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smoke on the water

VIDEO: The man responsible for this classic rock riff has died

Da da DAH, da da DA-DAA, da da DAH, DAH DAAAAA.

IF YOU HAVE ever picked up a guitar – or even at any stage been a teenage boy – the chances are you’ve tried to play this riff.

YouTube/eaglerocktv

Deep Purple’s Smoke On The Water is a classic beloved of dad-rockers and ex-hippies everywhere, not to mention a few others. Jon Lord, the band’s keyboardist who co-wrote the track, died this week aged 71.

A statement on his official website read:

It is with deep sadness we announce the passing of Jon Lord, who suffered a fatal pulmonary embolism today [...] after a long battle with pancreatic cancer. Jon was surrounded by his loving family.

As well as Deep Purple, Lord played keyboards with heavy rock outfit Whitesnake and forged a career as a classical composer.

He may have passed on, but his work will continue to torment guitar shop owners everywhere.

Jon Lord in 1969 (PA Wire)

Here’s the tune in its original recorded version:

YouTube/timothy1573

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