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Long Distance Voyager

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Long Distance Voyager
Studio album by
The Moody Blues
Released15 May 1981 (1981-05-15)[1]
Recorded19 February 1980 – 14 April 1981 at Threshold Studios and RAK Studios, London
GenreProgressive rock, synthpop, pop rock
Length46:32
LabelThreshold
ProducerPip Williams
The Moody Blues chronology
Octave
(1978) 		Long Distance Voyager
(1981) 		The Present
(1983)
Singles from Long Distance Voyager
  1. "Gemini Dream"
    Released: May 1981
  2. "The Voice"
    Released: July 1981
  3. "Talking Out of Turn"
    Released: November 1981
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic[2]
Rolling Stone[3]

Long Distance Voyager is the tenth album by the Moody Blues, first released in May 1981[1] on the group's Threshold record label. It was the group's first album featuring keyboardist Patrick Moraz (who previously had worked with bands such as Refugee and Yes) in place of co-founder Mike Pinder, who left after Octave in 1978.

Upon release in 1981, Long Distance Voyager became the Moody Blues' second American number one album, and was also the source of the Top 20 singles "Gemini Dream" (#12) and "The Voice" (#15). It also continued their winning streak in their native United Kingdom, reaching #7 there.

In November 2008, the album was remastered and released on CD with one extra track.

Overview

The songs on Long Distance Voyager were recorded at the band's own Threshold Studios. The songs were recorded and mixed by Greg Jackman, while Pip Williams was the album's producer. Supplementing the Moody Blues—Justin Hayward, John Lodge, Ray Thomas, Graeme Edge, and Patrick Moraz—was a string section performed by the New World Philharmonic, which Pip Williams arranged.[4]

Long Distance Voyager is only partially a concept album, as only half of the songs relate to the "voyager" referred to in the album's title. The final three tracks comprise a mini-suite that combines themes of carnival jesters and the chaos experienced backstage at a rock show.

The cover for the album was a painting entitled "Punch" (1840) by Thomas Webster from the Art Union of Glasgow,[5] while the sleeve was based on a concept by the Moody Blues which was designed by Cream, who were in charge of the album's cover artwork. NASA's Voyager spacecraft is at the top of the front side of the album cover. Both Voyager 1 and Voyager 2's flybys of Saturn were in the news in 1980–81.

Original track listing

Side One
No.TitleWriter(s)Lead vocalsLength
1."The Voice"Justin HaywardHayward5:21
2."Talking Out of Turn"John LodgeLodge7:18
3."Gemini Dream"Hayward, LodgeHayward, Lodge4:09
4."In My World"HaywardHayward7:22
Side Two
No.TitleWriter(s)Lead vocalsLength
1."Meanwhile"HaywardHayward4:08
2."22,000 Days"EdgeGraeme Edge5:25
3."Nervous"LodgeLodge5:45
4."Painted Smile"Ray ThomasThomas3:18
5."Reflective Smile"ThomasDave Symonds0:36
6."Veteran Cosmic Rocker"ThomasThomas3:18
2008 remaster CD expanded edition
No.TitleWriter(s)Lead vocalsLength
12."The Voice Single edit)""HaywardHayward4:17

Personnel

Additional personnel

  • B. J. Cole – pedal steel guitar on "In My World"
  • New World Philharmonic – orchestrations
  • Pip Williams – string arrangements and director of the orchestra

Production

  • Pip Williams – producer, string arrangements
  • Greg Jackman – recording engineer, mixing
  • Norman Goodman – assistant to Greg Jackman
  • Melvyn Abrahams – mastering
  • Ted Jensen – mastering for US release
  • Cream – sleeve design, artwork

Charts

Singles

Title Chart (1981) Peak
position
"Gemini Dream" US Billboard Hot 100[16] 12
US Hot Dance Club Songs[16] 36
US Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks[16] 13
"The Voice" US Billboard Hot 100[16] 15
US Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks[16] 1
"Talking Out of Turn" US Billboard Hot 100[16] 65
"Meanwhile" US Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks[16] 11
"22,000 Days" US Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks[16] 38

Certifications

Region Certification Certified units/sales
Australia — 40,000[17]
Canada (Music Canada)[18] 3× Platinum 300,000^
United States (RIAA)[19] Platinum 1,000,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

  1. ^ a b "Certified Awards Search". British Phonographic Industry. Archived from the original (ASPX) on 11 May 2011. Type "Moody Blues" under Search to see results.
  2. ^ Dave Connolly; Bruce Eder. "Long Distance Voyager – The Moody Blues | AllMusic". Allmusic. Retrieved 19 November 2011.
  3. ^ Puterbaugh, Parke (12 November 1981). "The Moody Blues: Long Distance Voyager : Music Reviews". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 20 March 2008. Retrieved 4 September 2012.
  4. ^ Long Distance Voyager (CD liner). The Moody Blues. Threshold Records. 1981. pp. 2, 14. 820 105-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  5. ^ Boston Athenaeum Digital Collections.
  6. ^ "50 Albums" (PHP). RPM. 29 August 1981. ISSN 0315-5994. Retrieved 27 June 2011.
  7. ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – The Moody Blues – Long Distance Voyager" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 13 February 2021.
  8. ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – The Moody Blues – Long Distance Voyager" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 13 February 2021.
  9. ^ "Charts.nz – The Moody Blues – Long Distance Voyager". Hung Medien. Retrieved 13 February 2021.
  10. ^ "Norwegiancharts.com – The Moody Blues – Long Distance Voyager". Hung Medien. Retrieved 13 February 2021.
  11. ^ "Swedishcharts.com – The Moody Blues – Long Distance Voyager". Hung Medien. Retrieved 13 February 2021.
  12. ^ "The Moody Blues | Artist | Official Charts". UK Albums Chart. Retrieved 13 February 2021.
  13. ^ "The Moody Blues Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved 13 February 2021.
  14. ^ "Jaaroverzichten – Album 1981". dutchcharts.nl. Retrieved 13 February 2021.
  15. ^ "Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 1981". Billboard. Retrieved 13 February 2021.
  16. ^ a b c d e f g h "The Moody Blues: Charts & Awards – Billboard Singles". Allmusic. United States: Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 27 June 2011.
  17. ^ "Major fight economics with quirky rock originals". Billboard. 12 June 1982. Retrieved 22 September 2018.
  18. ^ "Canadian album certifications – Moody Blues – Long Distance Voyager". Music Canada.
  19. ^ "American album certifications – Moody Blues – Long Distance Voyager". Recording Industry Association of America.
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