Computerized Music and One of Justin Hayward's Rants

Back in the early 90's when Red Rocks was being recorded, Mr. Hayward made a few comments about computerized music that didn't quite sit well with me. My perception of his comments went along the lines of his not thinking that there was much area for that form of music to grow, and thus not an avenue that the Moody Blues would probably go down.

I guess that can be interpretted in many different ways, but my first thoughts were to wonder what computerized music was he dismissing? Certainly some of it is very mechanical and uninteresting but some of it is not. Also when music takes a turn for the technicial, it puts the real musicians with nothing to do.

I don't think Justin had the opportunity to listen to techno/pop which is more on the lines of what good computerized music should be. You know, bands like Erasure, Depeche Mode and the Pet Shop Boys and to a lesser extent the Shamen. The first 3 bands manager to encorporate more than just bleeps and bloops to their music. Though I could never see the Moody Blues move into a more computerized sound, I don't think the slight move they made to the new wave sound was such a bad idea.

Maybe it was the bad taste that Patrick Moraz left in the other band members palates that stopped them from going forward with a more synthesized sound. Certainly it would have made sense too. Instead they took on the role of being one of the best Adult Contemporary bands, now in the new millenium moving back to the sound of their contemporaries, namely the Beatles. Kudos to Mr. Hayward for mastering the guitar technique of the late George Harrison.

It still leaves me wondering what the Moodies would have sounded like if Patrick had remained in the band or had they continued down the same avenue as the albums The Other Side of Life and Sur La Mer were leading them down.

I guess there are some things we'll never know..but I still wish Justin would pick up Erasure's Chorus or I Say I Say I Say. So he could acquire a different opinion on computerized music.