**********  THE MOODY BLUES FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS LIST *********

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Welcome to the Moody Blues Frequently Asked Questions List.  This FAQ
is put out by the members of the Lost Chords mailing list.  Additional
information and changes made as needed.
Version 2.3, revised November 9, 1994.

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                Contents of this file:

1. About this file
==================

1.1 Acknowledgments
1.2 Summary of changes made since last revision

2. Internet-related information
===============================

2.1 The Lost Chords mailing list
2.2 Hints on joining Lost Chords
2.3 Where The Moody Blues files are located
2.4 Where The Moody Blues are on Usenet
2.5 Album Listening Parties
2.6 Commonly used acronyms
2.7 Where to get the most recent version of this FAQ


3. General information about The Moody Blues
============================================

3.1 A brief history of The Moody Blues
3.2 Albums released by The Moody Blues
3.3 The people associated with The Moody Blues
3.4 Families of The Moody Blues
3.5 The Official Moody Blues Fan Club
3.6 Magazines/Newsletters about The Moody Blues
3.7 Threshold Records
3.8 Where can I find hard-to-find albums?
3.9 Cassette versions of albums

4. Other Frequently Asked Questions
===================================

4.1 What is the Mellotron?
4.2 What is BlossomFest?
4.3 When is the lead singer NOT the author of the song?
4.4 When did the band start using backup singers?
4.5 Where can I find Caught Live +5 on CD?
4.6 Are Ultradiscs really better than normal CD's?
4.7 What is the meaning behind the song, "House of Four Doors"?
4.8 Is that a guitar string breaking in "For My Lady"?
4.9 Is that a recording flaw at the end of Long Distance Voyager?
4.10 Who are the guys in the photos in Sur La Mer?
4.11 What are the symbols by the songs on Keys of the Kingdom?
4.12 Who is speaking the "spoken words" on the songs?
4.13 What is double-tracking?
4.14 What differences are there between songs sung live and on albums?
4.15 What is a Catherine Wheel?

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1. About this file
==================

1.1 Acknowledgments
-------------------

Thanks to the following people for all their help with making this FAQ
possible!

Mick Anderson, Linda Bangert, Michael Holl, Shawn McCann, Thomas E.
Ruddick, Randy A. Salas, Alicia Walters, and the members of the Lost
Chords.  Currently maintained by Carol Ashman.


1.2 Summary of changes made since last revision
-----------------------------------------------

Last revision was Version 2.2, revised October 8, 1994.
Changes made to sections 2.3, 2.6, 4.3, 4.5
Added sections 2.7, 4.15

2. Internet-related information
===============================

2.1 The Lost Chords mailing list
--------------------------------

The Lost Chords mailing list is actually a "list serv" on a computer
at MIT.  This means that when you subscribe, your email address gets
added to the "list" of subscribers to Lost Chords.  When a subscriber
sends a message to Lost Chords, the computer at MIT automatically
resends it to everyone on the list.  So even if you are the one who
sent the original posting, the computer will send it back to you,
along with everyone else.

We now have the option of a digest version of Lost Chords.  Instead of
receiving mail one message at a time, you can have receive a digest of
2-3 days of mail or so, that is dynamically adjusted up or down
depending on the lengths of the digests.  The digest begins with a
table of contents, and  messages are arranged by subject.  This option
is recommended for those who can use it, as it would *greatly* reduce
the load this list puts on the MIT mailservers.

To clarify some questions about the digest version, those getting the
digest form *CAN* send mail to the list.  You can reply to the digest;
the "To:" field on your mail will be set to lost-chords@mit.edu by
default.  If you want your reply to go onl y to the person who wrote
the message you are replying to, you'll have to change the To: field
manually.

You can subscribe (or unsubscribe) to the Lost Chords mailing list by
sending a message to the administrator (currently Rich Carreiro)
stating that you want to be a member of the list. BE SURE TO MENTION
WHETHER YOU WANT THE DIGEST OR REAL-TIME VERSION.  This request should
include your real first and last names (not just a nickname), in
addition to your email address. Please note that this request is not
processed automatically by a computer, but rather by a human being,
so please be patient with your requests.  Send the email to the
administrator at: lost-chords-request@mit.edu

To send a post to the list once you're a member, mail:
lost-chords@mit.edu

Note that the addresses are ".edu," NOT ".COM" - there is a real
company at @mit.com, and it has nothing to do with The Moody Blues!


2.2 Hints on joining Lost Chords
--------------------------------

Save this file, or at least the information on how to
subscribe/unsubscribe.  You will need it if you plan to go on
vacation, or when you no longer want to subscribe.

Please DO NOT send subscribe/unsubscribe messages to lost-
chords@mit.edu. This is the address for posting to the newsgroup, NOT
for requesting to be added or deleted from the list.

Note that it is not possible to have a "Reply-To: lost-chords@mit.edu"
header in the mail sent out from the list, so that people wouldn't
have to manually change the default To: field (needed by some email
applications when replying).  For an explanation, see the note in the
archives from Rich Carr on 8/18/94.

We suggest that you follow the discussion for awhile before posting a
message.  It also helps if you read the archives of previous messages
(see section 2.3) so you don't ask something that has already been
covered.

Before posting your first message, please post a brief introductory
message to the list so we know who you are.  If your email address is
a nickname or "handle," please also sign your name to your posts
(we've had problems in the past with people who only used nicknames),
or at least at first, until we get to know you.

Because there is now a digest version of the list, the subjects are
used in sorting the messages.  If someone sent a message beginning,
"AAAA," and then someone replied to it with the subject being, "RE:
AAAA," the reply would appear before the quest ion! So when posting to
the list, please consider what effect changing the subject line will
have on those who are reading the digest.  Thanks.

Please try to keep the traffic down by cutting quoted messages as much
as possible (don't resend the entire message that you are replying
to), and stay focused on the Moodies.  Even though it is a private
list, because of the archives, everything is eventually made public,
and people should use the same cautions as when broadcasting to the
world.  Please use personal email if you're replying to one person, or
want to say something more private, instead of broadcasting it to the
rest of the group.

