Mike Pinder

[I. Spaceman]

I'm not a fan of The Moody Blues, but I enjoy the threads on them. Nice to see this type of fandom.

[Jason]

So finally I downloaded & listened to Mike's solo records & can honestly say that they're not to my taste. However, TP has its moments, e.g. Air (Instrumental) (very good, joyful melody, mostly I like the ringing guitars & that retro-sounding trumpet), Someone to Believe In (only because it has jazzy elements in it), Message, the melodic synths in One Step Into The Light. Carry On reminds me a bit of Time Waits for No One by The RS.

As for ATS, well, it's overloaded with saxophone & uncool electric guitar solos, where necessary & unnecessary. The only song that I quite liked is the last track, The World Today, very NRBQ-esque song.
In short, the conclusion is: I'd rather listen to The Moody Blues as a group than their solo records. Btw, what TMB album would any of you recommend to me for essential listening? I only heard some individual tracks, such as This Is My House, Fly Me High & few others & I liked what I heard. Thanks in advance.

Btw, forgot to mention that Mike's voice is sort of similar to Jack Rieley's. Just saying.

Mike's solo albums are definitely more of a hardcore fans-only deal. The Promise makes more sense in the 1976 context; Mike was in between a lot of different belief processes and religions, so The Promise is definitely a product of that time. It hasn't dated well at all.

I think that, easily, the best Moody solo records are Justin's Songwriter and (a bit of a reach) the Justin/John Blue Jays album. Ray's From Mighty Oaks album is pretty good, too.

The best album to start with is Days of Future Passed...and honestly, go chronologically from there.

[SMiLE Brian]

The Live Plus Five show from 1969, is pretty awesome for an "off" concert. "The voyage" with "have you heard" is transformed live with the Moodies playing and harmonies.

[Jason]

Yeah, Caught Live +5 is a great record. It's also a rare case where the CD sounds better than the original vinyl.

I hope the band finds a 1973 tour recording and releases it...they were on fire then.

[SMiLE Brian]

Same here, the 1973-1974 tour was a great way for the Mark Two Moodies to go out.

[Jason]

Another common misconception about the Moody Blues is that they started out as an R&B band and then did a 180 degree musical and personality turn once Justin and John joined the group in 1966...it makes for nice sensationalism, but the recorded proof doesn't match up. The common story is that one day Ray just picked up a flute, Mike just picked up a mellotron, Graeme became the poet, and they brought Justin and John into the band and Days of Future Passed happened overnight. Great fun, but not the truth.

If you listen to The Magnificent Moodies and all of the Denny Laine-era singles, the flute was actually quite common in the band from 1965 onward - listen to From the Bottom of My Heart, I've Got a Dream (coincidentally a Barry/Greenwich tune that was gifted to the band thanks to their access to leagues of American demos), I Don't Want To Go On Without You, Something You Got, Let Me Go, and You Don't (All the Time). Lots of flute on those. And the three 1966-67 singles they recorded before Denny and Clint Warwick left the band (the final single, Life's Not Life/He Can Win, was released in January of 1967, months after Denny and Clint left and after Justin and John had already joined) have a distinctly more "progressive" sound than the stuff before with lots of acoustic guitars and keyboards, all written by Denny and Mike.

When Justin and John joined the band, they didn't write Days of Future Passed immediately. They toured Europe for much of the end of 1966 with the R&B act (and matching suits) in cabarets and strip clubs. Justin recalled years later that he felt extremely uncomfortable singing Go Now onstage. The kicker happened late in 1966 when the band were living and playing in France. After their gig was over, the promoter told them that there was an individual outside who wanted to see them. Expecting a fan begging for autographs, they found an angry man who had nothing but bile for them - "I just thought you should know that you're the worst band I've ever heard in my life; you're f***ing crap."

It was at this time that the band decided to do all of their own material. They were still contracted to Decca, who allowed them to record four tracks for single releases. The first two were Fly Me High/I Really Haven't Got the Time, released as a single in May of 1967. The other two tracks, Long Summer Days and Please Think About It, were left unreleased until 1977.

Mike remembered the mellotron from when he worked on testing the instruments at Streetly Electronics in Birmingham, the home of the instrument. They bought one from a social club for £2000. Mike immediately removed the sound effects and rhythm tapes from the left side of the mellotron and replaced them with copies of the same tapes from the right side of the instrument, which housed the strings, choirs, and horns. They recorded the next single, Love and Beauty/Leave This Man Alone and the Nights in White Satin B-side, Cities, with the mellotron. By this time they had already finished writing Days of Future Passed, which was being performed and worked out in concert and on sessions for the BBC.

