By: Robert Cavuoto
As bassist and vocalist for the Moody Blues since 1966 John Lodge has written some of the most memorable songs for the band, such as “Natural Hour,” “Ride my See-Saw,” “The Eyes of a Child,” and “I’m Just a Singer [In a Rock n Roll Band]”, to name a few.
John has just released a new solo CD entitled; 10,000 Light Years Ago, on May 5th. It’s a very personal collection of songs that he has been creating over the course of the past four to five years.
From the opening song, “In My Mind” to the biographical song of growing up in England called “Those Days in Birmingham,” John paints a beautiful landscape about living life in the present and never looking back.
******
Robert Cavuoto: I’m intrigued by the title of your new CD, 10,000 Light Years Ago, as well as the song of the same name?
John Lodge: It came together from a train of thought that I had – “The future is always in reach, but the past is gone forever.” People always ask why haven’t you written a book and delved into your past?
I always say, “I’m not that type of person.” I only think about today and the future – what I can do in the moment. I came up with the idea of “10,000 Light Years Ago,” as the past is so far way that you can never reach it so there is no need to dwell on it. The past is only important in that where I am today.
The experiences that I’ve had over the years made me who I am today, the person and musician. So, I wanted to write a song coming from that perspective.
Robert: When you look back over your career, do you think you lived life to the fullest and savored it?
John Lodge: All that really matters is where I am today and the karma I have today. If you are feeling good within yourself perhaps what you have done is right. You may have wanted to do other things, or may have done things differently, but you didn’t do it, so there is no use dwelling on?
Robert: Why was now the right time for you to release this CD?
John Lodge: I was writing and touring with the Moody Blues, so my music was coming through as a Moody Blue. That has been really good for me and I have enjoyed being part of that because of who I am.
I haven’t recorded a new CD in such a long time and really need more than a band to make an album, you need people behind you. There is nothing worse than writing a song at 3:00am and wondering if anyone is ever going to listen to this? Will it ever see the light of day?
I have been thinking about making an album for the last four or five years, when I was approached by Cherry Red Record as they wanted to re-release an older album of mine on vinyl and asked if I would go back into the studio to remaster it. As I was remastering, I realized this was the type of sound that I like.
At the same time, they asked me if I would make a new album and that’s how it all came together. I wanted to record as close as to the way we recorded back in the early days as a complete band.
Robert: How long have you been writing for this release?
John Lodge: 10,000 Light Years Ago has been with me for quite a few years. I always knew that I wanted to write that song. I always knew that when I did make an album that would be the title and the last song on the album.
Robert: These songs seem very personal, is it difficult to share them with fans?
John Lodge: From writing with the Moody Blues and my solo material you can feel pretty naked because it’s your ego on the line. People always have a comment about it, so you really have to believe in the song and that it will stand the test of time.
Keep in mind that some of those songs were written when we were teenagers. Once you have recorded it and it goes out there, it’s done, there’s no taking it back. It is personal, but it’s important as people can see me from a personal point of view and a positive side.
There is a song on the album called “Simply Magic”, as I wrote it about my grandson. The idea of the song was that there are so many books and movies where the story is going great, then all of a sudden the wheels fall off. I wanted him to know that its not always the case. Things can start out great and then get even better.
Robert: That’s a great way to look at life, how important is it to find your own voice and style outside of the Moody Blues?
John Lodge: It is really important as I am a Moody Blue and an independent person, as well. I thought it would be nice to plant a tree and say this is me. This is me within these orchards.
Robert: My favorite track was “Those Days in Birmingham,” I feel as if I was transcended back in time. Tell me about the creation of it.
John Lodge: I was standing on stage one day and looking at all the equipment, the buses, the trucks, the lights, the sound system and I thought, it’s a long way from this little café by my school where I used to have lunch everyday as a boy. I would put money in the Rockola Jukebox to hear a song. That’s where I first heard some of my favorite songs.
My keyboardist thought it would be great to write a song about Birmingham and he put together the music for it. I put together all the lyrics and it came together.
On the artwork of the CD, there is a photo of me when I was 16 on the first day that I bought my Fender Precision bass and a photo of me taken in roughly the same position with that same bass. I still have it and it’s been on nearly every Moody Blues song we have ever recorded.
There is a line in the verse of that song where I’m looking out the window of the café at Jack Woodruff’s and that was the musical instrument shop where I bought the bass from. I can remember running home to my father and saying “Dad you have to help me, I need that bass – please.” I’m still the proud owner of it.
Robert: How did you manage to keep it so long, young kids tend to sell or trade their instruments off after a while for new trends or styles?
John Lodge: This bass is the most beautiful bass in the world as far as I’m concerned. It was the best thing you can ever buy and nothing was ever going to replace it. I lovingly cared for it over all these years. It is really an integral part of my life. It became my best friend in those hours of need.
Robert: That’s such an endearing story, I’m grateful that you shared it with me. You obviously have the same feeling about the Moody Blues, as you have been together for so long. What do you attribute the longevity of the band too?
John Lodge: I think the longevity is based on the fact that we only ever played and recorded songs we wrote as band. They become very personal as you write and then present it to the other guys. They in turn put their own persona on it.
Same as when they write, you want to add your persona to it as well. Every night that you are performing those songs there are people who have never heard them before. You’re not copying something or repeating someone else’s work, it’s something you created from nothing. If you have become a musician and play something you created, that gives the extra bonus in your life.
Robert: The band must have an excellent friendship to stand the test of time, what’s the secret?
John Lodge: I think because we got together to make music. We didn’t get together for fame and fortune. If there is a secret, that is it.
Robert: In your career with the Moody Blues, have you ever written a song that you thought would be a hit and wasn’t or vice versa?
John Lodge: We never thought about the singles market, we only ever wanted the album to be released. There were even a couple of albums that we didn’t release singles. We wanted the album to represent who we were, not just the single.
The record company would pick the single, in some instance they would say the song was four minutes long, so for radio we reduced it to 2 ½ minutes. [Laughing] We would explain that’s not what we are about or who we are. We wanted to travel a different path to mainstream pop.
Robert: The times have truly changed as most pop bands are only interested in hit singles.
John Lodge: That comes from sharing and downloading. If someone has a huge number of downloads, then of course it must be good – but that’s not necessarily true. Some of the greatest rock ‘n roll songs that influenced all the British music were not really hits. I remember Buddy Holly turned me and everybody on in England and he probably only had one hit record. Does that mean he wasn’t popular? Buddy traveled a different road, and for me it was musical enlightenment.
Robert: You have had so many great touring partners, is there a band or artist that sticks out in your mind?
John Lodge: One of the first tours we did in the U.S. was with Canned Heat; I loved the combination as we were two different types of bands, but both from the ’60s. We did tours with Chicago and the Beach Boys and that was real fun. What is really nice is you go on the road with these different artists and you become friends.
