Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
I'm Jeff Stevens very excited to talk to Justin Hayward,
the vocalist of the Moody Blues, with a very exciting
tour coming up, and this is going to be this
is gonna be awesome. We get to hear you sing,
but also tell the stories about the Moody Blue songs
that we love.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
I hope. So, I think, yes, I mean, I enjoy
just telling some of the things that happened around the songs,
not particularly about the songs or but but kind of
backstage stuff and things that happened around the group, which
is always amusing. And I hope.
Speaker 1 (00:34):
Jeff, yeah, Oh, I'm sure it's going to be. I'm
sure it's going to be fantastic. So what caused you
to say, you know what, I want to do something
a little bit different. I'm not just going to go
out and you know, sing the great songs. I want
to actually tell some stories, you know, in and around
the songs and the Moody Blues experience for all those decades.
Speaker 2 (00:52):
Well, I think the I think once I called it
the story in your eyes. I enjoy talking with an
audience because I think we're all there for the same reason.
We all want to make it happen. All the people
on stage and all the people who buy a ticket,
we want it to be nice. So I start from
the point of view that everybody's on my side, and
(01:16):
so I just take it from there.
Speaker 1 (01:18):
Really, yeah, well, they are there to see you, so
I'm sure that they love hearing the stories as much
as and in fact, me, as a long time music lover,
I like hearing stories and again, whether it's about the
songs or just your experiences back when you know, when
you guys were first hitting the scene, and even in
recent years, I love hearing stories wrapped around the songs.
(01:40):
And I think obviously people that come to the Miller
Theater are going to love.
Speaker 2 (01:43):
That too, Oh, I hope. So, I mean, the show
is mostly about music, and of course there's a lot
of songs that I wouldn't want to get off stage
without playing, without sharing. And then there's some other things
I'm including in the show that, you know, other songs
(02:04):
that have just come to me lately that I'm revisiting.
And you know, I'm sure it's the same for me.
Speaker 3 (02:12):
When I listen to music, it always transports me to
a place. Maybe when I first heard that or it's
just an emotion and feeling and I had that too.
All of these songs would take me to the place
where I wrote them, and it's a wonderful way of
It's a beautiful kind of nostalgia that we're very lucky
(02:33):
to have if we enjoy music.
Speaker 1 (02:35):
Absolutely. Chatting with Justin Hayward here talking about the Story
in Your Eyes tour coming to the Miller Theater April
twenty first. I remember a friend of mine turned me
on to modern pop music around nineteen eighty eighty one.
So all of a sudden he got me into like
Billy Joel and Holland Oates and I'm starting to hear
(02:55):
all this great music. And that's when you guys released
Long Distance Voyager, so you know, Gemini Dream and the
Voice was my first exposure to you. And then I
went back and listened, you know, to Knights of White
Satin and some of the earlier stuff. But so when
you're talking about music taking you back to a place,
I mean I go back to nineteen eighty one hearing
those songs on the radio, and it's just it puts
(03:17):
me in such a good place.
Speaker 2 (03:20):
Well, I'm very happy about that. It was I think
it was a time for us when we weren't sure
that it was going to happen. Our keyboard player Mike
had left, and our producer Tony Clark. I think different
things were happening in their lives and they had to
sort of move on. I think the four of us
really wanted to continue, but it was the long distance
(03:44):
version was at the time when we didn't really know
what was going to happen, and we were at a
time in our career or our musical life together when
you know, it's a temptation for other people to say, well,
you guys, you know kind of you're done now, right,
But of course we didn't. And the eighties in particular
(04:08):
opened such a wonderful time for us, starting with Long
Distance Voyager, but then to the other side of life
and wildest dreams and I know you're out there somewhere.
What a gift to have that kind of second time around.
We still look good and we you know. I think
(04:29):
the eighties were such a wonderful time for us. Of
course our sixties and seventies music was important, but I
think to be able to really enjoy it when we'd
kind of matured a bit and weren't quite so hungry
was a real gift gift to us all.
Speaker 1 (04:48):
Yeah, well, in most bands are lucky to have, you know,
one hit or one album. And so when you're talking
about the sixties and seventies being so successful for the
Moody Blues and then almost relaunched and loaded up for
the eighties, which took you through the entire decade. Because
you know, we did talk about long Distance Voyager in
eighty one, but then a couple of years later, your
(05:09):
wildest dreams and I know you're out there somewhere, and
I'm sure that was you guys. I'm sure felt like
that was a whole different Moody Blues audience coming in
at that point.
