The Moody Blues were an English rock band formed in Birmingham in May 1964. The band initially consisted of drummer Graeme Edge, guitarist and vocalist Denny Laine, keyboardist and vocalist Mike Pinder, multi-instrumentalist and vocalist Ray Thomas, and bassist and vocalist Clint Warwick; Edge was the group's sole continuous member throughout their entire history. Originally part of the British beat and R&B scene of the early–mid 1960s, the band came to prominence with the UK No. 1 and US Top 10 single "Go Now" in late 1964/early 1965. Laine and Warwick left the band by the end of 1966, being replaced by guitarist and vocalist Justin Hayward and bassist and vocalist John Lodge. They embraced the psychedelic rock movement of the late 1960s, with their second album, 1967's Days of Future Passed, being a fusion of rock with classical music that established the band as pioneers in the development of art rock and progressive rock. It has been described as a "landmark" and "one of the first successful concept albums".
Days of Future Passed is the second album and first concept album by English progressive rock band The Moody Blues, released in November 1967 by Deram Records. With its fusion of orchestral and rock elements, it has been cited as one of the first examples of progressive rock.
A Question of Balance is the sixth album by The Moody Blues, released in 1970. The album was an attempt by the group to strip down their previously lush, psychedelic sound in order to be better able to perform the songs in concert. The album reached No. 1 in the United Kingdom and No. 3 in the United States.
On the Threshold of a Dream is the fourth album by The Moody Blues, released in April 1969 on the Deram label.
In Search of the Lost Chord is the third album by The Moody Blues, released in July 1968 on the Deram label.
Seventh Sojourn is the eighth album by the Moody Blues, recorded at Decca Studio 4 on Tollington Park in North London, and released in 1972.
Octave is the ninth album by The Moody Blues, released in 1978, and their first release after a substantial hiatus following the success of the best-selling Seventh Sojourn in 1972. The album proved to be the last for the group with keyboardist Mike Pinder, who left during the album's sessions and declined an offer to tour with the group. He had just started a new family in California, and found that he was not getting along with his bandmates as he previously had. Pinder would be replaced by former Yes keyboardist Patrick Moraz in time for their 1978-1979 tour, beginning a new era in the band's history. Octave would also be the final studio album from the band produced by Tony Clarke.
Every Good Boy Deserves Favour is the seventh album by The Moody Blues, released in 1971.
Long Distance Voyager is the tenth album by the Moody Blues, first released in May 1981 on the group's Threshold record label. It was the group's first album featuring keyboardist Patrick Moraz in place of co-founder Mike Pinder, who left after Octave in 1978.
Blue Jays is a 1975 album by Justin Hayward and John Lodge. It was recorded and released during the Moody Blues' five-year hiatus.
The Other Side of Life is the twelfth studio album by English progressive rock band the Moody Blues, released in April 1986 by Polydor Records.
The Present is the eleventh album by the Moody Blues, released in 1983. This was the group's last original studio album to be released on their custom label, Threshold Records.
Sur la Mer is the thirteenth album by the Moody Blues. It was released in 1988. It features the hit single "I Know You're Out There Somewhere", a sequel to their 1986 hit "Your Wildest Dreams". Much of the music on the album would fit in the "synthpop" genre, though it does incorporate more rock and acoustic influences than its predecessor.
Strange Times is the fifteenth album by the rock band the Moody Blues, released in 1999. The sound features mostly acoustic guitar, slightly processed electric guitar, light organ, flute, and string arrangements, with heavy synthesizer use in the fast-paced opening track, "English Sunset." This was the last Moody Blues album to feature longtime flautist and vocalist Ray Thomas.
Caught Live + 5 is a live album by The Moody Blues, consisting of a 12 December 1969 live show at the Royal Albert Hall and five previously unreleased studio recordings from 1967 to 1968.
This Is The Moody Blues is a two LP compilation album by the Moody Blues, released in late 1974 while the band was on a self-imposed sabbatical. Though all of the songs were previously released on albums, several of them are heard here in distinctly different mixes. Like the Moody Blues albums of the time – but unlike most compilation albums, including later Moody Blues compilations – the songs on this album segue seamlessly, without silence between tracks. On the original LP, this was true of the songs on each side; when the album was remastered for CD, each disc was also blended, so that "Legend of a Mind" segues into "In the Beginning", and "Watching and Waiting" segues into "I'm Just a Singer ".
"I'm Just a Singer (In a Rock and Roll Band)" is a 1973 hit single by the English progressive rock band the Moody Blues, written by the band's bassist, John Lodge. It was first released in 1972 as the final track on the album Seventh Sojourn and was later released as a single in 1973, with "For My Lady" as its B-side. It was the second single released from Seventh Sojourn, with the first being "Isn't Life Strange", which was also written by Lodge.
"Isn't Life Strange" is a 1972 single by the English progressive rock band the Moody Blues, which was based on Pachelbel's Canon In D. Written by bassist John Lodge, it was the first of two singles released from their 1972 album Seventh Sojourn, with the other being "I'm Just a Singer ", also written by Lodge. "Isn't Life Strange" is one of the Moody Blues' longer songs, lasting for over six minutes. Cash Box described it as "symphonic rock extraordinaire", and also said that it had a "strangely intriguing, euphoric production that stands out in any crowd." Record World said that "lush orchestration and Bee Gees-like harmonies are the notable features" of the song, which also has a "pretty melody and production." Writing for Rock Cellar magazine, Frank Mastropolo rated the song as number 1 in a list of "Top 11 Question Songs". Classic Rock critic Malcolm Dome rated it as the Moody Blues' 4th greatest song. PopMatters critic Sean Murphy rated "Isn't Life Strange" as the 67th best progressive rock song of all time.
Greatest Hits is a compilation album by the progressive rock band the Moody Blues, released in 1989. The band recorded new versions of "Isn't Life Strange" and "Question" with orchestration by the London Symphony Orchestra. The arrangements were overseen by Anne Dudley, who also produced the recordings with Justin Hayward and John Lodge. In 1990, only a year after its original release, the album was re-released as Legend of a Band: The Story of the Moody Blues with different artwork to coincide with the release of the home video documentary of the same name.
"Gypsy (Of a Strange and Distant Time)" is a 1969 song by the progressive rock band the Moody Blues, from their album To Our Children's Children's Children, a concept album about space travel. The song was written by band-member Justin Hayward.
