John Lodge, the iconic bassist and singer of British rock band, The Moody Blues, has died at 82. Lodge had established himself in the rock scene for more than 50 years.
His family confirmed the news on Friday (October 10), claiming that he had left them all in shock. In their statement, they said:
"It is with the deepest sadness that we have to announce that John Lodge, our darling husband, father, grandfather, father-in-law and brother, has been suddenly and unexpectedly taken from us... As anyone who knew this massive-hearted man knows, it was his enduring love of his wife, Kirsten, and his family, that was the most important thing to him, followed by his passion for music, and his faith... John peacefully slipped away surrounded by his loved ones and the sounds of The Everly Brothers and Buddy Holly. We will forever miss his love, smile, kindness and his absolute and never-ending support. We are heartbroken, but will walk forwards into peace surrounded by the love he had for each of us. As John would always say at the end of the show, thank you for keeping the faith."
The family requested for privacy during this hard time and asked everyone to remember by listening to his 2025 solo album, Whispering Angels.
Born in Birmingham, John Lodge joined The Moody Blues in 1966, teaming up with singer Justin Hayward after Denny Laine and Clint Warwick had moved on. Lodge played a part in crafting some key album releases of the band over the next fifty years, including the 1967 groundbreaking psychedelic concept album Days of Future Passed, and its next big release, In Search of the Lost Chord, in 1968.
He was part of a lot of top records, such as On The Threshold Of A Dream (1969), To Our Children’s Children’s Children (1969), A Question Of Balance (1970), Every Good Boy Deserves Favour (1971), and Seventh Sojourn (1972). At this time, the group fully took on a real progressive rock feel, which was a key turn in how their music grew.
In 1977, he also featured on 1977's Octave, which saw the band change to a more pop-influenced sound, and he recorded with the band until their last studio album, the 2003 holiday-themed December. The Moody Blues continued to play live until 2018 when they received the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame award.
Lodge's death comes after the loss of the first band member and key player, Mike Pinder, who left us at 82 just a year before. In past years, other Moody Blues members such as Graeme Edge, Denny Laine, and Ray Thomas have also passed away.
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TOPICS: John Lodge