Speaker 2 (05:18):
I think there's a lot of people that come to
see me now that were introduced to the music in
that time. I don't expect everybody to be my age,
you know, in the audience. And so that's my experience
that a lot of people came to us then in
the in the eighties and nineties, and of course that
(05:40):
was the first time a lot of people had even
seen us. Yeah, because we in the sixties, we didn't
even have a press agent, you know, we had no
influence or power with the first couple of albums that
we were just it was we had support from the
record company Decca. Really there was no We didn't have
(06:01):
any kind of reputation for making records or anything like that.
So with like I say, we never had a press agent.
We rarely were on television because we weren't that kind
of band you know that we're on TV or on
pop shows. But in the eighties, of course, then the
first thing that the label wanted us to do is
(06:24):
to make a video. Yes, and I think it's probably
the first time a lot of people had actually seen
us in what we look like.
Speaker 1 (06:30):
To be quite honest, Well, I was going to ask
you about that justin because I you know, I thought,
I'm sure MTV, because especially in your wildest dreams and
I know you're out there somewhere, had a ton of
play on MTV. And I'm sure that that was probably
even another audience that had not experienced your music, if
they hadn't heard you on the radio or seen you
on tour, then all of a sudden, you're all over MTV.
(06:51):
Did you like making videos? Because I know a lot
of bands that I talked to are like, oh, it
was the worst. It was, you know, twenty four hours
of and then other bands are like, no, it was fine.
It was an extension of our music. So what is
your take on MTV.
Speaker 2 (07:06):
After Long Distance Voyager which you mentioned, which was that
was eighty one. I think I met a video producer
called Brian Grant and he was just a personal friend
of mine, and then and then I was given the
opportunity with the record company to put a kind of
(07:28):
idea about how these songs should be represented and kind
of what they were about, and Brian and the record
company went along with it. Now, it was a glorious
time if you're an artist and you were able to
have that kind of influence and say in what happening.
It was a moment in time of a couple of
(07:50):
years when I was able to say what I wanted
for my songs to them, and of course those things
don't last. Personnel and the record company and it's like, no,
we're doing it my way now. So everything kind of changed,
But that's life. That's the way the music business is. Yeah,
(08:12):
but that window of opportunity was wonderful for us.
Speaker 1 (08:16):
Well, that's for sure. Moody Blues have sold over seventy
million albums Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in twenty eighteen,
which was long overdue at that point, by the way,
but I'm glad you guys have been in there for
a while now. Justin Hayward coming to the Miller Theater
April twenty first. You can still get some tickets, and
of course it's called the Story in Your Eyes Tour,
where you're gonna hear Justin's incredible voice, but also some storytelling.
(08:39):
Do you feel like when you do these shows that
obviously there's some stories you're probably always going to go
back to, But then sometimes do other stories just kind
of hit you and you just throw something out maybe
you only talk about it one show.
Speaker 2 (08:52):
Well, I know that if I want to test something
and see how it works, it works or not. But
you usually, I mean us as a group and with
my little team, we like to know what's happening. So
but I think I'm going to try kind of Q
and a section of this show at the first few
(09:14):
shows and just see how that works as well. Yeah,
see whether see whether my tour manager and Donnie can
actually get through the theater with a roving microphone. That's
going to be Oh that's awesome.
Speaker 1 (09:27):
I mean, I think that's uh anytime, you know, back
back watching you on MTV and and your various tours
over the years. To think that we could be sitting
there watching you perform these songs and you know, having
some possible interaction with you and and stuff. I think
that's just really great as an artist that you're doing this,
because again, people love stories, they love hearing your storytelling, uh,
(09:51):
you know from the guy, And I think this is
just going to be a fantastic show justin.
Speaker 2 (09:55):
I hope so, Jeff, You'll give me a big build
up there, but I hope so.
Speaker 1 (10:00):
Well, let me just say you have one of the
most iconic voices. Thank you for your voice. I'm so
glad your voice is still just unmistakable and still incredible
fifty years later. We've been very blessed by it over
the years, that's for sure. And I've got some wonderful
vinyl still. I went right out and bought Long Distance
(10:20):
Voyager back in eighty one when I started hearing your
songs on the radio, and I still have the vinyl
to this day.
Speaker 2 (10:25):
Oh great, yeah, great, I bet it sounds nice too.
Speaker 1 (10:29):
Oh, it sounds really nice for sure. Justin Hayward the
story in your eyes to her, thank you so much
for chatting with me.
Speaker 2 (10:34):
God, great pleasure, Jeff, look forward to the gate very much.
