Long Distance Voyager

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.

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]

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 from the Arts Union Glasgow, 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 artwork.[4] 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
  1. "The Voice" (Justin Hayward) – 5:21 (lead singer: Justin Hayward)
  2. "Talking Out of Turn" (John Lodge) – 7:18 (lead singer: John Lodge)
  3. "Gemini Dream" (Hayward, Lodge) – 4:09 (lead singers: Justin Hayward, John Lodge)
  4. "In My World" (Hayward) – 7:22 (lead singer: Justin Hayward)
Side Two
  1. "Meanwhile" (Hayward) – 4:08 (lead singer: Justin Hayward)
  2. "22,000 Days" (Graeme Edge) – 5:25 (lead singers: John Lodge, Ray Thomas, Justin Hayward)
  3. "Nervous" (Lodge) – 5:45 (lead singer: John Lodge)
  4. "Painted Smile" (Ray Thomas) – 3:18 (lead singer: Ray Thomas)
  5. "Reflective Smile" (Thomas) – 0:36 (narrator: Dave Symonds)
  6. "Veteran Cosmic Rocker" (Thomas) – 3:18 (lead singer: Ray Thomas)

2008 remastered CD expanded edition
  1. "The Voice (Single edit)" (Hayward) – 4:17

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

Album
Chart (1981) Peak
position
Canadian Top Albums[5] 1
German Albums[6] 28
Netherlands Top 50 Albums[7] 16
New Zealand Top 40 Albums[8] 8
Norwegian Top 40 Albums[9] 12
Swedish Top 60 Albums[10] 46
UK Albums Chart[11] 7
US Billboard 200[12] 1

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

Certifications
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Australia — 40,000[14]
Canada (Music Canada)[15] 3× Platinum 300,000^
United States (RIAA)[16] Platinum 1,000,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References
  1. "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.CS1 maint: others (link)
  5. "50 Albums" (PHP). RPM. 35 (5). 29 August 1981. ISSN 0315-5994. Retrieved 27 June 2011.
  6. "Album – The Moody Blues, Long Distance Voyager" (ASP). Media Control Charts. Retrieved 27 June 2011.
  7. "The Moody Blues – Long Distance Voyager (Album)" (ASP). Dutch Charts. Hung Medien. Retrieved 27 June 2011.
  8. "The Moody Blues – Long Distance Voyager (Album)" (ASP). New Zealand Charts. Hung Medien. Retrieved 27 June 2011.
  9. "The Moody Blues – Long Distance Voyager (Album)" (ASP). Norwegian Charts. Hung Medien. Retrieved 27 June 2011.
  10. "The Moody Blues – Long Distance Voyager (Album)" (ASP). Swedish Charts. Hung Medien. Retrieved 27 June 2011.
  11. "Artist Chart History: Moody Blues". The Official Charts Company. Retrieved 27 June 2011.
  12. "The Moody Blues: Charts & Awards – Billboard Albums". Allmusic. United States: Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 27 June 2011.
  13. "The Moody Blues: Charts & Awards – Billboard Singles". Allmusic. United States: Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 27 June 2011.
  14. "Major fight economics with quirky rock originals". Billboard. 12 June 1982. Retrieved 22 September 2018.
  15. "Canadian album certifications – Moody Blues – Long Distance Voyager". Music Canada.
  16. "American album certifications – Moody Blues – Long Distance Voyager". Recording Industry Association of America. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Album, then click SEARCH. 
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