When sending messages to the list, sometimes you may get "bounced
messages."  These are messages that get sent to you, often with the
heading, "Returned Mail."  Don't worry about these; it usually means
that some poor soul is having network problems.

Also keep in mind that everyone approaches the mailing list
differently, and only simple text gets through to everyone.  Any
underlines, highlights, or other special characters just comes across
as garbage to some people, and sometimes obscures what you're trying
to say.

The membership of Lost Chords is comprised of a wide range of ages,
experiences and musical tastes, with the Moody Blues being the common
glue.  We encourage differing viewpoints and healthy discussions,
although respect and responsibility should be a part of the posting
process.  Often a message can be perceived in more than one way, so we
try to take it in the nicest way possible (Say It With Love).  If you
feel someone's posting is inflammatory, stupid or cruel, and you truly
must reply to it, please do so privately.  And if you are in the
wrong, please admit it.

Thanks.


2.3 Where The Moody Blues files are located
-------------------------------------------

You will need to use a file transfer application to retrieve files
from the sites listed below.  Some examples of these applications are:
FTP (file transfer protocol), Gopher, Telnet, Fetch, Lynx, and Mosaic.
Please note that just because you have access to Internet does not
mean you automatically have file transfer capability.

Use the file transfer application to access the site listed below.
For FTP, logon as "anonymous" or "ftp," then enter your complete e-
mail address as the password.  Actually, it doesn't usually matter
what you enter as your password, but it is suggested that you enter
your mail address as a courtesy to the archive maintainers, who like
to know who is using their system.

Note that this is sometimes referred to as "Anonymous FTP". This means
that you can access a machine without having to have an account on
that machine. Most Anonymous FTP sites do not permit people to store
files, and often have limits as to how many people can signon as
anonymous at any given time.

Some files in the archives are compressed with the Unix compress
command.  These have a ".Z" appended to the end of the name. If you
wish to download files with a .Z extension and you do not have Unix
uncompress, leave off the .Z and the file will be uncompressed as it
is sent to you.

If you have problems accessing the archive files, try doing it during
off-peak hours (currently 8-5 M->F CST for the ftp.uwp.edu site).
Access is usually limited during business hours; anonymous FTP
currently has a 50-user maximum at this site.

Lost Chords Mailing List Archives
---------------------------------
Back issues of lost-chords (archives) for the current year are located
at ftp.uwp.edu in the directory/folder:
/pub/music/lists/moody.blues

The prior year archives are located at the same site, ftp.uwp.edu, but
one level down, in a directory/folder for that year.  For example,
1993 archives are located in the directory/folder:
/pub/music/lists/moody.blues/1993

Just a note that the ftp.uwp.edu site has linked the files in such a
way that you can go in circles trying to find something!  Here are two
such ways to get to the files:

1) Folder /pub/music/artists/m/moody.blues contains:

- discog (latest version of the discography done by Joe Lynn)
- FAQ vN.N.z (this FAQ, compressed; N.N is the version number;
  for example, FAQ v2.3.z)
- lyrics (folder to get to lyrics folders)
- names of each member of the band, plus moody blues (use these
  folders to get to the lyrics for them)
- mail.list (folder containing Lost Chord stuff listed below as 2)

2) Folder /pub/music/lists/moody.blues contains:

- archive files for Lost Chords (prior years are in folders for the
  year)
- discog (latest version of the discography done by Joe Lynn)
- FAQ vN.N.z (this FAQ, compressed; N.N is the version number;
  for example, FAQ v2.3.z)

Home Page on the Web
--------------------

Michael Holl has started a Moody Blues home page on the web. The URL
is: http://www.imsa.edu/~locutus/moody-blues.html.  Lloyd Robbins also
has a Moody Blues page at http://ids.net/~lrobbins/music.html.

Discography
-----------
A complete discography, created and maintained by Joe Lynn, is located
at ftp.uwp.edu in the directory/folder:
/pub/music/lists/moody.blues

Lyrics Files
------------
Lyrics for most of the songs are located at the following sites.  Note
that each site may not have the same songs; only the ftp.uwp.edu site
has the lyrics for all the studio albums (except for some of the solo
albums).  The navigation path (folder/directory) is in parentheses.

cs.uwp.edu (in /pub/incoming/lyrics)
ftp.uwp.edu (in /pub/music/lyrics)
ftp.sunet.se (in /pub/music/lyrics)
ftp.informatik.tu-muenchen.de: ( in /pub/rec/music/vocal/lyrics/uwp)
gopher.uwp.edu (choose Music Archives / Lyrics)
http://www.mcc.ac.uk/Lyrics/ http://www.informatik.tu-
muenchen.de/isar/archive/music/

The lyric files for both the group and individual members are in the
following locations (the ... represents the starting path listed
above)
.../lyrics/b/blue.jays
.../lyrics/h/justin_hayward
.../lyrics/h/hayward.justin (solo albums)
.../lyrics/l/john_lodge
.../lyrics/m/moody_blues
.../lyrics/p/mike_pinder
.../lyrics/t/thomas.ray

There are currently no separate folders for lyrics by Graeme Edge.

The lyrics of all the songs (except for the first two albums) are also
contained on the original LP (vinyl) versions of the albums, and some
of the CD versions.

Guitar Chord Files
------------------
Guitar chord files have a .crd or .tab suffix (file type) and are
stored at these sites.  The navigation path (folder/directory) is in
parentheses.

nevada.edu  (in /pub/guitar)
ftp.uwp.edu (in /pub/music/guitar)

The files are in the following locations (the ... represents the
starting path listed above)

.../m/moody_blues
.../h/justin_hayward
.../l/john_lodge
.../p/mike_pinder
.../t/ray_thomas

There may be a "e/graeme_edge" sub-directory sometime in the future at
both these sites.


2.4 Where The Moody Blues are on Usenet
---------------------------------------

alt.music.moody-blues is a newsgroup on a worldwide system called
USENET news.  The newsgroup was started by Michael Holl
(locutus@imsa.edu) in the early part of 1994, in order to provide a
forum for discussion of The Moody Blues for those who can't handle the
traffic of the mailing list.  Please note that it was not meant to be
a replacement for the Lost Chords mailing list.

