158-653: The Moody Blues were an English rock band formed in Birmingham in 1964. The band initially consisted of Graeme Edge (drums), Denny Laine (guitar/vocals), Mike Pinder (keyboards/vocals), Ray Thomas (multi-instrumentalist/vocals), and Clint Warwick (bass/vocals). Originally part of the British beat and R&B scene of the early–mid 1960s, the band came to prominence with the UK No. 1 and US Top 10 single " Go Now " in late 1964/early 1965. Laine and Warwick both left
316-522: A Eurostat measure of the functional city-region approximated to local government districts, had a population of 2,357,100 in 2004. In addition to Birmingham itself, the LUZ ( West Midlands conurbation ) includes the Metropolitan Boroughs of Dudley , Sandwell , Solihull and Walsall , along with the districts of Lichfield , Tamworth , North Warwickshire and Bromsgrove . Beyond this is
474-476: A Lord Mayoralty was conferred on Birmingham by Letters Patent on 3 June 1896. Birmingham's ten parliamentary constituencies are represented in the House of Commons as of 2024 by one Conservative , one independent and eight Labour MPs . Originally part of Warwickshire , Birmingham expanded in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, absorbing parts of Worcestershire to the south and Staffordshire to
632-560: A conurbation with the borough of Solihull to the south east, and with the city of Wolverhampton and the industrial towns of the Black Country to the north west, which form the West Midlands Built-up Area covering 59,972 ha (600 km ; 232 sq mi). Surrounding this is Birmingham's metropolitan area – the area to which it is closely economically tied through commuting – which includes
790-596: A "landmark" and "one of the first successful concept albums ". The group released six more albums and toured extensively until they went on hiatus in 1974. Their records from this period were among the most successful in the progressive rock genre, and produced FM radio hits such as " Nights in White Satin " (1967; charting again in 1972), " Tuesday Afternoon " (1968), " Question " (1970), " The Story in Your Eyes " (1971), " Isn't Life Strange " (1972), and " I'm Just
948-430: A Feeling" and "The Sun Set" were written by Pinder, "Another Morning" and "Twilight Time" were written by Thomas, "Peak Hour" and "Evening (Time to Get Away)" were written by Lodge, and the opening and closing poems, "Morning Glory" and "Late Lament", were written by Edge. The lead vocal on each track was provided by its writer, with the exception of "Dawn Is a Feeling", which was sung by Hayward (although Pinder sang lead on
1106-410: A Section 114 notice to say that it could not meet its financial commitments. Effectively this meant the council was bankrupt. A major contributing factor is a £1.1b sum that has been paid out since 2010, for equal pay claims. There is still a bill for £760m, increasing by £14m a month. There are also problems with a new IT system that was projected to cost £19m but is now closer to £100m. In addition there
1264-472: A Singer (In a Rock and Roll Band) " (1973). After resuming activities in 1977, Pinder left the following year and was replaced by former Yes keyboardist Patrick Moraz . In the 1980s they took on a more synth-pop sound, having hits with " Gemini Dream " (1981), " The Voice " (1981), " Your Wildest Dreams " (1986) and " I Know You're Out There Somewhere " (1988). "Your Wildest Dreams" made the Moody Blues
1422-503: A broader range of specialist, higher-skilled and more lucrative activities. By the time of the English Civil War Birmingham's booming economy, its expanding population, and its resulting high levels of social mobility and cultural pluralism , had seen it develop new social structures very different from those of more established areas. Relationships were built around pragmatic commercial linkages rather than
1580-578: A century of the charter Birmingham had grown into a prosperous urban centre of merchants and craftsmen. By 1327 it was the third-largest town in Warwickshire, a position it would retain for the next 200 years. The principal governing institutions of medieval Birmingham – including the Guild of the Holy Cross and the lordship of the de Birmingham family – collapsed between 1536 and 1547, leaving
1738-534: A considerable urban heat island effect. During the coldest night recorded, 14 January 1982, the temperature fell to −20.8 °C (−5.4 °F) at Birmingham Airport, but just −14.3 °C (6.3 °F) at Edgbaston, near the city centre. Birmingham is a snowy city relative to other large UK conurbations, due to its inland location and comparatively high elevation. Between 1961 and 1990 Birmingham Airport averaged 13.0 days of snow lying annually, compared to 5.33 at London Heathrow . Snow showers often pass through
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#17328024879651896-515: A constantly diversifying range of products, in a highly entrepreneurial economy of small, often self-owned workshops. This led to exceptional levels of inventiveness: between 1760 and 1850 – the core years of the Industrial Revolution – Birmingham residents registered over three times as many patents as those of any other British town or city. The demand for capital to feed rapid economic expansion also saw Birmingham grow into
2054-599: A few days after their formation, at the Carlton Ballroom (later to become rock music venue Mothers ) on Erdington High Street , where they became the resident band. The band's name quickly evolved from the M&;B5 to the Moody Blues. Aside from incorporating the M&B letters, the name was also a subtle reference to the Duke Ellington song " Mood Indigo ". Pinder also stated in a later interview that, at
2212-591: A haven for Nonconformists from the 1660s. By 1700 Birmingham's population had increased fifteen-fold and the town was the fifth-largest in England and Wales. The 18th century saw this tradition of free-thinking and collaboration blossom into the cultural phenomenon now known as the Midlands Enlightenment . The town developed into a notable centre of literary , musical , artistic and theatrical activity; and its leading citizens – particularly
2370-552: A jazz-rock ensemble, whose only live performance was a BBC simultaneous television and radio broadcast in stereo. The Wizzo Band split early the following year after cancelling a nationwide tour. Between 1980 and 1982, Wood released a few singles under his own name and also as Roy Wood's Helicopters, and played some live dates under this name, with a band comprising Robin George (guitar), Terry Rowley (keyboards), Jon Camp (bass) and Tom Farnell (drums). The release of what would have been
2528-819: A leading role in the Birmingham Heart Beat Charity Concert 1986 , on 15 March 1986, which was later partly televised by the BBC. As well as designing the logo, Wood performed in a line-up which also included the Electric Light Orchestra and the Moody Blues . After a hiatus following the release of the album Starting Up (1987), a cover version of the Len Barry hit " 1–2–3 ", and a guest vocal appearance on one track on Rick Wakeman 's The Time Machine , he went on
2686-624: A major financial centre with extensive international connections. Lloyds Bank was founded in the town in 1765, and Ketley's Building Society , the world's first building society , in 1775. By 1800 the West Midlands had more banking offices per head than any other region in Britain, including London. Innovation in 18th-century Birmingham often took the form of incremental series of small-scale improvements to existing products or processes, but also included major developments that lay at
2844-674: A major role in the glam rock , psychedelic and prog rock movements". In 2008, Wood was awarded an honorary doctorate for his contribution to rock and pop by the University of Derby . In 2015, his long and eclectic career was recognised with the "Outer Limits" award at the Progressive Music Awards in London. Wood was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2017 as a member of Electric Light Orchestra. For
3002-591: A member of Electric Light Orchestra. Roy Wood was born on 8 November 1947 in Kitts Green , a suburb of Birmingham, England. For some years the legend persisted that his real name was Ulysses Adrian Wood, until it was revealed that this was probably the result of somebody close to the Move in their early days filling in such names on a 'lifelines' feature for the press as a joke. His first group in Birmingham in
3160-488: A new group, Wizzard , who had seven hits, including Wood's most regularly broadcast song, " I Wish It Could Be Christmas Every Day ". As a songwriter, Wood contributed a number of hits to the repertoire of the Move, ELO and Wizzard. Altogether, he had more than 20 singles in the UK Singles Chart under various guises, including three UK No. 1 hits. Wood was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2017 as
