JON LORD - BEFORE I FORGET 12" Vinyl LP Album

- Original Elephant Front Cover

Alright, music aficionados, buckle up for a sonic safari unlike any other! Jon Lord, the keyboard wizard who tickled the ivories for Deep Purple, takes us on a wild ride with 'Before I Forget'. This ain't your cuppa builder's tea, mind you. It's a right eclectic brew, a bit like finding a cucumber sandwich in a fish and chips shop. But trust me, it's bloody brilliant! Expect a glorious mishmash of Bach meets blues, classical crashing headfirst into rock. So, put on your best headphones, grab a pint (or a cuppa, if you must), and prepare for a musical adventure that'll leave you gobsmacked.

 

JON LORD - Before I Forget Orig Elephant 12" LP Vinyl Album front cover https://vinyl-records.nl

Jon Lord's 'Before I Forget': A Keyboard Wizard's Unshackled Journey
Album Description:

In the world of rock 'n' roll, where guitar gods often hog the spotlight, Jon Lord stands as a defiant monument to the power of the keys. With Deep Purple, he carved out a niche where the organ wasn't just accompaniment, but a force of nature, a fire-breathing dragon amidst a maelstrom of riffs. But "Before I Forget," Lord's 1982 solo outing, is where the dragon breaks free of its chains.

This isn't your standard rock record. It's a sprawling, ambitious beast, a sonic landscape that stretches far beyond the confines of Purple's hard rock thunder. It's a testament to Lord's restless spirit, his insatiable desire to explore, to push boundaries, to meld genres in a way that would make even the most adventurous prog-rockers raise an eyebrow.

"Before I Forget" is a wild ride, a genre-bending odyssey that careens from classical flourishes to jazz-infused grooves, from symphonic bombast to bluesy lamentations. It's a record that defies categorization, that revels in its own eclecticism. At times, it's as if Lord is channeling the spirit of Bach, his fingers dancing across the keyboard with a virtuosity that's both breathtaking and awe-inspiring. At other times, he's conjuring up the ghost of Miles Davis, his melodies weaving a tapestry of smoky sophistication.

And then there are the moments where Lord unleashes the full fury of his rock 'n' roll heart, where the organ roars like a wounded beast, where the drums pound like thunder, where the guitars wail like banshees. It's a sound that's both familiar and alien, a reminder that Lord is a master of his craft, a musician who can effortlessly shift from delicate introspection to raw, unbridled power.

A notable highlight is the track "Bach Onto This," a daring fusion of classical and rock elements that showcases Lord's virtuosity and compositional skills. The album also features a range of guest vocalists, including Tony Ashton, Vicki Brown, and Elmer Gantry, each adding their unique flavor to the diverse musical palette.

The album was recorded at the legendary Abbey Road Studios, a fitting location for a record that's so steeped in musical history. Lord assembled a crack team of musicians, including the likes of Simon Phillips on drums, Cozy Powell on percussion, and Pete York on drums. The production, helmed by Lord himself, is crisp and clear, allowing every nuance of the music to shine through.

Music Genre:

80s Prog Rock 

Album Production Information:

The album: "JON LORD - Before I Forget" was produced by: Jon Lord, Guy Bidmead

  • Guy Bidmead – Producer, Recording Engineer

    British producer/engineer with 1980s credits that run from Exciter and Motörhead to Whitesnake, plus later metal landmarks like Coroner and Destruction.

    Guy Bidmead is a UK producer and recording engineer whose name shows up where tight, hard-hitting sound mattered more than studio fairy dust. He produced and engineered Exciter’s "Long Live the Loud" (1985) and "Unveiling the Wicked" (1986), and co-produced Motörhead’s "Rock ’n’ Roll" (1987). He’s also tied to the turbulent "Saints & Sinners" era in Whitesnake’s studio history, and his heavier credits include engineering on Coroner’s "Punishment for Decadence" and producing/engineering Destruction’s "Cracked Brain". In other words: if the record needed to punch cleanly instead of turning into a fuzzy wall of nope, his credit kept landing in the liner notes.

    Read his story

    •  

    Sound/Recording Engineer(s): Guy Bidmead, Mike Johnson

    This album was recorded at: Brittania Row Studios

    Album cover design:

    Album cover photography:

    Record Label & Catalognr:

    Original Sound recordings made by John Coletta.

    Harvest 1C 064-64 803

    Media Format:

    12" LP Vinyl Stereo Gramophone Record

    Total Album (Cover+Record) weight: 230 gram

    Year & Country:

    1982 Made in Germany / Netherlands
    Personnel/Band Members and Musicians on: JON LORD - Before I Forget
      Jon Lord's Band-members, Musicians and Performers
    • Jon Lord: Piano, Organ, Keyboards, Mini Moog
    • Bernie Marsden: Guitar , lead vocals
    • Bernie Marsden – Guitarist, Songwriter, Producer

      Whitesnake’s blues-rock secret weapon: a British guitarist/songwriter who helped shape late-’70s/early-’80s hard rock and co-wrote “Here I Go Again”.