Using alt.music.moody-blues has a few differences from the mailing
list.  One is that the posts aren't sent to your mailbox, which
may interrupt you at work or school.  Instead, they're posted on a
"bulletin board" which you can log on to whenever you wish, and read
only the posts that interest you.  There is also somewhat less traffic
on the bulletin board.

To access Usenet news, you can telnet to bbs.oit.unc.edu (or another
such bulletin board).  You must have access to telnet in order to read
alt.music.moody-blues.  Much of what appears on Usenet eventually
shows up on the mailing list, and vice versa.


2.5 Album Listening Parties
---------------------------

Album listening parties were started by Michael Holl, who runs the
program at his site, and also (along with Dan Brumleve) wrote the
program currently being used to run it.

The purpose of a "Listening Party" is to discuss the music of The
Moody Blues in a real-time environment.  Participants listen to a
different album at each session (usually each  week).  One person
gives a signal to begin, and then everyone participating starts up
their CD, LP, or cassette players.  Anything you type on your screen
shows up on everyone else's screen, and vice versa.  They're alot of
fun!

The parties used to take place over IRC (Internet Relay Chat), but
this service was found to be much too unreliable. You need access to
telnet to connect, and will need to have the password to attend (which
changes).

The listening parties usually take place at 20:00 (8:00 P.M.) GMT.
GMT stands for Greenwich Mean Time.  It's the time in Greenwich,
England (along the Prime Meridian) that all local times are set
against.  In the U.S.A., EDT (Eastern Daylight Time) is usually 4
hours behind GMT, and Pacific Time is, of course, 3 hours later
than Eastern Time (remember, standard time is an additional hour
behind daylight savings time).  For example, on standard time,
(20:00 GMT) = (3:00pm EST) = (Noon PST). On Daylight Savings time,
(20:00 GMT) = (4:00pm EDT) = (1:00pm PDT).

Some tips on listening parties once you are on:

1) Not everyone's system can handle lines longer than one line, so
   limit your entries to one line.  If you find your message is longer
   than one line, just add something at the end of it like:  ...  or -
   -> so the others will know that the line will be continued.

2) Everything you type afterwards will be seen on the screens of the
   rest of the people UNLESS you use special commands that are
   preceeded by a slash (/)

3) Some commonly used commands:

/mesg  Sends out a message to only one of the
                           members.
/name allows you to change your login name
/quit                      quit (logs off the session)
/who                       Shows the names of all those present
/?                         gives you a list of all the commands that
                           are available.  Be aware,
                           that some of these are restricted to the
                           person who is running the
                           party, or the person who is running the
                           program.

For more information about the listening parties, including the
current Telnet location and password, ask Michael Holl or Ria Heeringa
on the Lost Chords mailing list, which controls the parties.


2.6 Commonly used acronyms
--------------------------

Acronyms are frequently used to refer to albums, and sometimes songs.
For example, _OTTOAD_ for "On The Threshold of a Dream." Other times,
just a key word or two, such as "Nights" for "Nights in White Satin"
will suffice.  The following are some of the more common acronyms
(such as for the albums):

Common Moody Blues Abbreviations:

AQOB -      A Question of Balance
AYSC -      Are You Sitting Comfortably?
BG -        Blue Guitar
BTWTBYB -   Bless The Wings (That Bring You Back)
COL -       Candle of Life
DD -        Dear Diary
DITD -      Dawning Is The Day
DOFP -      Days of Future Passed
DYFS -      Don't You Feel Small
EGBDF -     Every Good Boy Deserves Favour
EOAC -      Eyes Of A Child
ER -        Eternity Road
FML -       For My Lady
GD -        Gemini Dream
GE -        Graeme Edge
H&H -       Higher and Higher, the song & a MB newsletter
HOFD -      House of Four Doors
HYH -       Have You Heard
IJASIARARB  I'm Just A Singer (In A Rock and Roll Band)
IKYOTS -    I Know You're Out There Somewhere
ILS -       Isn't Life Strange
ISOTLC -    In Search of the Lost Chord
IUTY -      It's Up To You
JH -        Justin Hayward
JL -        John Lodge
KOTK -      Keys of the Kingdom
LDV -       Long Distance Voyager
LIALW -     Lost In A Lost World
LOAB -      Legend of a Band
LOAM -      Legend of a Mind
LOMT -      Lean On Me (Tonight)
LTSY -      Lovely To See You
MB -        Moody Blues (what else?)
MM -        Melancholy Man
Moodies -   The Moody Blues or their fans
MP -        Mike Pinder
MS -        Minstrel's Song, My Song
NCTD -      Never Comes The Day
NH -        New Horizons
NIWS -      Nights in White Satin
NML -       No More Lies
NTILTBAH -  Never Thought I'd Live To Be A Hundred
NTILTBAM -  Never Thought I'd Live To Be A Million
O -         Octave (this acronym is seldom used)
OFC -       Official Fan club; also referred to as MBOFC
OMTTL -     One More Time To Live
OTTOAD -    On the Threshold of a Dream
RMSS -      Ride My See-Saw
RR -        A Night at Red Rocks
RT -        Ray Thomas
SATW -      Sitting At The Wheel
SIASZ -     Steppin' In A Slide Zone
SIWL -      Say It With Love
SLM -       Sur La Mer
SS -        Seventh Sojourn
TA -        Tuesday Afternoon
TBWTT -     The Best Way To Travel
TD -        The Dream
TDWMA -     The Day We Meet Again
TITM -      This Is The Moment
TOCCC -     To Our Childrens' Childrens' Children
TOOT -      Talking Out Of Turn
TOSOL -     The Other Side of Life
TSIYE -     The Story In Your Eyes
TP -        The Present (this acronym is seldom used)
TT -        Time Traveler
TV -        The Voyage
VITS -      Voices in the Sky
WAW -       Watching And Waiting
YAM -       You And Me
YCNGH -     You Can Never Go Home
YWD -       Your Wildest Dreams

Common Internet Abbreviations:

BRB -       Be Right Back
BTW -       By the way
IM(H)O -    In My (Humble) Opinion (or just IMHO)
LOL -       Laughing Out Loud
ROTFL -     Rolling On the Floor Laughing

Some smilie examples (tilt your head to the left and look at them.):

Some of these were taken from "The Unofficial Smilie Dictionary":

 :-)   Your basic smilie. This smilie is used to inflect a sarcastic
       or joking statement since we can't hear voice inflection.
 ;-)   Winky smilie. User just made a flirtatious and/or sarcastic
       remark. More of a "don't hit me for what I just said" smilie.
 :-(   Frowning smilie. User did not like that last statement or is
       upset or depressed about something. grin.  Yet another way of smiling.
 =)    Still yet another way of smiling


2.7 Where to get the most recent version of this FAQ
====================================================

1) Send email to locutus@imsa.edu (Michael Holl's email address) and
   make the subject:   FAQ REQUEST (Must be all caps).

