by Bruce EderThe bassist for the Moody Blues since 1966, John Lodge has been responsible for some of the band's best hard rocking numbers, most notably the single "I'm Just A Singer In A Rock 'n Roll Band," which marked a split with the group's previous image as a psychedelic outfit; "Ride My See-Saw," which was a favorite concert finish for more than 30 years; and their comeback single, "Steppin' In a Slide Zone." John Lodge was originally a member of El Riot & the Rebels, a Birmingham band whose members also included Ray Thomas and Mike Pinder, who went on to become founding members of the Moody Blues. After all initially starting in skiffle, their sound evolved into straight rockabilly, Elvis Presley, Eddie Cochran, Carl Perkins, and Gene Vincent. El Riot & the Rebels only lasted into 1961, and Pinder--after a stint in the army--later worked together again with Thomas in a group called the Krew Kats. The Moody Blues got together in 1964, with Clint Warwick on bass. This early incarnation of the group generated one huge hit single ("Go Now") and one modest success ("From The Bottom Of My Heart") over the next two years, before their luck ran out and their original lead singer/guitarist Denny Laine and bassist Warwick departed. Lodge, a longtime friend of Thomas and Pinder, was the logical replacement for Warwick. Lodge's contribution to the group's first album with the new line-up, Days of Future Passed (1967), was limited to one song, "Peak Hour," which was the loudest number on the album (and even louder on stage). His bass playing was melodic and powerful, influenced somewhat by the style that Paul McCartney had brought to the Beatles' records of the period. Their next album later that same year, In Search of the Lost Chord, however, featured the first in a string of John Lodge-authored hard-rock numbers, "Ride My See-Saw," which became a key part of the group's concerts as well as a fixture on FM radio progressive stations. He was featured as a vocalist, either lead or backing, on virtually every song, and revealed himself as a powerful singer as well. Lodge's songwriting stood in the shadow of the romantic ballads of lead singer/guitarist Justin Hayward and the mystical suites authored by keyboard player and vocalist Mike Pinder. Lodge did supply the band with some of its best rock 'n roll songs, and he could also compete with Hayward as a balladeer, as he showed on "Emily's Song" from the 1971 album Every Good Boy Deserves Favour. It was in 1972, however, that Lodge's presence within the group blossomed, with two consecutive A-side singles, "Isn't Life Strange," which managed to be both romantic and mystical, and "I'm Just A Singer (In A Rock 'n Roll Band)," the latter the song that transformed the group's image from mystics into rock 'n rollers. The group's 1972 album Seventh Sojourn was followed by a world tour and then a five year hiatus for the band. Lodge had already co-written songs with Justin Hayward for several years, and their styles--Hayward's mystical romantic songs and Lodge's hook-laden hard rock songs--as well as their voices complimented each other well. Their duo album Blue Jays (1975) was the first product of the hiatus, almost a lost Moody Blues album in content and structure, and it charted well in England and America, as well as fostering a brief UK tour by the two. Lodge's "Saved By The Music," a hard-rocking piece with great hooks and a beautiful, catchy chorus, was considered by many to be a highlight of the record. In 1977, Lodge issued a solo album, Natural Avenue, featuring Chris Spedding on guitar and Mel Collins on sax. The album was moderately well received by the critics, and had a solid rock base, but lacked the melodic invention to sustain interest beyond the ranks of the most hardcore fans. In 1979, the Moody Blues reunited, and Lodge's "Steppin' In A Slide Zone" kicked off both the new album and the band's concert set. Additionally, Mike Pinder's departure from the line-up after the completion of the album left Lodge, along with Hayward, as the dominant songwriter within the line-up. In the two decades since, Lodge's music, including "Gemini Dream" (co-authored with Hayward), has been a major part of the group's sound, and Lodge's bass playing is the most solid part of the group's rhythm section, especially on stage, where they continue to give a very exciting show.
by Bruce EderThe bassist for the Moody Blues since 1966, John Lodge has been responsible for some of the band's best hard rocking numbers, most notably the single "I'm Just A Singer In A Rock 'n Roll Band," which marked a split with the group's previous image as a psychedelic outfit; "Ride My See-Saw," which was a favorite concert finish for more than 30 years; and their comeback single, "Steppin' In a Slide Zone." John Lodge was originally a member of El Riot & the Rebels, a Birmingham band whose members also included Ray Thomas and Mike Pinder, who went on to become founding members of the Moody Blues. After all initially starting in skiffle, their sound evolved into straight rockabilly, Elvis Presley, Eddie Cochran, Carl Perkins, and Gene Vincent. El Riot & the Rebels only lasted into 1961, and Pinder--after a stint in the army--later worked together again with Thomas in a group called the Krew Kats. The Moody Blues got together in 1964, with Clint Warwick on bass. This early incarnation of the group generated one huge hit single ("Go Now") and one modest success ("From The Bottom Of My Heart") over the next two years, before their luck ran out and their original lead singer/guitarist Denny Laine and bassist Warwick departed. Lodge, a longtime friend of Thomas and Pinder, was the logical replacement for Warwick. Lodge's contribution to the group's first album with the new line-up, Days of Future Passed (1967), was limited to one song, "Peak Hour," which was the loudest number on the album (and even louder on stage). His bass playing was melodic and powerful, influenced somewhat by the style that Paul McCartney had brought to the Beatles' records of the period. Their next album later that same year, In Search of the Lost Chord, however, featured the first in a string of John Lodge-authored hard-rock numbers, "Ride My See-Saw," which became a key part of the group's concerts as well as a fixture on FM radio progressive stations. He was featured as a vocalist, either lead or backing, on virtually every song, and revealed himself as a powerful singer as well. Lodge's songwriting stood in the shadow of the romantic ballads of lead singer/guitarist Justin Hayward and the mystical suites authored by keyboard player and vocalist Mike Pinder. Lodge did supply the band with some of its best rock 'n roll songs, and he could also compete with Hayward as a balladeer, as he showed on "Emily's Song" from the 1971 album Every Good Boy Deserves Favour. It was in 1972, however, that Lodge's presence within the group blossomed, with two consecutive A-side singles, "Isn't Life Strange," which managed to be both romantic and mystical, and "I'm Just A Singer (In A Rock 'n Roll Band)," the latter the song that transformed the group's image from mystics into rock 'n rollers. The group's 1972 album Seventh Sojourn was followed by a world tour and then a five year hiatus for the band. Lodge had already co-written songs with Justin Hayward for several years, and their styles--Hayward's mystical romantic songs and Lodge's hook-laden hard rock songs--as well as their voices complimented each other well. Their duo album Blue Jays (1975) was the first product of the hiatus, almost a lost Moody Blues album in content and structure, and it charted well in England and America, as well as fostering a brief UK tour by the two. Lodge's "Saved By The Music," a hard-rocking piece with great hooks and a beautiful, catchy chorus, was considered by many to be a highlight of the record. In 1977, Lodge issued a solo album, Natural Avenue, featuring Chris Spedding on guitar and Mel Collins on sax. The album was moderately well received by the critics, and had a solid rock base, but lacked the melodic invention to sustain interest beyond the ranks of the most hardcore fans. In 1979, the Moody Blues reunited, and Lodge's "Steppin' In A Slide Zone" kicked off both the new album and the band's concert set. Additionally, Mike Pinder's departure from the line-up after the completion of the album left Lodge, along with Hayward, as the dominant songwriter within the line-up. In the two decades since, Lodge's music, including "Gemini Dream" (co-authored with Hayward), has been a major part of the group's sound, and Lodge's bass playing is the most solid part of the group's rhythm section, especially on stage, where they continue to give a very exciting show.
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