Moody Blues

[Iris]

have not followed this band closely but own a box set and couple of live albums which have been enjoying recently. know they still tour but have they ever explained reason why they no longer make new studio albums. can't believe they wouldnt sell enough. seen but not heard solo albums by justin hayward and john lodge. can these be recommended.

[Paulrus]

Surprised no one else weighed in yet.

My recommendation: use the Search function, type "Moody Blues", and be prepared to spend several hours (days?) digesting more history and opinion than you will ever want/need.

Re: why they don't make studio albums any more, I haven't heard that they've stopped per se but like many bands of their generation the economics just don't support it any more. Playing live is seen as the best way to keep the ball rolling and bank accounts replenished.

I know Justin Hayward put something out not long ago, but again -- like others of his generation -- putting out a solo album and even playing some live shows to support it is a whole different (and easier) proposition than whipping up the machinery to support and promote a full band effort.

My $.02.

[rcarlberg]

"Blue Jays" by Justin and John is a very good album. Not familiar with any others.

[Progbear]

I’m a casual fan at best. I have several of their albums, and while I know they were an “album” band, I find that they tend to have a handful of good songs (at best) on each LP surrounded by filler.

Last I checked, they were touring with Bias Boshell—Kiki Dee’s keyboard player of the 70s and 80s. Seems strange, but both acts were produced by Pip Williams in the early 80s (same reason Patrick Moraz shows up on Kiki’s Perfect Timing album).

[regenerativemusic]

I’m a casual fan at best. I have several of their albums, and while I know they were an “album” band, I find that they tend to have a handful of good songs (at best) on each LP surrounded by filler.

Last I checked, they were touring with Bias Boshell—Kiki Dee’s keyboard player of the 70s and 80s. Seems strange, but both acts were produced by Pip Williams in the early 80s (same reason Patrick Moraz shows up on Kiki’s Perfect Timing album).

I remember back in the 80s I had a friend who was a very serious painter who like prog bands and swore that the Moodies were THE band where prog was concerned.

[Tangram]

Paulrus nailed it. The money for the older groups is in touring these days. Think about it, when I was a teenager in the seventies, I wasn't buying Sinatra, Glen Miller or even Elvis. I was getting Genesis, Floyd, Chicago and Elton. My music not my parents. The Moodies are now almost 50 years older then the kids in their teens and early twenties, who are the major consumers of music. But many of them don't buy music anymore. The concert goers what to hear the hits and older groups aren't getting any new audiences, so making new records doesn't help the bottom line.

[Obscured]

They will be performing "The Days Of Future Passed" album this summer in honor of its 50th anniversary .

I am more interested in their cruise, January 2018 as Caravan will be on it.

[Iris]

thanks for the explanation. makes sense. wonder how band like yes though can buck the trend. they put out new albums in recent years and they are good ones too.

would buy a new moody blues album if it came out. but doesnt look like it will. so do fans see new albums by justin hayward (spirits of the western sky) and john lodge (10000 light years ago) as good substitutes.

[Paulrus]

wonder how band like yes though can buck the trend. they put out new albums in recent years and they are good ones too.

Be careful -- you may be in the minority with that opinion. And I'm pretty sure Yes hasn't had a decently selling album for at least the past 20 years (where's Henry with the stats at his fingertips? ) If I had to guess I'd say the reason they still make them at all is because a) fans keep asking for it, and b) it gives them a reason to keep touring beyond the nostalgia (plus I think they do enjoy the creative challenge).

But make no mistake. Yes does not make much -- if any -- money on albums any more (especially if they keep hiring slugheads like Roy Thomas Baker to produce them!) That's why they keep touring so relentlessly.

so do fans see new albums by justin hayward (spirits of the western sky) and john lodge (10000 light years ago) as good substitutes.

I've heard that the former got fairly positive reception while the latter did not. I've heard a couple songs off of Justin's -- nothing off of JL's. My sense is that Justin's is in the ballpark for what the Moodies can put out these days (though it doesn't rock much.) Which makes sense, given he's been their strongest songwriter for the past 50 years.

When in doubt, YouTube is your friend!

[spacefreak]

seen but not heard solo albums by justin hayward and john lodge. can these be recommended.

Except from their 1975 collaboration Blue Jays, I cannot recommend anything else.

You can also check Kick Off Your Muddy Boots by the Graeme Edge Band that featured Adrian Gurvitz.

why they no longer make new studio albums. can't believe they wouldnt sell enough.

Sell to whom? The ones from the old demographic that are still actively incvolved into purchasing music are mainly buying new bands, and the young ones are indifferent for the dying dinosaurs. Only nostalgia factor can't support a commercialy viable release of new music. Only the old catalogue may still sell...

[JJ88]

With Yes, I think Henry suggested Fly From Here was their best selling album worldwide since, what, Union? I did get some sense of a buzz about that. Heaven And Earth, not so much. In fact I have yet to bother with the latter.

I think The Moody Blues ran out of gas decades ago- they went too ballad-dominated and mellow for me, compared with their classic 1967-72 work, which was often very adventurous in its way (particularly Mike Pinder's contributions). I really don't see a new album by them in that vein doing as well as even something like Fly From Here.

Now, there are rumours of the 'classic' line-up reuniting for concerts in light of the 50th anniversary of Days Of Future Passed...perhaps an album with that band would do a little better, but even then, I'm not sure. I feel that Yes have undergone a considerable decline in recent years but even then I still think of them as having more commercial clout than The Moody Blues do now. Maybe I'm wrong.

Last I checked, they were touring with Bias Boshell—Kiki Dee’s keyboard player of the 70s and 80s. Seems strange, but both acts were produced by Pip Williams in the early 80s (same reason Patrick Moraz shows up on Kiki’s Perfect Timing album).