You should receive the most recent version of the FAQ within a few
minutes from an Auto-FAQ mailer.  If you don't, please e-mail Michael
and let him know so he can fix the problem.

2) Use a Web (World Wide Web) browser to get to either of the
   following sites:
http://www.imsa.edu/~locutus/moody-blues.html
http://ids.net/~lrobbins/music.html

3) File transfer (FTP) the file at archive site at ftp.uwp.edu; the
   FAQ is located in folder /pub/music/lists/moody.blues.  Since it
   currently takes awhile for the site to move the FAQ to this
   location, this may not have the current FAQ.


3. General information about The Moody Blues
============================================

3.1 A brief history of The Moody Blues
--------------------------------------

The Moody Blues were formed in May of 1964.  Their members were:
Denny Laine, Clint Warwick, Mike Pinder, Ray Thomas, and Graeme Edge.
During the years 1965 - 1967, they focused primarily on R & B, their
most famous single being "Go Now," which reached number one on the
charts in both the U.S. and Great Britain.

In 1966, Denny Laine and Clint Warwick left the group and were
replaced by Justin Hayward and John Lodge.  They abandoned the old
R & B, and in 1967 recorded their most famous album, _Days of Future
Passed_.  This was supposed to be a demo record for Decca to
demonstrate its version of stereo.  The band never actually played
with the orchestra;  they recorded their songs and Peter Knight, the
orchestra leader, composed music to fit around it.  Apparently, Decca
*hated* _DOFP_, but they released it anyway, since they'd already
spent the money.  Good thing for us fans, since it contained _Nights
In White Satin_, which later became their most famous song, as well as
_Tuesday Afternoon_, which became their first big hit from the album.
The album remained on Billboard charts a full two years after its
release.

During the years 1967 - 1972, they recorded seven very successful
albums, all of which went gold.  In 1972, _Days of Future Passed_ was
re-released, and incredibly went gold again, a full five years after
the original release of the album!

However, amidst their skyrocketing popularity, The Moody Blues broke
up in February, 1974.  This popularity had turned out to be the band's
downfall. But individual members continued recording solo albums, many
of which did extremely well on the pop charts.

In 1978, the band reunited and recorded _Octave_, its eighth album
with Justin Hayward and John Lodge.  This was the last album with Mike
Pinder, who declined to go on any more tours.  Patrick Moraz replaced
Mike on the keyboards for the tour, and was on every album from LDV to
SLM.

With the release of _Long Distance Voyager_ in 1981, the band's
comeback could not be ignored.  The single "The Voice" did very well,
and the band went back on tour.  Next to be released was "The
Present," which was considered a commercial failure, although it
enjoyed a brief stay in the top 40. As a result, the band--later
citing "working too long on too many things that were never heard"--
dismissed the producer for both albums, Pip Williams.

The Moodies have continued recording and touring, and have had a
number of hit singles, including "Your Wildest Dreams," whose video
was named "Video of the Year" by Billboard magazine.  _Keys of the
Kingdom_, their latest studio album, contains music by the remaining 4
band members (Edge, Hayward, Lodge, and Thomas).

In 1993, the band released a live album, "A Night At Red Rocks," which
was recorded with a full symphony orchestra.  Larry Baird, the
conductor, had to create all the arrangements from listening to
previous recordings as the original music from "Days" was not found.
The video of this concert also aired on PBS stations throughout the
United States.

In 1994, the band is making various tours of the United States in
support of its "Red Rocks" album. The band released their boxed set,
_Time Traveler_, on September 27, 1994.  That same Tuesday afternoon,
they held an Internet Chat session, and were welcomed into Hollywood's
Rock Walk (they placed their hand prints and signatures in cement
outside the Guitar Center on Sunset Boulevard).


3.2 Albums released by The Moody Blues
--------------------------------------

The following are the albums released by the band as a whole.  Several
of the band members also released numerous solo albums; see the
discography file noted above for more information.  All albums have
been released on CD unless otherwise noted.

1966 - The Magnificent Moodies (UK).

1966 - Go Now (USA).
The "stereo" version of this album isn't!  This is not the same as the
British LP, although they have some tracks in common.  The liner notes
by Donovan were taken from the British LP.

1987 - The Magnificent Moodies (USA)
The CD version of this album has 25 tracks, including the entire
original British LP plus the remainder of their non-album recordings,
some of which were on the American LP.

1967 - Days of Future Passed
The first album with Justin Hayward and John Lodge.

1968 - In Search of the Lost Chord
First album with all instruments (30) played by Moodies.

1969 - On the Threshold of a Dream
First album with lyrics included (these were in a booklet).

1969 -  To Our Childrens' Childrens' Children
First album on Threshold records, the band's own record company.

1970 - A Question of Balance
First effort to only create music that could be reproduced on stage
without any additional instrumentation.

1971 - Every Good Boy Deserves Favour
EGBDF, of course, are the letter names of the lines on a staff of
music with a G-clef.

1972 - Seventh Sojourn
Last album before they took a break for several years.

1974 - This Is The Moody Blues
2-album compilation.

1977 - Caught Live +5
Live concert at Royal Albert Hall, London on December 12, 1969 plus
previously unheard studio cuts (which were later included on the
"Prelude"
CD); released in 1977.  Never released on CD.