3318-661: A new musical influence to the band with his folk -inspired songwriting style. In April 1967 they were introduced to Decca staff producer Tony Clarke , who produced the band's next single, their first record with Hayward and Lodge, "Fly Me High" (written and sung by Hayward) with "Really Haven't Got the Time" (written and sung by Pinder) as the B-side, released in May 1967. Sometimes known to fans as "the Sixth Moodie", Clarke would remain
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#17328024879653476-735: A population of 4.3 million, making it the largest outside London. Located in the West Midlands region of England, Birmingham is considered to be the social, cultural, financial and commercial centre of the Midlands . It is just west of the traditional centre point of England at Meriden , and is the most inland major city in the country, and lying north of the Cotswolds and east of the Shropshire Hills . Distinctively, Birmingham only has small rivers flowing through it, mainly
3634-530: A record-breaking nationwide tornado outbreak , two tornadoes touched down within the Birmingham city limits – in Erdington and Selly Oak – with six tornadoes touching down within the boundaries of the wider West Midlands county. More recently, a destructive T6/F3 tornado occurred in July 2005 in the south of the city, damaging homes and businesses in the area. The tornado took an almost parallel path to that of
3792-505: A shared ancestor, or a mythical tribal figurehead. Place names ending in -ingahām are characteristic of primary settlements established during the early phases of Anglo-Saxon colonisation of an area, suggesting that Birmingham was probably in existence by the early 7th century at the latest. Surrounding settlements with names ending in -tūn ('farm'), -lēah ('woodland clearing'), -worð ('enclosure') and -field ('open ground') are likely to be secondary settlements created by
3950-492: A single black box later described by an official American historian as "the most valuable cargo ever brought to our shores". The city was extensively redeveloped during the 1950s and 1960s. This included the construction of large tower block estates, such as Castle Vale . The Bull Ring was reconstructed and New Street station was redeveloped. In the decades following World War II, the ethnic makeup of Birmingham changed significantly, as it received waves of immigration from
4108-549: A tourist attraction in the early 1900s. Birmingham has a temperate maritime climate ( Cfb according to the Köppen climate classification ), like much of the British Isles, with average maximum temperatures in summer (July) being around 21.3 °C (70.3 °F); and in winter (January) around 6.7 °C (44.1 °F). Between 1971 and 2000 the warmest day of the year on average was 28.8 °C (83.8 °F) and
4266-406: A very melodic buzzing guitar-solo sound. The Moody Blues had by now become a bill-topping act in their own right and appeared at both the 1969 and 1970 Isle of Wight Festivals (an album and DVD of their 1970 performance would be released in 2008). The title of the band's next album, 1971's Every Good Boy Deserves Favour , was derived from a mnemonic used to remember the musical notes that form
4424-442: A wide variety of specialised and highly skilled trades, encouraged exceptional levels of creativity and innovation; this provided an economic base for prosperity that was to last into the final quarter of the 20th century. The Watt steam engine was invented in Birmingham. The resulting high level of social mobility also fostered a culture of political radicalism which, under leaders from Thomas Attwood to Joseph Chamberlain ,
4582-532: Is a projected £87m deficit for the financial year 23/24. Birmingham City Council has 101 councillors representing 77 wards as of 2018. Its headquarters are at the Council House in Victoria Square . As of 2023 , the council has a Labour Party majority and is led by John Cotton. Labour replaced the previous no overall control status at the May 2012 elections. The honour and dignity of
4740-668: Is located in the centre of the West Midlands region of England on the Birmingham Plateau – an area of relatively high ground, ranging between 500 and 1,000 feet (150 and 300 metres) above sea level and crossed by Britain's main north–south watershed between the basins of the Rivers Severn and Trent . To the immediate south west of the city lie the Lickey Hills , Clent Hills and Walton Hill , which reach 1,033 feet (315 m) and have extensive views over
4898-519: Is now dominated by the service sector . The city is a major international commercial centre and an important transport, retail, events and conference hub. Its metropolitan economy is the second-largest in the United Kingdom with a GDP of $ 121.1bn (2014 ). Its five universities, including the University of Birmingham , make it the largest centre of higher education in the country outside London. Birmingham's major cultural institutions –
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5056-507: Is particularly a large community of Asian descent, especially from Pakistani, Indian and Bangladeshi backgrounds, as well as Afro-Caribbeans from the Commonwealth , and a solid Chinese presence through migrants from the former colony of Hong Kong . Birmingham also has an older Irish connection, with the city having the largest population of Irish in mainland Britain and home to its only Irish quarter, Digbeth . In Birmingham, 65.9% of
5214-790: The Billboard Hot 100 and becoming a certified million-seller; the song had "bubbled under" the Hot 100 charts on its original release. The song also returned to the UK charts, reaching No. 9, ten places higher than its original release in 1967. The Moodies were one of the earliest rock acts to start their own label, following the Beatles' Apple Records . In 1969 they created Threshold Records , prompted in part by disputes with Decca over album design costs (their gatefold record jackets and expensive cover art were not popular with company executives). The idea
5372-634: The Billboard chart in the US. The LP was a song cycle or concept album that takes place over the course of a single day. The album drew inspiration in production and arrangement from the pioneering use of classical instrumentation by the Beatles, to whom Pinder had recommended the Mellotron in 1965 (the Beatles first used the instrument on their 1966 album Revolver , specifically the track " Tomorrow Never Knows ", and would continue to use it sporadically for
5530-590: The 23 June 2016 referendum, and in May 2019 joined the Brexit Party . Beforehand, he was a longtime member of the UK Independence Party (UKIP), and expressed interest in standing as a candidate for the party in 2004. Wood has one daughter, named Holly. The BBC described Wood in 2008 as being "responsible for some of the most memorable sounds of the Seventies " and "credited as playing
5688-800: The Anglican Diocese of Birmingham was created in 1905. There are two other cathedrals: St Chad's , seat of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Birmingham and the Greek Orthodox Cathedral of the Dormition of the Mother of God and St Andrew . The Coptic Orthodox Diocese of the Midlands is also based at Birmingham, with a cathedral under construction. The original parish church of Birmingham, St Martin in
5846-687: The Birmingham Political Union bringing the country to the brink of civil war during the Days of May that preceded the passing of the Great Reform Act in 1832. The Union's meetings on Newhall Hill in 1831 and 1832 were the largest political assemblies Britain had ever seen. Lord Durham , who drafted the Act, wrote that "the country owed Reform to Birmingham, and its salvation from revolution". This reputation for having "shaken
6004-473: The City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra , Birmingham Royal Ballet , Birmingham Repertory Theatre , Library of Birmingham and Barber Institute of Fine Arts – enjoy international reputations, and the city has vibrant and influential grassroots art , music , literary and culinary scenes. Birmingham was the host city for the 2022 Commonwealth Games . In 2021, Birmingham was the third most visited city in
6162-521: The Commonwealth of Nations and beyond. The city's population peaked in 1951 at 1,113,000 residents. 21 people were killed and 182 were injured in a series of bomb attacks in 1974, thought to be carried out by the Provisional IRA . The bombings were the worst terror attacks in England up until the 2005 London bombings and consisted of bombs being planted in two pubs in central Birmingham. Six men were convicted , who became known later as