[SMiLE Brian]

Go Now! with a Justin Hayward vocal would be interesting to hear, along with the Mark Two moodies doing mark one material.

[SMiLE Brian]

May I ask 2 questions: isn't Caught Live + 5 from 1977? Or is there another record with the same title, only indicated as 1969 as SMiLE Brian wrote? I don't quite understand it. And the last one, what is Mark Two Goodies? I checked in Wiki and there wasn't such album in MB's discography. So what is this then? Again, thanks in advance and for your info, TRBB & SB. I'll definitely listen to the said solo and group records soon.

Here is some clarification:
Caught Live plus five- released in 1977 but contains a concert from 1969 along with unreleased tracks left off the 1960s albums
Mark one moodies- fan term for the original lineup moodies with Denny Laine that played R&B "Go Now!"
Mark Two Moodies- Fan term for the classic lineup of the moodies.
Mark Three moodies- the group after Mike Pinder left and was replaced by Patrick Moraz.

[SMiLE Brian]

The Voyage Suite is transformed live when the group did it live in the 1960s. Mike's singing live with so much character and power goes perfectly together with the 4 other Moodies playing such a complex song live. criticism of the Moodies being a bad live band is groundless. 

[Jason]

The Voyage Suite is transformed live when the group did it live in the 1960s. Mike's singing live with so much character and power goes perfectly together with the 4 other Moodies playing such a complex song live. criticism of the Moodies being a bad live band is groundless. 

Well, no one could hope to possibly reproduce the amount of overdubs on the albums in concert, but the band was able to make the tunes work. Even the stuff from To Our Children's Children's Children worked in concert.

When they toured with orchestras in the 1990s it did add a bit more of a dimension to the live sound, closer to the albums. Even the later songs performed with the orchestra had another element added. Look for the Live at Red Rocks CD/DVD set. Unfortunately the entire video of the show hasn't been put out, but all of the audio has been. That was an EVENT in 1992. I also have a soundboard tape of the band playing live in 1994 backed by an orchestra...LOTS of rare songs - Eternity Road, Gypsy, Steppin' in a Slide Zone, The Actor...and all with the orchestra. Amazing stuff.

[SMiLE Brian]

The Voyage Suite is transformed live when the group did it live in the 1960s. Mike's singing live with so much character and power goes perfectly together with the 4 other Moodies playing such a complex song live. criticism of the Moodies being a bad live band is groundless. 

Well, no one could hope to possibly reproduce the amount of overdubs on the albums in concert, but the band was able to make the tunes work. Even the stuff from To Our Children's Children's Children worked in concert.

When they toured with orchestras in the 1990s it did add a bit more of a dimension to the live sound, closer to the albums. Even the later songs performed with the orchestra had another element added. Look for the Live at Red Rocks CD/DVD set. Unfortunately the entire video of the show hasn't been put out, but all of the audio has been. That was an EVENT in 1992. I also have a soundboard tape of the band playing live in 1994 backed by an orchestra...LOTS of rare songs - Eternity Road, Gypsy, Steppin' in a Slide Zone, The Actor...and all with the orchestra. Amazing stuff.

Finally listened to this CD and its amazing.  And the stupid Rock and Roll Hall of Fame won't let this group in.....

[Jason]

The Voyage Suite is transformed live when the group did it live in the 1960s. Mike's singing live with so much character and power goes perfectly together with the 4 other Moodies playing such a complex song live. criticism of the Moodies being a bad live band is groundless. 

Well, no one could hope to possibly reproduce the amount of overdubs on the albums in concert, but the band was able to make the tunes work. Even the stuff from To Our Children's Children's Children worked in concert.

When they toured with orchestras in the 1990s it did add a bit more of a dimension to the live sound, closer to the albums. Even the later songs performed with the orchestra had another element added. Look for the Live at Red Rocks CD/DVD set. Unfortunately the entire video of the show hasn't been put out, but all of the audio has been. That was an EVENT in 1992. I also have a soundboard tape of the band playing live in 1994 backed by an orchestra...LOTS of rare songs - Eternity Road, Gypsy, Steppin' in a Slide Zone, The Actor...and all with the orchestra. Amazing stuff.

Finally listened to this CD and its amazing.  And the stupid Rock and Roll Hall of Fame won't let this group in.....

Forget the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. All it is is basically the "Now Playing" list on Jann Wenner's iPod.

