Photo courtesy of the artist
John Lodge performs 8 p.m., Wednesday, Nov. 13, at the Northern Lights Theater at Potawatomi Hotel & Casino (1721 W. Canal St.).
The past few years have seen several milestones for The Moody Blues. Two years ago, it was the 50th anniversary of Days of Future Passed, the concept album that featured a song cycle that took place over the course of a day and included contributions by the London Festival Orchestra, and last year saw what many consider to be the group’s belated induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
For John Lodge, the group’s bass player, it’s a welcome ride that’s found him staying busy outside the band with his own solo efforts. He’s currently on the road supporting 2015’s 10,000 Light Years Ago, a solo album that proved so popular that it was followed up by 2017’s Live from Birmingham: The 10,000 Light Years Tour concert album. The interesting footnote to his 2015 recording was that this sophomore bow came 38 years after his solo debut, 1977’s Natural Avenue. As to the inspiration for him to return to the studio, it was something as simple as the resurgence of an old recording format.
“I wanted to get involved and make an album because vinyl was, and still is, making a really good comeback. I thought that I’d really like to get back into the studio, make an album, release it on a double-gatefold sleeve and 180-gram vinyl and get that full-frequency sound back,” Lodge explains. “So, I sat down and wrote the songs.”
While The Moody Blues are currently dormant, as both Lodge and vocalist Justin Hayward are touring solo, fans can still get a taste of material from the former as part of his current set list that includes “I’m Just a Singer (In a Rock and Roll Band),” “Gemini Dream” and “Ride My See Saw.” The show will also serve as a nod to the late Ray Thomas, the bass player’s flute-playing bandmate in The Moody Blues and his childhood friend who passed away on Jan. 4, 2018.
“I’m a Moody Blue and I’ll always be a Moody Blue really. So, I’ll be playing some of my Moody Blues songs and songs from my album 10,000 Light Years Ago, along with a couple of songs that The Moody Blues will never play again,” Lodge says. “Ray Thomas was my best friend in the Moodys. We grew up together since we were 15. Unfortunately, Ray passed away and so I’m going to do a song of his on stage called ‘Legend of the Mind,’ because I want to keep his music alive. I was an integral part of making that song work for Ray, so I’m really pleased to be doing that. And I’m going to be doing a song of (former Moody Blues keyboardist) Mike Pinder’s as well called ‘The Sunset’ from Days of Future Passed. Hopefully, it’s going to be a set of songs that will take the audience on an emotional journey through The Moody Blues and through John Lodge.”
As for the Moody Blues’ 2018 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction, Lodge found himself even more touched than he expected by the honor. “On the day when we were at the Hall of Fame, I suddenly realized that my heroes were in there. I’m thinking to myself, ‘I’m standing next to Buddy Holly in the Hall of Fame.’ And there’s this young kid from Birmingham who was 13, me, who actually saw Buddy Holly on stage at Birmingham Town Hall,” he says with a pause. “There’s me looking at Buddy Holly on stage—this incredible person who’d written all these songs and was performing them and I’m watching him. He’s my total hero and now to suddenly be able to say in a strange way that I’m standing shoulder to shoulder with Buddy Holly at the Hall of Fame. It was an amazing and fantastic experience.”
“I think what sort of got to me was that when they announced that we were going to be nominated and the fan vote started, it got up to one million people. It was mind-blowing, belittling and humbling at the same time. All those people taking the effort and time to vote. I realized that it started to build up there. And I realized the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame was special, but I didn’t realize how special it was until that day. The other thing is that it’s always very special to be honored in a country which isn’t yours. I’m from England, but to be honored in America is just fantastic. I want to thank everyone who did that for us and for me.”
John Lodge performs 8 p.m., Wednesday, Nov. 13, at the Northern Lights Theater at Potawatomi Hotel & Casino, 1721 W. Canal St.
