Deep Purple bassist Roger Glover is reflecting on the legacy of band founder and keyboardist Jon Lord (pictured above) as the group prepares to release “Above And Beyond”, a new single dedicted to their late bandmate.
Lord passed away on July 16, 2012 at the age of 71 after a long battle with pancreatic cancer.
“It’s fifteen months since that day in the studio when we heard the bad news about Jon,” posted Glover. “Strangely enough, although he left the band eleven years ago, his presence in the band has deepened since last year. Apart from the fact that his spirit seemed to pervade the recording sessions and that Now What?! is dedicated to him, these days an interview never goes by without one or all of us talking about him. Above And Beyond, a paean to Jon, is being released as a single and every time I hear it or play it, my mind is full of great memories.”
“From an inspired idea by [guitarist] Steve [Morse], it grew into a most unusual song, unlike anything we’ve done before,” he continued. “Writing about the death of a friend can be a minefield of cliché or maudlin sentiment, but I’m proud of what we accomplished with the song. Now looking forward to the British dates and the rest of the tour around Europe and on.”
With Purple, Lord co-wrote many of the group’s legendary songs, including “Smoke On The Water”, and played with many bands and musicians throughout his career.
Lord is best known for his orchestral work, “Concerto for Group & Orchestra,” first performed at Royal Albert Hall with Deep Purple and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra in 1969 and conducted by Malcolm Arnold, a feat repeated in 1999 when it was again performed at the Royal Albert Hall by the London Symphony Orchestra and Deep Purple.
Deep Purple will release “Above And Beyond” on October 25 (Europe) and October 28 (UK); it is the third single from the band’s latest album, “NOW What?!”, following “All The Time In The World” and “Vincent Price.”
“Above And Beyond” will be available in multiple formats, including:
* 7” purple vinyl limited edition (B-side "Space Truckin’" live in Majano, Italy, recorded in July during the NOW What?! tour).
* CD single with bonus tracks "Things I’ve Never Said" (studio out-take from the now-deleted limited edition of the 2005 studio album "Rapture Of The Deep"); "Space Truckin’" (live in Rome, Italy, recorded in July during the NOW What?! tour); "Hush" (live in Rome, Italy, recorded in July during the NOW What?! tour).
Deep Purple launch a UK tour at the Manchester Apollo on October 11.
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