Cheers Jeff,
I'm Jeff Stevens very excited to talk to Justin Hayward,
the vocalist of the Moody Blues, with a very exciting
tour coming up, and this is going to be this
is gonna be awesome. We get to hear you sing,
but also tell the stories about the Moody Blue songs
that we love.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
I hope. So, I think, yes, I mean, I enjoy
just telling some of the things that happened around the songs,
not particularly about the songs or but but kind of
backstage stuff and things that happened around the group, which
is always amusing. And I hope.
Speaker 1 (00:34):
Jeff, yeah, Oh, I'm sure it's going to be. I'm
sure it's going to be fantastic. So what caused you
to say, you know what, I want to do something
a little bit different. I'm not just going to go
out and you know, sing the great songs. I want
to actually tell some stories, you know, in and around
the songs and the Moody Blues experience for all those decades.
Speaker 2 (00:52):
Well, I think the I think once I called it
the story in your eyes. I enjoy talking with an
audience because I think we're all there for the same reason.
We all want to make it happen. All the people
on stage and all the people who buy a ticket,
we want it to be nice. So I start from
the point of view that everybody's on my side, and
(01:16):
so I just take it from there.
Speaker 1 (01:18):
Really, yeah, well, they are there to see you, so
I'm sure that they love hearing the stories as much
as and in fact, me, as a long time music lover,
I like hearing stories and again, whether it's about the
songs or just your experiences back when you know, when
you guys were first hitting the scene, and even in
recent years, I love hearing stories wrapped around the songs.
(01:40):
And I think obviously people that come to the Miller
Theater are going to love.
Speaker 2 (01:43):
That too, Oh, I hope. So, I mean, the show
is mostly about music, and of course there's a lot
of songs that I wouldn't want to get off stage
without playing, without sharing. And then there's some other things
I'm including in the show that, you know, other songs
(02:04):
that have just come to me lately that I'm revisiting.
And you know, I'm sure it's the same for me.
Speaker 3 (02:12):
When I listen to music, it always transports me to
a place. Maybe when I first heard that or it's
just an emotion and feeling and I had that too.
All of these songs would take me to the place
where I wrote them, and it's a wonderful way of
It's a beautiful kind of nostalgia that we're very lucky
(02:33):
to have if we enjoy music.
Speaker 1 (02:35):
Absolutely. Chatting with Justin Hayward here talking about the Story
in Your Eyes tour coming to the Miller Theater April
twenty first. I remember a friend of mine turned me
on to modern pop music around nineteen eighty eighty one.
So all of a sudden he got me into like
Billy Joel and Holland Oates and I'm starting to hear
(02:55):
all this great music. And that's when you guys released
Long Distance Voyager, so you know, Gemini Dream and the
Voice was my first exposure to you. And then I
went back and listened, you know, to Knights of White
Satin and some of the earlier stuff. But so when
you're talking about music taking you back to a place,
I mean I go back to nineteen eighty one hearing
those songs on the radio, and it's just it puts
(03:17):
me in such a good place.
Speaker 2 (03:20):
Well, I'm very happy about that. It was I think
it was a time for us when we weren't sure
that it was going to happen. Our keyboard player Mike
had left, and our producer Tony Clark. I think different
things were happening in their lives and they had to
sort of move on. I think the four of us
really wanted to continue, but it was the long distance
(03:44):
version was at the time when we didn't really know
what was going to happen, and we were at a
time in our career or our musical life together when
you know, it's a temptation for other people to say, well,
you guys, you know kind of you're done now, right,
But of course we didn't. And the eighties in particular
(04:08):
opened such a wonderful time for us, starting with Long
Distance Voyager, but then to the other side of life
and wildest dreams and I know you're out there somewhere.
What a gift to have that kind of second time around.
We still look good and we you know. I think
(04:29):
the eighties were such a wonderful time for us. Of
course our sixties and seventies music was important, but I
think to be able to really enjoy it when we'd
kind of matured a bit and weren't quite so hungry
was a real gift gift to us all.
Speaker 1 (04:48):
Yeah, well, in most bands are lucky to have, you know,
one hit or one album. And so when you're talking
about the sixties and seventies being so successful for the
Moody Blues and then almost relaunched and loaded up for
the eighties, which took you through the entire decade. Because
you know, we did talk about long Distance Voyager in
eighty one, but then a couple of years later, your
(05:09):
wildest dreams and I know you're out there somewhere, and
I'm sure that was you guys. I'm sure felt like
that was a whole different Moody Blues audience coming in
at that point.