6320-644: The Frisch–Peierls memorandum of 1940, the same year that the cavity magnetron , the key component of radar and later of microwave ovens , was invented by John Randall and Henry Boot . Details of these two discoveries, together with an outline of the first jet engine invented by Frank Whittle in nearby Rugby , were taken to the United States by the Tizard Mission in September 1940, in
6478-475: The Midlands Enlightenment and during the Industrial Revolution , which saw advances in science, technology and economic development, producing a series of innovations that laid many of the foundations of modern industrial society . By 1791, it was being hailed as "the first manufacturing town in the world". Birmingham's distinctive economic profile, with thousands of small workshops practising
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6636-652: The River Tame and its tributaries River Rea and River Cole – one of the closest main rivers is the Severn , approximately 20 miles (32 km) west of the city centre . The city does however have numerous canals , collectively named the Birmingham Canal Navigations . Historically a market town in Warwickshire in the medieval period, Birmingham grew during the 18th century during
6794-519: The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2018, for "over 50 years of exhilarating and significant music that has influenced countless musicians and rocked fans around the world". In 1958, rock and roll band El Riot & the Rebels formed in Birmingham , England, featuring vocalist and harmonica player Ray Thomas ("El Riot") and bassist John Lodge . At the beginning of 1963 they were joined by keyboardist Mike Pinder , who had just returned home from time in
6952-549: The Soho Manufactory , pioneering the combination and mechanisation under one roof of previously separate manufacturing activities through a system known as "rational manufacture". As the largest manufacturing unit in Europe, this came to symbolise the emergence of the factory system . Most significant, however, was the development in 1776 of the industrial steam engine by James Watt and Matthew Boulton. Freeing for
7110-536: The Victorian era , the population of Birmingham grew rapidly to well over half a million and Birmingham became the second largest population centre in England. Birmingham was granted city status in 1889 by Queen Victoria . Joseph Chamberlain , mayor of Birmingham and later an MP, and his son Neville Chamberlain , who was Lord Mayor of Birmingham and later the British Prime Minister, are two of
7268-414: The second city of the United Kingdom – with a population of 1.145 million in the city proper . Birmingham borders the Black Country to its west and, together with the city of Wolverhampton and towns including Dudley and Solihull , forms the West Midlands conurbation . The royal town of Sutton Coldfield is incorporated within the city limits to the northeast. The wider metropolitan area has
7426-454: The wall of sound production style of Phil Spector while successfully and affectionately pastiching the rock and roll style of the early 1960s. Wizzard had seven UK Singles Chart hits with different songs during this period including two consecutive singles, " See My Baby Jive " and " Angel Fingers " which reached the top of that chart. Meanwhile, he released several solo albums, exploring further musical directions. His 1973 album Boulders
7584-526: The 'Roy Wood Big Band', which charted at No. 59, and in 2000 he joined forces with Mike Batt and the Wombles , for a re-working of "I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday" and the Wombles' hit "Wombling Merry Christmas", together in one song which reached No. 22. Over Christmas 2007, Wood appeared in a catalogue advertisement for Argos , where he played the part of a rowdy neighbour playing guitar along to Wizzard's "I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday", and
7742-517: The 112-mile (180 km) London and Birmingham Railway of 1838. Birmingham schoolteacher Rowland Hill invented the postage stamp and created the first modern universal postal system in 1839. Alexander Parkes invented the first human-made plastic in the Jewellery Quarter in 1855. By the 1820s, the country's extensive canal system had been constructed, giving greater access to natural resources and fuel for industries. During
7900-454: The 1931 tornado. Notable tornadoes have also struck the city in 1923, 1946, 1951, 1998 and 1999, most of which being of T2-T4/F1-F2 intensity. There are 571 parks within Birmingham – more than any other European city – totalling over 3,500 hectares (14 sq mi) of public open space. The city has over six million trees, and 250 miles (400 kilometres) of urban brooks and streams. Sutton Park , which covers 2,400 acres (971 ha) in
8058-632: The 1970s, A Question of Balance . This album, No. 1 in the UK and No. 3 on the Billboard chart in the US, was indicative of the band's growing success in America. Hayward's "Question" was issued as a single, reaching No. 2 in the UK. Pinder's "Melancholy Man" would be released as a single in France, reaching No. 1 there. Hayward began an artful exploration of guitar tone through the use of numerous effects pedals and fuzzboxes and developed for himself
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#17328024879658216-403: The 2001, 2011, and 2021 censuses, the proportion of Christians in Birmingham decreased from 59.1% to 46.1% to 34%, while the proportion of Muslims increased from 14.3% to 21.8% to 29.9% and the proportion of people with no religious affiliation increased from 12.4% to 19.3% to 24.1%. All other religions remained proportionately similar. St Philip's Cathedral was upgraded from church status when
8374-602: The B-side, in September 1964. Despite some publicity, including an appearance on the cult television programme Ready Steady Go! , the single failed to chart. The band's big breakthrough came with their second single, a cover of Bessie Banks ' " Go Now ", released in November 1964. Promoted on television with one of the first purpose-made promotional films in the rock and pop era, it reached No. 1 in Britain (where it remains their only No. 1 single) and No. 10 in America , where it
8532-462: The Beatles and Marianne Faithfull among others. The day after the party, as Laine later recalled, "we called up the Ridgepride office and said we needed £100 to pay for the drinks bill. They told us they would be right over to see us, but they never showed up. When we went around to the office we discovered they had closed it down and run to the hills, leaving us in the lurch!". Ridgepride left
8690-584: The Beginning", leading into Hayward's "Lovely to See You". His "Never Comes the Day" was issued as a UK single, while Thomas contributed wry observations of life in "Dear Diary" and "Lazy Day". Pinder contributed the closing track on side one, "So Deep Within You". Side two closed with the "Dream Sequence", Edge's poem "The Dream" leading into Pinder's "Have You Heard?" parts I and II with the two parts separated by his classically themed instrumental piece "The Voyage". The band's music continued to become more complex and symphonic, with heavy amounts of reverberation on
8848-432: The Birmingham Six and sentenced to life imprisonment, who were acquitted after 16 years by the Court of Appeal . The convictions are now considered one of the worst British miscarriages of justice in recent times. The true perpetrators of the attacks are yet to be arrested. Birmingham remained by far Britain's most prosperous provincial city as late as the 1970s, with household incomes exceeding even those of London and
9006-421: The Borough was divided into 13 wards. William Scholefield became the first Mayor and William Redfern was appointed as Town Clerk. Birmingham Town Police were established the following year. Birmingham's tradition of innovation continued into the 19th century. Birmingham was the terminus for both of the world's first two long-distance railway lines: the 82-mile (132 km) Grand Junction Railway of 1837 and
9164-433: The Bull Ring , is Grade II* listed . A short distance from Five Ways the Birmingham Oratory was completed in 1910 on the site of Cardinal Newman 's original foundation. There are several Christadelphian meeting halls in the city and the Christadelphian Magazine and Publishing Group has its headquarters in Hall Green . Roy Wood Roy Wood (born 8 November 1947) is an English musician, singer and songwriter. He
9322-421: The Four Tops , with the former winning Pinder an Ivor Novello Award . Elkie Brooks later covered Hayward's "Nights in White Satin". Pinder also appeared on John Lennon 's Imagine album in 1971, providing additional percussion on " I Don't Wanna Be a Soldier (I Don't Want to Die) ". In late 1972, a re-issue of the five-year-old "Nights in White Satin" became the Moody Blues' biggest US hit, reaching No. 2 on
