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Testimonials - page 9

Robin Haddon:
I first heard Deep Purple at the tender age of 11. The impact of listening to Jon Lord's intro to Lazy is still fresh in my mind 28 years later. My brother had just brought Machine Head home from the music library and I sat half-way up the stairs mesmirised as he filled the house with this incredible music.

Siamak Osanlou, Iran:
I am an Iranian boy who has lived with Deep Purple's music for 15 years now. I was about 15 when I heard Made In Japan for the first time and I became a Deep Purple fan that very moment. Deep Purple has everything I want from music. Now I have all the albums. Who can play for the band like Jon? Jon Lord is Deep Purple. When I watch his solo playing on Come Hell Or High Water I think nobody can be like him playing keyboards. I am so sorry about my favourit band.

Craig Storey, UK:
The wailing opening Hammond chords to And The Address, which is from an era before even me(!), were a major factor in me becoming Purple-ised. The earliest memory of seeing Jon in the media was when the famous five regrouped for the Perfect Strangers album. That classic Hammond riff for the title track sent shivers down my spine. It was to be years before I saw Purple in a live situation, but at the Rivermead in Reading in 1996 I, along with thousands of others, were stunned by an almost perfect performance. Jon was situated to the side, watching over the band like a lion protecting his pack... amazing.

Szabó Krisztián, Hungray:
I started learning the piano after first hearing Child In Time. Thank you for that. I saw Jon in 1996 and 1998 in Budapest on the Purpendicular and Abandon tours. I'll never forget it - especially Liszt's Hungarian Rhapshody in his solo. Mindent köszönünk Jon!

Christian Schmidt, Germany:
I´ve been lucky to see you seven times on stage from 1996 to 2000, including the wonderful concert in Köln on the Pictured Within tour. You have influenced my musical life like no other piano player or keyboarder did and ever will do. You have always been my idol and every time I saw you on stage playing the organ or the piano with such energy and soul you inspired me to go on and never stop playing really good music. Thank you for all the years, I hope there will be some more.

Claudio Caracci, Pesaro, Italy:
During the last years' gigs I saw fire on Mr. Lord's hands while he was dueling with Mr. Morse, a fire that was iced for too long. That fire will remain in our heart for a very long time.

Brian O'Malley, USA:
Jon Lord - always a fascinating player with a unique sound. The wild cat screaming sound he put out during Living Wreck, and the futuristic space sounds he obtained during live versions of Space Truckin'.

Detlef Hövelmann, Germany:
Jon Lord, my hero whom I've seen at so many Deep Purple concerts since 1970. It's not just a musician leaving a band - to me you're a hero, whom I've met from time to time all through my youth. I've been so lucky and I hope you will be my 'guide' through the next 32 years. I'll never forget the moment back on the 29th of October 2000 when - sitting in the 3rd row at the Westfalenhalle in Dortmund - you took the stage whishing all of us a "Good evening." What a feeling it was - like a shower over my neck - 30 years of our lives flew by in three hours. When closing my eyes, in my memories, you will always be my hero, father or friend that I loved. I feel a bit like in 1976 when Deep Purple quit. Nobody thought you would come back again. But you did. Hope dies at last - as we say in Germany, and that's what I feel. Come back to us, whenever you like. We love you and you're still our hero, even in paradise. Maybe I once have the chance to meet you again somewhere.

Jeff Engelen, Minnesota, USA:
Jon Lord was the reason that I stumbled upon the band Deep Purple when I first heard the intro to Perfect Strangers a few years back. I thought it was such a powerful and amazing intro, and song for that matter, that I had to buy the album immediately. Under The Gun still makes me smile when Jon chimes in with his brilliant solo. When the name Jon Lord comes to mind I think of his outstanding work on the Mk 1 albums - his playing on Hush, Kentucky Woman, Hey Joe and April is absolutely brilliant. I had the distinct pleasure of seeing Deep Purple recently with Lynyrd Skynyrd. The band and Lord were on fire that night. A feeling of complete joy came over me when I heard the intro to Perfect Strangers, preceeded by a wonderful solo that only Jon Lord could deliver. I owe much gratitude to Jon for introducing me to the greatest rock and roll band of all time. His presence will be missed greatly within the band. Best wishes to you Jon, and thanks for the memories.

Teppo Silvennoinen, Finland:
Voi, olipa surullinen uutinen! Onnea valitsemallesi tielle ja kiitos kaikesta. Laitan Machine Headin soimaan!

Hans-Dieter Jesgarsz, Germany:
About 25 years ago, when Deep Purple had just split up, I started listening to Deep Purple. I started collecting the solo projects of the members and got to know the other side of Jon Lord's music. He opened the gate to the world of classical music for me. Since that time my favourite classical composers are Bach and Mussorgski, and my favourite classic cross-over projects are "Concerto For Group And Orchestra", "Gemini Suite" and "Pictures At An Exhibition" by Emerson, Lake and Palmer. Jon Lord has extended my personal horizon and teached me to make clear my point of view without loosing respect for other people and their minds. He is a great composer, a wonderful musician and a very, very gentle man. Thank you Jon for knowing you and having a lot of good times while listening to your fantastic music. All my respect and my very best wishes for you and your future. Hoping to hear more of you soon.

Manfred Arnold, Brittany, France:
The first time I saw Deep Purple was in 1972 in Zurich, Switzerland. It was the first time ever I saw a rock band performing live. We were a crowd of 10.000 fans, and everybody went crazy. Afterwards life wasn't the same as before. To many of us, the music of DP has become a part of our life.

Robert Daems, Holland:
In 1993 I was vacationing on the Spanish Island of Menorca. Staying with friends of my parents, they knew I was a Deep Purple fan and they told me that Jon Lord and Ian Paice had a house on the Island. Later that week I was sitting on the terrace having a cup of coffee. The woman I was staying with pointed Jon out to me. She knew him and introduced me to him. I was completely surprised and shook the hands that play the Hammond in a way no one else can. We didn't take the time to have a chat, but I was pleased to have met Jon Lord. What will Deep Purple be like after Jon is gone? This will have a much greater impact than the departure of Ritchie Blackmore. For the last nine or ten years Deep Purple have improved and grown up. Jon Lord is the nucleus around which all the other band members are circulating. Hopefully the future will bring lots of beautiful solo albums of Jon Lord. I was at the Ahoy Rotterdam concert, and I will cherish that CD even more now.

Matthew Ali, Nottingham, UK:
A very special thanks for the Come Hell Or High Water gig at the NEC. I was in the audience wondering what the hell was going on when suddenly the band started into Highway Star with no guitarist, but a keyboard player more than making up for his absence. Thanks for making it a wonderful and interesting show.

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