Mellotronists

lsf5275@... wrote:

>
>
>
>
> I find it hard to believe that Ray never put out a solo album. Is he dead now?
> If he is... we'll miss him.  -me
>
> ______________________________________________________________
>
>
> Hi  Frank #2,   Ray released a solo LP in 1975, "From Mighty Oaks"
> plus "Hopes , Wishes, and Dreams" after that.   FMO was on the
> Threshold label with artwork by the same person who did the Moodies'
> LP's in the early 70's.....
>
> -- Me, myself and I

In a message dated 01/09/2006 17:31:18 GMT Standard Time,  
jkorb@... writes:

Hi  Frank #2,   Ray released a solo  LP in 1975, "From Mighty Oaks" 
plus  "Hopes , Wishes, and Dreams" after that.   FMO was on the  
Threshold label with artwork by the same person who  did the Moodies' 
LP's in the early  70's.....  
-- Me, myself and  I


Both terrible.
 
M
 

STREETLY ELECTRONICS - All things Mellotronic
_www.mellotronics.co.uk_ (http://www.mellotronics.co.uk/) 
www.mellotronics.com

US East Coast  Agent - Jimmy Moore _JMoore6397_ (mailto:JMoore6397) @...
US West Coast Agent - Paul  Cox _pjc56@..._ 
(mailto:pjc56@...)

In a message dated 9/1/2006 12:37:24 P.M. Eastern Standard Time,  
tronbros@... writes:

 
 
Hi  Frank #2,   Ray released a solo  LP in 1975, "From Mighty Oaks" 
plus  "Hopes , Wishes, and Dreams" after that.   FMO was on  the 
Threshold label with artwork by  the same person who did the Moodies' 
LP's in the early 70's.....  
-- Me, myself and  I


Both terrible.
 
M



C'mon let's all flog him some more.
 
I remember a show in Baltimore where Ray kept missing his cues. John Lodge  
dragged him over to Mike's Mellotron and, after removing the amp head from on  
top of it, proceeded to open the lid, place Ray's hand inside and slam the lid 
 down upon it over and over. Meanwhile, Justin grabbed Ray's flute and  
started beating him in the back of the head with it. I think that after that  they 
immediately went into Mike's song about sperm, "Out and In." Or it might  have 
been, "Om." Can't quite remember.
 
 
Mel R. Tran (numero uno)

In a message dated 9/1/2006 6:31:16 PM Pacific Standard Time,  
felixkrull2u@... writes:

Well, the acorn never falls far from the tree, as they  say.  
 I think it's time for the list to split into bitter  factions: those who 
think the Moodies might have some redeeming qualities  aside from early Mellotron 
usage, and those who know otherwise. 
  PT



Pro:                                    Con:
    Justin's  songwriting       Ray (ALL aspects)
    Lush harmonies (in  studio)              Graham's drumming (although he 
did
    Tony Clarke's  production                  appear  to spend some time in 
the
    Mike's arrangements   woodshed  circa "LDV" 
   Exciting albums (through  "LDV"         Live  "harmonies"
        and excluding  "Octave")                  Adamant insistence on using 
"moon, June, 
                                                                    croon"  
rhyme schemes
                                                                No  real tron 
post-Pinder/Moraz
                                                                The  pompous 
orchestra
                                          Actually  believing they could make 
a 
                                               difference
Almost makes me wonder why I've been such a Moodies fan for all  these years.
 
Frank 1

In a message dated 9/1/2006 6:31:16 PM Pacific Standard Time,  
felixkrull2u@... writes:

Well, the acorn never falls far from the tree, as they  say.  
 I think it's time for the list to split into bitter  factions: those who 
think the Moodies might have some redeeming qualities  aside from early Mellotron 
usage, and those who know otherwise. 
  PT



Let's try this again so everyone doesn't have to get out their  de-coder 
rings!
 

Pro:                                    Con:
Justin's  songwriting
Lush harmonies (in  studio)
Tony Clarke's  production
Mike's  arrangements 
Exciting albums (through  "LDV"  and excluding "Octave")
 
Con:
    Ray (ALL  aspects)
    Graham's drumming (although  he did appear to spend some time in 
        the woodshed  circa "LDV")
    Live  "harmonies"
    Adamant insistence on  using "moon, June, croon" rhyme schemes
     No real tron  post-Pinder/Moraz
The pompous orchestra
Actually  believing they could make a  difference

Almost makes me wonder why I've been such a  Moodies fan for all these years.

Frank 1

well this is one opinion. I think Ray's contributions, especially in the first 7 albums, played 
an equal role in the "classic"" MB energy. As far as his flute playing goes...didn't you ever 
catch the long middle section solo that he and Patrick did on LEGEND OF A MIND back on 
those tours? It was very well executed and the addition of the echo on his flute really made 
it more effective. I have to admit my friends and I would joke about Ray's tambourine 
playing....he could have had more to do on many tunes. He should've learned acoustic 
guitar or keyboards and helped back things up a bit. And how can you criticize Graeme's 
drumming when most of the material was so simple that it didn't call for drum 
pyrotechnics. that's like criticizing Mike's playing as not being Wakeman/Emerson-like.
  And I believe they DID make a difference...so many people have testified to their positive 
Moodies experiences throughout their lives, in illness,romance,getting thru personal trials, 
etc.
  Ray's contribution to the tune "Never Blame The Rainbows For The Rain" on KEYS OF THE 
KINGDOM was his last best effort, IMO. It had that classic old sound, even Hayward's old 
fuzz guitar. 










