Back in July, Moody Blues singer/bassist John Lodge released a new solo track called "In These Crazy Times (Isolation Mix)," which he recorded during the COVID-19 lockdown, and then released a companion music video last month.
Lodge tells ABC Audio that creating "In These Crazy Times," which mainly was recorded in a makeshift studio he set up in the spare bedroom of his Naples, Florida, home, was "a great experience."
"[I]t's gonna kind of live with me forever," says the 75-year-old Rock & Roll Hall of Famer. "It's got to be one of the highlights of my life…I've been involved with a lot of songs over the years, but somehow...'In These Crazy Times' has sort of triggered something in me, and I don't know what it is."
He adds, "Every time I hear this song…it's not as though it was written by me or performed by me. It seems to be something else out there, which is really weird."
John explains that among the things that make the song special for him is that his wife of 52 years, Kristen , sings backing vocals on the track, something he points out she'd "never, ever" done before.
Lodge says his wife initially was reluctant to participate but after he convinced her, he was pleasantly surprised at how the recording went.
"She did it in two takes," he reveals. "I couldn't believe it."
Lodge also recorded his lead vocals, bass, acoustic guitar and keyboards in the home studio, while he enlisted his son, Kristian , to add a lead guitar part and Yes frontman Jon Davison to contribute backing vocals remotely.
Lodge tells ABC Audio that he's also been working on other new songs that my be released in the New Year.
By Matt Friedlander
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