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2014 WAS THE YEAR THAT…

… my computer died on the first day of the European tour in February. Panic stations. Seems like a prison cell when you have no Internet. Thanks to Christer Lorichs for sorting me out and also for taking this photograph for the next item.

finale_for_jon

… a host of friends and admirers saluted Jon Lord at the Royal Albert Hall. Tears of wonder, joy and sorrow ran all through the first half as Jon’s beautiful mind was revealed by the stellar performances on stage. I pictured myself on that same stage in 1969 standing next to, and relying on, Jon, as his vision of oneness in music became palpable. I learned a lot that day. Of course I’ve listened to Jon’s albums over the years but one forgets how rich they are, how deeply introspective, how personal, how stocked with soaring melodies and unexpected chord shifts. And lovely lyrics. The gentleness of this gentle man is astounding, coming from the hard rock maestro that he was behind the Hammond organ. A sound that roared through our lives.

… in July, my daughter Gillian married Travis in a spectacular house in Somerset. It was everything a wedding could be and to see her so happy was pure joy.

… Mickey Lee Soule retired. Mickey has been my bass tech for a many years but is also my friend. We share a lot of life together. He and Ronnie James Dio wrote all the great Elf songs, songs that sound as fresh today as they did in the early 70s. Talking of today, anyone who hasn’t checked out Pet Wounds (by Steaming Pile of Mick) should do so.

… Simon Phillips and I met again after many decades. He was doing a drum clinic twenty minutes from where I live so we went there and surprised him. It was a joyful reunion and his clinic was superb. He was 18 when he joined Mickey Lee Soule and I in Munich as we recorded my solo album, Elements. After that he was the drummer on some of the albums I produced in the 70s, notably Judas Priest and Michael Schenker. His career since then has been amazing and testament to his immense talent.

RG_and_Simon_Phillips

… DP had a first writing session for another album. The experience of recording Now What?! has left the band wanting it again. Six days’ worth of jamming and experimenting left us with a couple of handfuls of noise. To be continued.

… I was made an Honorary Fellow of the University of South Wales. It was quite an adventure and a profound honour. Craig Hooper kindly nominated me and the faculty of the university was more than welcoming. More than that, I have an open invitation to drink in the Student’s Union bar any time.

Once_Upon_A_Time...

… the world lost Robin Williams, John Gustafson, Ian McLagan, Jack Bruce, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Johnny Winter, Pete Seeger, Bob Hoskins, Phil Everly, Bobby Womack, Tommy Ramone, Paco de Lucia, Rik Mayall, Acker Bilk, Rod De’Ath, Joe Cocker. What is there to say but listen to them and they live again.

Live for the moment, life is good.
Don’t dwell on tomorrow, tomorrow will look after itself.

The best of the season to all and thank you to friends old and new, the steadfast DP crew and management, my band-mates, my webmaster Andreas Thul, and not least of all to the people that came to our shows around the world and gave us such a welcome – you are the reason we exist.

Good luck for 2015,

RG

18 thoughts on “2014 WAS THE YEAR THAT…

  1. don mullen wrote on 2015-07-25:

    Hi roger wanted to thank you and your m8s for returning to columbus ohio aug. 5th. Godspeed and all my love

    Reply
    • don mullen wrote on 2015-08-16:

      The band sounded great as usual at the celeste center in columbus ohio aug. 5th rog. Oh yeah nice solo too m8

      Reply
      • don mullen wrote on 2015-09-05:

        Oh yeah roger you and your band mates are welcome here on columbus ohio anytime you want to show up. Godspeed friend

        Reply
  2. Andrei Starikov wrote on 2015-01-19:

    Hi Roger! Thank you for the riffs, your great soulful music, which support me through the life. Hope to see you in Minsk again. All the best for you and your family, Andrei

    Reply
  3. Ronnie wrote on 2015-01-14:

    Hello Roger,

    Just finished watching the ‘Celebrating Jon Lord’ blu-ray. I was quite emotional throughout and ‘Pictured Within’ made me weep buckets. I can only imagine how hard it must have been for you and all the performers on the night. Wonderful night. Looking at the photo at the top I’ve spotted my dear friend Murray on the far right, he speaks very highly of you.

    Kind regards to you and your family. Have a great 2015.

