６４年成立的The Moody Blues英国摇滚乐队跟今天许多摇滚乐的那种便宜的风格截然不同: 不可错过。 尽管Moody Blues乐队以他们华丽深邃的迷幻摇滚专辑而著称，但它们实际上是脱胎于不列颠入侵使得R&B小型爵士乐队。英国的伯明翰，众多优秀乐队的诞生地，诸如当时的El Riot & Rebels, Moody Blues也成立于此，由Ray Thomas (和声/主唱)和Mike Pinder (键盘/主唱），后又招幕Denny Laine (吉他/主唱), Graeme Edge (鼓手) ，以及Clint Warwick（贝斯/歌唱），乐队阵容正式固定下来。 编辑本段早期发展 1964年3月，乐队在伯明翰首次亮相便赢得关注。成军后6个月，他们赢得了Decca Records 一纸合约，并在64年6月推出首支单曲Steal Your Heart Away,但未能进入英国排行榜。1964年11月。乐队发行寄予很高希望的第二支单曲Go Now ——翻唱自美国R&B歌手Bessie Banks，不负众望地登上了英国排行榜的冠军宝座，也使他们赢得了一系列在顶级场所演出的机会；在美国取得第十名的成绩，亦为他们带来为Beatles 担任暖场的机会。乐队紧接着在大洋两端分发全长专辑，在英国发行Magnificent Moodies,美国是Go Now。可以说这是单曲Go Now的延续，但却未能延续以前的成功。接下来的单曲Ellie Greenwich,也未能再掀波澜。1965年3月，他们推出第四支单曲From The Bottom Of My Heart ,风格完全不同以往，这可以说是不列颠入侵时期最非同寻常和令人难忘的唱片之一，却只取得英国排行榜第22名。经历繁重巡演后的乐队，进行了一次人员变动，Clint Warwick退出了乐队，他的位置被John Lodge取代。1966年8月， Laine也离开了乐队，Ray Thomas找来前队友歌手兼吉他手的Justin Hayward加入乐队。 编辑本段民谣歌曲 60年代民谣和轻微迷幻摇滚风行一时，Beatles在他们的民谣唱片中加入印度音乐元素，Rolling Stones叶发行了如Lady Jane 的唱片。Moody Blues也将传统的R&B元素引入，创造出全新的，和谐统一的音乐。几经挣扎后，乐队得到命运眷顾，参与到了Decca厂牌的一个音乐试验计划当中。 乐队发行了一些单曲，未获成功。但他们创作的一些歌曲却引起了制作Tony Clarke的兴趣，他找来录音师Derek Varnods 以及作曲家/指挥家Peter Knight与乐队合作，用Knight谱写的管弦乐曲来搭配和映衬Moody Blues的歌曲，创造出以管弦乐为框架的表现生命循环往复的摇滚乐曲，于是，专辑Days of Future Passed 诞生了。这张古典与摇滚交织的专辑先后在英美两国发行 ，其中单曲Nights in White Satin (Hayward词曲）在英国排行榜位列第22，在美国上榜的则是由Hayward创作的另一首歌曲Tuesday Afternoon,他们的全长专辑Summer of Love 被很多喜爱管弦/迷幻风格（如Beatles的著名专辑Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts )所欣赏，使得乐队更多地被积压的迷幻风格的作品得以发表。键盘手Mike Pinder 运用一种叫Mellotron的录音设备，用键的触头激化磁头，使得弦乐声可以被循环，乐器也可以作出怪诞的弦乐声效。60年代的众多知名乐队如 Beatles，Rolling Stones都开始运用Mellotron设备来录音；而Pinder 不仅懂得如何去使用Mellotron，更是在工厂生产这种设备（因而它也被昵称为Pindertrons）。 编辑本段成名伊始 1968年的专辑 In Search of the Lost Chord 将Mellotron完全展现在了公众面前：整张专辑呈现一种波澜壮阔的美丽 ，既带有典型的英国式的随心所欲（歌曲 Dr. Livingston | Presume ）,又有华丽慵懒西部风情歌曲（Visions of Paradise 和On ）还有迷幻风格的赞歌Legend of A Mind 。1969年乐队首次在自己的厂牌Threshold发行新专辑 To Our Children's Childern's Children ,他们对录音，混音技术的运用也更加自如。但是令人头疼的是，乐队在现场却无法还原歌曲的录音效果 ,只有吉他作品 Gypsy 可以在现场表演。从1970年的专辑 A Queen of Balence开始，乐队开始录制适合现场演奏的歌曲，这就包括了不久后的唱片Every Good Boy Deserves Favour。 编辑本段队员简介 Moody Blues的五位成员各具特色，Pinder富有激情，Lodge生性摇滚，Edge是位诗人，Thomas 擅长演奏，Hayward则浪漫得不可救药。乐队风格多种多样，既有迷幻，又有流行摇滚。歌迷们不仅把他们当作一支乐队，更视其为精神偶像。但John Lodge 用I 'm Just a Singer (In a Rock N' Roll Band ) 一曲道破这一现象，这首硬摇滚风格的作品在排行榜上成绩很好。有趣的是，1972年乐队以前的歌曲Nights in White Satin 重新上榜，而且卖得比67年还要好。Days of Future Passed 专辑中的歌曲再次畅销。但这些辉煌缺使乐队放慢了脚步，陷入了创作瓶颈之中。72年乐队准备录制的新专辑Seven Sojourn却因巡演压力而退后，一耽搁就是五年。但在此其间，乐队成员个人发展都颇有建树，1975年Pinder联手Lodge 推 出专辑Blue Jays ,十分成功，其他成员了推出了个人专辑。 20世纪70 年代，早朋克运动和Disco席卷全球之时， Moody Blues大打怀旧牌，先是推出双张全长回顾性专辑This is The Moody Blues,而后1977年，除了Pinder以外的远队成员重聚一堂，与1978年推出专辑Octoave ，登上排行榜榜首，此后的巡演中，乐队找来了键盘手Patrick Moraz。 编辑本段宝刀不老 80年代的Moody Blues仍旧宝刀未老，于1981年推出专辑 Long Distance Voyager，但在新乐队林立的乐坛，他们稍嫌过时。单曲In Your Wildest Dreams, 以及 I Know You're Out There Somewhere, 都很成功，引人怀旧。1994年，四碟装的唱片 Time Traveller回顾了乐队的整个生涯。乐队还上榜 Polygram 书库，成为最畅销的乐队之一。1999年，他们发行录音专辑 Strange Times ,一年后发行现场专辑Hall of Fame (它是97年的合集，收录了从 Days of Future Passed 到Seven Sojourn的七张原版唱片)。2003年，Ray Thomas退出乐坛，Moody Blues 剩下了Harward ,Lodge 和 Edge三个人继续奋斗。 词条图册更多图册 扩展阅读： http://www.rockyear.com/
