting on the tannoy in reception.

Such was the expectation about future requirements to assimilate, the return of short hair seemed a real surprise and initially retrograde. I had though absorbed sufficient music and speech at that point not to be taken in by others' fifteen year old assurances. Assurances like "this guy is really deep lyrically because he is obsessed with the issues of sight and blindness". Nevertheless as various records were brought to the home, though essentially those afternoons were "Smoke On The Water" on repeat, I got where they were coming from probably. It just wasn't really my cup of tea. There was nothing of it in my rack.

I remember when I drew the line completely. It was the era of Whitesnake, Rainbow and Kiss, the latter particularly ludicrous. Others had become seriously like their Dads and were no doubt heading towards trading in derivatives. To counter-balance that abysmal if lucrative future, they needed amusements to give them a laugh. Perhaps it was my class background. I seriously needed music to represent me and that stuff really didn't. I can now see some merit in it. It is that it is familiar and harmless. Which is more than can be said from a 2012 perspective for many I knew at the time who were purchasing it.

Well there was two stages to the male hairdo shortening process, from what I remember. One was around 1978, when, thank god, huge ties, shirts with hideous diagonal patterns and huge collars, flares and tight jackets with ridiculously wide lapels were replaced by their complete opposites, and before the return of short back 'n' sides that signalled that men were going to be men again there was a sort of cut-off mullet which looked OK cos at least you didn't look like a footballer pretending to be a hippy, and I now see from repeats was oft mentioned in early editions of "Minder". I panick-bought at that point, realising the look return to 1964, improved, was too good to last, and sartorially, one still hasn't caught up with shell suits let alone trainers, , puffa jackets, hoodies and branded T-shirts (apart from the one "I Love Peckham"). The long hair, 'tache and beard came off after a particularly bitter break-up. The mere idea of short back 'n' sides "alternative" was just too redolent of boarding school and square-bashing, so, lacking in barberous skills, from then on it was to be a self-inflicted No 1 with help of electric clippers, 2 mirrors, and the instant rejoinder that no, it was the nearest Buddhist order not the National Front that one had joined.

In a trice the Bristol jazz men were all at it, some going the whole way to bald statement; indeed Andy Sheppard revealed a handsome physiognomy previously hidden, and became famous for a while. So I like to think my ideological move in hirsuiteness depletion was influential,

[Lateralthinking1]

I am surprised that Stuart Copeland is only 60. Incidentally, I didn't mean to be disrespectful to Jon Lord. People got a lot of pleasure from his music. That is all that matters to me. It sure beats most of the alternative professions in that sense.

I think I have been through most of the aforementioned. Not mullet. That equals Hoddle, Waddle and Buckles. Big hair, yes, but only during trauma. I probably particularly enjoyed being a football casual and a member of the Stone Roses. Neither is good.

My mother is a very dark haired 82 year old. No one believes it is natural but it is so. Taking account of the men in her family as they were when alive, I expect to move forward in similar vein. I'm leaving this thread now and that's six lines far too late.

(Who started this nonsense?)

[BBMmk2]

I was most shocked t0o hear the deathy o0f one of most favourite'rock' keyboard legends! Such a sad loss. Just think that one of the most popular guitar riffs was thought of by a keyboard player!!

RIP Jon Lord

[Sparafucile]

Hi,
Some of you may find this interesting and, as I did, rather moving (if the link works off my Blackberry). It's from the University of Leicester degree ceremony from last year. Jon was diagnosed only a month later, andsadly left us to go Space Truckin' around the stars only one year later:
rtsp://v8.cache1.c.youtube.com/CjYLENy73wIaLQn4bITdpRIsOxMYJCAkFEIJbXYtZ29vZ2xlSA RSBXdhdGNoYJP3sfijy5-GUAw=/0/0/0/video.3gp

[Serial_Apologist]

Hi,
Some of you may find this interesting and, as I did, rather moving (if the link works off my Blackberry). It's from the University of Leicester degree ceremony from last year. Jon was diagnosed only a month later, andsadly left us to go Space Truckin' around the stars only one year later:
rtsp://v8.cache1.c.youtube.com/CjYLENy73wIaLQn4bITdpRIsOxMYJCAkFEIJbXYtZ29vZ2xlSA RSBXdhdGNoYJP3sfijy5-GUAw=/0/0/0/video.3gp

http://v8.cache1.c.youtube.com/CjYLENy73wIaLQn4bITdpRIsOxMYJCAkFEIJbXYtZ29vZ2xlSARSBXdhdGNoYJP3sfijy5-GUAw=/0/0/0/video.3gp

Could this be the one you had in your pocket, Sparafucile? Or were you just happy to see us?

(Just wanted to get out of the sun for a while, btw)

Edite: Hmmm - wouldn't link anyway.....

[Sparafucile]

Try again:

http://m.youtube.com/#/watch?noredirect=1&v=OywSpd2EbPg&gl=US

[IRF]

I seem to remember from the Malcolm Arnold documentary shown on TV several years ago, that Arnold made some reference to the size of Jon Lord's... organ.

If true, it further corroborates evidence that size does not automatically ensure.... longevity.

Slight correction: Arnold was commenting on the size of Ian Gillan's... organ. (Jon Lord was relating the anecdote for the documentary.)




Three pages of comments on my favourite musician and I pick this one to reply to

[Serial_Apologist]

Slight correction: Arnold was commenting on the size of Ian Gillan's... organ. (Jon Lord was relating the anecdote for the documentary.)

Three pages of comments on my favourite musician and I pick this one to reply to

I am honoured, IRF!

Thanks for correcting me!