Moody blues rock and roll hall of fame

The Moody Blues demonstrated their durability on Saturday night, playing hit singles from the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s at their Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction in Cleveland.

The band began their set with a high-energy triptych that hopscotched across decades. “I’m Just a Singer (In a Rock and Roll Band),” which originally came out in the early 1970s, built around a thick, rubbery bass line and a giddy hook. It fit easily next to “Your Wildest Dreams,” a cheerful, harmony-slathered track that became the Moody Blues’ last major U.S. hit when it was released in 1986. Next came “Ride My See-Saw,” a blistering rocker from the 1960s with long, sighing vocal melodies and a knotty guitar solo.

After this display of speed and power, Moody Blues slowed the tempo drastically to perform “Nights in White Satin,” an unhurried, infatuated ballad that marched up the U.S. charts in 1972. This song served as a tender, sentimental set-closer. The stately track ended with a crescendo of instrumentation as Justin Hayward sang “I love you” over and over. 

The Moody Blues – “I’m Just A Singer”

Heart singer Ann Wilson, whose band joined the Rock Hall in 2013, welcomed the band into the institution with a speech earlier in the evening. The Moody Blues have been eligible for induction since 1990 but were not nominated until this year. The band members included in the induction were vocalist-guitarist Justin Hayward, bassist John Lodge, drummer Graeme Edge, guitarist Denny Laine, keyboardist Mike Pinder and the band’s erstwhile flautist, Ray Thomas, who died in early January.

“I’m extremely grateful to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame for two things: For creating the supreme temple to something that has brought me endless joy since I was a little boy … [and] after all these years [that] they are including us,” Hayward told Rolling Stone in December.

The Moody Blues – “Ride My See-Saw”

The Rock Hall chose not to induct founding bassist Clint Warwick and middle-era keyboardist Patrick Moraz, facts that did not matter too much to Hayward. Moreover, at the time, he seemed surprised that Laine was included. “There’s Denny Laine and Clint [Warwick], the original bassist who was kind of forgotten,” he said. “More importantly, I would have thought that Denny would have been inducted with Wings.” When Rolling Stone clarified that McCartney had been brought in solo, Hayward gave Laine credit for co-writing Wings’ hit “Mull of Kintyre.”

The Moody Blues – “Your Wildest Dreams”

At the time of the interview, all Hayward hoped the band would play at the ceremony was their biggest song, “Nights in White Satin,” off their Days of Future Passed LP. In another interview with Rolling Stone, Hayward explained why he felt that song has endured for half a century. “It’s never lost the meaning,” he said. “It only works if you do it from the heart. I can only do it that one way. It’s still just a series of random thoughts of a young person, but I’m very pleased that people are able to share that and it resonates. It’s a record with almost nothing on it, except a lot of echo. But it’s a mysterious kind of record too.”

So when Justin Hayward and his past and present bandmates had the opportunity at the induction ceremony in Cleveland on Saturday to reflect on their careers, which have stretched more than half a century, they did so with poignant, heartfelt speeches. “The thanks really goes to the Moody Blues fans for giving us such a wonderful life of music,” Hayward said in a Rolling Stone interview prior to the ceremony. Here’s what they had to say at the event.

Denny Laine: I won’t keep you long. Since I wasn’t in the band that long. Mike and Ray came up to me. They wanted to perform a new band and I said “If we can play blues music, yeah.” but I’m really pleased to say that these guys got rid of the blue suits and went on to other things. And I’m a big fan. So, there you go. Moody Blues, I love you.

Graeme Edge: I’m not gonna make a long speech. I’m 77 years old, I ain’t got time. The first thing I want to do… I want to thank Justin and John for putting up with me for 50 years and counting. I want to thank me for putting up with Justin and John for 50 years and counting. I want to thank everyone in the world that’s ever helped me. You know who you are. Thank you. And all the people in the world that haven’t helped me… screw you. God bless you all! It was so long that we were eligible and didn’t make it, that I got a real sour grapes thinking about it. When it actually became something for us to appreciate and have, I did realize it means the world to me.

John Lodge: Well. In 1967, Graeme Edge, Mike Pinder, Ray Thomas, Justin Hayward and myself, along with our producer Tony Clarke, went into the Decca recording studio in London, England, and so days later, we came out with an album that changed our lives forever. The album Days of Future Passed. And I’d like to thank American radios for supporting us for five decades. And the belief in us has just been tremendous and has given us encouragement to keep going, and doing everything we love to do and that’s make music. We’d like to thank also some of our friends at radio, Howard Stern. And the great Scott Muni in New York. 

And of course to the fans here tonight and of rock and roll: This is yours. Over the years, we’ve worked with many people. I just wanna name a few people: Edward Lewis, who was chairman of the Decca Record company in the UK and he started the Decca Record company here in the U.S.A. There’s all the people who have been with us for so many years. And I’d like to just… on a personal side. My wife, Kirsten. My daughter Emily and my son Christian. And of course, my hero John Henry. You are the pillars and the foundation of my life. Thank you to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Justin Hayward: Thank you very much. Thank you. If you don’t know already, well, we’re just a bunch of British guys and it’s quite hard explaining the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame over the other side of the Atlantic. I live near the Italian border and I live in a place … there’s an British, English community there. Of course, you know, the British will always form a community and a class system when we’re around the table wherever we are. But I was on a street walking to the shop the other day and I met a woman I knew and she said, “What are you boys up to then?” and I said, “Oh, we’re being inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.” “Oh,” she said. “When are you being induced?” So, it’s kind of like being induced that people ask me if I’ve been induced.

But, of course, to us and to all of British musicians, this is the home of our heroes. It’s all the people that have come along and changed the world. But this is the home of my heroes and to be celebrated, even in the same street, in the same building, in the same town even as Buddy Holly and the Everly Brothers and the woman who showed us all how it should be done, that’s Nina Simone.

Of course, I’m very grateful to my parents, and I’m very grateful also to John and to Mike and to Ray and to Graeme, and it’s been such a wonderful partnership and for them putting up with a 19-year-old jerk who was me, trying to get my songs done. And I would also just mention like John and some of the radio personalities, Scott Muni and Howard, and Alison Steele. She was a wonderful, wonderful DJ. It’s a privilege anyway, and of course, all of the thanks and gratitude really goes to the Moody Blues fans. Thank you very much. It means a lot to me. 

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