Threshold of a Dream...
The Moody Blues is an English group formed in 1964 in Birmingham and originally composed of Mike Pinder, Ray Thomas, Denny Laine, Graeme Edge and Clint Warwick.
Group which signs with the label Decca Records, label which allows them to release a first single "Steal your heart away" the same year. Single that will go somewhat unnoticed ...
What will not be the case of the following “Go now”, single which leaves the same year and which will make a true planetary success and launch the group in a sensational way on the international music scene.
Their first album "The magnificent Moodies" was released a year later in 1965, an album which paradoxically did not really achieve the same level of success. 1965 which will all the same be saved by the successful non-album release of the single "From the bottom of my heart (I love you)". The album will eventually produce a hit single "Stop !", title which will be released in a staggered manner the following year in 1966.
New album "Days of future passed" in 1967, album which, unlike its predecessor, will make talk about it on both sides of the Atlantic. And for good reason, since it will produce one of the most incredible titles of the end of the twentieth century, namely the fabulous "Night in white satin". Single which will forever remain their jewel but which will not establish itself as such until a few years later at the planetary level more precisely during the year 1972, made to say the least paradoxical ...
The year 1968 saw the release of the album "In search of the lost chord", album which confirmed the inexorable rise of the group as a major group of the moment. Album from which will be extracted mainly the title "Ride my see-saw" the same year.
A major group that even allowed themselves the luxury of releasing 2 albums the following year in 1969 : “On the threshold of a dream” on the one hand and “To our children’s children’s children” on the other. Unfortunately, quantity will not necessarily rhyme with quality. Only the title “Never comes the day” will painfully succeed, a poor performance to say the least astonishing…
The early 1970s saw them come back to the race in an impressive way with the release in 1970 of the album "A question of balance", an album of renewal thanks to the enormous single "Question". A renewal which also rhymes with evolution of the sound and the style, this explains why ...
Renewal confirmed in 1971 with the release of the album "Every good boys deserves favor", as well as with the album "Seventh sojourn" in 1972. The 2 albums are a real worldwide hit and make the group one of the values lighthouses of the moment. In particular thanks to 2 huge titles which are "The story in your eyes" for the first and "Isn’t life strange" for the second.
A climax that will come to an end with the group's hiatus for nearly 6 years. Fatigue, weariness, desire for solo projects got the better of the group, resulting in an obligatory break which will allow the group to recharge their batteries in all their forms.
The group therefore returned in 1978 with the album "Octave", a winning return which allowed the group to return to the front of the stage in an impressive way thanks to the 2 singles "Steppin 'in a slide zone" and "Driftwood". And this despite a recording session of the most disastrous album with various incidents, both technical and climatic, as well as strong tensions between the members ...
Tensions are heightened with the departure of Pinder, who even files a lawsuit against the group to block the release of the next album "Long Distant Voyager". Album which will be released 3 years later in 1981 and which will become one of the biggest successes of all the group's discography on the album side, just that. Album carried at arm's length by the singles "Talking out of turn", "Gemini dream" but also, and above all, "The voice".
An incredible adventure that continued two years later in 1983 with the release of the album "The present", an album which once again allowed the group to remain in the Elite with obvious ease. Album from which the flagship titles "Blue world" and "Sitting at the wheel" will be extracted.
And nothing stops them since we find them in 1986 with the album "The other side of life", album with less success than its predecessor but which will also produce 2 very large titles with the singles "Your wildest dreams", which will benefit from a particularly successful clip with a particularly high turnover on MTV and "The other side of life". Album that will allow the group to capture a younger audience while retaining the older one, a real feat in itself ...
New album "Sur la mer" two years later in 1988, album which saw the group regress in the Charts while maintaining a sufficient level to keep them in the big league. In particular thanks to the certain success of the single "I know you’re out there somewhere".
The 90s will be the decade too many with the half-hearted release of the album "Keys of the Kingdom" in 1991, an album that was only saved from fiasco by the title "Say it with love".
Two other albums were released later, "Strange Times" in 1999 and "December" in 2003, but only achieved a very limited level of success. Thus putting an end to one of the most brilliant musical adventures of the end of the 20th century !
To discover or rediscover.
Discography (among others ...) :
Go now 1964
I don’t want to go on without you 1965
From the bottom of my heart (I love you) 1965
Stop ! 1966
Fly me high 1967
Love and beauty 1967
Nights in white satin 1967
Tuesday afternoon 1968
Voices in the sky 1968
Ride my sew-saw 1968
Never comes the day 1969
Watching and waiting 1969
Question 1970
The story in your eyes 1971
Isn’t life strange 1972
I’m just a singer (In a rock and roll band) 1973
Steppin’ in a slide zone 1978
Driftwood 1978
Gemini dream 1981
The voice 1981
Talking out of turn 1981
Blue world 1983
Sitting at the wheel 1983
Your wildest dreams 1986
The other side of life 1986
I know you’re out there somewhere 1988
No more lies 1988
Say it with love 1991
English sunset 1999
Love don't come easy 1999
December snow 2003
A winters tale 2003
Clips :
1964 ... a first year of existence which already says a lot about the potential of this group. A group that will quite simply become one of the major groups of the next 20 years ...
