# RIP: Jon Lord, Deep Purple keyboardist **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 16, 2012, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-jon-lord-deep-purple-keyboardist/628427 "2012-07-16T18:14:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Rhythmdvl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85f322/32.png) [@Rhythmdvl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhythmdvl)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2012, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-jon-lord-deep-purple-keyboardist/628427/1 "2012-07-16T18:14:26Z")
[Fuck cancer](http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-18864409). ☹ Had just rewatched the making of Machine Head (Classic Album series). What a dignified, excellent musician, and what a great loss for music. RIP ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2012, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-jon-lord-deep-purple-keyboardist/628427/2 "2012-07-16T18:26:35Z")
☹ One of the great, great keyboardists of rock ‘n’ roll. I remember his double entendre quip from years ago–_“I think the sound of Deep Purple has got a hell of a lot to do with my organ”_. RIP, John. ---
**Author:** ![Full\_Tilt\_Boogie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/2acd7d/32.png) [@Full\_Tilt\_Boogie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Full_Tilt_Boogie)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2012, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-jon-lord-deep-purple-keyboardist/628427/3 "2012-07-16T18:27:55Z")
The best Hammond Organ player I ever heard/saw. Tragic loss of a fine and very talented musician. ---
**Author:** ![Skammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skammer/32/143_2.png) [@Skammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skammer)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2012, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-jon-lord-deep-purple-keyboardist/628427/4 "2012-07-16T19:28:33Z")
The rumor in my high school back in the 80’s was that our biology teacher actually was John Lord, in cognito. I have to admit he did bare a striking resemblance. ---
**Author:** ![lost4life](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c4cdca/32.png) [@lost4life](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lost4life)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2012, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-jon-lord-deep-purple-keyboardist/628427/5 "2012-07-16T19:29:49Z")
The opening to Lazy has to be one of the greatest rock organ pieces there is. ---
**Author:** ![Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/le_ministre_de_l_au-dela/32/12181_2.png) [@Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Le_Ministre_de_l_au-dela)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2012, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-jon-lord-deep-purple-keyboardist/628427/6 "2012-07-16T19:47:18Z")
> [@lost4life](#): > > The opening to Lazy has to be one of the greatest rock organ pieces there is. Amen to that!! ---
**Author:** ![Rhythmdvl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85f322/32.png) [@Rhythmdvl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhythmdvl)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2012, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-jon-lord-deep-purple-keyboardist/628427/7 "2012-07-16T19:54:31Z")
I was pretty put off that they didn’t include it in the ‘making of’ documentary. One of rock’s most blissful moments. I figure they knew they should have, but had enough footage and were, well … lazy. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2012, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-jon-lord-deep-purple-keyboardist/628427/8 "2012-07-16T20:27:07Z")
I was just talking about him to someone - just a great rhythm player, regardless of the fact that he was playing keys/organ; just an incredible groove. And his organ tone - just wow. Thanks for the great music, Jon. ---
**Author:** ![Beastly\_Rotter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/45deac/32.png) [@Beastly\_Rotter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beastly_Rotter)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2012, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-jon-lord-deep-purple-keyboardist/628427/9 "2012-07-16T20:46:19Z")
O that royally sucks, he was one of the greats. RIP, Jon, I will play Burn loudly in your honour. ---
**Author:** ![Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/le_ministre_de_l_au-dela/32/12181_2.png) [@Le\_Ministre\_de\_l\_au-dela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Le_Ministre_de_l_au-dela)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2012, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-jon-lord-deep-purple-keyboardist/628427/10 "2012-07-16T21:02:40Z")
And for whatever magical combination of drawbars and Leslie speakers he found in ‘Space Truckin’, I am truly and deeply grateful. Give a listen [here](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-w5sE82dKV0) at about 2:35 or so… ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Ed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19b73/32.png) [@Just\_Ed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Ed)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2012, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-jon-lord-deep-purple-keyboardist/628427/11 "2012-07-16T23:06:43Z")
