Come down to earth, a cup of tea

On this day in music history: November 10, 1967 - “Days Of Future Passed”, the second album by The Moody Blues is released (US release date is on November 11, 1967). Produced by Tony Clarke, it is recorded at Decca Recording Studios in West Hampstead, London from May - November 1967. By late 1966, The Moody Blues are at a crossroads musically and professionally after their initial success. The band go through personnel changes, and begin moving away from playing R&B and blues covers after their second proposed album “Look Out” is shelved. Thousands of pounds in debt to Decca and with their contract about to expire, comes an unlikely solution. Hugh Mendl, the head of A&R suggests that The Moodies record a rock & roll version of classical composer Antonín Dvořák’s Symphony No. 9. Mendl explains to them that the purpose of the album is to launch Decca’s newly established Deram label, and to also demonstrate the label’s new Deramic Stereo Sound (DSS) recording process. Giving them full creative control, they agree to the project. Working along side conductor Peter Knight and the London Festival Orchestra, “Days Of Future Passed” is conceived as a concept album depicting life through the course of a single day. It is a cycle of seven songs complete with orchestral interludes and spoken passages by keyboardist Mike Pinder, who also uses a Mellotron throughout for instrumental sounds and effects. Regarded as the beginnings of “progressive rock”, the mixture of lush orchestral accompaniment and psychedelic rock makes an immediate impact upon its release in the UK. However in the US, it takes considerably longer for it to find its audience and make a similar impact. Initially released as a single in January of 1968, “Nights In White Satin” fails to chart in the US. The follow up release “Tuesday Afternoon” (#24 US Pop) fares much better. “Nights” belatedly becomes a huge hit, peaking at #2 on the Hot 100 in November of 1972. The revival of that song also sends “Days” into the top five. In time, it becomes one of the definitive albums of the era. “Days” is remixed in 1978 when the masters of some songs on the original 1967 mix have deteriorated and become unusable. The year before, it is also remixed into quadraphonic stereo and released on open reel tape. It is also released as a DTS audio disc in 2001 with a 5.1 surround mix. The album is reissued numerous times over the years, being most recently remastered in 2006 as a two disc Deluxe Edition. They are hybrid SACD’s featuring the stereo and new 5.1 surround mixes on the first disc, with the second featuring mono single edits, outtakes and recordings from a BBC radio broadcasts recorded in September 1967 and January 1968. It is also reissued as 180 gram vinyl LP by Friday Music in 2012. “Days Of Future Passed” peaks at number three on the Billboard Top 200, and is certified Platinum in the US by the RIAA.

person who’s about to invent tea: oh haven’t you heard?

Curly haired George was my favorite George

On this day in music history: April 19, 1968 - “Odessey And Oracle”, the third album by The Zombies is released in the UK (original US release date is in June 1968). Produced by The Zombies, it is recorded at Abbey Road Studios and Olympic Studios in London from June - August and November 1967. Following their run of hits on Decca Records, The Zombies sign a new deal with CBS Records in mid 1967. Given only a limited budget by the label, the band work quickly to complete their new album. The majority of the project is recorded at Abbey Road Studios with Beatles engineer Geoff Emerick and Peter Vince behind the board. The remaining songs are cut at near by Olympic Studios in Barnes when Abbey Road is not available. However, rising tensions between band members during the sessions and a general disillusionment with each other, make the creative process less than smooth sailing, and lead to The Zombies breaking up in December of 1967. “Odessey And Oracle” is released in the UK in the Spring of 1968 to minimal fanfare, with none of the three singles being released or the album even entering the charts. Initially passed over for release in the US by then CBS label boss Clive Davis, it is issued at the insistence of staff producer Al Kooper. Issued on Columbia’s Date Records imprint, it is greeted with almost total indifference, lying dormant for several months before anything happens. The single “Time Of The Season” (#3 Pop) becomes a surprise hit in the Spring of 1969, and in time is regarded as one of their finest works. Ironically, the success of the record comes more than a year after The Zombies have disbanded. “Time Of The Season” and “Care Of Cell 44” are belatedly reissued in the UK in 1973 and 1974. “Odessey” is reissued as a limited edition vinyl LP for Record Store Day on April 19, 2014, exactly forty six years after its original UK release. “Odessey And Oracle” peaks at number ninety five on the Billboard Top 200.

Wishbone Ash

Soft Machine

Cameron Highlands, Malaysia Ryan Lam

Some more funny library signs.

Far be it from me to disagree with the learned Dr. Johnson, but may we PLEASE return to the classic definition of nonplussed?  The modern mutability of this word leaves me, well nonplussed.