119: The Moody Blues - Long Distance Voyager (1981)
“I had an unbelievable amount of gear. I had an Oberheim keyboard with 16 oscillators.”
It’s time to follow the Moody Blues into the 1980s. After a long hiatus and a disappointing comeback album, the Moodies reconvened with a new keyboard player and a new producer to start a new decade in their long career. Music production styles had changed quite a lot since their classic period in the ‘60s and ‘70s, and the new personnel came with a new aesthetic that sounds quite different from the Moody Blues music we’re all used to. However, if you can forgive Patrick Moraz for not being Mike Pinder, and Pip Williams for not being Tony Clarke, and the ‘80s for not being the ‘70s, you’ll find that there is some fantastic music to be found on Long Distance Voyager. And there is also “Veteran Cosmic Rocker.”
Miscellany
So, that extremely decadent release party that Decca threw for Octave. It must be seen to be believed. It starts with a wind ensemble playing “Consider Yourself” and really takes off when the convoy of security guards rolls up on motorcycles. Watch for the armored trucks covered in gold records and the lengthy shot of a woman rubbing her nose like she’s just done a bump of cocaine.
Mike Pinder kept on living his best life after leaving the Moody Blues, and actually spent many years working for Atari as a music consultant.
Of course the Moody Bluegrass team did not forget about Long Distance Voyager! There are bluegrass covers of “The Voice” and “Meanwhile.” They are unfortunately not that great, but let’s all be thankful they didn’t attempt “Gemini Dream.”
The Pinder/Clarke lawsuit was not the last time the Moody Blues would end up in court. After they let go of Patrick Moraz in 1991, he sued for unpaid royalties and the entire trial was aired on Court TV. The whole thing is available on YouTube, but we’ll warn you, it’s very boring.
FYI, we have Moody Blues-themed t-shirts available in our store! You can pick your favorite of two different designs featuring our tagline, “Keep as cool as you can.” (Thank you, Graeme Edge.)
The greatest hits CD that Amanda mentioned and the Legend of a Band CD that John mentioned are the same album. It was first issued as Greatest Hits in 1989 and repackaged as Legend of a Band a year later. That’s where you’ll find those orchestral re-recordings of “Question” and “Isn’t Life Strange.”
Other links
The Patrick Moraz Interview (Vintage Rock)
Long Distance Voyagers: The Story of the Moody Blues, Volume 2 by Marc Cushman (Amazon affiliate link)
John's Moody Blues Primer playlist (Spotify)
Discord & Rhyme’s merch store (TeePublic)
Discord & Rhyme Roll Call
Mike DeFabio
Phil Maddox
John McFerrin
Amanda Rodgers
Long Distance Voyager tracklist
The Voice
Talking Out of Turn
Gemini Dream
In My World
Meanwhile
22,000 Days
Nervous
Painted Smile
Reflective Smile
Veteran Cosmic Rocker
Other clips used
The Moody Blues:
A Simple Game
This Morning (Hayward/Lodge)
King and Queen
One Step Into the Light
The Spirit
Lovely to See You
Rock n Roll Over You
Higher and Higher
Hole in the World
Going Nowhere
After You Came
Candle of Life
Isn’t Life Strange
Steppin’ in a Slide Zone
The Afternoon
Here Comes the Weekend
Departure
Nice to Be Here
Foolish Love
My Little Lovely
Meet Me Halfway
Gemini Dream (live)
Others:
Yes - Sound Chaser
Jeff Wayne etc. - The Eve of the War
Carl Douglas - Kung Fu Fighting
Ween - Tried and True
Neil Young - Sample and Hold
Giorgio Moroder - Knights in White Satin
ZZ Top - Sharp Dressed Man
ABBA - On and On and On
Dire Straits - Why Worry?
Def Leppard - Animal
Electric Light Orchestra - Big Wheels
Supertramp - If Everyone Was Listening
Justin Hayward - I Heard It
Hällas - Carry On
Band/album personnel
Justin Hayward – vocals, guitars
John Lodge – vocals, bass guitar
Ray Thomas – vocals, flute, harmonica
Graeme Edge – drums, percussion
Patrick Moraz – keyboards, synthesizers, arrangements
B. J. Cole – pedal steel guitar on "In My World"
New World Philharmonic – orchestrations
Pip Williams – string arrangements
Dave Symonds – poetry recitation
Credits
“Discord & Rhyme (theme),” composed by the Other Leading Brand, contains elements of:
Duran Duran - Hungry Like the Wolf
Amon Düül II - Dehypnotized Toothpaste
The Dukes of Stratosphear - What in the World?? ...
Faith No More - Midlife Crisis
Herbie Hancock - Hornets
Kraftwerk - Autobahn
Talking Heads - Seen and Not Seen
The Moody Blues - 22,000 Days (this episode only)
You can buy or stream Long Distance Voyager and other albums by the Moody Blues at your local record store or the usual suspects such as Spotify, Apple Music, YouTube, and Amazon. Follow Discord & Rhyme on Twitter @DiscordPod for news, updates, and other random stuff. Editing is by Amanda Rodgers, and special thanks to our own Mike DeFabio, the Other Leading Brand, for production and original music. See you next album, and keep as cool as you can.