Also see Mellotron Information (also info. on Mike Pinder)
From: "Mark Fonda"
> Anybody out there care to name what they believe is the "FIRST"
prog-rock album.?
...I believe it would be the Beatles 'Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band' from
1967. Following that was the Moody Blues'"Days of Future Passed" (1967), Procol Harum's
first untitled album (1967), Pink Floyd's 'A Saucerful of Secrets' (1968) and The Nice's
'Ars Longa Vita Brevis' (1968). These were the first "concept" albums based on
classical music structures which set them apart from the psychedelic and pop genres.
From: "Mark Fonda"
> Which Moody cd do you recommend? Should I pick up a *best of*?
I'm not really the one to ask either. I only have their compilation CD... used to have
quite a few of their albums in vinyl. The Moody Blues are a far cry from the Berlin School
of Synthesizer wizardry... they're very symphonic and almost pop sounding at times. From
what you listed I'm sure you've heard most of their hits. You might just want the
"Best Of" compilation which has "Nights in White Satin", "Tuesday
Afternoons", "Ride My See Saw", etc. Or the definitive compilation (which
is what I have) is "This is the Moody Blues" which is a double CD set containing
all the above plus others you should recognize like "Legend of Mind",
"Isn't Life Strange", and "I'm just a Singer...".
From: bryan herdman
I disagree. The very concept of a Moody Blues 'Best of' album makes me shudder. Each album
(of the classic period) was very together and each one was very different. Putting
'Tuesday Afternoon' and something like 'Gypsy' together verges on sacrilege (at least to
some of us). If one wants to sample the Moody Blues - a fine idea -, buy an album.
Anything from _Days of Future Passed_ to _Question of Balance_ will do nicely. I would
second the recommendation of someone else on this thread to try _To Our Childrens,
Childrens, Children_ or perhaps _In Search of the Lost Chord_
From: "Andrew J. Rozsa"
"I Know You're Out There" and are reading this list. Well, mostly. Anyway in
"Your Wildest Dreams" you couldn't have come up with a better group to discuss
this week, than The Moody Blues. "Isn't Life Strange" how it goes in circles...
I have almost forgotten about one of my favorite bands. "Nights in White Satin"
remains in my head from an age when everything was "Lovely To See," especially
the ladies of LA. Well, listening to them again this week, memories were stirred up...
lovely ones... I do hope some of you will take the opportunity to educate us about these
guys. I am certainly looking forward to it. For those who need a bit up brushing up on The
Moody Blues, check out a terrific site at: http://www.frisk.org/rgs/mb.html
From: Roy DeRousse
Yes, Renaissance, and The Moody Blues were my favorite bands in the '70s. People may not
think of them that way now, but I feel that they were definitely progressive through
Seventh Sojourn, and they've continued to have their prog moments since them.
Regardless of being prog or not, they've continued to make some great music. I
thought that they really freshened their sound for the '80s. Patrick Moraz deserves
a lot of the credit for that, IMO. One of the great things about them is their
songwriting. They write great Songs - something that a lot of prog artists can't
seem to do well (not that it's a necessity). They managed to work some great
arrangements and playing into those songs at the same time. It's more difficult than
it may seem at first!
From: Nick Zales
Certainly the early Moodies were Prog. From "Days of Future Past" (their second,
not first album) through "Seventh Sojourn" they put down some of the coolest
music ever recorded. But them they went pop for a while and things looked bleak
until former Yes keyboard maestro Patrick Moraz joined the group. Moraz breathed new life
into the Moodies who, IMHO, would be dead and gone with Moraz's outstanding keyboards,
replacing original member Mike "Mellotron" Pinder, who had a phobia about
touring. While I can't say Moodies albums like "The Other Side of Life"
were Prog, they were certainly close enough and sounded most cool. With Moraz they could
really play all that early stuff. Live over the past few years the have been backed by
local orchestras to fill out there sound. This, of course, after the ignominiously kicked
Patrick Moraz out of the band for reasons of, apparently, Justin Hayward's monumental ego.
With "Keys to the Kingdom," the Moodies showed what they sounded like without a
real keyboard player - they kind of sucked. Their pop tunes that had a Prog edge now
sounded like the kind of crap Celine Dion and Whitney Houston put out. Still, they are
smart enough to play all their hits in concert and I always find the song "Legend of
a Mind" ("Timothy Leary's dead.........) a highlight of their live shows. If
only they would come out with another album like "In Search of the Lost Chord."
What an amazing Prog album. I've listened to it 100's of time over the years. Just
fantastic.
From: "Carsten Busch"
My favourite song is the Timothy Leary-piece from in search of the lost chord. Really
excellent early prog!
From: Robert L La Duca
The Moodies are great for getting females into an amorous mood more so than other prog...
;) One thing that always struck me about the Moodies is their focus on melody and
songwriting. May not always be "prog" in terms of making convoluted time
changes from 15/8 to 7/4, but it sure is good music. Their lyrics really spoke to me
when I was in college, not so much any more. But I would recommend that anyone who
hasn't heard them in a while, dust off the CDs and listen...late at night...lights
out...sweetheart next to you...
