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MIKE PINDER |
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It’s true, he hasn’t made a ton of solo albums, but Mike Pinder can take credit for starting The Moody Blues back in 1964 and guiding them straight from Top Of The Pops to top of the progressive rock world. The Moodies, with guiding light Mike Pinder at the helm, were the band that just about single handedly invented progressive rock. One of the most significant electronic keyboard pioneers of the 20th century music world, Mike turned The Beatles on to the Mellotron, an instrument he worked closely with as early as 1962. Who would have thought back in 1962 the ‘tron would go on to spearhead the entire prog-rock movement The Beatles officially initiated with “Strawberry Fields Forever” back in February 1967. Mike left England in 1974 and, after living in Hawaii for a while, Mike finally settled in Los Angeles and that’s where he recorded his first solo album, The Promise, released in 1975, and after a near 20 year wait, a second album called Among The Stars in 1994. Those two albums are disc one and two in a three disc box set called The Promise / Among The Stars. The third disc in the box is actually a DVD filled to capacity with a series of Mike Pinder interviews conducted by Mike Pinder / Moody Blues aficionado Ross Mehan in 2008, June 2012, November 2012 and June 2013. The 3 disc set is tastefully packaged with a booklet featuring new liner notes by Mike, complete discography with track info, of who plays what and all the song lyrics. There’s even some Pinder post cards with the booklet back panel featuring a fine painting of 
Mike Pinder & The Pinder Brothers as done by the great English painter Kevin Parrish. Of note is the excellent new remastering on both The Promise and Among The Stars. Long time fans who have both original studio albums will appreciate the care given by Esoteric as to the sonic remastering.Even so, perhaps something that will be regarded as coolest thing here by Pinder-philes, are a pair of tracks featuring the band started by two of Mike’s three sons The Pinder Brothers—Michael Lee Pinder (guitars, vocals), Matt Pinder (bass, vocals), who are assisted by Mike Pinder (Mellotron), Ray Thomas (flute) with the boards handled the late great Moody Blues producer Tony Clarke. The Pinder Brothers have a number of excellent songs to their credit but these particular two tracks which are segued together here—”Waves Crash” and “Empty Streets”—fit in well and kind of sound like a natural progression for the Pinder sound following Among The Stars. There’s also another bonus track here—an upbeat love song sung by Mike called “If She Came Back” that will be of interest to fans. Both Pinder Brothers tracks have been redone here with Moody Blues cofounder Ray Thomas adding in his patented flute sound. With Tony Clarke producing both Pinder Brothers tracks, also featuring Mike and Ray, this I guess is as close to an original Moody Blues reunion as you’re gonna get, unfortunately. A couple of Mike Pinder rarities may have been overlooked (Mike’s single “Shining Lights” and perhaps a track or two from Mike’s various spoken word albums for children that feature his great Mellotron and one of a kind voice.) A fine gift for fans of Mike Pinder, the 2013 Esoteric Recordings reissue of The Promise / Among The Stars is a sound investment for fans of the man who gave the world so much great music in his life.