9480-433: The Lost Chord , included " Legend of a Mind ", a song written by Ray Thomas in tribute to LSD guru Timothy Leary which encompassed a flute solo performed by Thomas – four members of the group had taken LSD together for the first time in early 1967. Lodge provided a two-part song "House of Four Doors" set either side of Thomas's epic piece. Hayward began playing sitar and incorporating it into Moody Blues music ("Voices in
9638-403: The Moody Blues' own new material was undertaken instead, with Decca/Deram executives not finding out about the change of plan until after the album was finished. The Decca/Deram executives were initially sceptical about the hybrid style of the resulting concept album. Released in November 1967, Days of Future Passed peaked at No. 27 on the British LP chart. Five years later it reached No. 3 on
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#17328024879659796-429: The Moody Blues, Pinder, Thomas and Edge, assembled a new line-up in October 1966. The new members were bassist and vocalist (and ex-El Riot & the Rebels member) John Lodge and guitarist and vocalist Justin Hayward . Hayward was formerly of the Wilde Three with famed UK singer Marty Wilde (father of future pop star Kim Wilde ). He was recommended to Pinder by Eric Burdon of the Animals . Pinder phoned Hayward and
9954-478: The New Seekers on the Cliff Richard vehicle It's Cliff Richard! , the song finished in last place with 3,842 votes. The group included the track on their album We'd Like to Teach the World to Sing . Wood recorded his own version of "Songs of Praise", releasing it on the B-side of his 1973 single, " Dear Elaine ". While the Move were still together, Wood, along with his band colleagues Jeff Lynne and Bev Bevan , founded Electric Light Orchestra (ELO), which
10112-445: The Rain ", was the first song played by Tony Blackburn at the launch of BBC Radio 1 on September 30, 1967, and the band evolved over a three-year period. After the departure of the Move's lead singer Carl Wayne , Wood's influence became more prominent. In 1967, Wood (and fellow Move member Trevor Burton ) sang backing vocals on the track "You Got Me Floatin ' ", on the Jimi Hendrix Experience 's album Axis: Bold as Love . Wood
10270-497: The Rebels split when Lodge went to technical college in 1963, with Thomas and Pinder forming a new band, the Krew Kats. At the end of 1963, after a disappointing spell in Hamburg , Germany, Thomas and Pinder began making plans to start a new band. Meanwhile, by the beginning of 1964, Warwick, Edge and Laine had all left their previous bands and begun working together in a new band, the R&B Preachers. Thomas and Pinder formed their new band in May 1964, recruiting Edge and Laine with
10428-450: The Rivers Tame, Rea and Cole and their tributaries. To the north and west of the fault, between 150 and 600 feet (46 and 183 metres) higher than the surrounding area and underlying much of the city centre, lies a long ridge of harder Keuper Sandstone . The bedrock underlying Birmingham was mostly laid down during the Permian and Triassic periods. The area has evidence of glacial deposits , with prominent erratic boulders becoming
10586-409: The Sky", "Visions of Paradise", "Om"), having been inspired by George Harrison. Hayward's "Voices in the Sky" charted as a single in the UK (No. 27), as did Lodge's "Ride My See-Saw" (No. 42, No. 15 in France), which featured a non-album track, Pinder's "A Simple Game", as the B-side. Pinder contributed " The Best Way to Travel " and album's closer "Om". Graeme Edge found a significant secondary role in
10744-416: The South East, but its economic diversity and capacity for regeneration declined in the decades that followed World War II as Central Government sought to restrict the city's growth and disperse industry and population to the stagnating areas of Wales and Northern England . These measures hindered "the natural self-regeneration of businesses in Birmingham, leaving it top-heavy with the old and infirm", and
10902-407: The UK by people from foreign nations. The name Birmingham comes from the Old English Beormingahām , meaning the home or settlement of the Beormingas – a tribe or clan whose name means 'Beorma's people' and which may have formed an early unit of Anglo-Saxon administration. Beorma , after whom the tribe was named, could have been its leader at the time of the Anglo-Saxon settlement,
11060-412: The UK. They were the support act for Status Quo at several UK dates in the weeks leading up to Christmas 2009 and 2011. In December 2018, Wood and his band's touring equipment worth £100,000 was stolen following a ram-raid on a warehouse in Leeds. The police later recovered the van and equipment in East Ardsley . Wood currently lives in South Derbyshire . He voted to leave the European Union in
11218-425: The UK. Unable to get gigs, they had no choice but to play the cabaret circuit. This lasted only a short time and after a confrontation with an audience member at one show, who went backstage to berate the band on their performance, the band realised that continuing to play rhythm and blues covers without Laine, whose voice had been the best suited to that style, was not working (in a 2005 interview, Hayward stated that
11376-508: The US, "Nights in White Satin" did not make the Billboard Hot 100 on its original release as a single in 1968 ("bubbling under" at No. 103), although it reached No. 2 on re-release in 1972. It is now regarded as the Moody Blues' signature song. In the US "Tuesday Afternoon" was also released as a single and was more successful on initial release, peaking at No. 24 on the Billboard Hot 100. The band's next album, 1968's In Search of
11534-455: The US, and reached No. 5 in the UK. The album saw Pinder using the new Chamberlin instrument. His stirring lament "Lost in a Lost World" opened the album, while he also contributed a sympathetic ode to Timothy Leary, "When You're a Free Man". The album also included one of Thomas's most popular songs, "For My Lady". Lodge's songs " Isn't Life Strange " and " I'm Just a Singer (In a Rock and Roll Band) " (the latter written in response to some of
11692-556: The Wake Green football club; Bartley and Frankley reservoirs; and Handsworth cemetery with surrounding golf courses. Birmingham has many areas of wildlife that lie in both informal settings such as the Project Kingfisher and Woodgate Valley Country Park and in a selection of parks such as Lickey Hills Country Park , Pype Hayes Park & Newhall Valley, Handsworth Park , Kings Heath Park , and Cannon Hill Park ,
11850-628: The Welsh capital Cardiff , 45 miles (72 km) south-west of Nottingham , 70 miles (110 km) south of Manchester , and 75 miles (121 km) north-north-east of Bristol . Much of the area now occupied by the city was originally a northern reach of the ancient Forest of Arden and the city remains relatively densely covered by oak in a large number of districts such as Moseley , Saltley , Yardley , Stirchley and Hockley . These places, with names ending in "-ley", deriving from Old English - lēah meaning "woodland clearing", are named after
12008-499: The age of 25 and the median age being 34 years of age, below the national average of 40. Religion in Birmingham (2021) Christianity is the largest religion within Birmingham, with 34% of residents identifying as Christians in the 2021 Census . The city's religious profile is highly diverse: outside London, Birmingham has the United Kingdom's largest Muslim , Sikh and Buddhist communities; its second largest Hindu community; and its seventh largest Jewish community. Between
12166-545: The album and made No. 19 in the UK in late 1967/early 1968. It would eventually make No. 9 in the UK on re-issue in December 1972 and No. 14 on the charts in another re-issue at the end of 1979 — by which time it had been covered by several artists, including Eric Burdon and War , Giorgio Moroder , The Dickies and eventually by various non-English-language artists, including Franck Pourcel , Dalida , Tommy Körberg , and I Nomadi ., and American Bettye LaVette . Likewise, in
12324-446: The album included a Lodge/Pinder collaboration, "Out and In". Lodge provided his two-part "Eyes of a Child" and "Candle of Life", while Pinder contributed "Sun Is Still Shining". The album closed with its only single, " Watching and Waiting ", sung by Hayward and composed by him and Thomas. It was during 1969 that the band established their own label Threshold Records under licence to Decca Records. To Our Children's Children's Children
12482-426: The album, including backing up Graeme Edge's opening and closing poems. The orchestra and band never performed together during the recording. With the exception of the overdubbed strings on the latter part of Hayward's " Nights in White Satin ", the orchestral sounds on the band's own songs were actually played by Pinder on Mellotron. Despite being a lush concept album, it was recorded in a very workmanlike manner, with
