We're all about the history of rock & roll at BoomtownAmerica.com!
Every week, we present “ROCK REMEMBERED,” a deep dive into the hidden history of rock & roll, the stories behind the artists and songs that changed the world. Join host “Boomtown Bill” Cross each Wednesday at 7 pm (Eastern) with an encore broadcast on Saturday at noon (Eastern).
Jjoin us today as we count down "The 10 Most Iconic Songs in Rock History!"
One of the greats in the first wave of “stoner” albums, the Moody Blues’ In Search of the Lost Chord was actually the band’s 3rd studio album, but the first to make its presence known on American album charts.
Of course, the band had been part of the British Invasion that was touched off by the Beatles in 1964. They scored a significant American hit with their single “Go Now,” hitting the U.S. Top 10 in 1965. But their first album didn’t sell in the States in any great number.
The band then went through a small personnel change and a big change in musical direction. Original Moodys John Lodge, Ray Thomas & Graeme Edge were joined by Justin Hayward & Mike Pinder. Their musical focus changed from American R&B to the then-emerging progressive rock sound that was fusing classical music styles and instruments with the guitars & drums of rock & roll.
Their second album, Days of Future Past, released in 1967, was actually the first album to showcase what we came to know as the classic Moody Blues' sound. They recorded that album with the London Symphony Orchestra. But again, the album failed to dent the American charts (at least right away).
So, for their third LP, the lads decided to forego the orchestra and try to play as many instruments as the could by themselves. Like DOFP, In Search of the Lost Chord would also be a “concept” album about exploration and discovery, both physical and intellectual.
Obviously drenched in the emerging hippie and drug culture of that period (with cuts like “Thinking Is the Best Way to Travel” and “Legend of a Mind” – an homage to LSD and Timothy Leary, who seemed to be everywhere proselytizing for its use), the album also leaned heavily on instrumentation borrowed from the classic music of India (then being popularized by the Beatles’ George Harrison). The Moody Blues displayed tremendous versatility playing some 33 instruments on the album’s various tracks.
By the time of the album’s 1968 release, American radio was evolving with FM stations in larger cities becoming the launch pad for a new format, first labeled “progressive rock” and then, “album rock.” Thanks to these new arbiters of rock & roll taste, In Search of the Lost Chord broke through, especially with tracks like “Ride My See-Saw,” “Voices in the Sky” and the album’s closing track “Om.” With this new form of airplay, the LP reached #23 on the American charts. Not as impressive as some of the group’s subsequent albums, but high enough to secure the band’s until-then shaky future with their record label (UK’s London Records).
Finally getting recognition on both sides of the Atlantic, each of the Moodys’ subsequent albums continued to sell better and better until A Question of Balance finally reached the Top 5 behind a solid hit single, “Question.” Seventh Sojourn (actually the group’s 8th album) finally hit the #1 spot. “Nights in White Satin” from DOFP was re-released and this time raced up the Billboard Hot 100 and propelling the album onto the American album charts 5 years after its initial release – hitting #3.
But the Moodys’ rise to fame really began with the album no self-respecting hippie in 1968 would have been without: In Search of the Lost Chord.
It’s bad enough that, as we age, our metabolism slows down, forcing us to eat less if we want to maintain our weight. But experts also say that trying to lose weight can actually cause you to gain weight in the long run.
That’s because our bodies are built to maintain whatever our current weight is. Studies show that 80% of the people who lose weight regain it all within 5 years. Additionally, as we lose weight by dieting the body will slow down our metabolism further and also release more of the chemical that tells you you’re hungry.
So how do we lose weight and keep it off? Again, the experts say to stick with whole grains, lean protein, low-fat dairy, and plenty of fruits & veggies. Also, avoid processed foods and added sugars.
Good luck!
Mousketeer Roll Call: Karen Pendleton
While some of us watched The Mickey Mouse Club and focused on Annette, many of us who were a little younger paid attention to the youngest Mousketeers, Karen & Cubbie. Cubbie O’Brien grew up to become an accomplished professional drummer, but whatever happened to Karen Pendleton?
Hers is a bittersweet story. Karen did not continue in show business after the Mouse Club show wound down. Instead, she finished school, married lawyer Mike DeLaurer in 1970 and had a daughter in 1973.
Then, her life took a downward turn. First, she was in a bad car accident in 1983 that left her paralyzed from the waist down. For a woman who had a passion for dancing, it was a devastating turn of events. That was followed by a divorce in 1985.
Instead of retreating from life, Karen made a decision to push forward. She went back to college, completed her Bachelor's degree in psychology and then went on to earn her Master’s degree, one of only two Mousketeers to earn a postgraduate degree.
She went into counseling for women, working at women’s shelters and holding classes on single parenting.
Karen also appeared in many of the frequent Mousketeer reunion events sponsored by Disney and in 2014 she was given a Disney Legend award. Sadly, she passed away in 2019 at the age of 73.
A Whopper? A Big Mac? How about that hairdo?