![]() ![]() Moodies mark one (left) and mark two – the ‘classic’ line-up (right) The band members that were left in the Moody Blues, Ray Thomas, Mike Pinder and Graeme Edge, recruited two new musicians who would become pivotal to the band’s future success, Justin Hayward and John Lodge. Denny Laine would go on to achieve success with Paul McCartney in Wings. There was also a soul and funk influence, the band covering two James Brown songs on their first album, ‘The Magnificent Moodies’, released in 1965, the ‘Godfather Of Soul’ even providing vocals on slow blues ballad ‘I Don’t Mind’. ![]() They were rhythm and blues orientated, their sound at the time slotting in well with their British contemporaries, such as the Kinks, Beatles, Rolling Stones and Manfred Mann. The first line-up of the band formed in Birmingham, England, in 1964 had reached the top of the UK singles chart in 1965 with ‘Go Now’. It could all have been such a different story, if original Moodies guitarist/vocalist Denny Laine and bassist/vocalist Clint Warwick hadn’t left the band in 1966. Of course it dates to past times in other ways, through the production, the subject matter, the style, perhaps triggering a memory…Rolling Stone magazine called the band ‘The Sistine Chapel of music’, and that might be close to what I’m referring to – A classical, long-lasting quality. Timelessness, that feeling when nothing matters except the here and now, this music evokes that for me. Just over an hour and a half of music, each track segues into the next, creating a continuous, kaleidoscopic journey for the listener through the beautiful concept albums released between 19, an amazingly creative five-year period. Released in 1974, this was the first Moody Blues compilation album, with tracks drawn from these seven LPs – ‘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) and ‘Seventh Sojourn’ (1972) – with a couple of enhancements, being a version of the poem ‘The Word’ (from ‘In Search Of The Lost Chord’) remixed over the instrumental ‘Beyond’ (from ‘To Our Children’s Children’s Children’) and ‘A Simple Game’, penned by Mike Pinder, the b-side of ‘Ride My See-Saw’ and a non-album track at that point. This collection symbolises the Moody Blues seven’, a collage of the first seven albums recorded by their classic line-up: Justin Hayward (vocals, guitar, sitar), John Lodge (vocals, bass, cello), Ray Thomas (vocals, flute, tambourine, oboe, woodwinds, harmonica), Graeme Edge (drums, percussion, vocals) and Mike Pinder (vocals, mellotron, harpsichord, Hammond organ, piano, keyboards, Moog sythesiser). I am looking forward to a more melodic weekend! Thank again.Perfection, security, safety and rest, all attributes associated with the number seven, identified by the Pythagoreans as the ‘septad’, representing the seven colours of the rainbow. Once again your lesson hit the mark for me and gives me the encouragement to keep going. The “light came on”! Using just a few notes but making the most of bends, hammer ons, pull offs, vibrato, space etc transform my scales into music. I knew the theory behind this and the importance of phrasing but haven’t been able to put it into practice. it’s sounding like music! The scales are being replaced by melody. I plug my guitar in, I Iisten to your intro and I copy your first phrase. Then today I happen to find in my inbox your Throw Back Thursday lesson. I record myself soloing and I’m always disappointed in the way I sound. I can even throw in some Dorian but my solos (to me at least) always sound like scales. Hi Brian, I am one of those people you refer to I know some scales, I’m gradually getting on top of the 5 positions for minor and major pentatonic scales.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |