Thursday, December 29, 2005

Happy birthday, Mike Pinder!

Most folks don't know that name. I do . He was a founding member of the Moody Blues, one of the most important bands in my life. He was born in 1941, in Birmingham England, and has lived in the US for much of the last three decades. I miss his wonderful deep voice, and his deeply spiritual point of view. I think the Moodies went lacking after he decided to go do his own thing.
And I have yet to forget him. Well, when someone touches your life as much as those guys did mine, it would be tough to forget. They quite probably are why I am alive today. It sounds a little dramatic, but it is true. They gave a desperate person something to hold onto.

A belated happy birthday to his one time band mate, Ray Thomas, too. Ray was another of the founding members, flute player and extraordinary Welsh voice in the band. Ray decided to retire from music a few years back, figuring I suppose that four decades was quite enough. Now hw spends time fishing and playing with any grandchildren, I am sure.

I've always been tickled that I shared something with two members of that band: my birthday in right after Mike's. I'll have to remember to have a bite of cake for each of these fellows, when I do so for myself.

Many more guys! You are very loved.

1 comment:

Blueberry said...

I'm so glad that they are still around, too! One of the weirdest things that happened to me this year was I spoke to Ray Thomas on the phone! A good friend of mine is his lady friend, and he was chiming in Hellos and various thank-yous and things in the background (I have made him a couple of shirts, one of them with a fish-theme). Some of it was in Welsh, (which is even harder to understand over the phone) just for fun I guess. If I could speak some Welsh, I would show it off too.

Isn't Life Strange?

Hope your birthday was happy!