12640-639: The area during the Bronze Age , when a substantial but short-lived influx of population occurred between 1700 BC and 1000 BC, possibly caused by conflict or immigration in the surrounding area. During the 1st-century Roman conquest of Britain , the forested country of the Birmingham Plateau formed a barrier to the advancing Roman legions, who built the large Metchley Fort in the area of modern-day Edgbaston in AD ;48, and made it
12798-612: The army. Other Birmingham rock and roll bands around during these years included Danny King & the Dukes (formed 1958), with bassist Clint Warwick , Gerry Levine & the Avengers (formed 1959), with drummer Graeme Edge and future Electric Light Orchestra member Roy Wood on guitar, and Denny & the Diplomats (formed 1962), with vocalist and guitarist Denny Laine and another future ELO member, drummer Bev Bevan . El Riot &
12956-480: The attempted 1966 album included. Most of the songs for this second album were Laine/Pinder originals, with Tim Hardin 's "Hang On to a Dream" being the only cover. Laine would go on to join Paul McCartney's post-Beatles band Wings in 1971. Along with Paul and Linda McCartney , Laine was one of the three members to remain with Wings from their formation to their 1981 split. The three remaining members of
13114-423: The band as a writer of poetry, with all their late 1960s albums beginning with various band members reciting poems by Edge that were conceptually related to the lyrics of the songs that followed. Edge narrated his brief "Departure" poem on Lost Chord , although Pinder recited the majority of Edge's poetry, as according to Edge, he had the best voice for it due to "smoking more cigarettes and drinking more whisky at
13272-447: The band bankrupt with several debts, taking all the money earned from their records up to that point, including the No. 1 hit "Go Now", with them. Now without Ridgepride, the band signed directly to Decca Records in the UK and London Records in the US, with the Beatles' manager Brian Epstein taking on management of the Moody Blues. Their next single "Everyday", another Laine/Pinder original,
13430-552: The band continued playing their biggest hit "Go Now" after he and Lodge joined, with different members attempting lead vocal, but that it never sounded right). Although the band had only released original songs on record after The Magnificent Moodies in July 1965, the R&;B covers were still the main focus of their live show until this point, after which the band focused primarily on playing their own original songs, with Hayward bringing
13588-604: The band in 1966, with Edge, Pinder and Thomas recruiting new members Justin Hayward (guitar/vocals) and John Lodge (bass/vocals). They embraced the psychedelic rock movement of the late 1960s, with their second album, 1967's Days of Future Passed , being a fusion of rock with classical music (performed with the London Festival Orchestra ) that established the band as pioneers in the development of art rock and progressive rock . It has been described as
13746-490: The band recording a particular song, then the track being presented to Peter Knight who quickly composed a suitable "linking" orchestral portion, which he and the orchestra then recorded. The album was as much an original work by Knight himself as the group. The composing credit for the whole album was listed as Redwave/Knight (Redwave being a made-up collective name for the five Moody Blues), although "Nights in White Satin" and " Tuesday Afternoon " were written by Hayward, "Dawn Is
13904-525: The band were unable to make any television appearances in the US during the tour, although the live concerts still went ahead. In July 1966, Warwick retired from the group and the music business. After unsuccessful attempts to recruit Klaus Voormann (who took up a simultaneous offer to join Manfred Mann instead) and the Who 's John Entwistle , the band hired Rod Clark as Warwick's replacement on bass. At
14062-708: The band's hippie fans, who mistook the Moodies as spiritual leaders due to the philosophical themes of many of their lyrics) were lifted as singles from Seventh Sojourn, both reaching the Top 40 in the UK and US. In an interview following the release of Seventh Sojourn , Edge told Rolling Stone : "We've got two Christians, one Mystic, one Pedantic and one Mess, and we all get on a treat." By this time, other bands were picking up their work. Pinder's songs "A Simple Game" (1968) and "So Deep Within You" (1969) were successfully covered by
14220-411: The band's producer for the next eleven years. "Fly Me High" picked up both radio airplay and favourable reviews, but failed to chart in the UK. The track showed elements of the folk rock and psychedelic styles that were pervading rock music during this time. The band went further in the psychedelic direction on their next single, Pinder's "Love and Beauty", which was issued in September 1967. This too
14378-409: The beginning of October, Laine also left the band, followed by new member Clark a few days later. Shortly after Laine and Clark left, Epstein announced that he no longer represented the Moody Blues. While the Moodies appeared to be disintegrating, Decca released their new single, "Boulevard de la Madeleine" with "This Is My House (But Nobody Calls)" as the B-side, just a few days after Laine's departure
14536-470: The borough are designated as green belt , as a portion of the wider West Midlands Green Belt. This is a strategic local government policy used to prevent urban sprawl and preserve greenfield land . Areas included are the aforementioned Sutton Park; land along the borough boundary by the Sutton Coldfield, Walmley and Minworth suburbs; Kingfisher, Sheldon, Woodgate Valley country parks; grounds by
14694-484: The bridge section), and the two poems which were recited by Pinder. Together with Tony Clarke, engineer Derek Varnals also contributed heavily to the creation of the Moody Blues' classic studio sound, working with Pinder and Clarke to create a more symphonic overlapping sound on the Mellotron as opposed to the sharp 'cut off' the instrument normally gave, partly achieved by removing all the "sound effects" tapes (trains, whistles, cockerel crowing, etc.) and then 'doubling up'
14852-475: The city became increasingly dependent on the motor industry . The recession of the early 1980s saw Birmingham's economy collapse, with unprecedented levels of unemployment and outbreaks of social unrest in inner-city districts. Since the turn of the 21st century, many parts of Birmingham have been transformed, with the redevelopment of the Bullring Shopping Centre , the construction of
15010-575: The city via the Cheshire gap on north westerly airstreams, but can also come off the North Sea from north easterly airstreams. Extreme weather is rare, but the city has been known to experience tornadoes . On 14 June 1931, an extremely damaging T6/F3 tornado struck the city, carving an 11-mile damage path through Hollywood, Hall Green, Sparkbrook, Tyseley, Greet and Small Heath, causing extensive damage and killing 1 woman. On 23 November 1981, during
15168-528: The city. Birmingham is drained only by minor rivers and brooks, primarily the River Tame and its tributaries the Cole and the Rea . Birmingham is located significantly inland, and its nearest body of sea is at Liverpool Bay . It lies at the same latitude as Lowestoft , Britain's easternmost settlement; it is therefore much more proximate to the western coast of Wales, at Cardigan Bay . The City of Birmingham forms
15326-557: The coldest night typically fell to −9.0 °C (15.8 °F). Some 11.2 days each year rose to a temperature of 25.1 °C (77.2 °F) or above and 51.6 nights reported an air frost. The highest recorded temperature recorded at the Edgbaston Campus was 37.4 °C (99.3 °F), whilst a temperature of 37.0 °C (98.6 °F) was recorded at Birmingham Airport on the city's eastern edge, both recorded on 19 July 2022 . Like most other large cities, Birmingham has
15484-479: The creation of a planned market town and seigneurial borough within his demesne or manorial estate, around the site that became the Bull Ring . This established Birmingham as the primary commercial centre for the Birmingham Plateau at a time when the area's economy was expanding rapidly, with population growth nationally leading to the clearance, cultivation and settlement of previously marginal land. Within
15642-429: The deeper drama of Hayward's "You Can Never Go Home", Lodge's "One More Time to Live" and Pinder's "My Song". Edge started writing lyrics intended to be sung, rather than verses to be spoken – his "After You Came" featured each of the other four members taking a vocal section. The album saw the band moving away from the Mellotron as their primary keyboard instrument, with the synthesizer starting to take its place. The album
