TOCA Backstage

TOCA Backstage


023 - Gordy Marshall

May 05, 2020

Prior to the arrival of the Covid-19 pandemic, TOCA was looking forward to presenting Go Now:


The Music of the Moody Blues. Lead by Gordon Marshall, the drummer of the group for over 25


years, this was sure to be one of the highlights of the season. Needless to say, as the current


health crisis began to limit travel, the group had to cancel their US tour, leaving us to have to


cancel our April performance. However, prior to all this, I had the good fortune of speaking with


Gordon for our TOCA Backstage podcast.


It turns out the group was just as disappointed as the fans to have to back out of the tour, so


they have created an hour long concert on video that they would like to share. To view, just click


this YouTube link: https://youtu.be/UIoTPjzrviE


 


ABOUT THE ARTIST:


THE MOODY BLUES.   They sold in excess of 70 million albums worldwide, were awarded 14


platinum and gold discs, and were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2018.  But the


band has not performed together in concert for the past few years and have no plans to return


to touring.


Gordon Marshall, the drummer with The Moody Blues for over 25 years, knew that there was a


hunger in the market for Moody Blues music.  Five years ago, to fill the void, he put together an


amazing group of musicians and formed the band GO NOW!, a tribute to the music of The


Moody Blues.  Mick Wilson, the lead singer of GO NOW!, was the lead singer with 10cc for


over 20 years. Mick was also the “singing voice” in the Academy Award-winning movie


Bohemian Rhapsody for the actor who portrayed Queen’s drummer.  Gordon and Mick are


joined on stage by Patrick Duffin, Ryan Farmery and Nick Kendall, and together recreate the


magical music we all know, including all the major hits.  With 25 years’ experience with The


Moody Blues, Gordon has created true-to-the-original arrangements, making every performance


truly magical.


In an endless sea of rock and pop formats, The Moody Blues distinguished themselves through


four decades as that shimmering jewel vindicating rock music as a substantial artistic


contribution to Western culture.  Since the 60’s, as a part of the historic original British invasion


of Supergroups, The Moody Blues lit up the hearts and minds of millions of rock fans with


inspiring anthems like “Nights in White Satin,” “Tuesday Afternoon” and “I’m Just A Singer (In


A Rock And Roll Band),” which express universal themes of love, compassion and peace.  The


band’s unique style of music consistently finds airplay on radio stations globally and continues to


illuminate concert arenas around the world.  From being immortalized on The Simpsons to


having their music featured in movies, television and in national advertisement campaigns such


as VISA, The Moody Blues are embedded in not only music history but in pop culture.  They


have sold in excess of 70 million albums worldwide and have been awarded an astonishing 14


platinum and gold discs; they were inducted into the Rock & Roll hall of Fame in 2018.  But the


band has not performed together in concert for the past few years and have no plans to return to


touring as The Moody Blues.


 


For the past four years GO NOW! have performed throughout the UK, selling out theatres and


making many return appearances.  Their first venture into the U.S. in 2019 resulted in 12 out of


12 sold-out performances at venues in Arizona and resulted in a repeat 14-show run in Arizona


and California in the spring of 2020.    Their April 2021 engagements with the Virginia


Symphony, the Omaha Symphony and the Philly Pops have made it possible for more U.S.


venues to bring the hauntingly beautiful music of The Moody Blues to Baby Boomer fans who


still swoon when they hear those first magical notes of “Nights in White Satin”.


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