One of the first albums I owned was (the atrociously-titled) _When We Rock, We Rock, and When We Roll, We Roll_, a greatest hits collection that had the singular virtue of introducing me to the unique metal sound of Deep Purple - I hadn’t heard keyboards incorporated into such a heavy sound before. [Hard Road](http://youtu.be/CG4IDu6BS3k) stood out to me as a great example of what a hard rock instrumental should be, and Lord’s keyboards are a major part of it (of course they were a major part of the sound of Deep Purple, period, but I didn’t know that at the time). ---
**Author:** ![newcomer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/e5b9ba/32.png) [@newcomer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/newcomer)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2012, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-jon-lord-deep-purple-keyboardist/628427/12 "2012-07-16T23:50:33Z")
Incredibly sad news. My 1st album was “Burn” (well, my bro got it but still). I still remember at age of 8 my brother telling me the names of all members and what they play. It got to the point of having 6 different versions of Black Night and Lazy. It’s such a loss. ---
**Author:** ![Eugene\_of\_Sandwich](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c37758/32.png) [@Eugene\_of\_Sandwich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eugene_of_Sandwich)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2012, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-jon-lord-deep-purple-keyboardist/628427/13 "2012-07-17T00:55:46Z")
This really sucks. When I was coming of age every self-respecting up-n-coming rock and roller keyboardist wanted to BE John Lord. RIP Dear John. ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2012, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-jon-lord-deep-purple-keyboardist/628427/14 "2012-07-17T01:01:21Z")
I believe he may have qualified for sainthood after putting with Ritchie’s tantrums for all those years. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![installLSC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/54ee81/32.png) [@installLSC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/installLSC)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2012, 5:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-jon-lord-deep-purple-keyboardist/628427/15 "2012-07-17T05:27:06Z")
Lord’s death makes me wonder; are there any metal/hard rock organists left anymore? I loved the sound of organ in Deep Purple, Iron Butterfly, Uriah Heep, etc. Hammonds and similar organs have that majestic sound that blows away any wimpy digital synth. Why did they go away? ---
**Author:** ![Rhythmdvl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85f322/32.png) [@Rhythmdvl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhythmdvl)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2012, 5:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-jon-lord-deep-purple-keyboardist/628427/16 "2012-07-17T05:44:50Z")
Gregg Allman ---
**Author:** ![Beastly\_Rotter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/45deac/32.png) [@Beastly\_Rotter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beastly_Rotter)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2012, 6:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-jon-lord-deep-purple-keyboardist/628427/17 "2012-07-17T06:41:25Z")
> [@blondebear](#): > > I believe he may have qualified for sainthood after putting with Ritchie’s tantrums for all those years. 😃 I think that would be Ian Paice. ---
**Author:** ![Coustralee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Coustralee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coustralee)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2012, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-jon-lord-deep-purple-keyboardist/628427/18 "2012-07-17T15:40:57Z")
> [@installLSC](#): > > Lord’s death makes me wonder; are there any metal/hard rock organists left anymore? I loved the sound of organ in Deep Purple, Iron Butterfly, Uriah Heep, etc. Hammonds and similar organs have that majestic sound that blows away any wimpy digital synth. Why did they go away? I think Don Airey is still around, he played with a later purps line-up ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2012, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-jon-lord-deep-purple-keyboardist/628427/19 "2012-07-17T20:12:32Z")
It’s been a while since a celebrity death hurt, but this one does. > **[Jon Lord](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jon_Lord)** > > John Douglas Lord (9 June 1941 – 16 July 2012) was an English keyboardist and composer. In 1968, Lord co-founded the hard rock band Deep Purple, and he became regarded as its leader in the early years. Lord performed on most of the band's most popular songs; he and drummer Ian Paice were the only continuous presence in the band between 1968 and 1976, and also from when it was re-established in 1984, until Lord's retirement in 2002. He also spent time in the bands Whitesnake, Paice Ashton Lord,... I always loved the sound of Jon Lord’s Hammond organ, and his interplay with Ritchie Blackmore was hard rock at its best. Anyone want to explain why Deep Purple weren’t inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame 20 years ago? ---
**Author:** ![Kimballkid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b5a626/32.png) [@Kimballkid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimballkid)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2012, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-jon-lord-deep-purple-keyboardist/628427/20 "2012-07-17T20:15:51Z")
Because you don’t become eligible for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame until 25 years after the release of your first record. Since Deep Purple formed in 1968, they wouldn’t have been eligible 20 years ago. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rip-jon-lord-deep-purple-keyboardist/628427.md?page=2)