Days Of Future Passed

The Moody Blues were originally an R&B-inspired group who scored a No. 1 hit in 1964 with "Go Now". A few years later they recruited John Lodge and Justin Hayward, but it took a change to the Deram label and a purchase of a Mellotron before they'd find success again. To quote the liner notes from the album, "The Moody Blues have at last done what many others have dreamed of and talked about: they have extended the range of pop music ...where it becomes one with the world of the classics." Okay, whatever, rich cinematic productions were already a studio treatment du jour. Yet the Moody Blues were attempting something more: symphonic rock. A dubious distinction, but it reflects another tenant that would weigh heavy on prog rock: the attempt at musical respectability. Dropping the needle, the record plays out: lush orchestral accompaniments provide segue between songs, while a god-like voice recites poetry. Pretentious, of course, but one thing is certain, this isn't really rock-n-roll. Ultimately the Moody Blues wrote marginally psychedelic pop tunes, thoroughly rooted in the '60s. The second side cranks up the Mellotron and fares better, culminating in the classic "Nights In White Satin". It's a great song, and along with "Tuesday Afternoon", both rightly became FM radio staples. Moreover, the album's immaculate production is impressive for any era. So whatever the content, the right accoutrements would mean everything when speaking progressive. The album sold well, reaching No. 23 in the UK and No. 3 in the US. The Moody Blues would repeat this formula to continual success over the ensuing years, before taking a rest in 1973, only to return at the end of the decade for even more success.