1978 - Octave
Last album with Mike Pinder.

1981 - Long Distance Voyager
Their biggest international success.

1983 - The Present
Their least commercially-successful album.

1984 - Voices in the Sky
Compilation of previously-released songs.

1986 - The Other Side of Life
All songs sung by Hayward and Lodge only; first to be produced by Tony
Visconti.

1987 - Prelude
This CD includes all of the non-album recordings made by the band (the
configuration that included Justin and John), including both sides of
their first two singles, "Cities" (the flip-side of the Nights in
White Satin single), "Simple Game" and the "+5" tracks from _Caught
Live +5_.

1988 - Sur La Mer
Ray Thomas didn't participate in this album.  This is the last album
to be released as an LP (on vinyl).

1989 - The Moody Blues Greatest Hits.
A compilation that was re-released in 1990 as...

1990 - Legend of a Band.
Intended as a companion to a video of the same name, which includes
interviews with the Moody Blues.

1991 - Keys of the Kingdom
Latest studio album.

1993 - A Night At Red Rocks With the Colorado Symphony Orchestra
A live concert.  Also available as a video, with 3 songs not on the
album.

1994 - Time Traveler
5 CDs covering music from 1966 to 1994.

A more extensive discography of the Moodies (which most of this
information was taken from) can be retrieved via anonymous FTP to
ftp.uwp.edu (see section 2.3).


3.3 The people associated with The Moody Blues
----------------------------------------------

There have been two distinct versions of the band, before their "Days
of Future Passed" album, and the group that made that album.  The
first had an international hit in 1965 with the song "Go Now".  The
second group began when Justin Hayward and John Lodge joined in 1966,
replacing Denny Laine and Clint Warwick, respectively.  The major
personnel changes since 1966 are Mike Pinder's departure in 1978,
adding Patrick Moraz, and his subsequent departure in 1991.  They have
used various backup singers on their tours since 1986.

The following are the key personnel, listed in alphabetical order.
Please note that birth dates for the guys have often been published in
error, but they personally don't seem to care to set the record
straight.  The dates listed are among the more reliable ones.

Larry Baird (conductor)
-----------
arranged and conducted the Colorado Symphony Orchestra for the Red
Rocks concert in September, 1992.  Currently conducts orchestras on
tours with the Moody Blues.

Paul Bliss (keyboards)
----------
participated on the recording of 1991's _Keys of the Kingdom_;
currently tours with the band

Bias Boshell (principal keyboard player)
------------
participated on the recording of 1991's _Keys of the Kingdom_; has
been touring with the band since 1986

Graeme Edge (drums, percussion)
-----------
Founding member of the band in 1964
A pioneer in the use of electronic drums

Justin Hayward (guitars, piano)
--------------
Joined the band in 1966
Sings lead on _Nights in White Satin_

Denny Laine (guitars)
-----------
Founding member of the band in 1964; left the group in 1966.
A member of Paul McCartney's Wings during the 1970's

John Lodge (bass guitar, cello)
----------
Joined the band in 1966
Sings lead on _Lean On Me_

Gordon Marshall (drummer)
---------------
currently tours with the band

Patrick Moraz (keyboards)
-------------
Joined the band in 1978 for the tour to promote _Octave_, although
never legally a "member" of the band.  Left the band after 1991's
_KOTK_.

Mike Pinder (keyboards, Mellotron, cello)
-----------
Founding member of the band in 1964
Sings lead on _Melancholy Man_
Left in 1978 after recording _Octave_

Ray Thomas (flute, saxophone, harmonica, tambourine)
----------
Founding member of the band in 1964
Sings lead on _Legend of a Mind_

Clint Warwick (bass guitar)
-------------
Founding member of the band in 1964; left the group in June,1966.


3.4 Families of The Moody Blues
-------------------------------

*note* birth years for these men are difficult to pin down--perhaps
the press has been inaccurate in reporting, or perhaps vanity has come
into play?  In each case, the most often reported date is given,
followed by other credible dates in [brackets] .

SOME GENERAL TIDBITS:  The current four Moodies all continue to
maintain residences in England (close by London or Cobham) in addition
to various comfortable second and third residences around the globe.
All four are naturally athletic; in the early days, the band and its
buddies would regularly beat the regular Cobham team in soccer [that
is, football--for the majority of the world, anyway], Justin Hayward
set a sprinting record in his school days, Graeme and John are
competitive golfers, etc.

Ray Thomas (b. Stourport-on-Severn, 5:30am Dec. 29 1942 [1941])
        youngest of 4 (?) siblings
        ex-wife Gillian (? sp?) from around 1966? til early '80s?
        son = Adam, born c. 1972
        daughter, Anna (nicknamed Nancy?), age unknown
        daughter Zoe, age unknown
  Former occupation: toolmaker.
  Founding member of Moody Blues, formerly with El Riot and the
  Rebels.  Usually plays a Konrad Mullenhauer flute.
  Hobbies include fishing (fresh and salt) and cooking (all cuisines).

Mike Pinder: (b. Birmingham, Dec. 27 1941)
        first wife = Donna around 1970
        son = Daniel, age 22 (b. 23 Nov. 1971;
              fusion jazz bass player in school in Miami FL)
        wife = Tara (married early 1980s)
        son = Michael, b. 1979 early in the year
        son = Matthew, b. 1981 early in the year
  Founding member of Moody Blues, formerly with El Riot and the
  Rebels.  Left band in 1978, worked as consultant for Atari
  computers, recently resumed solo musical career.

Graeme Edge: (b. Rochester, 4:00am Mar. 30 1941)
        twice divorced:
        wife1 = Carol, married c. 1968, divorced c. 1970
        daughter Samantha, born c. 1968
        wife2 = Sue, (former typist) married mid 1970's, divorced mid
        1980's
        son Matthew born c. 1977
        fiancee Amanda (make-up artist) around 1991, apparently never
        wed
  Former occupation: draftsman.
  Founding member of Moody Blues, formerly with Jerry Levine and the
  Avengers.  Noted pioneer in electronic percussion.
  Hobbies include sailing, also has flown ultralight aircraft.

