Long Distance Voyager

Infobox Album |
Name = Long Distance Voyager
Type = Album
Artist = The Moody Blues


Released = 15 May 1981
Recorded = 1980 - 1981
Genre = Rock
Length = 46:29
Label = Polydor
Producer = Pip Williams
Reviews = *Allmusic Rating|4|5 [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:2mbyxdybjolf link]
Last album = "Octave"
(1978)
This album = "Long Distance Voyager"
(1981)
Next album = "The Present"
(1983)
Misc =Singles
Name = Long Distance Voyager
Type = Studio
single 1 = Gemini Dream
single 1 date = May 1981
single 2 = The Voice
single 2 date = July 1981
single 3 = Talking Out of Turn
single 3 date = November 1981

"Long Distance Voyager" is a Moody Blues album released in 1981, and was their first with keyboardist Patrick Moraz in place of original keyboardist Mike Pinder who had departed in 1978.

"Long Distance Voyager" is only partially a concept album, as only half of the songs relate to a "travelling" 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.

Upon release in 1981, "Long Distance Voyager" became the Moody Blues' second U.S. 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 UK, reaching #7 there.

If one looks at the top of the front side of the album cover, one can see NASA's Voyager spacecraft. Both Voyager 1 and Voyager 2's flybys of Saturn were in the news in 1980-81. No doubt the Moody Blues saw the irony in naming their album after spacecraft carrying long-play records.

Track listing

#"The Voice" (Justin Hayward) – 5:18
#"Talking Out of Turn" (John Lodge) – 7:18
#"Gemini Dream" (Hayward/Lodge) – 4:07
#"In My World" (Hayward) – 7:17
#"Meanwhile" (Hayward) – 4:08
#"22,000 Days" (Graeme Edge) – 5:27
#"Nervous" (Lodge) – 5:45
#"Painted Smile" (Ray Thomas) – 3:18
#"Reflective Smile" (Thomas) – 0:37
#"Veteran Cosmic Rocker" (Thomas) – 3:14

Chart positions

Personnel

*Justin Hayward - Vocals, Guitar
*John Lodge - Vocals, Bass Guitar
*Ray Thomas - Vocals, Flute, Harmonica
*Graeme Edge - Drums
*Patrick Moraz - Keyboards

*Melvyn Abrahams - Mastering
*Cream - Design, Illustrations
*Pip Williams - Producer, String Arrangements
*Greg Jackman - Engineer, Mixing
*Norman Goodman - Engineer, Mixing