15800-747: The early 1960s was the Falcons, which he left in 1963 to join Gerry Levene and the Avengers. He then moved to Mike Sheridan and the Nightriders (the band later became the Idle Race ). He attended the Moseley College of Art , but was expelled in 1964. The Move was formed from other Birmingham-based groups, and quickly entered the UK Singles Chart . Their single "Night of Fear" climbed to No. 2 in early 1967. Their third hit, " Flowers in
15958-463: The exchange of knowledge between pure science and the practical world of manufacturing and technology. This created a "chain reaction of innovation", forming a pivotal link between the earlier Scientific Revolution and the Industrial Revolution that would follow. Birmingham's explosive industrial expansion started earlier than that of the textile-manufacturing towns of the North of England , and
16116-626: The fabric of privilege to its base" in 1832 led John Bright to make Birmingham the platform for his successful campaign for the Second Reform Act of 1867, which extended voting rights to the urban working class. The original Charter of Incorporation , dated 31 October 1838, was received in Birmingham on 1 November, then read in the Town Hall on 5 November with elections for the first Birmingham Town Council being held on 26 December. Sixteen Aldermen and 48 Councillors were elected and
16274-512: The first act to earn each of its first three Top 10 singles in the United States in three different decades. Moraz departed in 1991, followed by Thomas in 2002. The band's last studio album was the Christmas album December (2003), after which they decided against recording any further studio albums. They continued to tour throughout the 2000s and later reunited periodically for events, one-off concerts, short tours and cruises, until Graeme Edge,
16432-458: The first importance" in the development of the mechanised cotton industry . In 1741 they opened the world's first cotton mill in Birmingham's Upper Priory. In 1746 John Roebuck invented the lead chamber process , enabling the large-scale manufacture of sulphuric acid , and in 1780 James Keir developed a process for the bulk manufacture of alkali , together marking the birth of the modern chemical industry . In 1765 Matthew Boulton opened
16590-426: The first time the manufacturing capacity of human society from the limited availability of hand, water and animal power, this was arguably the pivotal moment of the entire Industrial Revolution and a key factor in the worldwide increases in productivity over the following century. Birmingham rose to national political prominence in the campaign for political reform in the early 19th century, with Thomas Attwood and
16748-647: The focus of a network of Roman roads . Birmingham was then later established by the Beormingas around the 6th or 7th century as a small settlement in the then heavily forested Arden region in Mercia . The development of Birmingham into a significant urban and commercial centre began in 1166, when the Lord of the Manor Peter de Bermingham obtained a charter to hold a market at his castle , and followed this with
16906-592: The former forest. Birmingham is dominated by the Birmingham Fault, which runs diagonally through the city from the Lickey Hills in the south west, passing through Edgbaston and the Bull Ring, to Erdington and Sutton Coldfield in the north east. To the south and east of the fault the ground is largely softer Mercia Mudstone , interspersed with beds of Bunter pebbles and crossed by the valleys of
17064-419: The group's earlier recordings; however, it became a far more featured instrument from this point onwards as the psychedelic influences became stronger in the band's music. By the autumn of 1967 the Moody Blues' contract with Decca Records was set to expire and they owed the label several thousand pounds in advances. They had the support, however, of Decca A&R manager Hugh Mendl , who had been instrumental in
17222-550: The heart of the emergence of industrial society . In 1709 the Birmingham-trained Abraham Darby I moved to Coalbrookdale in Shropshire and built the first blast furnace to successfully smelt iron ore with coke , transforming the quality, volume and scale on which it was possible to produce cast iron . In 1732 Lewis Paul and John Wyatt invented roller spinning , the "one novel idea of
17380-500: The industry's products. By the 1600s Birmingham formed the commercial hub of a network of forges and furnaces stretching from South Wales to Cheshire and its merchants were selling finished manufactured goods as far afield as the West Indies . These trading links gave Birmingham's metalworkers access to much wider markets, allowing them to diversify away from lower-skilled trades producing basic goods for local sale, towards
17538-543: The last of these singles, "Aerial Pictures", backed with "Airborne", was cancelled owing to the lack of chart success for its predecessors, but both sides appeared for the first time in 2006 on a compilation CD, Roy Wood – The Wizzard! . "Aerial Pictures", using the original backing track, subsequently became a solo single for Carl Wayne, the Move's former vocalist. Wood also made a one-off rock and roll medley single with Phil Lynott , Chas Hodges and John Coghlan , credited to The Rockers, "We Are The Boys" (1983), and played
17696-556: The last remaining original member, retired in 2018. Clint Warwick died in 2004, followed by Ray Thomas in 2018, Graeme Edge in 2021, Denny Laine in 2023, and Mike Pinder in 2024. The Moody Blues sold 70 million albums worldwide, including 18 platinum and gold LPs. They produced 16 studio albums, six of which made the US Top 20 (with two reaching No. 1) and eight of which made the UK Top 20 (with three reaching No. 1). They were inducted into
17854-536: The later expansion of the Anglo-Saxon population, in some cases possibly on earlier British sites. There is evidence of early human activity in the Birmingham area dating back to around 8000 BC, with Stone Age artefacts suggesting seasonal settlements, overnight hunting parties and woodland activities such as tree felling. The many burnt mounds that can still be seen around the city indicate that modern humans first intensively settled and cultivated
18012-538: The latter also housing the mini zoo, Birmingham Wildlife Conservation Park . The 2021 census recorded 1,144,900 people living in Birmingham, an increase of around 6.7% from 2011 when 1,073,045 were recorded. It is the 27th largest city in Europe by population within its city boundary. Birmingham's continuous urban area extends beyond the city's boundaries: the Birmingham Larger Urban Zone ,
18170-477: The line-up completed by Warwick after Lodge turned down an offer to join; the other members intended to move to London as a professional band after a few local gigs, while he was still in college and determined to finish. The new band hoped to receive sponsorship from the local Mitchells & Butlers Brewery (who owned numerous live music clubs), even naming themselves the M&B5, though the sponsorship failed to materialise. The M&B5 played their first live show
18328-625: The lines of the treble clef: EGBDF. One of the Moodies' most experimental albums, the opening track, "Procession", depicted the "evolution" of music, leading into Hayward's " The Story in Your Eyes ", which was released as a single in the US where it reached No. 23. "Procession" is the only Moody Blues song credited to the entire band (not counting the Redwave credit on Days of Future Passed ). Lodge's contributions included "Emily's Song", written for his newly born daughter, while Thomas's reflective "Our Guessing Game" and whimsical "Nice to Be Here" offset
18486-516: The management firm, with the band's next single, the Laine/Pinder original "From the Bottom of My Heart (I Love You)", being produced by Denny Cordell , who would remain their producer into 1966. The single was released in May 1965 and did better than "I Don't Want to Go On Without You", reaching No. 22 in the UK. In July 1965, the band released their first album, The Magnificent Moodies . It
18644-472: The members of the Lunar Society of Birmingham – became influential participants in the circulation of philosophical and scientific ideas among Europe's intellectual elite. The close relationship between Enlightenment Birmingham's leading thinkers and its major manufacturers – in men like Matthew Boulton and James Keir they were often in fact the same people – made it particularly important for
18802-425: The most well-known political figures who have lived in Birmingham. The city established its own university in 1900. The city suffered heavy bomb damage during World War II 's " Birmingham Blitz ". The city was also the scene of two scientific discoveries that were to prove critical to the outcome of the war. Otto Frisch and Rudolf Peierls first described how a practical nuclear weapon could be constructed in