John Charles Lodge: (b. Birmingham, morning of July 20, 1945 [1943])
        father = Charles Lodge, d. 1992 (?)
        wife = Kirsten (b. Denmark) since Sept. 10 1968
        daughter = Emily, born c. 1969
        son = Kristian, born 1972 (formerly in employ of Threshold
              records; reputable soccer player)
  Former occupation: engineering student (metallurgy).
  Replaced Clint Warwick; formerly with El Riot and the Rebels.
  Hobbies include golf and tennis, likes travel especially in the old
  American west.

David Justin Hayward: (b. Swindon, 8:00am Oct. 14, 1946)
        father = Frank Hayward, d. 1969 (?)
        mother = Gwendolyn Hayward (alive and living in Cornwall)
        older brother = Richard (b. March 1945, d. approx. 1985 (?))
        younger sister - Teresa (b. 1954 (?))
        wife = Marie Guirron (b. 1943) since Dec. 19 1969 (former
               model; 1994 captain of the"Coombe Hill Hookers",
               women's team at the prestigious London suburban golf
               club)
        daughter = Doremi, born latter half of 1972? (did some
               modelling in LA; currently American Studies major at
               Birmingham University (England)
  Replaced Denny Laine, formerly with The Wilde Three.
  Hobbies include walking and working out, cooking (Mexican and
  traditional English).  [note--used to ride but no longer keeps
  horses].

Denny Laine: (b. Brian Hines, Oct. 29 1944 off the Jersey coast in a
        boat!) married with children (?)
  Founding Member of Moody Blues, formerly with Denny Laine and
        the Diplomats, since leaving the group in 1966 has appeared
        with Ginger Baker's Air Force and (Paul McCartney's) Wings,
        as well as soloing.

Clint Warwick (b. Clinton Eccles, June 25 1940, Birmingham)
  Founding member of the Moody Blues, left in 1966 and has not been
        heard from, musically, since.

Patrick Moraz (b. June 24 1944, Morges, Switzerland)
        daughter (o-o-w, by Liane) Rana-Alegra, born c. 1977 (in
        college in Rio de Janero)
        wife = Diane since c. 1978
        son = David (b. Nov. 24 or 27, 1980)
  Replaced Michael Pinder in 1978, formerly with Yes (replacing Rick
  Wakeman on "Relayer" only) and as soloist; released in 1991,
  still performing as soloist and composer of film scores.

Rod Clarke, Dougie Lock, Bias Boshell, Paul Bliss, Gordon Marshall,
Guy Eddington, June Boyce, Sue Shattock, Tracey Madsen, Wenndy
MacKenzie, Janis Liebhart, Shawn Murphy, Naomi Starr, Larry Baird,
Peter Knight, Timothy Leary on tamborine, Satin Leary the studio cat
on bell tree...  and those musicians important to every composition--
the listeners.


3.5 The Official Moody Blues Fan Club
-------------------------------------

The Official Moody Blues Fan Club
53-55 High Street
Cobham
Surrey
KT11 3DP
ENGLAND
Phone: +44 0932 868 337  (011 44 932 868 337 in the USA)
Fax: +44 932 868 997 (011 44 932 868 337 in the USA)

You can either write to individual band members or write to the Fan
Club secretary, Ivy Stewart, depending on what you want to know or
what you're trying to obtain. The band picks up personal letters at
varying intervals, although they rarely reply.

The hotline is a service to members of the official Moody Blues Fan
Club, and paid for out of our subscriptions. It's an answer phone that
contains news items about the band, details of special merchandising
offers, the latest tour dates, details of other personal appearances
by band members, notifies members when the band are interviewed or
performing on radio or TV, and sometimes has greetings from band
members, etc. etc. You will be told the phone number when you join the
fan club.


3.6 Magazines/Newsletters about The Moody Blues
-----------------------------------------------

The Official Moody Blues Fan Club produces its own newsletter that
comes with its subscription.  None of the following are officially
sanctioned by the Moody Blues.

Higher & Higher is a professionally produced MB fan magazine. H&H
comes out at irregular intervals; approximately 2 to 3 times a year.

H&H costs 5 - 10 dollars per issue in the USA, depending on the issue.
It can be ordered from:

Higher & Higher
P.O. Box 829
Geneva, FL 32732 USA
(407) 349-BLUE [2583] for latest tour info and H&H news

MOODY MANIA is a nicely xeroxed non-official fan newsletter.  It is
produced at irregular intervals by Char Kemp.  She usually averages 2
or 3 issues a year. Char appreciates a SASE if someone is only
making an inquiry about MM.  Because of costs involved, she will no
longer respond to inquiries without one.

Each issue carries such items as concert reviews, snippets of
information unofficially reprinted from other sources, photocopies of
photographs of the band and of various readers with the band, and
sometimes interviews.  Cost is $3.00/issue.  Make checks payable to
Char Kemp.

Moodymania
c/o Char Kemp
5264 NE 3 Terrace
Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33334 USA

ETERNITY ROAD is a recent, new-age-oriented publication.  Send seven
$0.29 stamps or $2.00 to:

Eternity Road
c/o Nancy Wilson
27295 Rue de Paix
Bonita Springs, FL 33923 USA

Send her $2 or 7 stamps for the issue.


3.7 Threshold Records
---------------------

If you want to order videos, audiocassettes, CDs, etc. you can either
write to Ivy or to Phil Pavling, the shop manager. His address is
as follows (similar to the Fan Club):

Threshold Records
53 High Street
Cobham
Surrey
KT11 3DP
ENGLAND


3.8 Where can I find hard-to-find albums?
-----------------------------------------

Some sources that have been mentioned on Lost Chords are:

Bill Bisch
33 Old Bullet Hole Road
Mahopac, NY   10541-2536

If you want his complete list of what is available, Bill requests that
you send him $3 to cover the postage (yes, it really is alot).

Ted
Lost Chords Records
491 Central Avenue
Dover, NH   03820
(603) 749-3859

Threshold Records in England also has some albums not easily found in
the USA.  See their address in #3.7 above.


