The Moody Blues

Originally emerging with the Merseybeat-flavoured 1964 hit Go Now, the Moody Blues reinvented themselves by replacing their blues-based rhythms with a pseudo-classical style that took pop into a new choral/symphonic era of concept albums. The original Moodies featured Mike Pinder, Ray Thomas, Graeme Edge, Clint Warwick and singer Denny Laine but, after Go Now, subsequent singles flopped. Their career was revived by Justin Hayward and John Lodge, who joined Edge and Pinder in developing a big new sound largely built around Pinder's arrangements on the new electronic instrument, the Mellotron. A planned modern interpretation of Dvorjak's New World Symphony evolved into their own ambitious lush concept album, Days Of Future Past, which included the classic Nights In White Satin. Its success inspired them to make ever more complex albums like In Search Of The Lost Chord, To Our Children's Children and A Question Of Balance. They took an extended break in 1974, leading Hayward and Lodge to form a successful splinter duo, but the Moodies reunited in 1977 - with Patrick Moraz replacing Mike Pinder - to continue their success. Moraz left in 1991 but the group remained a popular live act and remain so, despite Thomas' retirement in 2002; leaving Hayward, Lodge and Edge to continue as a trio.