From: "Grant Penton"
The Moodies were John's rhapsodism, Justin's lyricism, Ray's romanticism, Graeme's
visionary poetry, and Mike's... vision, which was essential to what the MBs expressed as a
unique feature in the 70's. To me, when Mike left after Octave the Moodies became
rather ordinary, sacharine even, with the exception of a few passages from a few later
LPs. The opening to The Present, with Ray's soliliquay "I Am" was one such
piece, and there is of course "The Voice". The '67-'72 material always
brings me to a higher consciousness when I listen to it, mostly from passages penned by
the Melancholy Man. I hear their peak one TOCCC, which came out at the same
time as the debut KC, whom they with good reason choose not to tour with, saying that
Crimson was "too strong (according to Fripp's journal".
Those first seven LPs were very special- it was a good thing they took a sabatical which
separated the later 'ordinary' material from the 'extraordinary' output of their youth.
I hope that the next generation picks up an appreciation of them as very exemplary
'initiation' progrock.
From: "SHARON M BROWN"
I guess you can tell my my ID that I am a Moody Blues fan. Been one since the late 60's..
I read all your notes with interest because they are quite different than the ones I
usually read about the band. I too feel that the Core 7 albums are more
progressive than the later ones, but I also (Unlike many hard core Moodies fans)
like Patrick Moraz.
Why do I like them so much? I guess it is the way the lyrics always relate to how I
feel. The philosophy of Love both human and universal Love predominates in their music.
But for me it is a way to live my life. If I treat people with love and respect, I will
get the same back. In the early seventies, there was even a Moody Blues Cult that formed
in Florida because people felt that because they sang of the mysteries of live, they had
the answers. But of course they didn't, they "were Just Singers in
a Rock and Roll Band"
Despite the fact that their most recent album was released in 1991, they continue to tour.
A new album is supposed to be released this Spring. We have already heard one of the new
songs, Strange Times, in concert and are hoping they add some more new ones for the March
Casino Tour. I see several groups of moodies fans. the old fans, who stayed
with the band through the 60s,70s.80s, and 90s, The new fans that came to the band as a
result of the Red Rocks Video, the former fans who rediscovered them as a result of the
Video, the Younger fans who got into the Moodies when they released Your Wildest Dreams
and I know You're Out There Somewhere, and a large group of second generation fans. Often
you see two and three generations of a family at their summer shows.
As for joint concert tours, I have only seen them share the bill with others twice, once
with The Beach Boyx, and the second time with Chicago. As for sharing the bill with
Crimson, I think the only incarnation that would work with the Moodies would be the early
"In The Court of the Crimson King" line up. In fact I have seen Ian MacDonald do
the flute parts of Nights in White Satin with Justin Hayward in 1995 at the Lilies in the
Field Benefit Concert sponsored by Annie Haslam and Steve Howe. I also think that the
music of the current line up of King Crimson would not go over big with the Moodies fans.
From:
Sharon, thanks for sharing your thoughts.I agree with you about their lyrics about love
and understanding,but their music really did it for me too.I'll admit that the last lp I
really liked was Long Distant Voyager from start to finish but I did love the song
"Deep".I've just felt that they've been living off of yesterday for quite a
while.The only time I saw them(Octave Tour)a little know giutarist(at the time)opened for
them-Stevie Ray Vaughn.I wish they would put out a knock out cd again like the old days
when they played every note themselves.Oh well,just a wish!
From: "Casey Van Tieghem" <>
>Can the Moody Blues be considered prog rock? If they are, does anybody know if
their next album will be out soon? It's been about 8 years since "Keys of The
Kingdom" their last.
Here comes another "are they prog rock" thread. Maybe a good way to tell if
they are prog rock is by how many prog rock groups were influenced by thier music, or who
likes them. I for one really love the early Mike Pinder era Moody Blues albums from Days
of Future Passed 1967 to Seventh Sojourn. As far as the later albums go. The
only one I really liked was Long Distance Voyager. I'm a big fan of Pat
Moraz, but the Pinder era Moodies is the essence of the Moody Blues sound. Progressive?
Maybe one or two tracks per album. They use mellotron on plenty of
songs, and use wind instruments, and on Days of Future Passed they used string
arrangements. Usually the songs written by Pinder or Pinder/Hayward are either the
more progressive sounding, or the better songs, but I love it all. I prefer
experiencing the entire album and enjoy it as though it were a fine progressive rock
album. All of those early albums are equally great, I just rotate playing them. There's no
doubt in my mind that the Moodie Blues heavily influenced progressive rock groups like
King Crimson with thier mellotron drenched sound, and the idea of a concept album among
other things. From what I read Pinder used to work at the Mellotron factory tuning
mellotrons, so he was a very skilled mellotron player. Mike Pinder did a very noble thing
and retired from being a rock star in order to raise his family and be with his wife.
Mike is back in the music scene producing and has his own record label. I consider
Mike Pinder to be one of the forefathers of progressive rock.