1965 ... after a year 1964 which saw them get their first mega hit, a real feat, the group is somewhat stuck there. Can and must do better !
1965 ... business picks up somewhat but the group cannot repeat the feat achieved the previous year. Stroke of luck or temporary air gap ? Good question...
1966 ... the group falls back to an altogether modest level of success. They will therefore have to pull themselves together as soon as possible to avoid leaving the road early, that's clear ...
1967 ... a year 1967 which saw the group regress year after year. After a startling, to say the least, one really wonders what can happen to them ...
1967 ... and yet they really have what it takes for great things, even great great things. And the title that will follow will prove it indisputably !
1967 ... then THIS title comes ! We thought the group was in distress, it was bad to know them ! They deliver here what will undoubtedly remain as one of the musical masterpieces of the end of the twentieth century. CULT !
1968 ... even if the previous jewel will take 5 years to establish itself at the planetary level, which is incomprehensible to say the least, it will at least have had the merit of putting the group back in working order, that's already it !
1968 ... not all of their titles will be masterpieces, we're not going to lie to each other. But the qualitative level is undeniable on each title, admittedly to varying degrees. But still present !
1968 ... the group will have hatched and showed an incredible potential in this decade 60. But the consecration, the true one, will arrive the following decade. We will therefore have to wait a little longer ...
1969 ... a hybrid title that mixes finesse and sustained rhythm. What better way to end this decade in style, a decade that saw the emergence of this unique group and surely among the most talented of its generation ...
1969 ... a decade that is not quite over. We continue in the finesse with this title which literally floats in the air and which nevertheless will pass somewhat under the radar ...
1970 ... the new decade starts with a bang with this title which will give the group a new star of prestige. A decade of 70 which will see them almost walk on water ...
1971 ... the production of titles is going to slow down on the other hand. Fewer titles but a quality which will not weaken. Quite the contrary !
1972 ... every title that comes out now ends up at least in the top 20 places in Charts around the world. At least...
1973 ... after the 1970s and 1971, another single-title year as this year 1973. A brutal deceleration to say the least, but which does not prevent them from continuing to outclass the competition with more than obvious ease ...
1978 ... surprisingly, the group will disappear from radar for almost 5 years. So here they are again in this year 1978 in a form that we will qualify as certain. Sufficient in any case to get straight back to the front of the race ...
1978 ... the last title of the decade. A 1970s which saw them consolidate their status as a major group. A status that they intend to fiercely defend during the following decade ...
1981 ... after having crossed the 60s, then the 70s, here they are entering the 80s in the best possible way with this new top hit. Still not out of fashion, still not outdated, the group has perfectly evolved to tackle this new decade. The brand of the Greats necessarily !
1981 ... without counting that the production of titles starts again on the rise and that the quality is always there, which does not spoil anything, on the contrary. Unstoppable little guys !
1981 ... 3 titles classified just for this year 1981 including 1 hit, 1 top hit and 1 mega hit. For a group that started their career in 1964, the feat is remarkable to say the least !
1983 ... after a slight break during 1982, the group returns once again to the front of the stage with this first title of 1983. A new success that they owe exclusively to a permanently renewed inspiration and which sticks above all perfectly to the latest musical trends ...
1983 ... almost 20 years of career and in top form ! Where most of their original competitors have all disappeared body and soul, they continue to unroll with incredible mastery. What talent !
1986 ... after a year 1984 when not much interesting happened and a year 1985 empty, here they are back again in great shape. The adventure is still so flourishing and above all still so brilliant !
1986 ... everything is about adaptation and that the group understood it well. Only those survive who adapt perfectly to each era and each new musical trend. The proof with this incredible career that lasts and lasts !
1988 ... almost 25 years after their debut, they still manage to sign titles of this caliber. With the key to one more star to add to a prize list of the most flattering of the last 30 years. Hats off, gentlemen !
1988 ... we suspected that this incredible level of success was not going to last for decades and decades. This title there despite an obvious quality will know a level of success after all limited. Beginning of the end then ...?
1991 ... no, no, they haven't said their last word yet. Here they are entering the 90s with a will to believe again that commands respect. Especially since they are not going to be unworthy, far from it
1999 ... unfortunately, the competition of young people who are on average 30 years younger than them will have overcome their hopes. At least to continue to evolve at the highest level, because for the rest, the know-how and the talent, everything is still there ...
1999 ... especially when we see what they still manage to produce and especially the quality of the titles, we say to ourselves that with them everything is still possible ...
2003 ... proof that with them everything is still possible, 40 years later, they are still there ! An absolutely incredible longevity that they owe only one thing : their talent !
2003 ... an album totally out of time and current standards. And even if it will not remain as their biggest success, far from it, it works very well. So when will it be next ? Because with them, nothing is impossible ...
Wiki :
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Moody_Blues
Official Website :
Greatest Hits :
https://www.deezer.com/us/artist/4212
Discography :
https://www.youtube.com/user/MoodyBluesToday/featured