Blue Jays (album)

Blue Jays is a 1975 album by Justin Hayward and John Lodge. It was recorded and released during the Moody Blues' five-year hiatus.

Blue Jays
Studio album by
Justin Hayward and John Lodge
Released10 March 1975 (US)
14 March 1975 (UK)
RecordedJune - December 1974 at Decca Studios, West Hampstead, London
GenreRock, progressive rock
Length47:12 (LP)
50:48 (CD)
LabelThreshold
ProducerTony Clarke
Justin Hayward chronology
Blue Jays
(1975)		 Songwriter
(1977)
John Lodge chronology
Blue Jays
(1975)		 Natural Avenue
(1977)
Singles from Blue Jays
  1. "I Dreamed Last Night"
    Released: April 1975
  2. "Blue Guitar"
    Released: September 1975
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic[1]

During work on the Moody Blues album that was to follow Seventh Sojourn, bandmates Lodge, Mike Pinder, Ray Thomas and Graeme Edge summoned Hayward and producer Tony Clarke out of a recording session to call off the project. The tension-fraught recording of Seventh Sojourn and subsequent world tour had left the band exhausted and relationships frayed. Pinder, who had emigrated to the United States, was not happy in England and was determined to return home to California. According to Hayward:

I was under a lot of pressure from Decca to come up with something to release. So I actually went to America to do something with Mike [Pinder], between the two of us. Then Tony Clarke and John [Lodge] turned up at Mike's house as well. Mike took me in the other room and said, "I don't want to work with anybody else. I'm out of this project." So then it became me and John and Tony Clarke, and we made an album called Blue Jays.[2]

The album was recorded in Threshold Westlake Audio Studios in West Hampstead, London.[2]

On March 11, 1975 Blue Jays made its debut in the form of a staged playback of the album at Carnegie Hall. Hayward and Lodge wanted to pipe the music into the street, but New York police said they feared a traffic jam.[3] A short tour of the UK followed in November and December 1975. A recording of the December 12 show at Lancaster University, featuring Trapeze members Mel Galley (guitar) and Dave Holland (drums), is included in the 2013 Timeless Flight box set.

The track "Blue Guitar", originally released as a non-album single credited to Hayward and Lodge in September 1975 but performed by Hayward with the band 10cc, was added to the album upon its re-release on CD in 1987.

In 2004, the album was remastered and released on CD with the same bonus track.

Original track listing

Side One
  1. "This Morning" (Justin Hayward) - 5:56
  2. "Remember Me (My Friend)" (Hayward, John Lodge) - 5:28
  3. "My Brother" (Hayward) - 3:28
  4. "You" (Lodge) - 4:35
  5. "Nights Winters Years" (Hayward) - 3:40

Side Two
  1. "Saved by the Music" (Lodge) - 6:09
  2. "I Dreamed Last Night" (Hayward) - 4:29
  3. "Who Are You Now" (Hayward) - 2:29
  4. "Maybe" (Lodge) - 5:38
  5. "When You Wake Up" (Hayward, Lodge) - 5:23

1987 Bonus track (also 2004 remaster)
  1. "Blue Guitar" (Hayward) - 3:37

Personnel

"Blue Guitar"

Chart positions

Album
Year Chart Position
1975 Australia (Kent Music Report) 26[4]
1975 UK Albums Chart 4[5]
1975 Billboard 200 16[6]

Singles
Year Single Chart Position
1975 "I Dreamed Last Night" Billboard Hot 100 47[7]
Billboard Adult Contemporary 29[8]
"Blue Guitar" UK Singles Chart 8[9]
Billboard Hot 100 94[7]

Certifications
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI)[10] Gold 100,000^

^shipments figures based on certification alone

References
  1. Eder, Bruce. Review of Blue Jays at AllMusic. Retrieved 2009-10-11.
  2. "Sammy Sultan Interviews: Justin Hayward (Full Interview)". YouTube. 2013-02-09. Retrieved 2013-08-25.
  3. "11 March". The Doors in History. History.waiting-forthe-sun.net. Retrieved 2013-08-25.
  4. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 136. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  5. "The Official Charts Company - Justin Hayward And John Lodge - Blue Jays". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 2009-10-11.
  6. "Billboard 200 Chart - Week of May 17, 1975". Billboard. Retrieved 17 July 2020.
  7. "Justin Hayward Chart History". Billboard. Retrieved 17 July 2020.
  8. "Justin Hayward Chart History". Billboard.com. Retrieved 2018-11-27.
  9. "The Official Charts Company - Justin Hayward And John Lodge - Blue Guitar". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 2020-05-03.
  10. "British album certifications – Justin Hayward/John Lodge – Blue Jays". British Phonographic Industry. Select albums in the Format field. Select Gold in the Certification field. Type Blue Jays in the "Search BPI Awards" field and then press Enter.
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