John Lodge, Moody Blues Bassist and Prog-Rock Pioneer, Dead at 82

John Lodge, the bassist and co-lead singer of the Moody Blues whose work heavily influenced the development of progressive rock, died “suddenly and unexpectedly” at the age of 82. Lodge’s family, who heralded his “passion for music and his faith,” were “heartbroken” to lose their patriarch, the Guardian reports. “John peacefully slipped away surrounded by his loved ones and the sounds of the Everly Brothers and Buddy Holly,” a statement reads. “We will forever miss his love, smile, kindness, and his absolute and never-ending support.” Lodge joined the Moody Blues in 1966 as a new member, with Justin Hayward, Graeme Edge, Mike Pinder, and Ray Thomas identifying his falsetto voice and evocative, narrative songwriting skills as an asset. The band’s subsequent project, 1966’s Days of Future Passed, was one of the first instances of a concept album — tracking 24 hours of an everyman’s life — and an early touchstone of prog rock with its lush orchestral sound. (“It changed our lives forever,” Lodge once explained.) 1968’s In Search of the Lost Chord further elevated Lodge’s adventurous spirit on the bass, on which he also wrote “Ride My See-Saw,” one of the band’s most enduring songs.

In the 1980s, Lodge encouraged the Moody Blues to pivot their sound to embrace the new synthesizer-driven landscape. They enjoyed a second coming of sorts during this decade, with “Gemini Dream” and “Your Wildest Dreams” becoming New Wave standards that exposed the band to a new fanbase. When the Moody Blues was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2018, Lodge thanked American radio for his longevity. “Their belief in us has just been tremendous and has given us encouragement to keep going and doing everything we love to do,” he said, “and that’s make music.”