The Moody Blues: Every album, every song

Sonicbond Publishing Limited

www.sonicbondpublishing.co.uk

Email: [email protected]

First Published in the United Kingdom 2019

First Published in the United States 2019

Reprinted 2020

This digital edition 2022

British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data:

A Catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library

Copyright Geoffrey Feakes 2019

ISBN 978-1-78952-042-2

The rights of Geoffrey Feakes to be identified as the authors of this work have been asserted by them in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and patents Act 1988.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior permission in writing from Sonicbond Publishing Limited

Printed and bound in England

Graphic design and typesetting: Full Moon Media

This book is dedicated to the memory of Ray Thomas (1941 – 2018)

Acknowledgements

A big thank you to Stephen Lambe and all at Sonicbond Publishing for their support and encouragement in putting this book together.

Thanks to the Dutch Progressive Rock Page who have published my reviews and interviews since 2005 and provided the inspiration to write this book.

Gratitude to all the members of the Moody Blues, past and present, and everyone associated with the band.

I would also like to thank all the researchers, journalists,

archivists and fans that have gone before and made available a

wealth of information.

A special thank you to my wife Margaret and her gracious support through five months devoted almost entirely to the band and their music.

Finally, a fond farewell to the Classic Rock Society who sadly closed their doors in 2019. Since I joined in 2001, they’ve been a treasured source of entertainment and information.

Contents

Foreword

Introduction

The Key Players

The Magnificent Moodies (1965)

Days of Future Passed (1967)

In Search of the Lost Chord (1968)

On the Threshold of a Dream (1969)

To Our Children’s Children’s Children (1969)

A Question of Balance (1970)

Every Good Boy Deserves Favour (1971)

Seventh Sojourn (1972)

Justin Hayward & John Lodge – Blue Jays (1975)

Octave (1978)

Long Distance Voyager (1981)

The Present (1983)

The Other Side of Life (1986)

Sur la mer (1988)

Keys of the Kingdom (1991)

Strange Times (1999)

December (2003)

Live Albums and Videos

Compilation Albums

Tribute Albums and Bands

Solo Albums

Seventeen (Almost) Forgotten Songs

Bibliography

Top Twenty Moody Blues Songs

Foreword

Like many fans of a certain age, my introduction to the Moody Blues was the 1965 UK number one single ‘Go Now’ (or ‘Go Now !’ as it was written on the label). I was just ten years old, and the soulful singing and infectious piano hook left a lasting impression. They were virtually written off as one-hit wonders until almost three years later a song called ‘Nights in White Satin’ appeared on the radio. The song’s singer and writer just happened to be from my hometown of Swindon in the South West of England. The yearning lead vocal, ethereal backing voices and orchestra (which I later discovered to be a Mellotron) were a revelation. And this was 1967, the year of classics like ‘A Whiter Shade of Pale’, ‘Penny Lane’, ‘Strawberry Fields Forever’, ‘Waterloo Sunset’, ‘Silence is Golden’ and ‘I Can See for Miles’. These songs, along with many others, were the soundtrack of my adolescence.

In 1970 after leaving school, I followed in the footsteps of Graeme Edge, becoming a trainee draughtsman, and John Lodge, studying engineering at a local college. Most importantly, I had money in my pocket to fund what was becoming an insatiable appetite for music. Fuelled by the weekly music press, which I read avidly, and late-night radio, especially Radio Luxembourg, I discovered the delights of what was commonly known as ‘Underground music’. The Moodies ‘Mark Two’ had already released five albums at this point and following a recommendation, I purchased On the Threshold of a Dream. By the end of the record, I was hooked. From the quirky charm of ‘Dear Diary’ to the cinematic ‘The Voyage’, the sheer range of the band’s sound was awe inspiring.

In 1971, I started attending gigs on a regular basis, and there were strong releases from Jethro Tull, Yes, Pink Floyd, David Bowie, Elton John, Deep Purple, Emerson Lake & Palmer, The Who and Led Zeppelin. My record collection grew at a rapid rate. In those pre-internet days, there was something very special about walking into a record shop and buying an LP on its first day of release. Every Good Boy Deserves Favour was no exception, my first brand new Moody Blues album. To say I played it to death would be an understatement. From the overly ambitious ‘Procession’ to the haunting ‘My Song’, l absorbed every note and every word. It was ambitious, and it was tuneful, I couldn’t wait for the next album.

