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Jon Lord speaks from Hell

nrk.jpg Norwegian TV has broadcast a short pre-show interview with Jon Lord. Luckily it has neither been dubbed or subtitled, so click along and enjoy: Jon Lord on Norwegian TV.

Here is the interview on YouTube:



18 Comments to “Jon Lord speaks from Hell”:

  1. 1
    purplepriest1965 says:

    Nice interview!!!
    And Jon’s remark about “going back to the Hammond without stopping what he does now”:
    I wish Ritchie had the same attitude.
    Maybe they can do something together again? Finalllllllllllly!!!!

  2. 2
    Cranberry says:

    Lord, Blackmore…………….and JLT…………..a kind of DP/Rainbow fusion!!!

    Oh……………….forgot they did that………Slaves & Masters……..FORGET IT!!!

  3. 3
    Robert says:

    It’s kinda strange. Jon Lord left Purple and turned completely other direction, playing very different music. And everyone seem to love it.
    When Ritchie did the same – most of the people say he’s wrong (to put it polite way) and doing something unnatural to him. Isn’t it strange?
    Just an observation…

    P.S. I DO love Jon Lord. He’s one of the finest keyboard players and one of very few true gentlemen in rock scene. It just seem a bit unfair towards Blackmore…

  4. 4
    purplepriest1965 says:

    I often wonder where people did learn how to think…….

    Robert, Jon did NOT do something strange, you could experience him doing other things since the beginning. Ever heard his solo albums?

    Maybe people would have had more respect for Ritchie if he had NOT turned Blackmore’s Night in something which it became.
    Would it not have been grand if he had done something REALLY AUTHENTIC?
    And BN becomes boring very fast, compared to Jon’s.
    I am a big Blackers fan(I ve been accused of being his agent on this forum, hahahaha)but I,m just being honest here.

  5. 5
    Robert says:

    Surprisingly, I’ve heard all of JL’s solo albums πŸ™‚ And if one goes and listens them again one would notice that it has always been a fusion of styles – concerto, sarabande, gemini, before i forget – they all had classical/rock/jazz elements.
    Only starting from Pictured Within Jon gradually moves towards ‘academic’ writing. Will anyone say that ‘Boom of the tingling strings’ resembles anything he has done before? Not for me.

    To the same degree one can always say that almost every Rainbow album contained hints on what has to follow (just off the top of my head – Temple of the King, Rainbow Eyes, intro to Desperate hearts, and so on).

    Therefore, I can’t agree that ‘Jon did not do something strange’

    Where I do agree with you, purplepriest, is that BN really turns into rather boring act pretty soon (and yes, I’m a big Blackmore fan also :).
    Shadow of the moon was great. After that each album had one or two great songs (usually being covers) the rest was complete crap.
    BUT! This is a matter of opinion and I can easily imagine that someone believes that BN is much superior to anything Ritchie has done before. A friend of mine (not me πŸ™‚ still thinks that DP Mk1 is the best DP line-up ever and first three albums are the ones worth listening.

    If we compare JL and BN music quiality-wise (but what is music quality, anyway?) I find JL much more interesting and touching. I would say that every JL album shows what a great keyboard player and musician he still is, while every BN album shows what a great guitarist we’ve lost πŸ™‚

    But I’m not discussing the quality of music, but rather the general attitude towards Jon’s and Ritchie’s principal decisions to change the musical path.

    P.S. I just noticed that JL looks dangerously similar to JLT πŸ™‚ I’d better be careful with my typing πŸ™‚

  6. 6
    Rascal says:

    It was certainly apparent during the Jon Lord DP days the direction his music would ultimately take. His creativity and musical expression no longer seems choked by the limitations of rock music. JL has turned his talent to something he obviously enjoys. He is a highly respected musician and composer, his music widely acceptable, enjoyable, and memorable.

    Likewise Blackmores creativity is directed towards his renaissance work. Although clearly not as acceptable to ‘die hard’ RB fans, and rock fans in general, this is the path he has taken. It is obvious RB has spectacular talent, unlike JL though, RB’s efforts with BN seem to be a parody of himself. He strikes me as a tormented soul, a man without adequate means of expressing himself. If BN are his true expression, then what did we see during the Rainbow/DP days? What will the Man In Black be remember for?

  7. 7
    foxy says:

    Don’t be so harsh with the Man In Black, please. If Renaissance music is what he likes, than ok. If you listen carefully to the staff he’s doing right now you’ll see that his guitar playing is still powerful and you might even like his new music after all. I would prefer to see him move to another direction, as most of his fans but if he’s happy this way than I’m happy for him too.

  8. 8
    T says:

    I have to agree with Robert above. Blackmore left Purple to follow a direction he had been thinking about since the 1960’s and was immediately villified. Lord did the same and is a hero. What gives?

    As a musician and composer, I have a tremendous respect for Jon Lord’s work. The Concerto was a masterpiece–a little rough around the edges perhaps but it was his first large work. There are snatches of brilliance in all his solo work–and by that, I mean he is as good as people we have studied in school–and the man should certainly be more much renowned than he is for it. However, it is his fusion of “classical” and electrified instruments for which he is best known.

    Ritchie Blackmore did much the same and the criticism never ends. He took a Renaissance approach, but it’s not “pure”; it’s still a fusion of traditional and electric instruments.