Cold hearted orb that rules the night Removes the colours from our sight Red is gray and yellow, white But we decide which is right And which is an illusion
Pinprick holes in a colourless sky Let insipid figures of light pass by The mighty light of ten thousand suns Challenges infinity and is soon gone Night time, to some a brief interlude To others the fear of solitude
Brave Helios, wake up your steeds Bring the warmth the countryside needs
Dawn: Dawn Is A Feeling Mike Pinder
Dawn is a feeling A beautiful ceiling The smell of grass Just makes you pass Into a dream
You're here today No future fears This day will last A thousand years If you want it to
You look around you Things they astound you So breathe in deep You're not asleep Open your mind
You're here today No future fears This day will last A thousand years If you want it to
Do you understand That all over this land There's a feeling In minds far and near Things are becoming clear With a meaning
Now that you're knowing Pleasure starts flowing It's true life flies Faster than eyes Could ever see
You're here today No future fears This day will last A thousand years If you want it to
Morning: Another Morning Ray Thomas
Balloons flying Children sighing What a day to go kite flying Breeze is cool Away from school Cowboys fighting out a duel Time seems to stand quite still In a child's world, it always will
Fish is biting So exciting Lunchtime sounds so inviting Angler Bill He gets a thrill Sitting, watching bobbing quill Time seems to stand quite still In a child's world, it always will
Yesterday's dreams Are tomorrow's sighs Watch children playing They seem so wise
Mary Green Today is a queen One thousand dollies are a dream In cotton frocks and golden locks Her palace is an orange box
Time seems to stand quite still In a child's world, it always will
Lunch Break: Peak Hour John Lodge
I see it all through my window, it seems Never failing like millions of bees All that is wrong No time to be won All they need to do What can be done
Peak hour Peak hour Peak hour
Minds are subject to what should be done Problems solved, time cannot be won One hour a day One hour at night Sees crowds of people All meant for flight
Peak hour Peak hour Peak hour
It makes me want to run out and tell them They've got time Take a step back out And look in I found out I've got time....
