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OnlineHost: We are LIVE from Nissan Pavilion with John Lodge of
the Moody Blues as a
part of the summer music chat series presented by Digital City
Washington, Nissan Pavilion
and AOL Live!
OnlineHost: John Lodge, vocalist and guitarist with the Moody
Blues, was born in
Birmingham, England and has been with the Moody Blues since 1966
and was part of the
band's landmark 1967 album "Days of Future Passed." Please
welcome John Lodge to AOL
Live!
MBluesJohn: Hi welcome from John Lodge backstage at the Nissan
Pavilion in Washington
on a beautiful day!
LIVEONAOL: Our first question is actually a comment:)
Comment: saw you last night in VA beach you were awesome
MBluesJohn: LOL
MBluesJohn: Thank you very much we had a great time. And the
weather held.
LIVEONAOL: Our next question is from MrMicMan3:
Question: why did you choose the name Moody Blues?
MBluesJohn: Originally the band was going to be sponsored by a
brewery in Birmingham,
UK And the name of the brewery was Mitchell's & Butler's. And
they had clubs at their pubs
where we used to play. They wanted the initials of their brewery
M&B to be the name of the
band and originally the band was The M&B Five. But the brewery
pulled out of the
sponsorship and we put the names. We used the same initials and
chose the name Moody
Blues.
LIVEONAOL: From Pbaub:
Question: john, bob bradshaw here, rumor has it that you are on
a.o.l.? any truth to that?
And if so why don't you join us in conversation?
MBluesJohn: Yes...but being on tour finding time is a bit like
looking for the needle in the
haystack.
LIVEONAOL: From one of our MC's :) --- MC1...
Question: Were you pleased with the response you received from
the live performance of
"Strange Times"?
MBluesJohn: Strange Times is the first song that we've played
onstage before we've
released it as a record since 1966. So -- it was interesting to
see the reaction playing it live
for the first time and we are really pleased with how it's been
received by everyone in the
audience. Even when we announce the song now we have people
giving us almost The
XFiles tune.
MBluesJohn: Doodoodoodoo.
MBluesJohn: LOL! :)
LIVEONAOL: From Krisstrot:
Question: John, do you know about the online community of Moody
Blues fans here on
AOL?
MBluesJohn: Yes.... And we are really pleased. Music is about
communication and since the
Internet and AOL it's fabulous that there's a community of Moody
Blues people out there
communicating with one another and not only discussing Moody's
music but friendship as
well. And many friendships have developed together thru many
countries.
LIVEONAOL: From InHzName:
Question: What do you credit to all your years of stability with
the Moody Blues?
MBluesJohn: We got together at the very beginning to create our
very own music. And I
think the success and stability of the Moody Blues is that we've
stood by our own music and
this has led us to believe in our music and this is related, I
think, to the listeners of Moody
Blues music. There's a truthfulness we hope about it all.
LIVEONAOL: From XMervX:
Question: I have loved your music from the very beginning. What
ever happened to your
original keyboards man, Graeme Edge?
MBluesJohn: It's actually Mike Pinder... Mike, in the late 70s,
after we had finished making
an album called Octave decided that he didn't want to continue
on the road. And in a belief
in truthfulness that is what he wanted to do with his life. I
spoke to Mike quite recently and
he is has released his own album and also an album of children's
songs and stories.
LIVEONAOL: From BgCtyTrpt:
Question: Do you ever go to see local bands when you tour after
a show?
MBluesJohn: Yes, many times. If the time schedule allows one of
the great things particularly
in the US is seeing live bands because that's where we started
and that's where we are
today. Live music. It's also great to stand in on stage.
LIVEONAOL: From FREEK418:
Question: why is it so difficult for a seasoned band to get
airplay for new product?
MBluesJohn: The hundred thousand-dollar question ... :)
MBluesJohn: I think American radio has always been a great
supporter of the Moody Blues.
But radio is always looking for its existing audience or its new
audience. And sometimes I
think it gets confused between sponsors and the audience.
LIVEONAOL: From DWNMW7796:
Question: Has anyone ever used Knights in White Satin at their
funeral? I plan to do so. It's
beautiful and fits my life. Michael Wagner
MBluesJohn: To be honest... I don't know. I know a lot of people
have gotten married to it.
So I don't see why the happiness shouldn't follow them past this
life.
LIVEONAOL: Another one from Kirsstrot...must have come in AOL
Live really early :)
Question: John, Why does Justin sing lead on Candle of Life? (We
are discussing this on
the Moodies bulletin board, currently)
MBluesJohn: When I wrote the song it had started to be a song
like "*Isn't Life Strange"
where we shared the lead vocal. And it progressed where I
thought Justin had a more
sympathetic approach to the vocal as although I had written the
song I think I was too close
to it to interpret it in the way that I wanted. And I'm pleased
with the results and I hope that
everyone else is.
LIVEONAOL: From Singformo:
Question: John, what's happened with your white Fender...the one
you've been using for
ages?
MBluesJohn: It's still backstage with me. And it is my backup
guitar. And I've also been using
it in the studio recording a new album.
LIVEONAOL: From Arndt mj5:
Question: Who was "For Emily" written for?
MBluesJohn: It was written for my daughter and a few years ago
we played for the first time
with the symphony orchestra at the Albert Hall in London,
England. And it was fabulous to be
able to perform the song live with the orchestra with my now
grown up daughter in the
audience. :)
LIVEONAOL: From InHzName:
Question: Do you think you'll ever put out an album similar of
Days of Future passed?
MBluesJohn: I don't know... Days of Future Passed was such
milestone not only in the
Moody Blues life, but I think and hope you'll agree also in the
history of rock and roll... but it
was a fantastic experience which we encountered again at Red
Rocks with the Colorado
Symphony Orchestra and although this was a live album maybe....
