It almost sounds like a prerequisite for becoming a legendary musician to pass away in your youth but, fortunately, those are merely exceptions. Those who have lived to their fullest potential — or, at least, close to it – are three artistes, Jon Lord, Bee Gees’ Robin Gibb, and Donna Summer. All of them unfortunately passed away within two months of each other this year and, shockingly, all due to complications arising from cancer.
As one of the true legends of rock, Jon Lord, founder member of Deep Purple, was one of them, having passed away on the night of July 16, at the age of 71. Jon co-founded Deep Purple with guitarist Ritchie Blackmore in 1968. Although Jon was classically trained, blues and jazz also influenced him. However, strange enough he made his career in rock.
I was most fortunate to have interacted with Jon during Deep Purple’s debut visit to India in 1995, when they performed live in Mumbai. I was an executive of record label BMG then [which is now part of Sony Music], to whom Deep Purple were signed at that time, and they had just released a live album called Come Hell Or High Water. I was pleasantly surprised to receive a call from Mumbai-based publication, Mid-Day, requesting me to write about the band, which I did, when I met members of Deep Purple following a press conference held at Mumbai’s Hotel Taj Mahal Palace and Tower.
My personal reminisces of Jon is that he was humble, and extremely knowledgeable. I remember discussing his learning classical piano, more so as I had learnt the instrument for a short time during my school days. Most vivid part of the conversation was my question to Jon about how the band decided to name itself Deep Purple. Strange enough and, I don’t know if they were trying to humour me, but Jon and his colleagues initially said that they could not remember. However, as I persisted, Jon spoke about when they were rehearsing for live gigs, in a room, members started writing their suggestions on the wall. To cut a long story short, Deep Purple was the name that stuck and the rest, as they say, is history…
One of the artistes who had a fate similar to Jon of passing away from cancer was singer Donna Summer in May this year. Formerly known as LaDonna Adrian Gaines, the singer entered the world of entertainment through her performance in a stage musical, Hair, in Germany.
Having met up with producers Giorgio Moroder and Pete Bellotte, the major breakthrough for all involved was a creation known as Love To Love You Baby, in 1976 which, if I remember correctly, was described by TIME magazine as “Orgasmic Rock”, to describe some 22 groans and moans that pervade the 17-minute selection.
Having heard an edit of the song — which became a no.2 hit in the US and a Top 5 success in the UK — I requested my father, who was travelling to London in 1977, to obtain the album for me. It still remains part of my vinyl collection and, more so after the demise of the Disco Queen, now finds itself with an enhanced value [but I’m not selling!]. For the trivia minded, U2 sampled that very song for their 1997 single, Discotheque.
At the same time, the demise of Robin Gibb, also in May, was no less filled with sorrow. As a member of the Bee Gees — he was one-third of the band with twin brother Maurice, and older brother Barry — who spread disco fever across radio waves, dance floors, and movie screens through the soundtrack of Saturday Night Fever, in the ’70s with songs such as: Stayin’ Alive, Night Fever, More Than A Woman, Jive Talkin’, and You Should Be Dancing. Apart from providing the Bee Gees with lead and harmony vocals for more than five decades, Robin served as a key songwriting partner throughout the career of the band.
While heart attacks and drug overdose still take precedence over cancer in the cause of deaths of musicians, nothing changes the fact that the international music world has still lost the likes of Nat King Cole, Carl Wilson [Beach Boys], Frank Zappa, Mick Ronson [David Bowie’s guitarist], and Sterling Morrison [Velvet Underground] to this disease, one that still remains paradoxically alive!
The writer has been part of the media and entertainment business for over 23 years, still continues to pursue his hobby, and earns an income out of it.