    Ronnie

    Reply
    • don mullen wrote on 2015-10-07:

      Reexplored elements again recently and all these years later still a great arrangement. Thanks again roger

      Reply
  4. Stevie Hurley wrote on 2014-12-30:

    http://obscuramusica.wordpress.com/2012/08/14/jon-lord-1941-2012/

    A link to a wee thing I wrote in the weeks after Jon’s sad & untimely death. Even more poignant for me now since I lost my own Mum this past summer. Credit to you Roger for not just being involved in the creation of some of the most thrilling, exciting music ever recorded – but for the fact you always come across as such a grounded, grateful individual.
    Best wishes to you, Steve

    Reply
  5. Denise T. Dardarian wrote on 2014-12-30:

    This has been quite a year indeed. Congrats on being honored as a fellow for South Wales University. I was blessed to have had the chance to meet you twice, first at the DP show up in Saratoga, CA, and then the next night at the show in Pala, CA. Thank you for taking the time to accommodate me for the shows as well as talk to me-it was great getting to hang out with you backstage. I am glad you like the Welsh cross-stitch pieces I made for you. Seeing you at the shows was the definite highlight of the year for me. Have a Happy New Year, and I hope 2015 will be even better for you. Love, Denise T. Dardarian = )

    Reply
    • Jô Anna wrote on 2014-12-31:

      RG
      I wish you all the best. “The family DP is the reason…”
      Peace and Love
      Thanks
      Kss

      Reply
  6. Tracy Heyder wrote on 2014-12-26:

    What a great recap of 2014 from one the best written and verbal orators I know of. Quite a year for you Mr. ‘Grover’. Quite a year for me too being that we got to see you guys in Biloxi and spin ‘Now What’ till the grooves burned through. What a great album that I still find myself getting lost in. Loved your “Live for the moment” motto. Reminds me of one of mine….

    “Dream as though you will live forever,
    Live as though you will die tomorrow”.

    Well on that note, thanks Sir Roger for being you and inviting us along the way.

    2015, another Purple Album….. PURFECT!

    CheerZ

    Reply
  7. Purple Sitner wrote on 2014-12-25:

    Dear Mr. Glover, all the best to you and your bandmates. Myself being located in Graz Austria wanted to see Deep Purple this summer in Ljubljana, Slovenia accompanied by my 12 year old daughter. This gig unfortunately was cancelled. So it will be Stuttgart in late autumn next year which I already have the tickets for. Good luck and keep on rocking in 2015…regards…Hansjörg Purple Sitner, Graz, Austria

    Reply
  8. Beppe wrote on 2014-12-24:

    Thank you Roger for your nice words about Mr Jon Lord whose music accompanied my life together with Deep Purple. Peace & Love, Beppe (Purple Chord Classic Drums)

    Reply
  9. Daniel Miller wrote on 2014-12-24:

    Roger, thanks for taking the time to speak with me before Jon’s concert. It was virtually impossible to express how much your music has meant to me over the past 30 odd years since I discovered Deep Purple. Jon’s concert was wonderful and I will always treasure the memory. All the best for 2015.

    Reply
  10. Jens Lundahl wrote on 2014-12-23:

    Hello Roger!
    Just read your thoughts about Jon and his music. Always ahead of it´s time, moving along in a never predictable direction.
    Looking forward to the next deep purple album!!
    Merry christmas
    and a new rocking year!
    Jens

    Reply
  11. Marcelo Soares wrote on 2014-12-23:

    Rog, have a great new year, rich in new amazing stories to tell. It was great to meet you in São Paulo, albeit just for a few minutes.

    Reply
  12. Wolf Schneider wrote on 2014-12-23:

    Thanks for summing up Jon Lord’s music eloquently and perfectly (as your words usually do), and also for being a nexus of good energy and creativity in the world. May you continue to find new inspiration and love in the year to come.

    Reply
  13. Cusumano Denis wrote on 2014-12-23:

    Tanks for allways be there , rocking all over the world with the band . Happy new year for you , your Familly , and your band mates . Denis from France . See you nest year on the road .. Again !

    Reply
  14. Karin W wrote on 2014-12-23:

    All the best for the ned of this year and the beginning of a New one.
    Lots of Love
    Karin ( the ex-cabbie)

    Reply