Minds are subject to what should be done Problems solved, time cannot be won One hour a day One hour at night Sees crowds of people All meant for flight
Peak hour Peak hour Peak hour
The Afternoon: Forever Afternoon (Tuesday?) Justin Hayward
Tuesday afternoon I'm just beginning to see Now I'm on my way It doesn't matter to me Chasing the clouds away
Something calls to me The trees are drawing me near I've got to find out why Those gentle voices I hear Explain it all with a sigh
I'm looking at myself Reflections of my mind It's just the kind of day To leave myself behind So gently swaying Through the fairy-land of love If you'll just come with me And see the beauty of
Tuesday afternoon Tuesday afternoon
Tuesday, afternoon I'm just beginning to see Now I'm on my way It doesn't matter to me Chasing the clouds away
Something calls to me The trees are drawing me near I've got to find out why Those gentle voices I hear Explain it all with a sigh
This single was released in July, 1968 and backed with "Another Morning". Picture sleeve is French.
Evening: Time To Get Away John Lodge
Evening has come to pass The time of day doesn't last Evening has earned its place today I'm tired of working away
Working, living it brings Only way to have those things Toiling has bought too many tears Turn round all those past years
Evening time to get away Evening time to get away Evening time to get away Till next day
Live all you people You can see where you're at It doesn't really hurt you So that can depend
Evening time to get away
Live all you people You can see where you're at It doesn't really hurt you So that can depend
Evening time to get away Evening time to get away
Evening: The Sunset Mike Pinder
When the sun goes down And the clouds all frown Night has begun for the sunset
See it with your eyes Earth re-energized By the sun's rays every day Take a look out there Planets everywhere
When the sun goes down And the clouds all frown Night has begun for the sunset
Shadows on the ground Never make a sound Fading away in the sunset Night has now become Day for everyone
I can see it all From this great height I can feel the sun Slipping out of sight And the world still goes on Through the night
Evening: Twilight Time Ray Thomas
Twilight Time, to dream awhile In veils of deepening gloom As fantasy strides over colourful skies The fog disappearing from view
In twilight time, dream with me awhile
A nightingale plays a dark mellow phrase Of notes that are rich and so true An aerial display by the firefly brigade Dancing to tunes no one knew
In twilight time, dream with me awhile In twilight time, dream with me awhile
Building castles in the air Whistling to the wind As nature bows down her head See what tomorrow brings
Twilight time, dream with me awhile
Bats take to wing, like puppets on string Prancing in cool evening air In a sightless glide, no reason to hide Away from the sun's blinding stare
In twilight time, dream with me awhile In twilight time, dream with me awhile
The Night: Nights in White Satin Justin Hayward
Nights in white satin Never reaching the end Letters I've written Never meaning to send
Beauty I'd always missed With these eyes before Just what the truth is I can't say anymore
'Cause I love you Yes I love you Oh how I love you
Gazing at people Some hand in hand Just what I'm going through They can understand
Some try to tell me Thoughts they cannot defend Just what you want to be You will be in the end
And I love you Yes, I love you Oh, how I love you Oh, how I love you
Nights in white satin Never reaching the end Letters I've written Never meaning to send
Beauty I'd always missed With these eyes before Just what the truth is I can't say anymore
'Cause I love you Yes, I love you Oh, how I love you Oh, how I love you
'Cause I love you Yes, I love you Oh, how I love you Oh, how I love you
This single is the only song in history to chart three times in its original form: 1967, 1972 and 1979. "Cities" was not released on any album until Prelude in 1987. French picture sleeve shown here.
Late Lament Graeme Edge
Breathe deep the gathering gloom Watch lights fade from every room Bedsitter people look back and lament Another day's useless energy spent
Impassioned lovers wrestle as one Lonely man cries for love and has none New mother picks up and suckles her son Senior citizens wish they were young
Cold hearted orb that rules the night Removes the colours from our sight Red is grey and yellow, white But we decide which is right And which is an illusion
