On this day in music history: November 10, 1967 - “Days Of Future Passed”, the second album by The Moody Blues is released (US release date is on November 11, 1967). Produced by Tony Clarke, it is recorded at Decca Recording Studios in West Hampstead, London from May - November 1967. By late 1966, The Moody Blues are at a crossroads musically and professionally after their initial success. The band go through personnel changes, and begin moving away from playing R&B and blues covers after their second proposed album “Look Out” is shelved. Thousands of pounds in debt to Decca and with their contract about to expire, comes an unlikely solution. Hugh Mendl, the head of A&R suggests that The Moodies record a rock & roll version of classical composer AntonĂn Dvořák’s Symphony No. 9. Mendl explains to them that the purpose of the album is to launch Decca’s newly established Deram label, and to also demonstrate the label’s new Deramic Stereo Sound (DSS) recording process. Giving them full creative control, they agree to the project. Working along side conductor Peter Knight and the London Festival Orchestra, “Days Of Future Passed” is conceived as a concept album depicting life through the course of a single day. It is a cycle of seven songs complete with orchestral interludes and spoken passages by keyboardist Mike Pinder, who also uses a Mellotron throughout for instrumental sounds and effects. Regarded as the beginnings of “progressive rock”, the mixture of lush orchestral accompaniment and psychedelic rock makes an immediate impact upon its release in the UK. However in the US, it takes considerably longer for it to find its audience and make a similar impact. Initially released as a single in January of 1968, “Nights In White Satin” fails to chart in the US. The follow up release “Tuesday Afternoon” (#24 US Pop) fares much better. “Nights” belatedly becomes a huge hit, peaking at #2 on the Hot 100 in November of 1972. The revival of that song also sends “Days” into the top five. In time, it becomes one of the definitive albums of the era. “Days” is remixed in 1978 when the masters of some songs on the original 1967 mix have deteriorated and become unusable. The year before, it is also remixed into quadraphonic stereo and released on open reel tape. It is also released as a DTS audio disc in 2001 with a 5.1 surround mix. The album is reissued numerous times over the years, being most recently remastered in 2006 as a two disc Deluxe Edition. They are hybrid SACD’s featuring the stereo and new 5.1 surround mixes on the first disc, with the second featuring mono single edits, outtakes and recordings from a BBC radio broadcasts recorded in September 1967 and January 1968. It is also reissued as 180 gram vinyl LP by Friday Music in 2012. “Days Of Future Passed” peaks at number three on the Billboard Top 200, and is certified Platinum in the US by the RIAA.
