The Moody Blues (Rare & Live & The pre Moody Blues)

" On a rainy night at the Fiesta Club in Stockton in 1966, a disgruntled fan took it upon himself to go backstage and tell the band that he had just seen play exactly how bad he thought they were. “I just thought I’d tell you, you’re the worst fucking band I’ve seen in my life. You’re rubbish. And somebody’s got to tell you!” This critique of The Moody Blues which reduced singer-guitarist Justin Hayward and band mate Ray Thomas to tears turned out to be the reality check that they needed to set them on the path to success.

Up until this fateful night, The Moody Blues were a Rhythm & Blues covers band that found their roots on the suburban streets of Erdington, Birmingham in 1964. After playing in a skiffle band as a teenager, local boy Ray Thomas decided to form his own band – El Riot and the Rebels – which included guitarist John Lodge and pianist Mike Pinder. The band become known for their stage show where they donned Mexican cowboy outfits, securing them a regular slot on the“Lunchbox” TV programme. In 1963, as with most of the 60s bands that were just starting out, they were offered some lengthy touring sessions in Germany, but only Thomas and Pinder wanted to go so they disbanded with Lodge taking up a “proper job” doing a draftsmans apprenticeship. Thomas and Pinder joined another local group – The Krewcats – and got to go to Germany, playing in Hamburg and Hanover between May and November that same year. Though like most young and naive bands trying to cut their teeth, they were exploited by an unscrupulous club owner who didn’t pay them their dues and confiscated their passports and visas so they couldn’t leave anytime soon!

The Birmingham music scene at the end of 1963 gravitated between two poles: those bands that wanted to sound like Cliff Richard and The Shadows and those that wanted to follow The Beatles’ lead. Standing apart from these was The Spencer Davis Group who were causing excitations through their R&B music. Realising the potential of this new and energising sound, Graeme Edge and Gerry Levene from Gerry Levene and the Avengers, Albert Eccles (who changed his name to Clint Warwick) and Danny King from Danny King and the Dukes and Denny Laine from The Diplomats joined forces to become the Soul Preachers. A chance meeting between Laine and Ray Thomas and Mike Pinder at the Moathouse Club in Birmingham meant that they too joined the group and the seeds of The Moody Blues were sown. Danny King soon lost interest and left. The band marched on and tried to clinch a sponsorship deal with Mitchell and Butlers brewery adopting the name the M&B five. They failed to gain the sponsorship but kept the initials, and with a nod to their roots and Miles Davis’ Indigo Blue album they became The Moody Blues. ~ more  ~ https://counteract.co/features/beginners-guide-the-moody-blues/

THE MOODY BLUES LIVE AND RARE 

1. YOU BETTER MOVE ON – RARE ACETATE 1964

2.  CE SOIR ON DANCE, LIVE FRENCH TV PROGRAMME JULY 13 TH, 1968

TUESDAY AFTERNOON- NIGHTS IN WHITE SATIN-LEGEND OF A MIND- BYE BYE BIRD- FLY ME HIGH- I’VE GOT A DREAM- BEAUTIFUL DREAM- DON’T LET ME BE MISUNDERSTOOD-PEAK HOUR- NIGHTS IN WHITE SATIN

3. PEAK HOUR GALA DU MIDEM  JANUARY 24, 1968  IN THE PALAIS DES FESTIVALS, CANNES, FRANCE

PEAK HOUR- TUESDAY AFTERNOON- NIGHTS IN WHITE SATIN 

4. BYE BYE BIRD, FRENCH TVE 1965

5.  DENNY AND THE DIPOLMATS - PUT YOU DOWN, PERFORMED LIVE ON ATV TV UK 1965, IN THE PROGRAMME FOR TEENAGERS ONLY. ON DRUMS WAS BEV BEVAN THE FUTURE MEMBER OF THE MOVE

Denny Laine - guitar, vocals, harmonica

Phil Ackrill - guitar, vocals

Bev Bevan - drums, vocals

Steve Horton - bass guitar

Nicky James - lead vocals

Mike Hopkins - lead guitar, vocals

Jim Onslow - vocals, bass guitar

Dave Wheeland - bass guitar

Formed in Birmingham.

Dave Wheeland left in 1962 and emigrated to Australia. He was replaced by Steve Horton.

Nicky James joined in 1962 and took over the lead vocal duties. During 1963, Nicky James was offered a solo career, which he decided to take, and recorded for Pye, Columbia and Philips labels.

Denny Laine left in 1964 to join the Soul Preachers who became the Moody Blues.

Mike Hopkins and Jim Onslow joined following Laine's departure.

During this transition, Steve Horton left.

6. EL RIOT AND THE REBELS - DOWN THE LINE, THE A -SIDE OF THEIR DEMO RECORDS. RAY THOMAS, JOHN LODGE AND MIKE PINDER WERE MEMBERS OF THIS BAND. 

7. EL RIOT AND THE REBELS - BLUE MOON, THE B-SIDE OF THEIR DEMO RECORDS. RAY THOMAS, JOHN LODGE AND MIKE PINDER WERE MEMBERS OF THIS BAND. 

El Riot & the Rebels were a relatively short-lived early-'60s band from Birmingham, England, who were far more important than their relative obscurity would lead one to believe. Within the ranks of the six musicians who made up their lineup were Ray Thomas on lead vocals and harmonica, Mike Pinder on keyboards and vocals, and John Lodge, on bass (originally guitar) and vocals, each of whom ended up either co-founding or playing a key role in the Moody Blues. El Riot were heavily influenced by the sounds of Little Richard, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Gene Vincent, and wore Mexican outfits and had a stage act that was good enough, along with their sound, to get them onto a midlands television music showcase called Lunchbox. The band was popular in their hometown, but broke up in the wake of an offer in early 1963 of some gigs in Hamburg, Germany -- only Thomas and Pinder wanted to go, and they formed a new group called the Krewcats. The other members were Brian Betteridge (guitar, vocals). Mike Heard (lead guitar), and Bob Sheward (drums), who subsequently played with Lodge in the Carpetbaggers.

Brian Betteridge guitar, vocal

John Lodge bass guitar, vocal

Mike Pinder piano, vocal

Bob Sheward drums

Ray Thomas lead vocal, harmonica

Rick Wade drums

Mike Heard guitar, vocal

Info :

http://www.brumbeat.net/diplomat.htm

http://www.brumbeat.net/elriot.htm

http://www.themoodyblues.co.uk/diplomats.htm

https://counteract.co/features/beginners-guide-the-moody-blues/

https://bigsixties.blogspot.com/2017/07/denny-and-diplomats.html

https://raythomas.co.uk/in-the-beginning/el-riot-the-rebels-1959

https://rockology.ru/?page_id=65469

Золотой фонд бирмингемской сцены: группа The Moody Blues.

THIS IS A HOME-MADE CDR OF MINE. FOR INFORMATION SEE THE INTERNET FOR THE GALA DU MIDEM, CE SOIR ON DANSE.

Enjoy JoeVee... "

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Thanks Joe