3.9 Cassette versions of albums
-------------------------------

Some of the cassette versions of the albums swapped the A and B sides.
These were the ones that were reissued during the early '80s. On these
versions, you'll find for instance that "Departure" is the first song
on the B side of ISOTLC, rather than the first song that you hear (on
the A side of the tape).

"Once is Enough" does not appear on the KOTK cassette.


4. Other Frequently Asked Questions
===================================

4.1 What is the Mellotron?
--------------------------

The Moodies were a very big user of this, and it was an intrinsic part
of their unique sound back in the late 60's.  It's a keyboard
instrument designed to imitate sounds that you couldn't get from a
keyboard in those days; strings, choirs, flutes, and so forth.

It works with tape technology; under each key there's a tape head, a
strip of prerecorded magnetic tape and a lot of gears and pulleys.
When you press a key, the mechanism runs the tape by the tape head and
plays a "sample" of an orchestra playing, say, an E-flat.  When you
release the key, the tape rewinds.  Mechanically it's absolutely
dreadful.  But it sounds beautiful.

Anyway, for all practical purposes the mellotron is a sampler, it
plays back recorded sounds.  The interesting limit is that you can
only hold a note for as long as the piece of tape will let you.  This
maxed out at about 8 seconds, after that it just stops playing.

Also note that the keys of the Mellotron are *individually* pressure
sensitive, so you can control the way individual notes fade in and
out, facilitating this technique.  Can't do that with many modern
keyboards.

Listen closely and you realize that Pinder's style of keyboard
playing, as lush as it comes across, is made up of many shifting
notes.  Thus he could never hit a chord and hold it for 16 bars in a
slow tempo.  Without a doubt, he is one of the few who really mastered
this kind of a technique.

Mellotron is still being used, but yes, synthesizers have mostly
replaced them.  They went out of production years ago; the technology
was a lot less reliable than electronic signal generation, as with
modern synthesizers.  The Mellotron is bulky and relatively delicate,
and - well, *moody* - and so between their scarcity and their quirks,
they're almost extinct.


4.2 What is BlossomFest?
------------------------

BLOSSOMFEST is Moodies fans convening for the concert at the Blossom
Music center, Akron OH for food, special displays, and frolic.  It is
sponsored by Ken Barnhart.

For a Blossomfest flyer, send Ken a SASE (self-addressed stamped
envelope) with two $0.29 stamps, and write "FEST" in the lower left
corner of the envelope.  If you send him a regular SASE with "LIST" in
the lower left and he'll just send you a list of Moodies-related items
that he's auctioning; he holds a couple of auctions yearly.

Ken Barnhart
3454 Lakeview Blvd.
Stow, OH 44224 USA


4.3 When is the lead singer NOT the author of the song?
-------------------------------------------------------

"Dawn is a Feeling" - Mike wrote, Justin lead on verses, Mike
lead on bridge

"Om" - Mike wrote, all sing chorus, Mike and Ray alternate lines
on verses:
        The rain is on the roof,       - Mike
        Hurry high, a butterfly.       - Ray
        As clouds roll past my head,   - Mike
        I know why the skies all cry,  - Ray

"Gimme a Little Somethin' "- John wrote, Justin lead on verses,
John lead on chorus

"To Share Our Love" - John wrote, Mike lead

"Candle of Life" - John wrote, Justin lead on verses, John lead on
chorus

"Isn't Life Strange?" - John wrote, John lead for first part of each
verse, Justin lead on last part of each verse:
        Isn't life strange       - John
        A turn of the page
        Can read like before
        Can we ask for more?
        Each day passes by       - Justin
        How hard will man try?
        The sea will not wait

"Don't You Feel Small" - Graeme wrote, all sing, Graeme
whispers?

"After You Came" - Graeme wrote, all sing, chorus:
        "I've been doing my best"         - Ray
        "What else can I do?"             - Mike
        "Is there something I've missed"  - Justin
        "That will help me through"       - John

"22,000 Days" - Graeme wrote, John lead on verses, all sing
chorus

"I'll Be Level with You" - Graeme wrote, all sing

"Going Nowhere" - Graeme wrote, Ray lead

"The Spirit" - Graeme/Patrick wrote, John and Justin sing

Note that one of the few times you really hear Graeme's voice is in
"Departure" (where he laughs hysterically at the end), just before
_RMSS_.


4.4 When did the band start using backup singers?
-------------------------------------------------

In 1986, the moodies recruited the first back-up pair, Wenndy
MacKenzie and Janice Liebhart.  They remained for the 1986-1987 tours,
but there have been a few others since then.  They were thought to add
the high notes that the guys were having trouble reaching these days.


4.5 Where can I find Caught Live +5 on CD?
------------------------------------------

This question comes up quite often on the mailing list and the
newsgroup, and the answer is (surprisingly enough) you can't. The band
has always refused to allow PolyGram to release it on CD. As a matter
of fact, the band did not want it released on vinyl in the first
place.  Said Hayward once in an interview: "If we had thought it was
good enough, we would have released it back when it was recorded
[1969]"--not in 1977, when the label pulled it from the vaults to keep
interest in the band alive.

However, PolyGram's Bill Levenson recently confirmed in an interview
that the Moodies have changed their stance and have given their
consent to CL+5's release on CD. Levenson said he'd like to do it
sometime in 1995, but there is no scheduled release date at this time.
Levenson also hasn't decided whether to include the "+5" songs, which
were released previously on the now-out-of-print Prelude CD. In
addition, there's a question over whether there is some unreleased
material from the concert sin ce the live portion is only about 60
minutes long, much shorter than a typical Moodies concert in those
days. At 78 minutes in length, the material as released on the double-
album vinyl would fit on one CD.


4.6 Are Ultradiscs really better than normal CD's?
--------------------------------------------------

Yes, they are better.  Are they worth the cost?  Well, that's up to
you.

Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab had released three of the Moodies' albums
in their "Ultradisc" line (DOFP, ISOTLC, and OTTOAD).  Ultradiscs are
24 K gold-plated CD's (to prevent corrosion) made from the original
master tapes.  They include all of the original artwork and
photography, and are included in a special case which ensures the CD
won't come loose.

