MOODY BLUES - Days of Future Passed 1967

If you're of a certain age you'll remember a song called 'Go Now!' from 1964 by the Moody Blues, with Denny Laine on vocals (later to be part of Wings).

After that one hit they didn't do much and by 1967 were really struggling to keep afloat.

When Laine left and Justin Hayward and John Lodge joined in 1966 their contract with Decca was about to expire and they owed money to the label.

Different stories are told about the arrangement to record 'Days of Future Passed' .. one was they were to do a rock version of Dvořák's New World Symphony to help Decca's new Deram label but that's disputed. Whatever the reason, the Moodies and The London Festival Orchestra combined to release what is often cited as one of the first examples of 'prog rock' and certainly one of the first concept albums.

It didn't do much for quite a while until eventually 'Nights in White Satin' became a top ten hit.

I bought this, along with their next 6 albums released between 1968-72.

'In Search of the Lost Chord'

'On the Threshold of a Dream'

'To Our Children's Children's Children'

'A Question of Balance'

'Every Good Boy Deserves Favour'

'Seventh Sojourn'

I recently got hold of a digital copy of 'Days of Future Passed' in a 5.1 Surround Sound mix - reminding me of the old quadraphonic days.

Here's a 1967 'music video' of them

Nights in White Satin - YouTube