[SMiLE Brian]

The Voyage Suite is transformed live when the group did it live in the 1960s. Mike's singing live with so much character and power goes perfectly together with the 4 other Moodies playing such a complex song live. criticism of the Moodies being a bad live band is groundless.  

Well, no one could hope to possibly reproduce the amount of overdubs on the albums in concert, but the band was able to make the tunes work. Even the stuff from To Our Children's Children's Children worked in concert.

When they toured with orchestras in the 1990s it did add a bit more of a dimension to the live sound, closer to the albums. Even the later songs performed with the orchestra had another element added. Look for the Live at Red Rocks CD/DVD set. Unfortunately the entire video of the show hasn't been put out, but all of the audio has been. That was an EVENT in 1992. I also have a soundboard tape of the band playing live in 1994 backed by an orchestra...LOTS of rare songs - Eternity Road, Gypsy, Steppin' in a Slide Zone, The Actor...and all with the orchestra. Amazing stuff.

Finally listened to this CD and its amazing.  And the stupid Rock and Roll Hall of Fame won't let this group in.....

Forget the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. All it is is basically the "Now Playing" list on Jann Wenner's iPod.

Great Description of it I visited the hall this summer and it was pretty lame with selective exhibits. They had a mellotron MK2, but it was John Lennon's, who was amateur on a mellotron compared to Mike Pinder.  Also, there were no exhibits on the BBs and surf music be because music was dead between 1959 and 1963.

[Pinder's Gone To Kokomo And Back Again]

I wonder if The Moodies DID get into the hall of fame: would Pinder show up and play with the band that night???

[Jason]

If they were inducted I can imagine that the inductees would be the Mark II lineup...although I think Denny Laine deserves to be alongside them. If Ray and Mike would play with them, that's another story. I'd like to hope they would.

I honestly couldn't care less if they got in or not. I don't need Jann Wenner's stamp of approval to validate my musical tastes. He can get in line with the long queue of people and kiss my ass.

[Pinder's Gone To Kokomo And Back Again]

If they were inducted I can imagine that the inductees would be the Mark II lineup...although I think Denny Laine deserves to be alongside them. If Ray and Mike would play with them, that's another story. I'd like to hope they would.

I honestly couldn't care less if they got in or not. I don't need Jann Wenner's stamp of approval to validate my musical tastes. He can get in line with the long queue of people and kiss my ass.

Damn straight!

Wenner should be barred from the hall of fame and from having anything to do with "rock n roll" altogether. The public should vote the inductees in anyhow.

[SMiLE Brian]

If they were inducted I can imagine that the inductees would be the Mark II lineup...although I think Denny Laine deserves to be alongside them. If Ray and Mike would play with them, that's another story. I'd like to hope they would.

I honestly couldn't care less if they got in or not. I don't need Jann Wenner's stamp of approval to validate my musical tastes. He can get in line with the long queue of people and kiss my ass.

Damn straight!

Wenner should be barred from the hall of fame and from having anything to do with "rock n roll" altogether. The public should vote the inductees in anyhow.

I really don't understand why Jann hates them so much, they made a revolutionary album in 1967 that was a great companion to Sgt. Pepper.

[Pinder's Gone To Kokomo And Back Again]

If they were inducted I can imagine that the inductees would be the Mark II lineup...although I think Denny Laine deserves to be alongside them. If Ray and Mike would play with them, that's another story. I'd like to hope they would.

I honestly couldn't care less if they got in or not. I don't need Jann Wenner's stamp of approval to validate my musical tastes. He can get in line with the long queue of people and kiss my ass.

Damn straight!

Wenner should be barred from the hall of fame and from having anything to do with "rock n roll" altogether. The public should vote the inductees in anyhow.

I really don't understand why Jann hates them so much, they made a revolutionary album in 1967 that was a great companion to Sgt. Pepper.

Because he's an idiot

[SMiLE Brian]

If they were inducted I can imagine that the inductees would be the Mark II lineup...although I think Denny Laine deserves to be alongside them. If Ray and Mike would play with them, that's another story. I'd like to hope they would.

I honestly couldn't care less if they got in or not. I don't need Jann Wenner's stamp of approval to validate my musical tastes. He can get in line with the long queue of people and kiss my ass.

Damn straight!

Wenner should be barred from the hall of fame and from having anything to do with "rock n roll" altogether. The public should vote the inductees in anyhow.

I really don't understand why Jann hates them so much, they made a revolutionary album in 1967 that was a great companion to Sgt. Pepper.

Because he's an idiot

I get that part, just trying to understand the mind of a madman.

