The Moody Blues (Official Thread)

LG

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My Current Moody Blues Collection.

TheMoodyBluesAlbumCollage.jpg



Here's one of my favorite rock bands from the late 60's early 70's, ladies and gentlemen the one and only "Moody Blues". Formed in 1964 in Birmingham England by Mike Pinder and Ray Thomas. First they were one of the many Blues-rock bands popping up all over the place. They started "stealing" other musicians they liked from other bands and added them to their line-up, Denny Laine, Graeme Edge and Clint Warwick. That comprises the first incarnation of the group.

After some initial excitement which included opening for the Beatles on one tour, the lack of follow up commercial success to their first album, Go Now eventually caused the band to unravel. Warwick and Laine both left and John Lodge and Justin Hayward took their places in 1966. This is the line-up that I consider the best, the Mk II if you will. The band began to change their sound, from the bluesy rock to more folk and psychedelic music. The band relocated to Europe to try and make enough money to keep going, many other English bands had found success in Europe.

We now come to a convergence of technology and rock music. Back in the late 60's most of the States and us as well had switched from mono recordings to stereo, but England was lagging behind. So Decca Records decided to introduce a flagship subsidiary label that offered true Stereo and the best quality recording/production values they could offer. The Moody's were in debt to Decca so they recorded an album for the new "Deramic Stereo" label, and the rest is history. Of course almost all of my contemporaries know the record I am talking about..."Days of Future Passed".(There is quite a story behind how this album came about, we'll talk about it later.) A landmark record that opened the door for the band and established the luxurious quintessential Moody Blues signature sound.

I love the Moodies, their classical influences, the songwriting, the playing they have to be one of the most talented and accessible bands of the British invasion beyond any doubt.

The first hit song that got the band started.

 

Dave78

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Re: The New Moody Blues Thread

Woah... I need to give my brains a chance to re-group. I never knew "Go Now" was a Moody Blues song. I've only heard it on Paul McCartney & Wings' live album Wings Over America so I always thought it was an old Beatles song that Wings had dusted-off for that tour (because I knew the song wasn't on any of Paul's solo records). Turns out (after some checking) that the song isn't on any of The Beatles albums either. Also, I never knew that Wings guitarist Denny Laine was an early member of the Moody Blues so perhaps there's a connection there. Ya think? :D

At any rate, I, too, am a big fan of the Moody Blues -- particularly the late 60's thru the early 70's (no surprise there), but also some of their work in the late 70's thru the mid 80's.

Favorite songs (in chronological order) are:

Nights in White Satin
Tuesday Afternoon
Ride My See-Saw
Lovely to See You
Sun Is Still Shining
Gypsy
Questions
The Story in Your Eyes
You and Me
I'm Just a Singer (In a Rock and Roll Band)
-------------------------------------------------
Steppin' In a Slide Zone - '78
The Voice - '81
Your Wildest Dreams - '86
I Know You're Out There Somewhere - '88

Great group to discuss, LG. Their music is so identifiable to the late 60's and early 70's, yet it's timeless in its own way. Loved hearing them on the radio back then, and love playing their cds on road trips even as recent as last weekend. :cheers2
 

Abraxas

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Re: The New Moody Blues Thread

I love their music. The combination of rock and orchestra is genius and I like how they've included other musical influences like eastern music in their songs (very evident on Om). I love the classic seven, Go Now and their albums from the early 80's. Long Distance Voyager is great from start to finish as well as The Present.

One of the things that got me to start buying their albums was the album art. The paintings always made a perfect marriage with their music. Phil Travers always made the most interesting covers with In Search Of The Lost Chord, On The Threshold Of A Dream and Every Good Boy Deserves Favour being my faves. It goes to show that album art is important and adds to the music. Something I feel has been somewhat lost nowadays.

My most fave albums are Days Of Future Passed, In Search Of The Lost Chord, On The Threshold Of A Dream, A Question Of Balance, Every Good Boy Deserves Favour, Long Distance Voyager, The Present and The Other Side Of Life.
 

LG

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Re: The New Moody Blues Thread

Nice to have such knowledgeable company in here guys.:D

I was surprised myself Dave, when I was doing the OP and found out about the early years, the Moody Blues I know are when Justin and John joined the band and they released Days of Future Past.

Abraxas, totally agree with you about the loss of art in the CD era, I truly loved the artwork on the vinyl records I grew up with...some of the most creative artists of our time worked and produced masterpieces for albums.:bow:

The only two albums you mentioned that I don't own are Long Distance Voyager, and The Other Side of Life. I might have to look into those .:grinthumb
 

snowblue

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Re: The New Moody Blues Thread

The only two albums you mentioned that I don't own are Long Distance Voyager, and The Other Side of Life. I might have to look into those .:grinthumb

I'd give The Other Side Of Life a miss, LG. Another I wouldn't recommend would be December - hearing them sing White Christmas is an experience I'd gladly forget! :wtf:

As you can probably guess from my avatar and username, I'm a huge Moodies fan and have all their albums and some of the solo ones too.
 

LG

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Re: The New Moody Blues Thread

Thanks for the advice Snowblue. I am waiting for someone who knows the early band and the first albums to post about them...my knowledge starts with Days of Future Past. I really never even knew they were a blues rock band first, until Hep posted that Go Now song in a different thread a few days ago.:D
 

Dave78

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Re: The New Moody Blues Thread

 

Hepcat

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Re: The New Moody Blues Thread

The paintings always made a perfect marriage with their music. Phil Travers always made the most interesting covers with In Search Of The Lost Chord, On The Threshold Of A Dream and Every Good Boy Deserves Favour being my faves. It goes to show that album art is important and adds to the music. Something I feel has been somewhat lost nowadays.

I agree. But "To Our Children's Childen's Children" is perhaps my very favourite cover. I like those hieroglyphics.

:****:
 

snowblue

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Re: The New Moody Blues Thread

I found this about the early band -

2150e86.jpg 2u6pke0.jpg

This album was released in 1965 in the UK as The Magnificent Moodies and with different cover artwork in the USA as Go Now.

Album tracks -

I'll Go Crazy
Something You Got
Go Now! [Released as a single]
Can't Nobody Love You
I Don't Mind
I've Got A Dream
Let Me Go
Stop
Thank You Baby
It Ain't Necessarily So
True Story
Bye Bye Bird
 

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