Moody Blues bassist, singer, and songwriter John Lodge died October 10 at age 82.

Lodge joined the Moody Blues in 1966 together with frontman/guitarist Justin Hayward, who’s now the only real surviving member. Lodge and Hayward charted the band into British psychedelia and gold information galore, together with hook-filled Lodge songs “Experience My See-Noticed,” “Isn’t Life Unusual,” and “I’m Only a Singer (in a Rock and Roll Band).” Hayward wrote a lion’s share of the band’s hits, however Lodge additional served because the Moody’s important concord singer and bassist for 52 years. Lodge was additionally the father-in-law of present Sure vocalist Jon Davison.

In a 2019 interview with VG, Lodge famous, “Again within the ’50s, it was these left-hand boogie piano components that began me off on bass. To me, this was the guts and driving pressure of rock and roll. The primary band I noticed with an precise bass guitar was the Treniers within the 1956 film, The Woman Can’t Assist It. In Birmingham, there have been no bass guitars – actually, I didn’t know they existed earlier than seeing that movie.”

Along with his devoted 1960 Fender Precision Bass, Lodge stated of his low-end function contribution to the Moody Blues, “The bass in a music has to face by itself and be the inspiration for the melody. Whenever you play the bass half alone, it is best to have the ability to acknowledge the music. For those who pay attention to simply the bass in ‘Tuesday Afternoon,’ ‘I’m Only a Singer,’ ‘Legend of a Thoughts,’ and ‘Nights in White Satin,’ you’ll know the music.” – Pete Prown

This text initially appeared in VG’s December 2025 difficulty. All copyrights are by the creator and Classic Guitar journal. Unauthorized replication or use is strictly prohibited.