Although my loyalty has been tested over the years (the bouts of inactivity, the departure of Mike Pinder, the synthetic sounds of the ‘80s and ‘90s) my affection for the band has remained. While the post-1970s albums may not scale the heights of the earlier classics, every release has something to recommend it. In short, the Moody Blues were the obvious subject for a book of this kind.

Following the ‘Introduction’ which includes a brief history of the band, I introduce the ‘Key Players’. We are then into the main body of the book, a chapter dedicated to each album where every track and related non-album track is individually discussed. As the band have always been attentive to presentation, I also cover the album artwork. This is followed by the chapters ‘Live Albums and Videos’, ‘Compilation Albums’, ‘Tribute Albums and Bands’ and ‘Solo Albums’ which are all self-explanatory. While I neither endorse nor dismiss bootlegs, they are not part of the remit of this book. I round things off with ‘Seventeen (Almost) Forgotten Songs’.

As a music reviewer, I spend a good deal of time listening to new albums and bands. One of the positive aspects of writing this book was revisiting my vinyl and CD collection, which I rarely do these days. It proved to be a pleasurable and nostalgic voyage of rediscovery. If you are in a similar situation due to the demands of everyday life, I hope this book inspires you to do the same.

Finally, while I’ve tried to keep my comments balanced and informative, time can play tricks on both judgement and memory. If you disagree (or agree) with anything I’ve written or spot any factual errors, then please feel free to contact me through the publisher.

Geoffrey Feakes, 31 May 2019

Introduction

2018 was a year marked by two significant events for the Moody Blues and their fans, one of sadness and one of celebration. In December 2017, it was announced that after years of campaigning by supporters (including a 2013 Rolling Stone magazine readers’ poll) they would finally be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. The ceremony was scheduled for the 14 April 2018, and the ‘classic’ line-up were all expected to attend. Sadly, on 4 January 2018 with just four months to go, Ray Thomas, who co-founded the band with Mike Pinder in 1964, lost his battle with prostate cancer and passed away. The induction ceremony went ahead with Pinder, Justin Hayward, John Lodge and Graeme Edge joined by Ray’s son Adam and former frontman Denny Laine. Although long overdue, it was a welcome acknowledgement of their longevity and achievements. Pinder said on his website ‘The rock hall of fame people were wonderful’ and Hayward admitted that he enjoyed it more than he expected. And if you visit the band’s website, you can even buy the souvenir t-shirt.

According to the rules of eligibility, they could have been inducted as early as 1989. By that point, the Moody Blues had already earned their place in rock history as one of the most popular and influential bands of all time. John Lodge once wryly observed that the Moody Blues have always been people’s third favourite group. Since they formed 55 years ago, hundreds of artists have risen to popularity only to fade away, few have endured like the Moodies. In their 1960s and ‘70s prime, not only were they consummate musicians, they boasted five songwriters and four lead singers which even the Beatles couldn’t top. And if statistics are necessary, they’ve sold more than 70 million albums worldwide and have been awarded eighteen platinum and gold discs. The individual members have also received numerous awards, particularly for their songwriting achievements. While they’ve never been particularly fashionable as far as critics are concerned, thankfully they’ve never been accused of being a rich man’s Barclay James Harvest! From Days of Future Passed in 1967 to Seventh Sojourn in 1972, they had an impressive run of seven classic albums before restyling themselves for the 1980s and beyond. They pioneered symphonic rock, striking a chord with music lovers on a global scale. That’s not how it began, however.

They formed in Birmingham, a sprawling city in England’s industrial heartland that would become associated with hard rock bands like Black Sabbath and Led Zeppelin. This was 1964 however, and the Moodies comprising Mike Pinder (keyboards, vocals), Ray Thomas (harmonica, flute, vocals), Denny Laine (guitar, vocals), Graeme Edge (drums) and Clint Warwick (bass, vocals) were part of the flourishing pop and R&B scene. They called themselves the M & B 5, hoping this would attract sponsorship from M & B (Mitchells and Butlers) breweries who owned many of the clubs and pubs where the local bands performed. While that never materialised, they had to be admired for their enterprising spirit. After a brief billing as the Moody Blues Five, they eventually settled on the Moody Blues which reflected their twelve-bar blues-based sound and Pinder’s interest in music’s ability to create different moods.

