By Andrea Marie Camborn
FROM WIKIPEDIA COMMONS
John Charles Lodge (20 July 1943 – 10 October 2025) was an English musician, best known as bass guitarist, co-lead vocalist and songwriter of the longstanding rock band the Moody Blues. He also worked as a record producer and collaborated with other musicians outside the band.
Lodge was born in Birches Green near Erdington, Birmingham, on 20 July 1943. He was educated at Birches Green Infant and Junior School and Central Grammar School, before pursuing engineering studies at Birmingham College of Advanced Technology. His early influences were musicians such as Buddy Holly and Jerry Lee Lewis. At age 14, Lodge met future bandmate Ray Thomas.
In 1966, John Lodge joined the Moody Blues as bassist and vocalist after their original bassist Clint Warwick had left the band, rejoining Ray Thomas during the same period as the band recruited guitarist/vocalist Justin Hayward to replace Denny Laine.
Lodge was one of the primary songwriters of the Moody Blues, writing many songs including “Ride My See-Saw“, “Isn’t Life Strange” and “I’m Just a Singer (In a Rock and Roll Band)“, receiving an ASCAP songwriting award for the latter two. He also wrote “Gemini Dream” alongside Justin Hayward which reached no. 12 on the Billboard Hot 100 charts and also won an ASCAP songwriting award.
Lodge died on 10 October 2025, at the age of 82. His death was announced by his family later that day and reported as “sudden and unexpected” and that he was surrounded by loved ones at the time.
Bass Player magazine noted that Lodge was voted as one of the top ten bass players of all time. In 2018, Lodge was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of the Moody Blues. In September 2019, Lodge was given the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Annual Prog Awards by Prog in London.