[Pinder's Gone To Kokomo And Back Again]

Probably because he's both and idiot and gets a funny feeling in his tummy when he sees Justin Hayward singing Knights In White Satin at him....

[SMiLE Brian]

Probably because he's both and idiot and gets a funny feeling in his tummy when he sees Justin Hayward singing Knights In White Satin at him....

, then afterwards the Moodies do the whole voyage suite just for him.

[Pinder's Gone To Kokomo And Back Again]

Probably because he's both and idiot and gets a funny feeling in his tummy when he sees Justin Hayward singing Knights In White Satin at him....

, then afterwards the Moodies do the whole voyage suite just for him.

And then Mike gets down from the stage and dedicates "So Deep Within You" to Jan and sings it to him sitting in his lap.

[SMiLE Brian]

Probably because he's both and idiot and gets a funny feeling in his tummy when he sees Justin Hayward singing Knights In White Satin at him....

, then afterwards the Moodies do the whole voyage suite just for him.

And then Mike gets down from the stage and dedicates "So Deep Within You" to Jan and sings it to him sitting in his lap.

Then Mike punches Jann out, and the Moodies call out the HOF harder than the Sex Pistols did.

[MBE]

Another common misconception about the Moody Blues is that they started out as an R&B band and then did a 180 degree musical and personality turn once Justin and John joined the group in 1966...it makes for nice sensationalism, but the recorded proof doesn't match up. The common story is that one day Ray just picked up a flute, Mike just picked up a mellotron, Graeme became the poet, and they brought Justin and John into the band and Days of Future Passed happened overnight. Great fun, but not the truth.

If you listen to The Magnificent Moodies and all of the Denny Laine-era singles, the flute was actually quite common in the band from 1965 onward - listen to From the Bottom of My Heart, I've Got a Dream (coincidentally a Barry/Greenwich tune that was gifted to the band thanks to their access to leagues of American demos), I Don't Want To Go On Without You, Something You Got, Let Me Go, and You Don't (All the Time). Lots of flute on those. And the three 1966-67 singles they recorded before Denny and Clint Warwick left the band (the final single, Life's Not Life/He Can Win, was released in January of 1967, months after Denny and Clint left and after Justin and John had already joined) have a distinctly more "progressive" sound than the stuff before with lots of acoustic guitars and keyboards, all written by Denny and Mike.

When Justin and John joined the band, they didn't write Days of Future Passed immediately. They toured Europe for much of the end of 1966 with the R&B act (and matching suits) in cabarets and strip clubs. Justin recalled years later that he felt extremely uncomfortable singing Go Now onstage. The kicker happened late in 1966 when the band were living and playing in France. After their gig was over, the promoter told them that there was an individual outside who wanted to see them. Expecting a fan begging for autographs, they found an angry man who had nothing but bile for them - "I just thought you should know that you're the worst band I've ever heard in my life; you're f***ing crap."

It was at this time that the band decided to do all of their own material. They were still contracted to Decca, who allowed them to record four tracks for single releases. The first two were Fly Me High/I Really Haven't Got the Time, released as a single in May of 1967. The other two tracks, Long Summer Days and Please Think About It, were left unreleased until 1977.

Mike remembered the mellotron from when he worked on testing the instruments at Streetly Electronics in Birmingham, the home of the instrument. They bought one from a social club for £2000. Mike immediately removed the sound effects and rhythm tapes from the left side of the mellotron and replaced them with copies of the same tapes from the right side of the instrument, which housed the strings, choirs, and horns. They recorded the next single, Love and Beauty/Leave This Man Alone and the Nights in White Satin B-side, Cities, with the mellotron. By this time they had already finished writing Days of Future Passed, which was being performed and worked out in concert and on sessions for the BBC.

I really like the Denny Laine era and through Cities I like the second group a lot as well. I know they got big from Days on but that never appealed to me as much as there stuff before it.

[Pinder's Gone To Kokomo And Back Again]

Probably because he's both and idiot and gets a funny feeling in his tummy when he sees Justin Hayward singing Knights In White Satin at him....

, then afterwards the Moodies do the whole voyage suite just for him.

And then Mike gets down from the stage and dedicates "So Deep Within You" to Jan and sings it to him sitting in his lap.

Then Mike punches Jann out, and the Moodies call out the HOF harder than the Sex Pistols did.

And then a drunken Patrick Moraz is lowered onto the stage behind a massive keyboard, who then calls everyone out hard and performs the lengthy keyboard into to "22,000 Days" that they wouldn't let him put on the album!