Following their live debut in Birmingham in May 1964, they were noticed by managers Tony Secunda and Alex Murray who secured them a regular spot at the Marquee Club in London. They also arranged a recording deal with Decca Records. While the Beatles were monopolising the charts on both sides of the Atlantic, the Moodies had their own flush of fame with ‘Go Now’ which reached the top of the UK singles chart in January 1965. Later that same year it helped propel their debut LP The Magnificent Moodies to the upper reaches of the album chart. Subsequent singles fell mostly on deaf ears and following the departure of first Warwick and then Laine in 1966 the band splintered despite a second album in the works.

The Moody Blues ‘Mark Two’ surfaced in late 1966 with two new members and a new direction. Justin Hayward (guitar, vocals) and John Lodge (bass, vocals) would be crucial in shaping the band’s sound (and international success) into the 21st Century. From the late ‘60s to the early ‘70s they embraced psychedelic pop, symphonic rock, prog and folk-rock. Producer Tony Clarke played a significant part in ensuring their polished sound remained at the forefront of recording technology. In 1969 they became one of the first bands to successfully launch their own label, Threshold Records.

Despite their success (or perhaps because of it) in 1974 they decided to take time out, although it was widely reported that they had disbanded. A flurry of offshoot activities followed including a compilation, solo albums and the successful Hayward and Lodge Blue Jays partnership and 1975 hit single ‘Blue Guitar’. In 1977 the self-explanatory double LP Caught Live + 5 was released, and the Moodies regrouped. The resulting 1978 album Octave sold well, spawning more hit singles, but Pinder was reluctant to tour and departed following the recording. His surprise replacement was Swiss keyboard virtuoso Patrick Moraz fresh from Yes. Also around this time, Hayward appeared on Jeff Wayne’s Musical Version of The War of the Worlds, which is still wowing audiences to this day.

They continued to record throughout the 1980s with four successful albums and several singles including five significant Stateside hits. In 1985 the band received the prestigious Ivor Novello Award for ‘Outstanding Contribution to Music’. In the 1990s, studio albums became more sporadic with diminishing degrees of commercial success. Touring continued throughout this period and they often performed with a full orchestra, something they had not done in their earlier years. Moraz departed acrimoniously in 1991, replaced by touring musician Bias Boshell backed by second keyboardist Paul Bliss. Gordon Marshall fulfilled a similar role as a second drummer to Graeme Edge. Founding member Ray Thomas retired at the end of 2002 due to ill health, replaced for tours by the classically trained Norda Mullen.

The last studio album, December was released in 2003. Although they could no longer rely on the general record-buying public, a loyal fan base ensured sold out concerts. Touring continued unabated throughout the noughties and studio albums were replaced by live releases, reissues and numerous compilations. In 2004 they attracted the attention of several renowned American country artists who covered their songs under the inspired title Moody Bluegrass. For touring duties, they enlisted Julie Ragins on keyboards and sax in 2006, Alan Hewitt took over as principal keyboardist in 2010 and Billy Ashbaugh as second drummer in 2016. A performance from the 2017 tour to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Days of Future Passed was recorded and released in 2018. Justin Hayward and John Lodge regularly feature Moodies songs in their solo sets and have shows booked for 2019 and 2020. Together with Graeme Edge, as the core members, they are keeping the music of the Moody Blues alive which so far has bridged six decades and several generations. Long may they continue.

The Key Players

The Moody Blues family tree is a relatively small one, especially compared with many of their contemporaries. Although the original line-up lasted for less than three years, since 1967 they have remained remarkably stable with just three (albeit significant) changes. I’ve summarised the dates, personnel changes and line-ups as follows:

1964 – 1966: Mark One: Mike Pinder, Ray Thomas, Denny Laine, Graeme Edge, Clint Warwick

1966: Clint Warwick leaves, replaced by Rod Clark

1966: Rod Clark leaves, replaced by John Lodge

1966: Denny Laine leaves, replaced by Justin Hayward

1966 – 1978: Mark Two: Mike Pinder, Ray Thomas, Justin Hayward, John Lodge, Graeme Edge

