# 10 reasons why The Moody Blues absolutely rule



## The Deacon (Jan 14, 2018)

Aye.

You know it, Jimmehs.


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## The Deacon (Jan 14, 2018)

We are, of course, talking lps #2 through to #8, a remarkable run of great music. (First lp was uninteresting R&B. lp #9 , "Octave" (with Moraz) was lame. "Present" and "Long Distance Voyager" are considered by some - not The Deacon - as being some sort of comeback. The following 5 or 6 releases are the sad likes of synth-pop and The Deacon purposely IGNORES them for this thread.)


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

Always liked them when I heard them on the radio, but never pursued them to the point of buying an album. Maybe I should get a greatest hits CD?


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## The Deacon (Jan 14, 2018)

1:

Novelty. Departure from the norm. Innovation.

After "Days Of Future Passed" the entire ballpark changed. This, like that Dylan lp, was a cornerstone lp.

(Sure, no group/artist is totally free of influence - Moodies took the template from Zodiac "Cosmic Sounds" lp, but Zodiac remained a minor curiosity whereas DOFP was an outright game-changer.)


2/ Influence

Within HALF a year of the release of the third lp,at the start of the decade, UK bands were mimicking Moody's style. Bands like Kestrel, Spring, Cirkus, Fantasy stylistically owe all to The Moodies. And bands like Cressida & Gracious even released more than the single lp.


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## The Deacon (Jan 14, 2018)

Fritz: as noted on another forum, a "Greatest Hits" lp by the Moodies would be AND IS the best greatest hits lp ever.
The one out there has one non-lp track (by Pinder) and the tracks flow together perfick, like heated honey.


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## The Deacon (Jan 14, 2018)

3/ Back in the day, besides the constant mean-spirited attacks by Melody Maker and Rolling Stone and self-anointed savants like Lester Bangs....Moodies proved them all wrong and PROFITTED. Their lps sold crazy. (By the way, this is likely the reason that on many a prog discussion forum it is part of the curriculum to IGNORE The Moodies; lay on indifference with a trowel - they WERE SUCCESSFUL and uppity progheads tend to equate monetary success with lowest common denominator. Whilst it is usually so, this was not the case with Moodies (of that period).


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## Strange Magic (Sep 14, 2015)

As a Certified Lowest Common Denominator sort of listener, I have no problem endorsing The Moody Blues whether I'm supposed to or not, as determined by uppity progheads or anybody else .


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## The Deacon (Jan 14, 2018)

The Deacon would like to bring up a very important point at this juncture:

Please be made aware that NOTHING in music (save disco & platform shoes) is _dated_.

This is an accusation brought up against the Moodies constantly: that they are "soft" or the lyrics sentimental (they are the "melancholy men") and naive; self-indulgent.The poetic parts sheer presumptuous.

One must keep in mind the "Carnaby" era that these lps were released in: the soft whimsey of COUNTLESS popsike bands. Those were gentler times. Face it - and there is nothing wrong with being gentle or spiritual. It was a time of lovebeads, not shaved-head aggression.

(I started this thread cos elsewhere here one member kept reiterating that _his wife loved Moodies_ and that that that just about says it all.)

I despise this narrowmindedness; this disconnect so symptomatic with rabid bar-brawl testosterone.

This mindset that those of more tough-man persuasion consider sentimentality a mark of weakness and....*****.

I am a longtime member of one of these "*****" forums where we only talk soft popsike and Brit. toytown. At the same time The Deacon has been longwhiles resident of HellRide 60's/70s hard/heavy cubby and know more of that than any of you ever will.

(Anyways, after "Threshold of a Dream" The Moody Blues became a bit more harder-edged - rockier. And , yes, they are NOT known for their guitar-rockouts - that is until you see them live ,like the recent educational-tv concert where Hayward absolutely rips into an extended electric guitar solo.)

There is nothing the matter with "soft" (UNLESS ITS jAMES tAYLOR, OF COURSE!) and NOTHING IS DATED.


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## Strange Magic (Sep 14, 2015)

Nothing in music is indeed dated, without exception. Disco lives eternally, contrary to your assertion, though that error may not be yours--you may have been misinformed by truly evil people, or those driven mad by the nightmare of musical anhedonia rendering disco incomprehensible to them. Deacon, your redemption may be possible, given these glimmers of understanding.


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## Guest (Feb 6, 2018)

What do they rule?


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## SixFootScowl (Oct 17, 2011)

The Deacon said:


> The Deacon would like to bring up a very important point at this juncture:
> 
> Please be made aware that NOTHING in music (save disco & platform shoes) is _dated_.


It's funny how people will write off a piece of music as "dated." So what? As if that makes is bad. These are the trendies that have to have the latest music, probably loved by the sellers of music downloads. These people probably keep loading the latest and delete anything older than a few months from their players. Forget them. I will listen to dated music as much as I please. In fact, *I* am dated!:lol:

Why, if dated were bad, we'd have to throw out over half of Bob Dylan's output. That would be crazy!

Anyway, I will look into the Moody Blues greatest hits set. I missed it in the seventies, so have to make up for lost time.

BTW, I hear the "latest" hits (the stuff that is not dated) in the waiting room at the chiropractor's office. It is total, simplistic drivel! Not worth the energy to produce it, much less play it back.


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## Strange Magic (Sep 14, 2015)

Bach is incredibly dated. He died, I've been told, centuries ago and nobody is writing his sort of music anymore. True!