18960-618: The new Library of Birmingham (the largest public library in Europe) and the regeneration of old industrial areas such as Brindleyplace , The Mailbox and the International Convention Centre , as well as the rationalisation of the Inner Ring Road . In 1998 Birmingham hosted the 24th G8 summit . The city successfully hosted the 2022 Commonwealth Games . On 5 September 2023 Birmingham city council issued
19118-501: The next two years, while the Moodies' Decca/London labelmates the Rolling Stones used Mellotron heavily on their 1967 album Their Satanic Majesties Request and its preceding single " We Love You "). It took the idea of rock/classical fusion to new heights, using the London Festival Orchestra to provide an orchestral linking framework to the group's already written and performed songs, plus overture and conclusion sections on
19276-612: The north and west. The city absorbed Sutton Coldfield in 1974 and became a metropolitan borough in the new West Midlands county . A top-level government body, the West Midlands Combined Authority , was formed in April 2016. The WMCA holds devolved powers in transport, development planning, and economic growth. The authority is governed by a directly elected mayor , similar to the Mayor of London . Birmingham
19434-544: The north of the city, is the largest urban park in Europe and a national nature reserve . Birmingham Botanical Gardens , located close to the city centre, retains the regency landscape of its original design by J. C. Loudon in 1829, while the Winterbourne Botanic Garden in Edgbaston reflects the more informal Arts and Crafts tastes of its Edwardian origins. Several green spaces within
19592-420: The population were aged between 15 and 64, higher than when compared to the national average of 64.1% in England and Wales. Furthermore, 20.9% of the population were aged under 15, higher than the national average of 17.4% while the population aged over 65 was 13.1%, which was lower than the national average of 18.6% respectively. Birmingham is one of the youngest cities in Europe with 40% of its population below
19750-537: The population were born outside the UK, an increase of 4.5% percentage points from 2011. Figures showed that the five largest foreign-born groups living in Birmingham were born in Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Romania and Jamaica. In 2011, 57% of primary and 52% of secondary pupils were from non-White British families. As of 2021, 31.6% of school pupils in Birmingham were White , 37.7% were Asian , 12.6% were Black , 9.7% were Mixed race and 8.4% were Other. There
19908-478: The project, and Mendl (as executive producer) was able to provide this despite Decca's notoriously tight-fisted attitude to its artists. According to the band, Peter Knight , who had been assigned to arrange and conduct the orchestral interludes, came to see them play live before the recording and liked their newly written songs so much he preferred to work on an album of those rather than the Dvořák assignment. An album of
20066-409: The recent establishment of London/Decca's new subsidiary imprint Deram Records . With Mendl's backing, the Moody Blues were offered a deal to make a rock version of Antonín Dvořák 's New World Symphony to promote the company's new Deramic Stereo Sound audio format in return for which the group would be forgiven their debt. The Moody Blues agreed, but insisted that they be given artistic control of
20224-451: The rigid paternalism and deference of feudal society , and loyalties to the traditional hierarchies of the established church and aristocracy were weak. The town's reputation for political radicalism and its strongly Parliamentarian sympathies saw it attacked by Royalist forces in the Battle of Birmingham in 1643, and it developed into a centre of Puritanism in the 1630s and as
20382-404: The road with a band billed as Roy Wood's Army. He also wrote and recorded two tracks with Lynne in 1989 ("If You Can't Get What You Want" and "Me and You"), which were never released. His most regularly broadcast song is the seasonal Wizzard single " I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday ", which remains one of the most played Christmas songs in the UK. In 1995, Wood released a new live version as
20540-673: The song once again entered the UK Singles Chart, peaking at No. 16. In the 2010 Christmas special of the ITV comedy Benidorm , Wood in a cameo role performed his Christmas hit at the Benidorm Palace cabaret theatre. He later performed with Wizzard on the Christmas edition of Pointless Celebrities in December 2013. Wood formed the Roy Wood Rock & Roll Band for occasional live dates and television performances in
20698-471: The string instruments competing against the guitars and drums, as well as Wood's constant moving from instrument to instrument during the shows (playing bass, guitar, cello and saxophone). After increasing tensions, Wood left in July 1972 at the start of the second album sessions, following a trip to Italy. He formed a new group, Wizzard , which assembled cellists, brass players and a bigger rhythm section, with several drummers and percussionists. Wood emulated
20856-433: The studio as musician, producer and songwriter. He was a fan of Elvis Presley , but never succeeded in getting him to adopt one of his compositions. He was untiring as a producer for other acts, most successfully doo-wop revivalists Darts . In 1976, Wood recorded the Beatles songs " Lovely Rita " and " Polythene Pam " for the ill-fated musical documentary All This and World War II . In 1977, he formed Wizzo Band ,
21014-519: The summer of 1964. Soon after they arrived, the band obtained a management company, Ridgepride, formed by Alex Wharton (later known as Alex Murray), who had been in the A&;R division of Decca Records . They signed a recording contract with Ridgepride, who then leased their recordings to Decca. They released their first single, a cover of Bobby Parker 's "Steal Your Heart Away" with the Laine/Pinder original "Lose Your Money (But Don't Lose Your Mind)" as
21172-404: The tapes of orchestral instruments' sounds, which combined with Pinder's knowledge of the instrument and ability at playing it, and Clarke and Varnals' recording skills, created an orchestral 'wave' sound that characterised the Moody Blues' music thereafter. "Nights in White Satin" — despite eventually becoming a legendary classic — was very slow to gain popularity. It was released as a single from
21330-422: The time Laine and Clark departed, the Moody Blues had been in the process of recording their second album, to be titled Look Out! , with Cordell still producing. The album was shelved and "Really Haven't Got the Time" is the only song title mentioned in the article. In 2014 Cherry Red Records , on their Esoteric Records imprint, released a double CD edition of The Magnificent Moodies with a number of tracks from
21488-530: The time". In Search of the Lost Chord was the band's first album to feature artwork by Phil Travers, whose striking surreal scenic imagery would continue for all their albums through to 1972's Seventh Sojourn . The band released two albums in 1969. The first, On the Threshold of a Dream , became their first No. 1 album in the UK. It opened with Hayward, Edge and Pinder sharing narration on Edge's "In
21646-516: The time, he was interested in how music can affect and change people's moods. The "Blues" was also a reference to the band's set at the time consisting mostly of rhythm and blues . During their first year together, as well as playing their own shows and making their own records, the Moodies (as they were often nicknamed by fans and the band themselves) also provided backing for various blues performers touring England, including Sonny Boy Williamson and Memphis Slim . The Moody Blues moved to London in
21804-607: The town of Tamworth and the city of Lichfield in Staffordshire to the north; the city of Coventry and the towns of Nuneaton , Bedworth , Whitnash , Kenilworth , Rugby, Atherstone , Coleshill , Warwick and Leamington Spa to the east in Warwickshire and the Worcestershire towns of Redditch and Bromsgrove to the south west. As the crow flies, Birmingham lies approximately 100 miles (160 km) north-west of London , 85 miles (137 km) north-east of
21962-430: The town with an unusually high degree of social and economic freedom and initiating a period of transition and growth. The importance of the manufacture of iron goods to Birmingham's economy was recognised as early as 1538, and grew rapidly as the century progressed. Equally significant was the town's emerging role as a centre for the iron merchants who organised finance, supplied raw materials and traded and marketed