Speaker 2 (05:18):
I think there's a lot of people that come to
see me now that were introduced to the music in
that time. I don't expect everybody to be my age,
you know, in the audience. And so that's my experience
that a lot of people came to us then in
the in the eighties and nineties, and of course that
(05:40):
was the first time a lot of people had even
seen us. Yeah, because we in the sixties, we didn't
even have a press agent, you know, we had no
influence or power with the first couple of albums that
we were just it was we had support from the
record company Decca. Really there was no We didn't have
(06:01):
any kind of reputation for making records or anything like that.
So with like I say, we never had a press agent.
We rarely were on television because we weren't that kind
of band you know that we're on TV or on
pop shows. But in the eighties, of course, then the
first thing that the label wanted us to do is
(06:24):
to make a video. Yes, and I think it's probably
the first time a lot of people had actually seen
us in what we look like.
Speaker 1 (06:30):
To be quite honest, Well, I was going to ask
you about that justin because I you know, I thought,
I'm sure MTV, because especially in your wildest dreams and
I know you're out there somewhere, had a ton of
play on MTV. And I'm sure that that was probably
even another audience that had not experienced your music, if
they hadn't heard you on the radio or seen you
on tour, then all of a sudden, you're all over MTV.
(06:51):
Did you like making videos? Because I know a lot
of bands that I talked to are like, oh, it
was the worst. It was, you know, twenty four hours
of and then other bands are like, no, it was fine.
It was an extension of our music. So what is
your take on MTV.
Speaker 2 (07:06):
After Long Distance Voyager which you mentioned, which was that
was eighty one. I think I met a video producer
called Brian Grant and he was just a personal friend
of mine, and then and then I was given the
opportunity with the record company to put a kind of
(07:28):
idea about how these songs should be represented and kind
of what they were about, and Brian and the record
company went along with it. Now, it was a glorious
time if you're an artist and you were able to
have that kind of influence and say in what happening.
It was a moment in time of a couple of
(07:50):
years when I was able to say what I wanted
for my songs to them, and of course those things
don't last. Personnel and the record company and it's like, no,
we're doing it my way now. So everything kind of changed,
But that's life. That's the way the music business is. Yeah,
(08:12):
but that window of opportunity was wonderful for us.
Speaker 1 (08:16):
Well, that's for sure. Moody Blues have sold over seventy
million albums Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in twenty eighteen,
which was long overdue at that point, by the way,
but I'm glad you guys have been in there for
a while now. Justin Hayward coming to the Miller Theater
April twenty first. You can still get some tickets, and
of course it's called the Story in Your Eyes Tour,
where you're gonna hear Justin's incredible voice, but also some storytelling.
(08:39):
Do you feel like when you do these shows that
obviously there's some stories you're probably always going to go
back to, But then sometimes do other stories just kind
of hit you and you just throw something out maybe
you only talk about it one show.
Speaker 2 (08:52):
Well, I know that if I want to test something
and see how it works, it works or not. But
you usually, I mean us as a group and with
my little team, we like to know what's happening. So
but I think I'm going to try kind of Q
and a section of this show at the first few
(09:14):
shows and just see how that works as well. Yeah,
see whether see whether my tour manager and Donnie can
actually get through the theater with a roving microphone. That's
going to be Oh that's awesome.
Speaker 1 (09:27):
I mean, I think that's uh anytime, you know, back
back watching you on MTV and and your various tours
over the years. To think that we could be sitting
there watching you perform these songs and you know, having
some possible interaction with you and and stuff. I think
that's just really great as an artist that you're doing this,
because again, people love stories, they love hearing your storytelling, uh,
(09:51):
you know from the guy, And I think this is
just going to be a fantastic show justin.
Speaker 2 (09:55):
I hope so, Jeff, You'll give me a big build
up there, but I hope so.
Speaker 1 (10:00):
Well, let me just say you have one of the
most iconic voices. Thank you for your voice. I'm so
glad your voice is still just unmistakable and still incredible
fifty years later. We've been very blessed by it over
the years, that's for sure. And I've got some wonderful
vinyl still. I went right out and bought Long Distance
(10:20):
Voyager back in eighty one when I started hearing your
songs on the radio, and I still have the vinyl
to this day.
Speaker 2 (10:25):
Oh great, yeah, great, I bet it sounds nice too.
Speaker 1 (10:29):
Oh, it sounds really nice for sure. Justin Hayward the
story in your eyes to her, thank you so much
for chatting with me.
Speaker 2 (10:34):
God, great pleasure, Jeff, look forward to the gate very much.
Cheers Jeff,
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