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 US 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 based on a painting entitled "Punch" (1840) by Thomas Webster printed for 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"EdgeThomas, Hayward, Lodge5:25
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
11."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
  • Dave Symonds - spoken word

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
Chart (1981) Peak
position
Australian Albums (Kent Music Report)[6] 7
Canada Top Albums/CDs (RPM)[7] 1
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[8] 16
Finnish Albums (The Official Finnish Charts)[9] 25
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[10] 28
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)[11] 8
Norwegian Albums (VG-lista)[12] 12
Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)[13] 46
UK Albums (OCC)[14] 7
US Billboard 200[15] 1

Year-end charts
Chart (1981) Peak
position
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[16] 92
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)[17] 34
US Billboard 200[18] 27

Certifications
Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Australia — 40,000[19]
Canada (Music Canada)[20] 3× Platinum 300,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[21] Silver 60,000^
United States (RIAA)[22] 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.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  5. Boston Athenaeum Digital Collections.
  6. Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  7. "Top RPM Albums: Issue 4694". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 6 February 2022.
  8. "Dutchcharts.nl – The Moody Blues – Long Distance Voyager" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 6 February 2022.
  9. Pennanen, Timo (2006). Sisältää hitin – levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla vuodesta 1972 (in Finnish) (1st ed.). Helsinki: Kustannusosakeyhtiö Otava. ISBN 978-951-1-21053-5.
  10. "Offiziellecharts.de – The Moody Blues – Long Distance Voyager" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 6 February 2022.
  11. "Charts.nz – The Moody Blues – Long Distance Voyager". Hung Medien. Retrieved 6 February 2022.
  12. "Norwegiancharts.com – The Moody Blues – Long Distance Voyager". Hung Medien. Retrieved 6 February 2022.
  13. "Swedishcharts.com – The Moody Blues – Long Distance Voyager". Hung Medien. Retrieved 6 February 2022.
  14. "The Moody Blues | Artist | Official Charts". UK Albums Chart. Retrieved 6 February 2022.
  15. "The Moody Blues Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved 5 February 2022.
  16. "Jaaroverzichten – Album 1981". dutchcharts.nl. Retrieved 13 February 2021.
  17. "Top Selling Albums of 1981 — The Official New Zealand Music Chart". Recorded Music New Zealand. Retrieved 1 February 2022.
  18. "Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 1981". Billboard. Retrieved 13 February 2021.
  19. "Major fight economics with quirky rock originals". Billboard. 12 June 1982. Retrieved 22 September 2018.
  20. "Canadian album certifications – Moody Blues – Long Distance Voyager". Music Canada.
  21. "British album certifications – The Moody Blues – Long Distance Voyager". British Phonographic Industry.
  22. "American album certifications – Moody Blues – Long Distance Voyager". Recording Industry Association of America.
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