22120-454: The track, "there's a great big bit in the middle where nothing happens, it was supposed to be Ray playing flute"). "I Don't Want to Go On Without You" was also included on a four-track EP, simply titled The Moody Blues , in April 1965 which reached No. 12 on the UK EP chart. The other tracks included were "Go Now", "Steal Your Heart Away" and "Lose Your Money". Around this time Alex Wharton left
22278-405: The vocal tracks. The second album of 1969, To Our Children's Children's Children , was a concept album inspired by the first Moon landing . The album peaked at No. 2 on the UK charts. The opening track, "Higher and Higher", saw Pinder simulate a rocket blast-off on keyboards, then narrate Edge's lyrics. Thomas contributed the songs "Floating" and "Eternity Road", while Hayward provided "Gypsy" and
22436-817: The wider metropolitan area with a population numbering 3,558,916 in 2019 according to Eurostat. Around 305,688 or 26.7% of the population in 2021 were foreign-born , making it a city with one of the largest migrant populations in Europe . According to figures from the 2021 census, 48.7% of the population was White (42.9% White British , 1.5% White Irish , 4.0% Other White , 0.2% Roma , 0.1% Irish Traveller ), 31% were Asian (17.0% Pakistani , 5.8% Indian , 4.2% Bangladeshi , 1.1% Chinese , 2.9% Other Asian ), 10.9% were Black (5.8% African , 3.9% Caribbean , 1.2% Other Black ), 4.8% of Mixed race (2.2% White and Black Caribbean, 0.4% White and Black African, 1.1% White and Asian, 1.1% Other Mixed), 1.7% Arab and 4.6% of Other ethnic heritage. The 2021 census showed 26.7% of
22594-451: Was a mix of rhythm and blues covers and Laine/Pinder originals, the latter showing more of a Merseybeat influence. The album also included a cover of the George and Ira Gershwin standard " It Ain't Necessarily So ". The back cover featured a specially-written prose poem by Donovan . The band held a launch party for the album, with guests including George Harrison and Paul McCartney of
22752-428: Was also one of the earliest records to feature electronic drums, played by Edge. Every Good Boy Deserves Favour became the band's second consecutive, and third overall, No. 1 album in the UK and reached No. 2 in the US, their highest album chart placement there so far. In 1972, the band returned to the more lush sound of their late 1960s albums with Seventh Sojourn , which became their first album to reach No. 1 in
22910-455: Was an almost entirely genuine solo effort, right down to the sleeve artwork, with Wood playing a wide variety of musical instruments . A second solo album, Mustard , released in 1975 and including contributions by Phil Everly and Annie Haslam , was less successful. By the late 1970s, Wood was appearing less in public; commercial success faded away, and his musical experiments did not always match popular taste, but he remained productive in
23068-622: Was announced (the single had been released in the US in June 1966, though the A- and B-sides were switched for the UK release). A further single, " Life's Not Life ", was issued in January 1967. This single's release is often listed in discographies as being cancelled, though both promo and regular stock copies have been seen over the years. In the November 1966 issue of Hit Week , Dutch interviewers Hans van Rij and Emie Havers wrote an article saying that at
23226-418: Was driven by different factors. Instead of the economies of scale of a low-paid, unskilled workforce producing a single bulk commodity such as cotton or wool in large, mechanised units of production, Birmingham's industrial development was built on the adaptability and creativity of a highly paid workforce with a strong division of labour , practising a broad variety of skilled specialist trades and producing
23384-458: Was for Threshold to produce new albums and deliver them to Decca in the UK and London in the US who would act as distributor. Birmingham Birmingham ( / ˈ b ɜːr m ɪ ŋ ə m / BUR -ming-əm ) is a city and metropolitan borough in the metropolitan county of West Midlands in England . It is the second-largest city in Britain – commonly referred to as
23542-520: Was impressed when Hayward played him his single "London Is Behind Me" (released in January 1966) during their car ride to meet the other members in Esher . Around this time "Boulevard de la Madeleine" became a hit single in Belgium and with the band's commercial success floundering in the UK, they relocated there almost immediately after Hayward and Lodge joined. By February 1967 the band had returned to
23700-567: Was keen on musical experimentation, and was an early proponent of combining rock and roll and pop music with other styles, such as classical music , or the big band sound, and introduced classically styled string and brass sections into the pop record. In early 1972, Wood's composition "Songs of Praise" was shortlisted by the BBC as one of six possible choices for the UK entry in the Eurovision Song Contest 1972 . When performed by
23858-563: Was later to gain major commercial success. The original intention was to split up the Move at the end of 1970, but contractual obligations meant that both they and ELO existed together for a year, until the former finally broke up in June 1972. In 2017, the ELO line-up of Roy Wood, Jeff Lynne, Bev Bevan, and Richard Tandy were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. ELO's early live performances were chaotic, due to both poor sound quality of
24016-456: Was not a UK hit, but was significant for being the first Moody Blues track to feature Mellotron , played by Pinder. Prior to the Moody Blues' formation, Pinder had worked for the company that manufactured the Mellotron, though he had not been able to afford one until 1967. Pinder's Mellotron work would become a major part of the band's sound for the next several years. Primarily playing harmonica up to this point, Thomas had played flute on some of
24174-518: Was particularly successful in the 1960s and 1970s as member and co-founder of the Move , Electric Light Orchestra and Wizzard . Wood formed the Move in 1965, and had hits including " Flowers in the Rain ". While the Move were still together, Wood, along with his band colleagues Jeff Lynne and Bev Bevan , founded Electric Light Orchestra (ELO), which was later to gain major commercial success. After increasing tensions, Wood left ELO in 1972 and formed
24332-520: Was released as a single there in December 1965. In early December 1965, the Moody Blues were the support band for the Beatles on what would ultimately be the Beatles' last British tour . The Moodies then spent late December 1965 into January 1966 on their first tour of North America. What could have been a valuable appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show had been booked prior to the tour; however, visa issues upon their arrival in New York City meant
24490-512: Was released in October 1965. The single stalled at No. 44 in the UK, where the band would not release any more records for a year. They were still in demand for live gigs though, and while their chart success was declining in the UK and North America, they were still successful in some other countries during this time, particularly France where their cover of Sonny Boy Williamson's " Bye Bye Bird " from The Magnificent Moodies reached No. 3 when it
24648-516: Was released on London Records . The band struggled to continue the success of "Go Now". They enjoyed a minor British hit with a cover of the Drifters ' " I Don't Want to Go On Without You ", reaching No. 33 in February 1965. Wanting to capitalise quickly on the No. 1 hit, Decca had rush-released the single before the band had completed its recording (as Edge recalled in a 1978 interview regarding
24806-463: Was the first of their albums to be released on their own label. Although the Moodies had by now defined themselves with a lush, atmospheric and high-production psychedelic style, which had been an influence on the then-burgeoning progressive rock genre, by 1970 the band were finding it difficult to recreate their sound in concert and decided to record an album that could be played live more easily, losing some of their lush sound for their first album of
24964-624: Was to give it a political influence unparalleled in Britain outside London and a pivotal role in the development of British democracy. From the summer of 1940 to the spring of 1943, Birmingham was bombed heavily by the German Luftwaffe in what is known as the Birmingham Blitz . The damage done to the city's infrastructure, in addition to a deliberate policy of demolition and new building by planners, led to extensive urban regeneration in subsequent decades. Birmingham's economy
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