    Blackmore’s work of late is as great as it has ever been when taken in the context for which it was intended. If all you like is “Smoke on the Water,” then you’re going to be disappointed. Blackmore’s Night is musician’s music and is best appreciated in that vein. The popularity of it speaks for itself.

    That Blackmore’s Night has fallen into a rut is probably valid. The last couple of albums have sounded more or less the same. Personally, I would like to see more songs like “Fires at Midnight,” with Stratocaster solos wedged in the middle of it all. His solo in that track is one of his best–ever.

    I also agree that these two would be great together. Technically, they are doing much of the same thing. Put Jon on an organ or harpsichord and he’d fit right in. Let’s not forget Jon’s arranging ability as well.

    But enough of this “What’s wrong with Blackmore?” nonsense. If you chastise Blackmore for his career path, you have to do the same for Lord. They both left Purple to pursue a different direction with similar aims. I can’t understand why it’s okay for one–but not the other.

  9. 9
    BILL MAJOR says:

    EVERY ONE NEEDS TO CHILL. IF YOU DID NOT SEE THESE 2 GOING IN THE DIRECTIONS THEY WENT YOU HAVE NOT BEEN PAYING ATTENTION. LET’S RECAP. PURPLE HAS NEVER SOUNDED BETTER OR HAD MORE FUN, BLACKMORE’S NIGHT IS FANTASTIC [JUST CHECK OUT THE LIVE SHOW ON CASTLES AND DREAMS] AND JON IS DOING WHAT HE LOVES AND DOING IT WELL. IF YOUR TASTE IN MUSIC DOES NOT ALLOW YOU TO APPRECIATE ALL THE INCREDIBLE STUFF ALL THESE GUYS ARE TURNING OUT THEN WHY SLAM THE MUSUCIANS. I HAVE A FEELING WE HAVE A YOKO COMPLEX GOING ON HERE WITH RITCHIE. I ALSO THINK THE COSTUMES GET UNDER PEOPLES SKIN A LITTLE. NO ONE EVER SAID RITCHIE WAS NORMAL, JUST BRILLIANT. AND OH YEAH, DON AIREY IS FAR FROM A SLOUCH.

  10. 10
    legris richard elprupdeep@w.fr says:

    fantastic man fantastic music thank you mr jon lord! hope we will see you back in the hammond with a big band so you will be doing bigger venue and more cities! another PAL for exemple will be great! see you then !cheers!

  11. 11
    Fabian J Lelo says:

    I’ve listened to Pictured Within and Before I Forget many times and like them alot. I’ve owned Sarabande yet haven’t listened to the album enough. Still need to pick up Beyond the Notes. I don’t know why it’s taking me so long either. I love Lord’s solo career. More power to him indeed. I still wish I could have seen him over in Sydney recently too. πŸ™

  12. 12
    Colin Hadden says:

    The point about people doing different kinds of music is that they are doing what THEY want to do – they DO NOT have to do what others want unless they decide to go for the commercial dollar – and as we all live in capitalist societies who among us can crucify someone for that!?!?!?

    When you listen to music you should do so on two levels (and I am NOT a musician, even remotely).

    Level One – do I like it? In my case I like a lot of what JL and TMIB do, as I also do other DP members. About the only thing I don’t like is JLT, although I do think that the early Coverdale and Hughes was more patchy that most other members.

    Level Two – is the music/musicianship good? To me, the level of musicianship and music (again, for most members) is usually pretty damn good. Much of the time their average stuff can be better than a good day at the office for most musos.

    So why criticise others if they like what you don’t, or vice versa. Proviso – I must admit that I cannot in any way call (C)Rap music. I appreciate the performers may have talent but to me chanting or reading poetry(?!?!?) and listening to someone spin reords back to front or program computers is not music.

    If my argument falls on that point – so be it.

    Can we just accept that most members of DP (possible exception of JLT) are/were musos of the highest calibre, especially JL, RB, IP, SM, RG and IG and let others like what they want and listen to what they want without calling them dickheads.

    We are priviledged to be DP fans – especially those of us who have had the great good fortune to meet them and see them up close and personal.

  13. 13
    Cranberry says:

    I disagree with Mr Hadden!! If somebody thinks a past or present member of DP is a ‘dickhead’, then they should be allowed to voice it

    …………………… Come On Down JLT!!!

    After all its part of the Constitution

  14. 14
    Rasmus Heide says:

    Yes, each is entitled to his or her own opinion, but no, you are not entitled to call anyone a dickhead on these pages.

  15. 15
    jose m says:

    I must be hearing things but i swear he says he is in toronto in the begining. Am i Hearing things?

  16. 16
    Svante Pettersson says:

    Trondheim…

  17. 17
    Adel Faragalla says:

    Hi guys, if you can’t sing or write music being called a D**KH**d is not a bad thing after all some people do get please from it!!!

    Anyway let focus on Jon Lord exciting project i can’t wait to go and see him live playing the organ again. Mr lord thank you for diverting back to the right track after all you are only 110 years as you said and still has bags of energy. What are you on? love to know.

    Sir Jon Lord to infinite and beyond.

  18. 18
    Dr. Bob says:

    There are huge and important differences between the circumstances and ways that JL & RB departed from Purple. RB left after pulling a tantrum on stage and created ill will with his band mates. JL left a decade later to have hip replacement surgery and physically could not go on long tours anymore. He left the band but kept his friendships with his band mates for the rest of his life. It’s not a matter of musical choice, it was about being a gentleman vs, being a jerk.

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