Days of Future
Passed...may be revisited in the studio.
LIVEONAOL: A nice comment from NibaS88:
Comment: Hello John! Just wanted you to know how beautiful your
music is! I am a young
fan, 22 years old. I grew up listening to all the "classic rock"
music, and believe that if more
people listened to it today the world would be a lot more
peaceful! Thank you!
MBluesJohn: Thank you very much :)
LIVEONAOL: From TVTGKELLY:
Question: is the new album a "concept " album like the core 7
were?
MBluesJohn: It may be... we've been working on it as a concept
album but when we come to
finally mix and finalize the songs on the album then we will
have a clearer picture. Time
always seems to dictate the results of a Moody Blues album.
LIVEONAOL: From OLJ59:
Question: Have you ever wanted to record an album with a special
person?
MBluesJohn: Yes, I have... many, many different artists past and
present. And they would
have to be part of my life learning to be a musician. In other
words artists that I grew up with
and have been my mentors.
LIVEONAOL: From MM090451:
Question: how much of your tour is computer generated or
sequenced...is Moraz still your
keys man?
MBluesJohn: We use all technology available onstage... but
everything is live. The
sequences that everyone was using in the 80s have, for the Moody
Blues, really had their
sell-by date. And... But all the vocals, music...we play live.
That is where the excitement is.
On keyboards... Bias Boschell and Paul Bliss. BOTH superb,
beautiful players.
LIVEONAOL: From VVV113:
Comment: You are always so cheerful in concert. That always
makes the concert more
enjoyable.
MBluesJohn: Oh, thank you :)
LIVEONAOL: From TruMooBlu:
Question: Strange Times, Strange Times...Should we ever count on
a second John Lodge
solo album? Or EVER the dream of a Blue Jays tour/album? Zach,
seeing ya at the Star
Plaza in Indiana.
MBluesJohn: I have been working on a solo album for the last few
years... and I think
eventually I WILL finish it...but it was part of a concept album
that I was doing and a few
people out there do know what that was about...a clue...Route 66
and where it takes you.
And as far as Blue Jays... Blue Jays is alive and well within
the Moody Blues.
LIVEONAOL: From KTSul:
Question: Hi John~I have been listening to all of you since the
late 60's, early 70's; Thank
you for many years of happiness, tears & reflections. As I stare
at your Red Rocks poster in
my house, I wonder how your families have 'faired' through your
career?
MBluesJohn: Hopefully they've enjoyed it as well...and ARE
enjoying it! As I am proud of
them... I hope they're proud of us.
LIVEONAOL: From SHof34858:
Question: Do you realize the impact your music has had on the
average 40 to 50 yr. old?
MBluesJohn: When you write a song if you're truthful you write
about your own experiences
and really time has shown it should not have come as a surprise
to us that there are many
people out there who share the same highs, lows, dreams,
nightmares... and we've always
hoped the Moody Blues music is inspirational. And hopefully make
the world a better place.
LIVEONAOL: From DebsMoody:
Question: What do you think is the best song you've ever
written? Also, the best Moodies
song, either written by you or someone else?
MBluesJohn: My own favorite song is Isn't Life Strange...
because a) of the lyric...it's very
reflective. And also because of the particular chord sequence
which seems to take the
listener on a journey. The song actually seemed to write itself.
One night while I was having
dinner I heard this song in my head, sat down at the keyboard
and literally played it in 10
minutes. That doesn't happen a lot. But from a Moody Blues point
of view, it would have to
be Nights in White Satin... because I remember when we first
recorded it going into the
studio and hearing it and I knew it was something very special.
LIVEONAOL: From JenaWelto:
Question: my 11 yr. old daughter wanted me to tell you that she
thinks from "Emily's Song"
and "Carry Me" that you must be a wonderful Dad.
MBluesJohn: You had better ask my children... I hope so and
thank you very much.
LIVEONAOL: From TheAmuseB:
MBluesJohn: Carry Me... was a song written for my song,
Kristian.
MBluesJohn: For my son...sorry :)
LIVEONAOL: Ok, try again :)
LIVEONAOL: From TheAmuseB:
Question: Within the context of being TRUTHFUL to your SELF --do
you feel that the sense
of brotherhood you've put into your music is the reason your
core audience keeps
*following* you? ;-)
MBluesJohn: That's a difficult question because when you look
out onto an audience it is
always, even today, astounding to think people have come to
listen to your music and it can
never be taken for granted But I believe that if you are
truthful then people can rely on you to
be truthful and not be deceived and I believe that's a
philosophy that should be transported
into every walk of life. The world would certainly be a happier
place.
LIVEONAOL: John, it's about that time. Would like to close with
a very nice comment from
DWNMW7796:
Comment: John, The Moody Blues are solely responsible for my
Soul Mate and I finding
peace and True Love. She and I met in Germany in 1977 we were
both MB fans and
remained dedicated to your music for 19 years we were separated.
Your music united our
spirits.
MBluesJohn: Well, thank you.
AMEACADEMY: (5)Did moody blues ever own an aircraft?
MBluesJohn: And good luck for the future.
LIVEONAOL: Thank you John for being with us tonight! We hope
that you enjoyed being on
AOL Live and hope that you come again :) You have many fans
online as you probably can
see from this event :)
MBluesJohn: I hope to visit everyone again...and keep talking to
each other! The future is
yours.
AOLiveMC9: Thank you so much for being with us today. Audience,
thank you for
participating.
AOLiveMC9: Good bye for now.
OnlineHost: Copyright 1998
America Online,
Inc. All Rights Reserved.
