Moody Blues

[brewerpaul]

We went to see the old standbys, the Moody Blues last night at Saratoga. This band was always one of my favorites, although this was the first time I'd seen them in person. In brief, the show was great with a good mix of old and new songs. Only three of the original Blues are still in the band-- Guitar, Bass and Drums, and the rest of the personnell included two women for some vocal variety (one played flute, guitar too) and for some reason a second drummer.

Sign that we're aging-- the drummer commented that when he saw all the white hair and beards in the audience, he thought he was at a Santa Claus convention. He also asked "Remember when our hair was brown and our teeth were white?". Sigh..

Anyway, they will be in the Northeast until mid July and if you were ever a fan of theirs, you might want to catch them:
http://www.moodyblues.co.uk/tour_info.htm

[Wombat]

Only three of the original Blues are still in the band-- Guitar, Bass and Drums, .....

Actually, only Graeme Edge is an original member. Before their incarnation as a prog rock band, they were an R&B outfit for several years and even had a hit with a cover of Bessie Banks' 'Go Now.' Their first (recorded) singer/guitarist was actually Denny Laine who played for years with Wings.

I'm probably the only person on earth who preferred the original band and style. I might even be the only person on earth who remembers the original band and style.

[missy]

ok - time for my favorite "jam" story.......

Tom and I were at an old time festival, and got into an "off to the side" jam with an elderly lady playing guitar, an upright bass, a fiddle and a dobro. We thought we were going to be playing old time or blue grass, but the lady started playing old rock songs (she'd say "I know you know this one" and start into playing, and she had a fantastic voice).
The dobro player started whispering some chord to me to play - and it was "Nights in White Satin"!

So I learned to play the Moody Blues on a dulcimer at an old time festival from a dobro player!!!!!

[Redwolf]

They put on a great show. We saw the Moody Blues in North Carolina back in...I guess it was 1991 or '92.

Redwolf

[BrassBlower]

I have liked the Moodies ever since I was, well, a young teenager.

BTW, the bridge section of Nights sounds great on a low G whistle and requires only one half hole on the next-to-the-top hole.

[Flyingcursor]

And who can forget Justin Hayward's work on Jeff Wayne's War of the Worlds?

[dwinterfield]

Many old rockers are still playing around and often in small venues. Our favorite story is going to see Big Brother and the Holding Company at a local small theatre a few years ago. They have a young woman from Mississippi singing lead. She's not so much imitating Janis as singing the same songs. She has a big voice, powerful voice. It works. They have also added a young guitar player to handle the fast parts. And the original band members --- well they looked like they'd wandered off the retirement home. The base player, I don't know his name, did most of the talking and was wearing plaid pants and a white vinal belt, worn very high. It might have been a goof, but listening too him, I don't think so.

The opening act was the Becky Chace Band from Providence RI. Great young rock band. All of us middle-aged couples bought their cd on the break. All original, very good. The thing about Big Brother and the Holding Company is they borrowed all their equipment from Becky Chace. It seems they just fly around the country with a few guitars (1 each - no guitar wrangler) and that's it. The drummer used the Becky Chace drum set.

It was a fun evening. Some good young rock and some slightly bizarre, but not bad, old rock.

[OutOfBreath]

Sometimes it can be pretty sad when old bands tour far past their prime. Back in the 80's I saw BTO in a small bar in Binghampton, NY. We wondered why they were playing such a small venue but we were only kept in suspense until their first number. They showed up an hour late, had set up enough equipment to play a stadium, and proceeded to pelt the audience with off-key vocals and untuned instruments at painful volumes.

We left after two numbers and we weren't the only ones, or even the first ones, to leave. When they finally started there were about 400 people packed into a bar that probably could hold 100 comfortably. I bet within twenty minutes they'd cleared the place.

[BrassBlower]

Many old rockers are still playing around and often in small venues.

Guess who else is still around?

It's a Beautiful Day! David LaFlamme was a great fiddle player back then, but he's even better now. Ironically, his wife is named Linda, but it's not the same Linda he was married to when the band first started.

http://www.roadhogs.net/laflamme/index.htm

[jbarter]

Ironically, his wife is named Linda, but it's not the same Linda he was married to when the band first started.

That's OK. Just so long as she's still doing the ironing.

[dwinterfield]

Many old rockers are still playing around and often in small venues.

Guess who else is still around?

It's a Beautiful Day! David LaFlamme was a great fiddle player back then, but he's even better now. Ironically, his wife is named Linda, but it's not the same Linda he was married to when the band first started.

http://www.roadhogs.net/laflamme/index.htm

My experience is that many bands do get better with 15-30 yrs of practice. They may not be better more creative musicians, but they are better performers. Sadly as outofbreath suggests, that's not always the case.

[BrassBlower]

Many old rockers are still playing around and often in small venues.

Guess who else is still around?

It's a Beautiful Day! David LaFlamme was a great fiddle player back then, but he's even better now. Ironically, his wife is named Linda, but it's not the same Linda he was married to when the band first started.

http://www.roadhogs.net/laflamme/index.htm

My experience is that many bands do get better with 15-30 yrs of practice. They may not be better more creative musicians, but they are better performers. Sadly as outofbreath suggests, that's not always the case.

I have IABD's "Live in Seattle" album, which was made about two or three years ago, and is proof that this band still has what it takes. All their old stuff (e.g. "White Bird") still sounds great, and there are a couple of Santana-like jazz jams that I really enjoy.

Ironically, his wife is named Linda, but it's not the same Linda he was married to when the band first started.

That's OK. Just so long as she's still doing the ironing.

[The Weekenders]

I'm probably the only person on earth who preferred the original band and style. I might even be the only person on earth who remembers the original band and style.

Hey, waitamint! I'm probably the only person on earth who preferred Fleetwood Mac before they got that Stevie Nicks/Lindsey Buckingham duo. Still can't stand that voice of hers. I liked Christine McVie, even though I think her voice may be shot.

Amazing how many memorable tunes the MB's did...

[Denny]

I'm probably the only person on earth who preferred Fleetwood Mac before they got that Stevie Nicks/Lindsey Buckingham duo.

Naw! There are a few of us.

[Wombat]

I'm probably the only person on earth who preferred the original band and style. I might even be the only person on earth who remembers the original band and style.

Hey, waitamint! I'm probably the only person on earth who preferred Fleetwood Mac before they got that Stevie Nicks/Lindsey Buckingham duo. Still can't stand that voice of hers. I liked Christine McVie, even though I think her voice may be shot.

Amazing how many memorable tunes the MB's did...

Sorry Weeks, no you're not. I liked the first couple of Fleetwood Mac albums from back in the 60s and found most of the early lineups enjoyable.

I have the very first Moody Blues album from about 1965. I hated their prog rock phase, i.e., the next 40 years.