RIP Arthur Lee

March 7, 1945 – August 3, 2006

Love: The Red Telephone and Maybe The People Would Be The Times Or Between Clark And Hilldale
From: Forever Changes [Elektra, 1967]

Love: She Comes In Colours
From: Da Capo [Elektra, 1966]

Love: A Message To Pretty
From: Love [Elekta, 1966]

It’s now confirmed that Arthur Lee, the frontman and songwriter for Love passed away yesterday after a long battle with leukemia. Love’s music has had a profound effect on mine and millions of people’s lives and will be sorely missed. Forever Changes alone would easily rank in my top five greatest albums ever recorded.

I’ve deliberated long and hard how best to pay tribute to one of the last great talents of the 20th Century. To be perfectly honest I’d love to put up the whole of Forever Changes but, seriously, if you don’t already own it you need to get it right now. So, I’ve returned from a Friday night out and used my deteriorating state of mind to choose for me.

I’ve strayed away from Arthur’s heavier period and not even touched on his solo albums but hopefully this will give you a first step in appreciating the talent the world has lost.

Each album, which sounds good on first listen, soon reveals a whole nother level of majesty that will entrance listeners for decades to come, from the magnificent trumpets of Maybe The People… to the sweet melodies of She Comes In Colours. I’ll let the music speak for itself.

RIP to one of the greats.