--- In Mellotronists@yahoogroups.com, MAinPsych@... wrote:

>
>  
> In a message dated 9/1/2006 6:31:16 PM Pacific Standard Time,  
> felixkrull2u@... writes:
> 
> Well, the acorn never falls far from the tree, as they  say.  
>  I think it's time for the list to split into bitter  factions: those who 
> think the Moodies might have some redeeming qualities  aside from early Mellotron 
> usage, and those who know otherwise. 
>   PT
> 
> 
> 
> Pro:                                    Con:
>     Justin's  songwriting       Ray (ALL aspects)
>     Lush harmonies (in  studio)              Graham's drumming (although he 
> did
>     Tony Clarke's  production                  appear  to spend some time in 
> the
>     Mike's arrangements   woodshed  circa "LDV" 
>    Exciting albums (through  "LDV"         Live  "harmonies"
>         and excluding  "Octave")                  Adamant insistence on using 
> "moon, June, 
>                                                                     croon"  
> rhyme schemes
>                                                                 No  real tron 
> post-Pinder/Moraz
>                                                                 The  pompous 
> orchestra
>                                           Actually  believing they could make 
> a 
>                                                difference
> Almost makes me wonder why I've been such a Moodies fan for all  these years.
>  
> Frank 1
>

First, let me say that I wasn't out to bash Ray.
 
 
I was Kidding! 
 
Second, I saw the Moodies live a number of times back in the day. I always  
liked the original lineup. Ray's playing, though simplistic always seemed OK to 
 me. Rather liked it when Mike doubled him on Tron.
 
However... I recently bought the Moody's latest live recording (no  
orchestra). Huge difference in the material with a good flute player. Justin's  voice 
is starting to show its age though. John can't sing high harmony anymore  
either (if he ever could).
 
Lastly, Lodge only slammed his hand in the Mellotron once or twice.... 
 
F2

--- In Mellotronists@yahoogroups.com, "charel196" <charel196@...> 
wrote:
>And I believe they DID make a difference...so many people have 
testified to their positive Moodies experiences throughout their 
lives...

Ray's songs usually made us LAUGH a lot.

His harmony vocals, tamborine and flute work on the studio albums fit 
in beautifully with the band.

On each of the albums, his song(s) always STOOD OUT.  (...like a ZIT 
in the middle of your forehead).

LEGEND OF A MIND was his last best effort, IMO.

Clay

Yes, in truth I like a lot of Ray's input into the classic 7.   Twilight Time 
and Dear Diary are two fine songs and of course his flute fits in  well with 
the rest.  Playing live was always another matter, a different  world and here 
he seemed to come unstuck more than the rest.  
 
One should mention that Ray only ever had a top line for a song as he  played 
nothing chordal so the moody character of Dear Diary is all Mike  Pinder.  
 
Martin

STREETLY ELECTRONICS - All things Mellotronic
_www.mellotronics.co.uk_ (http://www.mellotronics.co.uk/) 
www.mellotronics.com

US East Coast  Agent - Jimmy Moore _JMoore6397_ (mailto:JMoore6397) @...
US West Coast Agent - Paul  Cox _pjc56@..._ 
(mailto:pjc56@...)

... Con: Graham s drumming (although he did appear to spend some time in the woodshed circa LDV ) Actually, Graeme is quite a good and innovative drummer -

-----Original Message-----
Con:
    Graham's drumming (although he did appear to spend some time in 
     the woodshed circa "LDV"
Actually, Graeme is quite a good and innovative drummer - unlike boring
metronomes like Charlie Watts. Listen also to the two Gurvitz albums -
the first one including a certain red-haired wildman pitching in on the
skins.
 
One has to remember too that the Moodies have always been a rock band
with an edge (oops! pun) - not just Montovani on acid - I remember my
Led-Zep-Bonzo-lovin (read: "loud" and "raucous") drummer at a Moodies
concert responding to an uninitiated fellow in a nearby seat who asked
if this was going to be a mellow concert by saying: "No, no - they
rock!"
 
I think the key to the difference you hear on record and live is the
inimitable Tony Clarke. Pip and Visconti were quite different..listen to
the "classic eighth" Moodies album (Blue Jays) with Tony producing -
excellent work again - and even the Godley/Creme production of "Blue
Guitar", while trying hard to imitate Tony, misses it. Without Tony,
things just aren't the same in the studio: 4-track or 24 - and live you
get to hear the raw product - and it's still a helluva lot of fun..
 
Cheers!
Vance (waiting for the fur to fly re: any one of the following - my
taste, Adrian Gurvitz, Ginger Baker, Paul Gurvitz, Montovani, my
drummer...)

> As an aside: if you haven't yet heard my wife's bass flute voice that
> Streetly has, you should. All kidding aside, it's fantastic. One of
> the great undiscovered voices for mellotron.

...so check out http://www.blackcat.demon.co.uk/tron/sounds/bassflute.mp3

Mike Dickson (tron@...) M400 #996
The Official Cynic of Streetly Electronics
Streetly Sample Library http://www.blackcat.demon.co.uk/tron/