EGBDF is my favourite Moody Blues album as well, One More Time To Live is a great song... ...but who cares about Classic Rock Radio? I never listen to it. Too many adverts get in the way for me.
I hate these sort of marketing scams. I’ll keep that money for my own pension, thank you very much Moody Blues.
Heh. After all these years it’s a Question of Bank Balance now. Should we contribute to our accounts or their accounts?
When John Lodge blocked Mike Pinder from speaking at the HOF, that said a lot to me. And I really don’t think he did it to protect Mike from himself and any embarrassment. Just one person’s analysis, admittedly. Although it was great to see Justin put his arm around Mike after this. They just were singers in a rock and roll band and definitely one of my favorite group of musicians. There is a bit of PBS-like funding rationale to these overpriced commemorative items. “Support the arts. Support us continuing as a band. And we’ll throw in a custom made gift. Your gifts keep us going. Plus, there’s a lot of staff and their families to keep fed.” A Question Of Balance Commemorative Plaque (16x20) | Commemorative Plaques | Moody Blues
I keep hoping we'll get a Blue Jays release with the quad mix along with the Lancaster University concert from the Timeless Flight box.
After watching the video a couple of times, I'm confused. It really looks like Justin was expecting Mike to speak next. But when John threw in his block, Justin kind of shrugged his shoulders and went to the microphone instead. And now with greater hindsight - two years of complete silence from Mike since then - I suspect he does have some sort of cognitive decline. Perhaps John noticed it that night and the others didn't, so he intervened. I just can't believe John was being petty and not allowing Mike to speak out of spite. They seemed to be on friendly terms that night.
Mike commented on this afterward. Why would not hearing from him since equal cognitive decline? That's a reach. We have no reason to hear from Mike. In any case, it would be a dick move to unilaterally keep Mike from speaking if he wanted to. I don't think John would do that.
My older brother turned me onto the Moody Blues and my sister turned me onto Led Zeppelin (she also got me into the Grass Roots).
It has been a rumor for some time now, and partly based on Ray Thomas noting "Mike is starting to forget things" (or something like that) on their last meeting. Mike looked somewhat confused on stage, and he would usually make a video or an online post periodically. This has been a relatively long absence. My mother died from Alzheimers. It is often worse for sufferers at night and when they are tired, and both applied to the awards show (they waited for hours to go on stage).
Ray apparently said; 'Mike is getting a little forgetful now...' which sadly IS how it starts - plus if you are a driver your driving starts to become 'erratic' re decision making (my Dad now has 'moderate to severe' Alzhiemer's dementia - it began with him getting a 'little forgetful' - which got worse quite rapidly - and his previously excellent driving fast went downhill - a CT Scan revealed the problem and on doctor's orders Dad had to stop driving a year ago - this year he's declined a fair bit sadly) my Dad has a 'bemused' rather vacant but cheerful look about him he never had before - and he can often 'talk nonsense' when attempting to say something - I cover for him saying things for him etc to try to stop him only confusing people ...and he smiles and nods etc the damn thing comes and goes too, one day he's better than another also he might talk sensibly for a time, then go off into a world of his own re things that happened many years ago or just nonsense etc...and he 'sees' people from the past, or people who are imaginary I say to my sister - THIS might be waiting up ahead in the future for us too...! so I give John the benefit of the doubt re his 'blocking' Mike here... I HOPE Mike is fine, but I noted a while back his own forum I was a member of stopped - Mike had been very good at replying to fans questions etc....all that ended without any real explanation I have a photo - wish I knew how to download it onto here - of John Lodge and Mike Pinder 'dancing' together embracing and both happily laughing away at the Hall of Fame induction event, also a band pic with I assume Ray's son Adam standing in for his father in the line up so John and Mike seemed to be on friendly terms at that event Justin and John step forward to pay tribute to Ray...only to find the microphones had already been turned off...as Jon Bon Jovi apparently had overan his alloted time !
Great story about John and Mike dancing. Best wishes to you, your family, and your dad. It sounds tough.
Thanks - I had heard of others whose elderly relatives got Alzhiemer's and know what they went through one thing is those who suffer from it often get up in the night / early hours thinking it is daytime - that really does your head in as they wake you up and it's hard to persuade your relative it IS actually not daytime but night ! the next day you feel shattered through lack of a decent nights sleep.... also you need to watch out that your relative doesn't go out alone - my Dad can't grasp there is an epidemic or 'lockdown' on, the other day he was going out to buy cigarettes (he gave up smoking on doctor's orders way back in 1980 !) ...luckily I got to him but he had no jacket, no facemask, no specs on...and was wearing his slippers on a cold wet day ! so just to let anyone else know what to look out for - it starts with 'getting a little forgetful' I sincerely hope Mike is o.k. and NOT suffering like my Dad or many others are from this terrible illness I recall in the TV show 'Nash Bridges' (Starring Don Johnson) that Nash's Dad Nick (James Gammon) was showing the first signs of dementia...
I have to say, (although I’m not behind the scenes), that John seems like a very friendly, personable guy. So, as most of us can guess it’s the other band member who’s first name starts with “J” that has no use for the band anymore . As I’ve/ we’ve talked about in this or other threads, I’m good with them being done . With Ray gone, Mike not involved and Graeme retired they would just be a ghost of their former band magic anyway. In that sense I can understand Justin not wanting to just milk the cash cow by touring as The Moody Blues, if and when touring for everyone resumes .
IMO, John is everything you mentioned. It's his Faith. My guess is they will never come back as The Moodies. Their last major tour was the 50th. Anniversary Tour, which I witnessed and was impressed. That would not be a bad way to put the Band and legacy to rest. Now... maybe a Blue Jays reunion?
Justin is still performing and releasing music on his web site and Facebook. From what I gather he is a kind and gentle person, just not as outgoing and sociable as John Lodge. Justin Hayward - "Lost And Found" (Acoustic) - YouTube
There's also been some speculation that Justin and John cannot use the MB name due to Graeme's ownership percentage. Years ago, when the Moodies were being sued by Patrick Moraz, Graeme stated during the trial that legally he 'couldn't be fired,' presumably due to his partial ownership. Still, I wish the remaining two would do one last tour as Blue Jays, or even 'Justin Hayward & John Lodge of the Moody Blues.' Obviously they have a bit of reticence about officially retiring the band, as no official dissolution was ever announced, and both still give a 'who knows' reply when asked. But come on, time is fleeting, for all of us.
When I was in their fan club in the early eighties I got a sad letter from The Moodies at Threshold sent out to fan club members advising their much loved fan club girl Sue Coulson had sadly died very young - a happy Sue is pictured cuddling Graeme's head with John besides them on page 33 of the booklet in 'Timeless Flight' CD set - I noted then that the Threshold headed paper with the 'face' logo had FOUR company directors listed then - Justin, Ray. Graeme and John obviously Mike had dropped out by then so only the FOUR of them were by then the business partners in Threshold Glenn - Thanks for tracking down those two photos, both are great and fully show that John and Mike are indeed on friendly terms re Justin, his largely going acoustic now might be telling re musical direction even possibly re volume factors (?) while maybe by now 'The Moody Blues' and forever having to try to face up to the 'core seven' famous past and even the Moraz 80's era successful heights (when they did grab a new younger generation audience who stuck with them as the earlier generation of fans did) might by now be something of an 'albatross around his neck' and Justin now might simply want and need to 'do his own thing' without 'The Moody Blues' forever looming over him - we saw the four ex-Beatles go through that years back didn't we...?