      Bernie Marsden was a legendary British guitarist, songwriter, and producer best known for his iconic work with Whitesnake. His bluesy riffs and songwriting chops helped define hard rock in the late ’70s and early ’80s, including co-writing the smash hit “Here I Go Again.” Bernie Marsden Wiki.

    • Mick Ralphs: Guitar
    • Tony Ashton: Lead vocals
    • Elmer Gantry: Lead vocals
    • Vicky Brown: Lead vocal), backing vocals
    • Sam Brown: Backing vocals
    • Boz Burrell: Bass guitar
    • Neil Murray: Bass guitar
    • Neil Murray – Bass

      Some bass players politely “support” a band; Neil Murray locks in like a steel beam and dares the whole song to collapse without him.

      Neil Murray, bass guitar player and best known for holding down the low end in the British hard rock machine called "Whitesnake" (1978–1986), is the sort of musician collectors like me quietly obsess over because the evidence is on the record: tight, musical, never flashy for the sake of it, and always moving the song forward. Before that Whitesnake era properly caught fire, the man earned his stripes in the mid-70s heavy-progressive circuit with the Ian Gillan Band (1975–1978) and Colosseum II (1975–1977), where the playing demanded brains, stamina, and a strong back. Post-Whitesnake, the resume keeps getting weirder in the best way—stints with "Black Sabbath" around 1989–1991, then later the Brian May Band (1998), and other hard-rock projects that prove one thing: when you need a bassist who can make big guitars feel even bigger, Murray tends to be the name that shows up on the call sheet.

      Neil Murray Wiki
    • Ian Paice: Drums
    • Ian Paice – Drums

      The human engine room of Deep Purple: swing, snap, and zero wasted motion.

      Ian Paice, the drummer who turned Deep Purple's thunder into clockwork groove, never flashy, always lethal. From Maze in the mid-60s he joined Deep Purple in 1968, anchoring every era: the Mark I-IV years (1968-1976) and the long-haul return (1984-present). After the split I followed him through Paice Ashton Lord (1976-1978), Whitesnake (1979-1982), and Gary Moore's early-80s line-ups and sessions (1982-1984). He's the only Purple member to play on every studio album, and you can tell why: his swing sits inside the backbeat, pushing the band forward without rushing. Listen for the tight hi-hat chatter, snare cracks like a starter pistol, and fills that sing without stepping on the riff.

      Ian Paice Wiki
    • Cozy Powell: Drums
    • Cozy Powell – Drums

      Cozy Powell is the kind of drummer I file under “human avalanche”: big hands, bigger feel, and a groove that hits like a freight train in leather pants.

      Cozy Powell, for me, is the textbook example of “power that still swings”—he can be thunderous without turning stiff, flashy without turning messy, and he always leaves space for the riff to breathe. When I hear him, I hear commitment: the snare cracks, the toms roll like incoming weather, and the whole band suddenly sounds like it got upgraded to arena mode. Timeline-wise, I always map his career in loud chapters—The Jeff Beck Group (1970–1972), Rainbow (1975–1980), Michael Schenker Group (1980–1982), Whitesnake (1982–1985), Emerson, Lake & Powell (1985–1986), Black Sabbath (1988–1991, 1994–1995), and the Brian May Band (1991–1992, 1993–1994, 1998).

      Cozy Powell Wiki
    • Simon Phillips – drums

      Power and finesse in controlled bursts.

      Simon Phillips contributes drums that add weight and authority where needed. I hear his style in the more forceful passages, where clarity and impact matter most. His precise technique complements the album’s layered production, reinforcing key moments without overwhelming them, and giving certain tracks a harder, more physical edge. That power and control come from a career spent performing with artists and bands like Deep Purple, Nazareth, Michael Schenker Group, Jon Lord, Mike Oldfield, Peter Gabriel, Pete Townshend, and many others.

      Simon Phillips Wiki
    • Simon Kirke: Drums
    Complete Track-listing of the album "JON LORD - Before I Forget"

    The detailed tracklist of this record "JON LORD - Before I Forget" is:

      Track-listing Side One:
    1. "Chance on a Feeling" – 4:06
    2. "Tender Babes" – 4:04
    3. "Hollywood Rock And Roll – 4:06
    4. "Bach Onto This" – 7:59
      Track-listing Side Two:
    1. "Before I Forget" – 5:04
    2. "Say Its Alright" – 4:47
    3. "Burntwood" – 4:00
    4. "Where Are You?" – 5:00