John ‘Honk’ Lodge: Bass Guitar – Early Bowie
John ‘Honk’ Lodge was the bass guitarist with the British psychedelic rock group Junior’s Eyes. During 1969, he became one of the musicians who worked with David Bowie in the recording studio and during a BBC radio session.
Lodge is credited on several recordings from the period surrounding Bowie’s second studio album, originally released in the United Kingdom as David Bowie in November 1969 and later widely known as Space Oddity.
He also played bass on the original studio recording of Conversation Piece and on the three performances recorded for the Dave Lee Travis Show on 20 October 1969.
John ‘Honk’ Lodge should not be confused with John Lodge of The Moody Blues. They were different musicians with separate careers.
- Full name: John Lodge
- Known as: John ‘Honk’ Lodge
- Born: Not publicly documented
- Died: Not publicly documented
- Instrument: Bass guitar
- Known for: Junior’s Eyes
- David Bowie association: 1969
- Documented Bowie work: Studio recordings connected with the 1969 David Bowie album, Conversation Piece and the BBC session recorded on 20 October 1969
- Important distinction: Not to be confused with John Lodge of The Moody Blues
Junior’s Eyes
Reliable public information about John ‘Honk’ Lodge’s childhood, date of birth and early musical training is limited. His documented career is closely associated with Junior’s Eyes, the London group formed around guitarist and songwriter Mick Wayne in 1968.
The group’s personnel changed during its short existence. Lodge was the bassist, while other members included Mick Wayne, singer Graham ‘Grom’ Kelly and drummers Steve Chapman and John Cambridge. Tim Renwick later joined on guitar.
Lodge was credited as ‘Honk’ on the group’s recordings.
Battersea Power Station
Junior’s Eyes released their only studio album, Battersea Power Station, in 1969. Tony Visconti produced the record.
The album credits ‘Honk’ on bass and jaw harp. Its music combined psychedelic rock with progressive and folk-influenced elements.
Working with David Bowie
During 1969, members of Junior’s Eyes became involved in David Bowie’s recording and broadcast work. The musicians documented alongside Bowie during this period included Mick Wayne and Tim Renwick on guitar, John Cambridge on drums and John ‘Honk’ Lodge on bass.
Their work belongs to the period surrounding Bowie’s second studio album, which was issued in the United Kingdom in November 1969 as David Bowie, in the United States as Man of Words / Man of Music, and reissued worldwide in 1972 under the title Space Oddity.
The 1969 David Bowie Album
John Lodge is credited as a bass guitarist on recordings from the 1969 album sessions. The album used more than one bass player, so his contribution should be described by the credits attached to individual recordings rather than by calling him the bassist on the entire album.
Officially issued track credits identify Lodge on recordings including Janine, God Knows I’m Good and Memory of a Free Festival. He is also credited on other album material from these sessions in later official editions and archival releases.
Herbie Flowers played bass on Space Oddity. Lodge should therefore not be credited as the bassist on that recording.
The October 1969 BBC Radio Session
David Bowie with members of Junior’s Eyes during the BBC Radio 1 session recorded in October 1969.
On 20 October 1969, Lodge took part in a David Bowie session recorded for BBC Radio 1’s Dave Lee Travis Show. The session was transmitted on 26 October 1969.
The documented line-up was David Bowie on vocals and guitar, Mick Wayne and Tim Renwick on guitars, John ‘Honk’ Lodge on bass and John Cambridge on drums.
The session contained:
- Unwashed and Somewhat Slightly Dazed
- Let Me Sleep Beside You
- Janine
Let Me Sleep Beside You and Janine were later included on Bowie at the Beeb. The complete session was subsequently issued on the fortieth-anniversary edition of Space Oddity and on the 2019 Conversation Piece collection.
Conversation Piece
David Bowie – Conversation Piece
Lodge played bass on the original studio recording of Conversation Piece. The credited musicians also included David Bowie on vocals and twelve-string guitar, Mick Wayne on guitar and John Cambridge on drums. Tony Visconti produced and arranged the recording.
The song was not included on the original 1969 album. It was released on 6 March 1970 as the B-side of The Prettiest Star.
The musicians on the two sides of the single were not identical. Lodge’s bass credit belongs specifically to Conversation Piece.
In 2019, Tony Visconti prepared a new mix of the 1969 album that placed Conversation Piece within the album sequence. The song also supplied the title of the five-CD archival collection released that year.
Selected Recordings with David Bowie
- David Bowie (1969) – bass guitar on recordings from the album sessions, as identified in later official track credits
- Conversation Piece – bass guitar; released as the B-side of The Prettiest Star on 6 March 1970
- BBC Radio 1 – Dave Lee Travis Show – bass on Unwashed and Somewhat Slightly Dazed, Let Me Sleep Beside You and Janine; recorded 20 October 1969
- Bowie at the Beeb (2000) – later official release containing two performances from the October 1969 session
- Space Oddity 40th Anniversary Edition (2009) – later official release containing the complete October 1969 session
- Conversation Piece (2019) – archival collection containing Lodge’s documented Bowie recordings from this period
Legacy
John ‘Honk’ Lodge’s association with David Bowie was brief but documented through surviving studio and BBC recordings. His bass playing forms part of the musical record of Bowie’s work during 1969.
Because reliable biographical information about Lodge remains limited, his contribution is best understood through the recordings and official credits that survive rather than through unsupported claims about his private life or later career.
Official Website & Further Information
No verified official website dedicated to John ‘Honk’ Lodge is currently known.
For official information about David Bowie’s 1969 album and the archival releases from this period, visit:
www.davidbowie.com
Article Origin
This article has been researched and written exclusively for DavidBowieWorld.com. It is based on verified release information, official recording credits and documented BBC session details concerning John ‘Honk’ Lodge’s work with Junior’s Eyes and David Bowie.
© DavidBowieWorld.com — David Bowie Collaborations & Creative Circle Archive.
