The band began by playing rhythm and blues music. After some early lineup changes, the band settled on a line-up of Pinder, Thomas, Edge, guitarist Justin Hayward and bassist John Lodge, which would stay together for most of the band's "classic era" through the late 1960s-early 1970s. Their second album, "Days of Future Passed", released in 1967, was a fusion of rock with classical music and established the band as pioneers in the development of art rock and progressive rock. Days Of Future Passed has been described as a "landmark" and "one of the first successful concept albums".
The Moody Blues became known internationally by recordings of songs including "Go Now", "Nights in White Satin", "Tuesday Afternoon", "Question" and "Your Wildest Dreams". The band has been awarded 18 platinum and gold LP’s. The band sold 70 million albums worldwide. The Moody Blues were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2018.
The Moody Blues formed in 1964 in Erdington, a suburb of Birmingham in the county of Warwickshire. Ray Thomas, a young John Lodge and (occasionally) Mike Pinder had been members of El Riot & the Rebels. They disbanded when Lodge, the youngest member, went to technical college and Pinder joined the army. Pinder then rejoined Thomas to form the Krew Cats. Back from a disappointing spell in the Hamburg region a few months later, the pair recruited guitarist/vocalist Denny Laine and band manager-turned-drummer Graeme Edge. Pinder and Thomas initially approached their former El Riot bandmate John Lodge about being the bass player, but Lodge declined as he was still in college. They instead recruited bassist Clint Warwick. The five appeared as the Moody Blues for the first time in Birmingham in 1964. The name developed from a hoped-for sponsorship from the M&B Brewery which failed to materialise, the band calling themselves both "The M Bs" and "The M B Five", and was also a subtle reference to the Duke Ellington song "Mood Indigo". In an interview it was revealed that the band was named "Moody Blues" because Mike Pinder was interested in how music changes people's moods and due to the fact that the band was playing blues at the time. Around this time the band were the resident group at the Carlton Ballroom, later to become rock music venue Mothers on Erdington High Street.
The Moody Blues' "rich symphonic sound" influenced groups such as Yes, Genesis, the Electric Light Orchestra and Deep Purple. They also helped make synthesizers and philosophy "part of the rock mainstream".
The Moody Blues became members of the Vocal Group Hall of Fame. In 2013, readers of Rolling Stone Magazine voted for them as one of the ten bands that should be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Ultimate Classic Rock called them "perennial victims of an unaccountable snubbing" and inducted them into its own Hall of Fame in 2014.
Writing for The Guardian in 2015, Rob Chapman described the band as "psychedelia's forgotten heroes". He stated: "Despite their success, rock critics rarely took the Moody Blues seriously, a pattern that continued for the next 45 years." He also wrote: "Despite the critical disapproval, the best of the Moody Blues music between 1967 and 1970 possessed grace and beauty. Like The Beatles, they understood how pop songs worked as ensemble pieces. None of them were particularly virtuosic or showy as musicians and their music is refreshingly free of the noodling longeurs that characterised the output of their more self-indulgent contemporaries."
In December 2017, the band were announced as inductees for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. On 14 April 2018, they were inducted as part of the 2018 class. During his acceptance speech in Cleveland, OH, Justin Hayward said, "If you didn't know already, well we're just a bunch of British guys, but of course to us and to all British musicians, this is the home of our heroes and we all know that..." acknowledging the inspirational role of America's rock and roll icons. During the ceremony, Ray Thomas was included as a star that was lost in the past year.
On 11th November 2021 Graeme Edge died. Upon Edge's death, Justin Hayward announced that The Moody Blues had no longer been active since Edge had retired in 2018 (Edge being the only member to remain with the band from formation to ending). Founding member Denny Laine died on 5 December 2023.
Veteran Cosmic Rocker
The Moody Blues Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The stage is set
The man in the wings breaks out in sweat
A backstage joker spiked his coke
While the dressing room was full of smoke
A crowd of fools got him high
He's afraid he's gonna die
He's the apple of their eye
He steps into the remaining light
The crowd go wild
He's outa sight
Arms held high in the sign of peace
His manager signed the one night lease
The house is full getting high
He's afraid he's gonna die
He's the apple of their eye
(He struts, he strolls)
(His love is rock 'n' roll)
He's the VETERAN COSMIC ROCKER
He steps into the remaining light
The crowd go wild
Arms held high in the sign of peace
His manager signed the one night lease
The house is full getting high
He's afraid he's gonna die
He's the apple of their eye
(He struts, he strolls)
(His life is rock 'n' roll)
He's the VETERAN COSMIC ROCKER
He's afraid that he will die
The Moody Blues's song "Veteran Cosmic Rocker" is a reflection of the rockstar lifestyle and the pressure that comes with it. The lyrics describe a backstage scene where the main character is about to take the stage. The man in question is scared and anxious, and the people around him, including the backstage joker, are not making it any easier for him. The atmosphere is chaotic, with smoke and drugs filling the room, and the sense of impending doom is palpable.
As the main character steps into the remaining light, the crowd goes wild, and he gives himself up to the moment. His manager signed a one-night lease, and he knows that this is his time to shine. The lyrics suggest that the character is a "veteran" in this role, and he has been through this many times before. Nevertheless, he still feels the fear of what could happen.
The lyrics "He struts, he strolls, his life is rock 'n' roll" describes the man's persona and outlook on life. He lives for the thrill of the music, the onstage performance, and the love of his fans. He knows that he is the "apple of their eye" and will give them everything he has. The song is an insightful look into the life of a rockstar, with all the pressures and the adoration that come with it.
Line by Line Meaning
The lights go down
The theater darkens as the audience anticipates the show.
The stage is set
The performance area is prepared.
The man in the wings breaks out in sweat
The backstage worker is nervous.
A backstage joker spiked his coke
Someone added drugs to the worker's drink.
While the dressing room was full of smoke
The room was filled with smoke from cigarettes or possibly other substances.
A crowd of fools got him high
The worker was influenced by the group of people around him.
He's afraid he's gonna die
The worker is experiencing anxiety and fear.
He's the apple of their eye
The group sees the worker as something special.
He steps into the remaining light
The performer enters the lit area of the stage.
The crowd go wild
The audience reacts excitedly.
He's outa sight
He is no longer visible to the backstage worker.
Arms held high in the sign of peace
The performer raises his arms in a gesture of goodwill.
His manager signed the one night lease
The manager arranged for the performance and the venue for a single night.
The house is full getting high
The audience is getting intoxicated by various drugs.
He struts, he strolls
The performer moves confidently and stylishly.
His love is rock 'n' roll
The performer has a great passion for this type of music.
He's the VETERAN COSMIC ROCKER
He is an experienced and otherworldly rock musician.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: RAY THOMAS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind