Career With The Moody Blues
Lodge was initially involved in the Birmingham music scene, although he temporarily dropped out to continue his studies. In 1966, however, after the Moody Blues original Bassist Clint Warwick had left the band, Lodge succeeded the temporary deputy Rod Clarke as the permanent bassist and vocalist, rejoining Ray Thomas during the same period as the band recruited guitarist/vocalist Justin Hayward to replace Denny Laine. Lodge's distinctive falsetto ranged from a high harmonious voice and his solid lead vocals were a major asset to the revised Moody Blues from this point on.
Lodge's prolific songwriting for the Moody Blues has created such songs as "Peak Hour", "(Evening) Time to Get Away", "Gimme a Little Something", "Ride My See-Saw", "House of Four Doors", "Eyes of a Child", "Send Me No Wine", "To Share Our Love", "Candle of Life", "Tortoise and the Hare", "Minstrel's Song", "Emily's Song", "Isn't Life Strange" (which earned Lodge an ASCAP songwriting award), "I'm Just a Singer (In a Rock and Roll Band)" (which also won him an ASCAP songwriting award), "Steppin' in a Slide Zone","Survival", "Talking Out of Turn", "Nervous", "Sitting at the Wheel","It May Be a Fire", "Rock'N'Roll Over You", "Love Is on the Run", "Here Comes the Weekend", "Lean on Me (Tonight)", "Shadows on the Wall", "Magic","Wherever You Are", "Love Don't Come Easy", "Words You Say", "Forever Now", "On This Christmas Day","The Spirit of Christmas", and "Gemini Dream" — the latter being a co-composition with Justin Hayward that won them jointly an ASCAP songwriting award. Bass Player magazine voted him amongst the most influential bass players.
Lodge co-wrote "Out and In" with Mike Pinder, recorded on To Our Children's Children's Children in 1969. He also collaborated with fellow Moody Blues member Justin Hayward on the 1975 album Blue Jays released on Threshold Records, which in addition to Hayward's compositions included three songs written by Lodge; "Maybe", "Saved by The Music" and "You", together with two tracks co-written by Lodge & Hayward; "Remember Me (My Friend)" and "When You Wake Up", and later, Lodge released a solo album, Natural Avenue, on Decca in 1977, from which the single, "Say You Love Me" was issued. During the 1970s, he produced music for the band Trapeze.
In 1977 Lodge released a non-album solo single "Street Cafe" b/w "Threw it All Away" on Decca this single featured future Moody Blues keyboardist Patrick Moraz. Since 1981, Lodge has co-written songs for the band with Justin Hayward, such as: "Meet Me Halfway", "Talkin' Talkin'", "Slings And Arrows", "Running out of Love", "Miracle", "Breaking Point", "Want to Be With You", "Once Is Enough", "Highway", "Is This Heaven?", "Sooner or Later (Walking on Air)", "Strange Times", and "The One", amongst others.
Through most of his career he played a Fender Precision Bass. For the last several years he has been playing a Fender Jazz Bass. Other instruments include a custom-made Fender double-neck bass and guitar which replaced a similar model by Rickenbacker, acoustic bass and acoustic 12-string by Guild.
In 1985, the Moody Blues picked up the Ivor Novello Award for Outstanding Contribution to Music.
Read more about this topic: John Lodge (musician), Biography
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