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Where are you?

These pages are dedicated to Jon Lord and his time with Deep Purple. Tell us about your memories of Jon - your favourite Jon Lord solo, or song, or moment. Have you met him? Did he sign your CDs - or did he ask you to "get a proper pen for this"? Did your mother use to curse at the noise from your bedroom when you played the intro to Speed King off In Rock too loud? Have you played on Jon's Hammond? Have your worked with him?

Jon Lord left Deep Purple after the UK tour in February 2002. The band has since toured Eastern Europe and the Far East with Don Airey on keyboards.

Jon Lord is rumoured to rejoin Deep Purple for the rescheduled UK shows in September. ('Rumoured' means the management hasn't confirmed it.) Until then (and afterwards), The Highway Star wants to share your thoughts, feelings and memories of the years Jon spent in Deep Purple. No, he isn't dead, and yes, we will most surely see him again in a solo capacity somewhere - but his departure from Deep Purple signifies the end of an era. He partly initiated the band back in 1968. It was on his suggestion that Blackmore was invited along, and over the following (almost exactly) 34 years, Jon and Ian Paice were the only constant members of Deep Purple.

Only a few short weeks ago I was in London, watching Jon onstage with Purple. He was playing a blinder of a show. Nothing in his playing that night indicated his imminent retiring from the band. His performance and his smiles were infectious, and his playing was as inspired as it had ever been - nowhere more evident than in a fabulously fluent and fascinating intro to Lazy. With extreme confidence he once again proved his position as the King of the Hammond... no, wait - the Lord of the Hammond.

We all have fond memories of Jon Lord with Deep Purple - I know I have mine. Let's share the memories here. Send us your thoughts, comments, memories and hopes for the future - send them to this address only. Please remember to sign your name and country.

We can't guarantee to publish all your letters, but we shall do our best. If you want to discuss Jon and Purple, please use our Message Boards.

Rasmus Heide, Specials Editor

Photo by Serge Waldbillig

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