1978: Mike Pinder leaves, replaced by Patrick Moraz

1978 – 1991: Mark Three: Justin Hayward, John Lodge, Ray Thomas, Graeme Edge, Patrick Moraz

1991: Patrick Moraz leaves, reducing the band to a quartet

1991 – 2002: Mark Four: Justin Hayward, John Lodge, Ray Thomas, Graeme Edge

2002: Ray Thomas retires, reducing the band to a trio

2002 – present: Mark Five: Justin Hayward, John Lodge, Graeme Edge

In this section, I’ve included full-time band members only. Numerous other musicians, including Bias Boshell, Paul Bliss, Gordon Marshall, Norda Mullen and Alan Hewitt have performed and recorded with the band, but they never became fully fledged members. I’ve also omitted bass player Rod Clark who for a few short months in 1966 following the departure of Clint Warwick was a temporary replacement before the arrival of John Lodge. I have however included producer Tony Clarke who from 1967 to 1978 was the band’s unofficial sixth member.

Mike Pinder (born: 27 December 1941)

1964 – 1978. Vocals, piano, Mellotron, keyboards

For fans of a certain age, Moody Blues founder Mike Pinder remains probably the most distinguished member. In a band that has always eschewed guitar histrionics, his keyboards were a prominent feature throughout his fourteen-year tenure. During the Denny Laine period, his distinctive piano playing was the lead instrument on many of the songs, most notably the 1965 hit single ‘Go Now’. During the Moodies ‘Mark Two’ period, the symphonic sounds of the Mellotron and his enigmatic compositional style were chiefly responsible for the band’s prog-rock tag in the late ‘60s and early ‘70s.

Like the other original members, he played in several groups that were part of the short-lived ‘Brumbeat’ scene which included over 250 bands at its peak. He was keyboardist with El Riot and the Rebels, formed by Ray Thomas (vocals) and John Lodge (bass). After a stint in Germany with the Krew Cats, he returned to Birmingham, and took a job with Streetly Electronics where he was introduced to the Mellotron.

In the spring of 1964, he and Thomas formed the Moody Blues with Denny Laine (guitar, vocals), Graeme Edge (drums) and Clint Warwick (bass). Under the management of Tony Secunda and Alex Murray, they secured a recording contract with Decca Records. In the summer of 1965, they released the debut album The Magnificent Moodies containing mostly cover versions. It sold well in the UK but did not represent their songwriting potential. In 1965 and 1966, Pinder co-wrote with Laine several superb but mostly ignored singles.

The acquisition of a Mellotron Mark II, that was sitting unused in a social club at a Dunlop tyre factory, was a major turning point. The instrument would play a key role on Days of Future Passed in 1967 and subsequent Moodies ‘Mark Two’ albums. As well as singing his own compositions, his rich baritone made him a natural for narrating Edge’s poems which provided a unifying introduction to many of the band’s albums.

Ray Thomas (born: 29 December 1941, died: 4 January 2018)

1964 – 2002. Vocals, harmonica, flute

Ray Thomas was born in Stourport-on-Severn, south-west of Birmingham just two days after Pinder and he later joined the Birmingham Youth Choir. It was his penchant for soul and blues however that led him to the Saints & Sinners who later morphed into El Riot and the Rebels. He sang lead vocals and played harmonica in the band, which also featured John Lodge and later Mike Pinder. He and Pinder joined the Krew Cats in 1963 where he was again the vocalist and Pinder the organist. Like the Beatles before them, the Krew Cats trod the boards at the Top Ten Club in Hamburg, Germany before returning disillusioned and penniless to the UK.

In 1964, Thomas and Pinder formed the appropriately named R&B group the Moody Blues. The band’s remit was to perform soul and blues covers with the occasional original song written by Pinder and Denny Laine. With the gifted singer Laine in the band, Thomas sang lead on only a couple of songs although his voice was an integral part of the band’s distinctive harmonies. In addition to harmonica and tambourine, he taught himself to play the flute to give himself an extra musical ‘voice’ within the band.

His talents as a songwriter would come to fruition in 1967 in the band’s second phase. The whimsical ‘Another Morning’ and the psychedelic ‘Twilight Time’ on Days of