Well, there are more 'prog' connections than that. Boshell was in the now-feted 'acid folk' group Trees and was keyboard player in Barclay James Harvest during their 'Pip Williams years'!

[everyday]

Of their 'solo' albums, Blue Jays is excellent. I also really like JH's Songwriter, although it is less prog that band recordings. The Graeme Edge Band's Kick Off Your Muddy Boots is also excellent. Band albums are worth getting upto and including Long Distance Voyager. After that they went a bit too MOR.

[Scrotum Scissor]

I used to be somewhat of a fan, but truth be told I find even most of their purported "classic" catalog hopelessly obsolete now.

Days of Future Passed is musically great and culturally/historically highly significant. Lost Chord and Threshold are both fairly good, but I honestly don't care for their ensuing releases and I find their late-70s stuff (and on) quite embarrassingly bad. Shallow and hollow balladry and over-the-top odd attempts at corny rockouts with the most dubious artyfartyness imaginable from the period.

[spacefreak]

Days of Future Passed . Lost Chord and Threshold.

The stripped-down essentials.

If we are talking nice period pieces, I will add To Our Childrens Childrens Children and A Question Of Balance as must hears.

I find their late-70s stuff (and on) quite embarrassingly bad.

Absolutely agree.

[JJ88]

To be fair I at least find Long Distance Voyager a better album than their last with Mike Pinder, Octave (he left before they even toured it).

But anything I've heard after that, not so much. 'Your Wildest Dreams' and 'I Know You're Out There Somewhere' are pleasant soft-rock numbers, I guess.

[ronmac]

"Blue Jays" by Justin and John is a very good album. Not familiar with any others.

"Blue Jays" is great and essential to any Moodies collection.

They will be performing "The Days Of Future Passed" album this summer in honor of its 50th anniversary .

That would be cool to see. I haven't seen them in a loooong time. This would break that streak.

[Jubal]

Back in the days when recordings often made good money, it was definitely in the artists best interest to push/promote their latest work. Back then, the sales of an album were heavily skewed in the first 2-3 months following initial release. I remember one of my professors in Music Promotion class, who was a A&R/Sales Rep for RCA, stated that record companies often spent a lot more money promoting artists than the artists would generally realize. While these guys were limited as to how much they could "gift" music directors at stations, they often got around it by taking them to concerts as guests, which often included limo rides for them and several of their friends. Elaborate dinners at some of the best restaurants in town were also pretty common.
Then of course, there were some who had illegal "gifts" that were often reserved as "thank yous". He told us he knew of a few reps or artist managers who hired prostitutes and threw some intimate "line parties". He said that it was more common for the artist's manager to do this, but sometimes the reps would be under incredible "do whatever it takes" pressure to get a certain artist on the add list at most stations in major markets.
A lot of the big music store chain buyers also got extra special treatment for extra large orders and special store location treatment (end caps, register displays, front window displays, posters, etc.).
Some of the store managers often got promo copies, promo posters, and backstage concert passes as well.
That was when a mid-level sales artist could easily sell 250,000 -500,000 copies. These days, sales of more than 10,000 copies (solid media AND digital combined) is pretty rare.

[JJ88]

Back then, the sales of an album were heavily skewed in the first 2-3 months following initial release.

Sales such as these for 'new' albums seem like incredible largesse now. Nowadays it seems to be in the first week!

[Toothyspook]

Saw both justin Hayward and John Lodge on solo tours last year. Both gigs really enjoyable and both did very different sets.

Graeme Edge not as fit as he was so surprised to hear of this forthcoming 50 anniversary tour

[Paulrus]

Graeme Edge not as fit as he was so surprised to hear of this forthcoming 50 anniversary tour

Yeah, I thought Ray Thomas had retired a while ago more or less due to age-related issues.

[Adm.Kirk]

I've enjoyed both of the recent albums by Hayward and Lodge. Ray Thomas supposedly has a new album he is working on too. It would be great if the entire band got back together for some shows. Lodge has been pushing for it. I think Thomas would do it but Pinder would be more difficult I gather but he (and Ray Thomas) were on Lodge's last album.

I would love to see the band make a new record but I'm not holding my breath.

Bill

[Paulrus]

It would be great if the entire band got back together for some shows. Lodge has been pushing for it. I think Thomas would do it but Pinder would be more difficult I gather but he (and Ray Thomas) were on Lodge's last album.

Based on the Moodies documentary floating around on YT one gets the sense there's a hatchet between Mike Pinder and Graeme Edge that can never be buried. But perhaps time does heal all wounds (and the need for cash flow! )

I would love to see the band make a new record but I'm not holding my breath.

No Mellotron, no Paulrus!

[JJ88]

^The Mellotron was crucial to their sound in a bigger way than it was for most other progressive rock acts IMHO. I have never really been convinced that the sound choices of Patrick Moraz or their subsequent players fit the band's sound.

[JeffCarney]

Love 'em from '67-'72.

Justin Hayward's songwriting it top drawer all the way. His guitar playing is also excellent. In fact, I find his riffs vastly underrated. This guy came up with some stone classics.

The only thing I struggle with a bit is that I feel Hayward's songs tend to stand out so much. Lodge and Pinder were right in there with the thing, but sometimes tracks by Thomas are a bit underwhelming. Still, I can handle it because I think they were going for an overall vibe. And they come from a time when part of the idea was to record albums in the same manner which people would sit around a campfire or a radio and hear stories.

[ronmac]

Justin Hayward's songwriting it top drawer all the way. His guitar playing is also excellent. In fact, I find his riffs vastly underrated. This guy came up with some stone classics.

Totally agree. Some of the tastiest playing by any guitarist ever. (Figuratively, that is.) His playing on "Blue Jays" is stellar.