The Moody Blues appreciation thread

[Zydar]

What a coincidence, I just put on some Moodies. Right now it's On The Threshold Of A Dream.

Can't really decide which album is their finest, it varies so much. Usually I put Days Of Future Passed at the top, but now I don't know anymore.

[KevShmev]

I think I already said this in this thread when it was first started, but I've never considered Days of Future Passes one of their absolute best.  It is great, yes, but I think both In Search of the Lost Chord and To Our Children's Children's Children are both much better.  Granted, it is hard to go wrong with any of those first seven...

It seems like many merely focus on the "hits" from those earlier records, but so many of the deep cuts are terrific!

And while Genesis and King Crimson became largely known for the mellotron in the 70s, Mike Pinder was the original King of the Mellotron.  Unquestioned!

[Nel_Annette]

I dunno, man. I grew up on Days, and I freaking love that album. Last year I heard Lost Chord and Threshold for the first time and thought they were severely disappointing. Maybe I'll have to give them another go. I find with the other albums I own (The Magnificent Moodies, Long Distance Voyager, The Present, Sur La Mer, Keys Of The Kingdom, Strange Times) there will be one good song on the album and the rest will be boring.

[KevShmev]

I will say that I prefer by a wide margin the version of Legend of a Mind on the This Is The Moody Blues compilation than the original on In Search of the Lost Chord.  They went a little too haywire on the original with some stuff only being in one channel to where some of the featured vocal and instrumental spots aren't up front enough (like the main musical theme in between the first chorus and second verse); the remix on the compilation makes it sound more full and natural.  Most of the post-1972 albums definitely are all spotty at best, but that doesn't take away from that incredible seven album-run from 1967-1972

[Zydar]

Found this on the web:

[carl320]

Of the first 7 I don't have Threshold or Days.  But I have to agree with Kev that you can't go wrong with any of the first seven.

Another album that I love (but don't hear much about) is Every Good Boy Deserves Favour 

[Zydar]

Another album that I love (but don't hear much about) is Every Good Boy Deserves Favour 

That's a nice one. It has probably my favourite Moodies song, The Story In Your Eyes.

[KevShmev]

I remember getting that album and not knowing what to expect since The Story in Your Eyes (definitely a great song) was the only song from it on the This Is The Moody Blues double CD compilation I talked about earlier.  But I was more than pleasantly surprised.  Our Guessing Game, After Your Came and One More Life to Live were instant favorites, and the rest sounded pretty solid as well.  I eventually realized what a fantastic closer My Song is.

[carl320]

Bumping to say that EGBDF is probably my favorite album.  They'll be in my area again in the fall and i'm wondering if I should go to the show (dumb question).

[KevShmev]

I love that album, too! I can't say I love it as much as In Search of the Lost Chord or To Our Children's..., but it might very well be my 3rd favorite of theirs. 

[Harmony]

RIP to a great musician.  Arguably one of the founding fathers of progressive rock and roll.  It's a good day to spin some MB.   

https://www.newsnationnow.com/entertainment-news/graeme-edge-dead/

[Zydar]

RIP Graeme 

I'll spin some In Search Of The Lost Chord tonight.

[KevShmev]

Listened to a Moodies album on the ear buds on a slow afternoon at work today as a tribute.

R.I.P. Mr. Edge.

[Harmony]

I've had the tunes going all day.  Had to pull out the Red Rocks Show from '92.  Gotta love a band with a symphony orchestra and duo drums.  Even 2 Robert Palmer-ie back up girls!  LoL

Edge just rocks it hard.

Fucking kick ass. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mcBAUaBLOyM

[KevShmev]

They had a lot of good hits, but (and I am sure I said this years ago already in this thread) the real magic for me with them was in those album cuts from the core 7.  My favorite Moodies over time has become To Our Children's Children's Children, which was probably the only one of the seven that didn't have a hit that was a must-play for them on every tour (maybe On the Threshold... as well, as I cannot remember how much of a mainstay Lovely to See You was).  It is just a magnificent record with incredible atmosphere and fantastic pacing.

[Kotowboy]

https://loudwire.com/moody-blues-graeme-edge-dead-80/

[Zydar]

I just realised that none of the original guys are in the current lineup now. Both John and Justin joined in 1966 (while Ray and Graeme are now gone). Ray left the band in 2002 and died in 2018.

[SoundscapeMN]

bump.

Denny Laine RIP
https://www.theguardian.com/music/2023/dec/05/denny-laine-star-musician-with-moody-blues-and-wings-dies-aged-79

[EPICVIEW]

I saw them  a few times in the mid 80s and it was always are great show of cool tunes....
I may need to do a dive back into their stuff

[Dedalus]

bump.

Denny Laie RIP
https://www.theguardian.com/music/2023/dec/05/denny-laine-star-musician-with-moody-blues-and-wings-dies-aged-79

He died on the 50th anniversary of Band on the Run. 

[Zydar]

bump.

Denny Laie RIP
https://www.theguardian.com/music/2023/dec/05/denny-laine-star-musician-with-moody-blues-and-wings-dies-aged-79

He died on the 50th anniversary of Band on the Run. 

That's a Top 10 album of all time for me.

RIP Denny, I grew up with a lot of Wings music and he had some great songs on their albums (No Words, Time To Hide, Deliver Your Children, and of course Mull Of Kintyre) either as a writer or co-writer.

And of course, Go Now (although he didn't write it, but he sang lead), the Moody Blues #1 UK hit from 1965.