John Lodge – who performed bass and guitar and sang in lauded Midlands rock band the Moody Blues for greater than 50 years – has died on the age of 82.
In a press launch issued earlier immediately (October 10), the musician’s household say that he “peacefully slipped away surrounded by his loved-ones and the sounds of The Everly Brothers and Buddy Holly”. His reason behind dying has not been disclosed.
“It’s with the deepest disappointment that we’ve got to announce that John Lodge, our darling husband, father, grandfather, father-in-law and brother has been all of the sudden and unexpectedly taken from us,” the assertion reads.
“As anybody who knew this huge hearted man is aware of, it was his enduring love of his spouse, Kirsten, and his household, that was crucial factor to him, adopted by his ardour for music, and his religion.
“He was by no means happier than being onstage – he was ‘only a singer in a rock’n’roll band’ and he adored performing along with his band and son-in-law, Jon [Davison] (vocalist with Sure), and with the ability to proceed sharing this music along with his followers. It gave him much more pleasure to have the ability to work along with his daughter Emily and son Kristian and spend time watching his grandson John-Henry play soccer and dream of him enjoying for Birmingham Metropolis sooner or later!
“John peacefully slipped away surrounded by his loved-ones and the sounds of The Everly Brothers and Buddy Holly. We are going to endlessly miss his love, smile, kindness, and his absolute and endless assist. We’re heartbroken, however will stroll forwards into peace surrounded by the love he had for every of us. As John would at all times say on the finish of the present, thanks for preserving the religion.”
The household request privateness at the moment and urge followers to take heed to Lodge’s 2025 solo track Whispering Angels in remembrance.
Lodge was born on July 20, 1943 in Erdington, Birmingham. After falling in love with the rock’n’roll of Jerry Lee Lewis and Buddy Holly, he joined the Moody Blues in 1966, changing outgoing bassist Clint Warwick. He remained with the group till they ceased exercise in 2018.
With Lodge on bass in addition to vocals and guitar, the Moody Blues loved notable vital and business success. The band’s 1969 album On The Threshold Of A Dream topped the UK album charts: a feat repeated by 1970’s A Query Of Stability and 1971’s Each Good Boy Deserves Favour. Their 1970 track Query, which featured Lodge on bass and backing vocals, reached quantity two on the UK singles chart and remained on the chart for 12 weeks.
In 1975, Lodge co-created the album Blue Jays: a collaborative mission between himself and Moody Blues bandmate Justin Hayward, which reached quantity 4 on the UK charts. He launched his debut solo album, Pure Avenue, in 1977 and didn’t put out his second, 10,000 Gentle Years In the past, till 38 years later in 2015.
After the Moody Blues stopped recording and performing collectively, Lodge centered extra closely on his personal output. He launched the reside album The Royal Affair And After in 2021, the studio album Days Of Future Handed – My Sojourn (a reimagining of the 1967 Moody Blues album) in 2023 and the EP Love Conquers All on Valentines Day this 12 months.
Lodge married Kirsten in 1968 and was a recognized Christian. He credited his religion for serving to him to keep away from “the excesses” of the rock’n’roll way of life. Prog gave the musician the Lifetime Achievement Award on the Annual Prog Awards in London in 2019.