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## Room2201974 (Jan 23, 2018)

10 Reasons:

1. Justin Hayward's voice.
2. Justin Hayward's writing.
3. The mellotron.
4. The way their voices blended with the mellotron.
5. John Lodge's falsetto singing on pitch and mad skills bass playing.
6. Thomas' flute playing and occasional great song.
7. Edge's "Came In Through The Bathroom Window" story, even if it might not be true.
8. Edge's poems and drumming.
9. Pindar's mellotron fills in NIWS and in general having to play every measure early due to the instruments slow response.
10. Befriending and supporting Jimmie Spheeris!!!!!!!

Bonus points for Doremi!!!!!!!!


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## The Deacon (Jan 14, 2018)

Orlroight!
Champion list there,Roomy.










Especially points #1 and #5. 
Some don't rate Lodge's singing on his own.( Face it, the first solo lp sucked ...but his latest is not bad.). But the Hayward/Lodge combo can only be topped by Lennon/McCartney.


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## Guest (Feb 6, 2018)

The Deacon said:


> Orlroight!
> But the Hayward/Lodge combo can only be topped by Lennon/McCartney.


And Holroyd / Lees.


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## Merl (Jul 28, 2016)

My dad is a massive Moody Blues fan. I grew up listening to the first 6 albums on heavy rotation and Threhold of a Dream is still a favourite of mine. Never comes the Day is a wonderful song. Always makes me think of my dad.


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## ldiat (Jan 27, 2016)

Room2201974 said:


> 10 Reasons:
> 
> 1. Justin Hayward's voice.
> 2. Justin Hayward's writing.
> ...


what room2201974 said.. COOl!:tiphat:


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## Kevin Pearson (Aug 14, 2009)

The Moody Blues have created some of the best music ever recorded, in my opinion. I've been listening to them since around 1969 or 70. The music is lyrical, creative, ethereal, cosmic and has the power to stir up emotions within that you never knew were there. There may be a song here or there that I don't care for but overall I enjoy their entire output. Especially "Days of Future Passed" thru to "Seventh Sojourn". On those albums their creativity peaked but that doesn't mean that the albums after are not good, because they are, just not as good. I will say though that "Keys of the Kingdom" came pretty close to recapturing that magic. It's too bad that some cannot see the uniqueness, beauty, and musicianship the group has given the music world the last 50 years.


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## Strange Magic (Sep 14, 2015)

^^^Well-said Kevin! I sense your devotion to the Moodies and to the music you love, and it is this shared and positive sense of pleasure, satisfaction, even gratitude in and for the music we love that enriches us all--we all like what we like, and nobody can really tell us that we're wrong for liking it!

I like the Moodies also--maybe not to the degree you do, who knows? But I know what that feeling is all about .


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## philoctetes (Jun 15, 2017)

The 4 albums, from Days of Future Passed to Children's Children.... have aged quite well. I especially enjoy Eyes of a Child and Have You Heard...

Saw them on their 7th Sojourn tour, was not a good night tho... they were also the target of a silly prank in my home town back in 71, played by a local acid-head... details are a bit streaky... but if you remember Wendy Berlowitz, it was her husband...


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## The Deacon (Jan 14, 2018)

Saw somewhere they used to taunt Ray, calling him "grandad" cos he wrote the most simpering, sentimental songs - sorta like the McCartney of the group.


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## Capeditiea (Feb 23, 2018)

I also read somewhere, (yes related...) that when the beatles were trying to come up with whether or not to use an orchestra in "A Day in Life." for the Sgt. Peppers and the Lonely Hearts Band album... which they decided to decline since it wouldn't work out.


The Moody Blues went and did it, with Days of Future Past, 

Both albums were released in 1967. Which was a fascinating year for music. It was like every musician was in some kinda hivemind, had everyone connect and develop themes of, drugs, days, unicorns, rainbows, and Satanism... :O which grants an even more deeper level to those things. (which i could probably write a book with how 1967 has basically become the year everything changes.) 

But out of all the albums made in that year, Days of Future Past is my favourite. 

But my favourite Moody Blues album it either Strange times or The Other Side of Life. :3 *nods, my favourite song is My Song.


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## EddieRUKiddingVarese (Jan 8, 2013)

10 Reasons to not like them:

1. Justin Hayward's voice.
2. Justin Hayward's writing.
3. My Wife Likes them.
4. My Wife Likes them.
5. John Lodge's falsetto singing.
6. My Wife Likes them..
7. Their music sucks big ones.
8. Edge's poems. 
9. Granddaddy music styling's
10. Worst Prog Music ever


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## Capeditiea (Feb 23, 2018)

EddieRUKiddingVarese said:


> 10 Reasons to not like them:
> 
> 1. Justin Hayward's voice.
> 2. Justin Hayward's writing.
> ...


How many wives do you have? :O


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## EddieRUKiddingVarese (Jan 8, 2013)

Capeditiea said:


> How many wives do you have? :O


One too many when it comes to the Moody Blues


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## Capeditiea (Feb 23, 2018)

Well, i have to disagree with that... you can never have too many wives... *nods regardless if they like Moody Blues or not...


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## EddieRUKiddingVarese (Jan 8, 2013)

You must really enjoy a good ear bashing


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## Capeditiea (Feb 23, 2018)

EddieRUKiddingVarese said:


> You must really enjoy a good ear bashing


 my wifes and husbands are with in my delusional mind. so we have different issues as far as that is concerned.


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## EddieRUKiddingVarese (Jan 8, 2013)

Wow, I don't want to see that Divorce......


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