Jon Lord • Before I Forget
Original album front cover
Jon’s missing solo album Before I Forget finally returns to the CD racks later this month. The album was first issued on CD by RPM in the early nineties, and then transferred to Purple Records, but was deleted when the license expired. This new edition appears on EMI itself, and is remastered. Some of the bonus tracks from the old edition have been left off, as has the interview, but the album out-take Ravel’s Pavane remains, and they’ve added the single edit of Bach Onto This as well. Can you imagine anyone issuing this as a 45 today? Even is the format still existed!
The album, issued in 1982 (EMI seemed to have missed the 30th anniversary tie-in) was quite a mixture, rounding up ideas and themes Jon had been working on across a variety of musical genres. Busy as he was with Whitesnake, Jon just decided to put them all together in the time he had (sessions were begun in September 1981 and concluded in spring 1982), with loads of special guests including members of Whitesnake, Bad Company and more (as well as Jon Lord himself, Tony Ashton, Sam Brown, Vicki Brown, Elmer Gantry, Bernie Marsden, Neil Murray, Boz Burrel, Ian Paice, Simon Phillips, Cozy Powell, Simon Kirke and Mick Ralphs all pop up).
As such it’s an album which is best viewed as a snapshot of the moment, but has some stunning individual tracks, mostly those which lean towards the classical side. Where Are You and the title track can clearly be seen as leading towards his more recent solo albums in style, very moving performances. Bach Onto This is a terrific classical romp, Burntwood by contrast a very melancholic piece, while Chance On A feeling rightly leads off the original album, a lovely number.
So, one to approach with a bit of caution as a couple of the vocalists are an acquired taste, but deserving of a place in the collection certainly. While the CD has been deleted some jokers in Australia even pirated the damn thing, so it’s good that people can at last get it officially once more.
Available to order at DTBOnline Store. A gallery of publicity images from the album’s release in 1982 is on http://www.deep-purple.net here.
Original album track listing:
A1. Chance on a Feeling (4:06)
A2. Tender Babies (4:04)
A3. Hollywood Rock And Roll (4:06)
A4. Bach Onto This (7:59)
B1. Before I Forget (5:04)
B2. Say Its Alright (4:47)
B3. Burntwood (4:00)
B4. Where Are You? (5:00)
Jon Lord Before I Forget album back cover
darker than blue 
October 28, 2012 at 4:41 pm |
Bach Onto This is one of my favourite Jon Lord tracks EVER! But who needs a single edit?
October 31, 2012 at 7:17 pm |
It’s a moot point Michiel, and I certainly never played my 45 rpm of this at the time, but one for historians perhaps. Like that 2.30 edit of Lazy.
October 10, 2012 at 12:18 pm |
I have a vinyl copy with Vicki Brown’s autograph. Is that worth much on the market? Not that I want to sell it! I met her in a shopping mall in Leiden (where I studied way back in 1987/1988) where she was invited by a musicshop owner to do an autograph session because of The Tom Parker album.
I’d have loved to have the coffee table book about The California Jam but that’s out my league financially.
I do have autographs of Jon on the inlay of Pictured Within, Concerto 69, Made In Japan and so on.
I’d rather give those to the devil to bring us back Jon though.
October 11, 2012 at 10:21 am |
I guess there won’t be many people with Vicki’s signature, and no matter how good the Cal Jam book, nothing beats having something signed to you in person. And I agree with your last comments too.
October 6, 2012 at 9:25 am |
I have both vinyl and CD versions signed and messaged by Jon himself. I feel privileged to have met him several times in Australia and still remember vivid memories of his humility, warmth and good grace to this day.
R.I.P Jon. Greg Furlong (Aussie Red Wine Man)
October 5, 2012 at 1:19 am |
Great to see this out again though Collectors should head for the expanded one with extra tracks and interview – an absolute gem. Loved the album even from the original LP and remember the day I got it at the Royal Easter Show! Certainly one of the best post-DP albums I recommend it.
October 10, 2012 at 8:29 am |
I’m afraid the original CD has been fetching big sums on the s/hand market for many years now Ian. I hope the remaster hasn’t gone over the top as so any of them do.