The Moody Blues consists of Graeme Edge, John Lodge, Justin Hayward, Ray Thomas.
The Moody Blues were originally a British rhythm and blues-based band; they later became best known for psychedelic music and early progressive rock.
The Moody Blues originated in Birmingham, England. At the time, Ray Thomas, John Lodge, and Michael Pinder were members of El Riot & the Rebels, a regionally popular band. El Riot disbanded when Lodge went to technical college and Pinder left to join the army. Pinder then rejoined Thomas to form the Krew Cats and had moderate success. The pair recruited Denny Laine, Graeme Edge and Clint Warwick, appearing as the Moody Blues for the first time in Birmingham in 1964.
Soon, the band had a contract with Decca Records and released an unsuccessful single, "Steal Your Heart Away", that year. "Go Now", released later that year, became a huge hit in the United Kingdom and charted moderately in the United States. After a series of unsuccessful singles, Warwick and Laine departed, replaced by El Riot bandmate John Lodge, and Justin Hayward, formerly of The Wilde Three, in 1966. The band soon realized that their original style of American blues covers and novelty tunes was not working for them, and they determined to develop an original style. Their new style featured the symphonic sounds of the mellotron and Ray Thomas' flute, with the performance organized around a concept—one day in the life of Everyman.
The Moody Blues contract with Decca Records was set to expire, and they owed the label several thousand pounds in advances. Deram Records (a London/Decca imprint) chose the Moody Blues to make an LP in order to promote Deramic Stereo and the group was to be forgiven its debt to the label to make a rock and roll version of Dvorak's New World Symphony. The Moody Blues agreed, but insisted that they be given artistic freedom and left without supervision; they then convinced Peter Knight, who'd been assigned to arrange and conduct the orchestral interludes, to collaborate on a recording of their stage show instead. Deram executives were initially sceptical about the hybrid style of the resulting concept album, Days of Future Passed ( 1967), however it would become one of the most successful commercial releases of all time.
