JUSTIN HAYWARD | INTERVIEW PART 1
Rhonda Lee Reali talks to the Moody Blues frontman ahead of his gig at Cardiff St David’s Hall on Mon 2 Oct. Part two to follow on that very day!
Prog rock mega-group The Moody Blues started off as a rhythm & blues outfit in 1964, adding guitarist/lead vocalist Justin Hayward and John Lodge two years later to the core of Graeme Edge, Mike Pinder and Ray Thomas. Combining classical, rock and pop, landmark concept album Days Of Future Passed resulted in 1967 and spawned hit singles Nights in White Satin and Tuesday Afternoon, both penned by Hayward.
His wonderful, often romantic compositions continued to be hugely successful for the band in the proceeding decades, with the band awarded 18 platinum and gold discs and selling 70 million records globally. Hayward, who also spread his wings and went it alone in 1977, has released around a dozen albums and has had his own solo Top Ten hit with Forever Autumn. He still tours with Edge and Lodge as The Moody Blues, but don’t miss out on seeing him in Cardiff for an enchanting night of music.
Can you tell me about your Wind Of Heaven 2017 UK tour?
Justin Hayward: I get to do this recording of The Wind Of Heaven, which is a song I wrote for a movie that’s in production now. That’s quite exciting, so I’m pleased to have that. Also, I suppose, I’m promoting the All The Way CD which is a compilation of solo things from the last 40 years that Eagle Rock have put together. This show is a joy for me. I’m working with two great musicians as well [Mike Dawes and Julie Ragins]. I don’t know how long this is going to be there for me at my age now. So, I’m thinking of the future and just doing it while I can, while my voice is still there and while I’m still able to do these things. It’s very exciting to be given this opportunity.
You seem to have the attitude that, unfortunately, when you can’t sing to your optimal level, to the quality that you still would want and what your fans would expect, you would know.
JH: I think so. It worries me because all I ever want to do is to play. I don’t know what life – I’m sure life holds something else exciting for me – but I want to go on with life as a musician, to be appropriate. That’s why I enjoy this solo show. I can hear every nuance of it. It’s a joy for me to be able to bring my guitars out from home and perform these songs as they were originally written. Sometimes, in a big environment with a couple of drummers, it gets so loud – it’s not comfortable to do these songs. I’m so pleased I’m able to do songs in this context that maybe don’t work in that much louder, bigger arena-type style. So this is a real pleasure.
So this is going to be a more toned-down event?
JH: Mike Dawes is one of the greatest musicians, the greatest guitarist I’ve ever seen, and he opens up the show for me. Then I get to do a selection of songs I’ve done with the Moodies – of all things never done onstage before with them – and also to pick and choose things from my own solo career. I get to do Forever Autumn, a song that was a hit for me as a solo artist that I rarely get to do onstage, so that’s nice as well. So, yes, it’s mostly acoustic. Mike plays acoustic and electric, but we try to deliver the songs as they were written. It’s like inviting you into my own music room in a way, to hear how these songs started, and I’m able to tell the stories behind the songs as well, which is nice.
What are some of the songs you’ll be doing that you haven’t done onstage with the Moodies?
JH: There’s a lovely song called Watching And Waiting that I’ve never done before onstage. It’s an interesting collection of things. Never Comes The Day, as well, which we tried a few times with the Moodies, but it didn’t really come off. These things work in this acoustic format which I’m very pleased about. It’s a different take on all of these songs.
And what about the song The Wind Of Heaven and the film?
JH: It’s about an American veteran soldier who comes back from Afghanistan and the life that he knew before isn’t there for him anymore nor is the family he knew before. He eventually finds some solace and communion with wild horses after he goes to work on a ranch. It’s a story that kind of resonated with me. I’ve always loved horses. I rode as a child, and then I came back to it in my 30s and had a horse again and loved riding. Like I said, it’s a story that resonated with me, and I do wish them well with the movie. I think it’s a good story, and I’m pleased to be part of it.
Do you know when the film will be released?
JH: I’m on a kind of need-to-know basis [laughs] so I don’t know yet, but I would say early next year.
And you wrote the song specifically for the film…
JH: Yes. I had dinner one night with the producer of the movie who had just this story together and was putting pieces in place to start production. He told me about the story, and I thought, ‘Oh, that’s really interesting.’ Between us, we put some ideas together and then it was while I was on tour – on our previous solo tour. Then I came home and started work on it, and it all came together beautifully. I hope I haven’t jumped the gun a bit, but I sent it to the people, back to the producer, and they all loved it. Here it is, and now it’s part of my show.
words RHONDA LEE REALI