Most people who have purchased these CD's are very pleased with them.
In an unscientific side-by-side comparison between an Ultradisc and a
normal CD, several members of LC noted that the sound quality is
noticeably better on the MoFI CD.  If you're a serious collector,
these are highly recommended.

They have recently upgraded to an "Ultradisc II" line.  As of 10/3/94,
they currently have ISOTLC and OTTOAD available in this format.  They
also have _DOFP_, but only until the end of 1994.  List price is $30.

Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab
105 Morris Street
Sebastopol, CA   95472
(800) 423-5759
e-mail: mofi@mofi.com


4.7 What is the meaning behind the song, "House of Four Doors"?
---------------------------------------------------------------

The four doors are supposed to conceal four different musical ages:
door 1, medieval (folk/flute);
door 2, baroque/classical (harpsichord);
door 3, romantic (variation of Tchaikovsky's piano concerto no. 1
`a la _HOFD_);
door 4, modern era (a rock band playing _LOAM_)


4.8 Is that a guitar string breaking in "For My Lady"?
------------------------------------------------------

No.  Justin claimed that under no  circumstances is that a breaking
guitar string, that the session would have stopped immediately if he
had broken a string. He said it was merely an emphasized pluck on the
guitar strings to go with the lyrics "and slowly bow her head."


4.9 Is that a recording flaw at the end of Long Distance Voyager?
-----------------------------------------------------------------

No, it's not.  To the best of our knowledge, it's a backmasked
recording of Justin Hayward saying "What happens anyway, y'know?"  Joe
Lynn and Michael Holl both verified this;  Joe played the record
backwards and Michael sampled the end onto his PC and reversed it.
Others claim it says "What happens when you're in love?", but the
majority agree with the first translation.

The bit at the very beginning of Veteran Cosmic Rocker is apparently
Ray, saying "Another Scotch and Coke please, mother" ("mother" being
the name of his roadie).


4.10 Who are the guys in the photos in Sur La Mer?
--------------------------------------------------

On the LP, cassette, and some versions of the CD, there are six
closeup photos of the band members when they were children.  They have
been identified by Bob Hardy as:

Justin is, of course, the blond boy with the familiar smile lines and
a darkish turtleneck sweater, against an outdoor background.

John is the boy with the toothy grin wearing a jacket with wide
lapels, white shirt and a tie, against a white background.

Ray is the boy with one of his lapels inside his darkish sweater, and
one outside, against a white background.  It's a little easier to
see if you draw a moustache on him!  Notice the shape of his chin.

Patrick is the dark-haired boy with big white lapels, no tie and a
sort of scarf tied around his head, against an outdoor background.

Graeme is the light-haired boy in a white shirt with button-down
collar, tie, and sweater-vest,  (sleeveless pullover for the British
among us) against a darkish leafy background.

Tony Visconti is the boy with shining hair, wearing a cap and a
light sweater, against a brick wall.  He is the producer of the album.


4.11 What are the symbols by the songs on Keys of the Kingdom?
--------------------------------------------------------------

These all represent keys of one sort or another. For example, the one
by "Lean on Me" is a key from an old upright (manual) typewriter.  The
one by "Say What You Mean (part 1)" is from an old computer punch card
(Hollerith card).


4.12 Who is speaking the "spoken words" on the songs?
-----------------------------------------------------

Spoken parts in songs on the albums (Note that Graeme usually recites
his own poetry in concerts):

Mike:   "The Day Begins"
        "Late Lament" (DoFP and Prelude versions)
        "The Word"
        parts of "In the Beginning"
        "The Dream"
        "Higher & Higher"
        "Don't You Feel Small"
        "The Balance"

Graeme: "Late Lament" (Red Rocks version)
        "Departure" (love that maniacal laugh)
        parts of "In the Beginning"

Justin: parts of "In the Beginning"
        "Deep"
        "Say What You Mean"

Ray:    "Dear Diary"
        "I Am"
        the bit just before "Veteran Cosmic Rocker" (see #4.9)

Dave Symonds (a noted British DJ and friend of the Moodies):

        "Reflective Smile"


4.13 What is double-tracking?
-----------------------------

It means what it says: the vocal part was "double-tracked", i.e.,
recorded twice.  Two separate passes were done, and both vocals saved
on the master tape.  They were mixed split in this case, which made
the effect a little easier to spot; sometimes it isn't clear whether
there are actually two different vocal performances, or just one, with
a little delay or echo added to "fatten up the vocal".

On "Never Comes the Day" (especially during "if only you knew what's
inside of me now...."), you can hear Justin's voice separately in the
left and right ears. The melody was sung separately for each side.
There are very slight differences, such as accenting a given word a
little more on one side or holding a note slightly longer on one side
over the other. Tony Clarke, producer of the first eight albums with
J&J, often used this effect.

Using headphones/headsets makes this easier to hear. Some songs that
are recommended to listening with headphones (for this and other
effects) are: LOAM, NCTD, TBWTT, TSIYE, and Floating.


4.14 What differences are there between songs sung live and on albums?
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Besides the obvious differences between live performances and studio
recordings, there is a difference in IKYOTS.  This is that the live
version has a whole verse taken out (the one beginning, "For those who
lack the courage").  The *single* version does not include that verse
either.

The first couple of years that the Moodys performed in concert,
they did the entire song.  But for the last few years, they've done
the shortened single version.


4.15 What is a Catherine Wheel?
-------------------------------

In the song, "Eternity Road," Ray sings, "Turning, spinning, catherine
wheeling..." A Catherine Wheel in the UK is a firework. It's made up
of a long tube of chemical gunge that is sown into a spiral. You nail
it to a support, light the blue touch pa per and retire (leave) ...
fast.  As the firework burns, it spins rapidly about its axis, sending
out a rotating stream of coloured sparks.... Unless you didn't nail it
on firmly enough, in which case it shoots off in some random direction
and you hav e to duck/move pretty fast to avoid it.  There was some
talk of banning them a while back, but we can't say for sure if you
can still get them.


---------------------------------------------------------------------

###