Caught Live + 5 is a live album by The Moody Blues, consisting of a 12 December 1969 live show at the Royal Albert Hall and five previously unreleased studio recordings from 1967 to 1968.
| Caught Live + 5 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Live album by | ||||
| Released | April 1977 (US) | |||
| Recorded | Live: 12 December 1969 at the Royal Albert Hall Studio: 19 May 1967 – 17 November 1968 | |||
| Genre | Psychedelic rock, Progressive pop | |||
| Length | 75:32 | |||
| Label | Decca (UK) London (US) | |||
| Producer | Tony Clarke | |||
| The Moody Blues chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [1] |
Concert edit
The band's performance was a popular and critical success at the time. In his newspaper review of the event, music critic Jack Scott called the concert a "knockout victory for progressive pop," having a "rich, full sound that combined sensitivity with sheer popular punch."
... [B]eautifully controlled waves of volume kept excitement high ... They're not slaves to volume. Power was used judiciously with splendid effect, producing a clean-cut, undulating sound...[2]
Release edit
The album was released without the participation of the band, who have been critical of the album. Justin Hayward remembers, "That was a disaster, I thought. I never wanted to release that. We were out of contract when it was released, we didn't have any choice in it. I never liked that record at all. I never liked the Albert Hall as a venue for recording – nice atmosphere and everything, but I can think of much better places to record. A round building is not the best place for rock 'n' roll."[3]
Caught Live is the first Moody Blues album since Days of Future Passed not to feature cover artwork by Philip Travers. Decca Records instead used British art design group Hipgnosis.
The "+5" studio tracks were re-released on their 1987 album Prelude.
Reception edit
While Caught Live + 5 managed to reach #26 during its American chart run, it missed the British listings completely, the first time this had occurred for The Moody Blues since their 1965 debut The Magnificent Moodies (although that album had reached number 5 on the NME album chart).
Track listing edit
Tracks 1–14 are live while tracks 15–19 are studio recordings.
Side One edit
- "Gypsy (Of a Strange and Distant Time)" (Justin Hayward) – 4:03
- "The Sunset" (Mike Pinder) – 4:33
- "Dr. Livingstone, I Presume" (Ray Thomas) – 3:23
- "Never Comes the Day" (Hayward) – 5:39
Side Two edit
- "Peak Hour" (John Lodge) – 5:13
- "Tuesday Afternoon" (Hayward) – 4:51
- "Are You Sitting Comfortably?" (Hayward, Thomas) – 4:21
- "The Dream" (Graeme Edge) – 0:58
- "Have You Heard (Part 1)" (Pinder) – 1:22
- "The Voyage" (Pinder) – 3:37
- "Have You Heard (Part 2)" (Pinder) – 2:33
Side Three edit
- "Nights in White Satin" (Hayward) – 5:55
- "Legend of a Mind" (Thomas) – 7:05
- "Ride My See-Saw" (Lodge) – 4:28
Side Four edit
- "Gimme a Little Somethin'" (Lodge) – 3:13
- "Please Think About It" (Pinder) – 3:41
- "Long Summer Days" (Hayward) – 3:12
- "King and Queen" (Hayward) – 3:52
- "What Am I Doing Here?" (Hayward) – 3:33
Personnel edit
- Justin Hayward – vocals, guitar
- John Lodge – vocals, bass guitar
- Mike Pinder – vocals, Mellotron, piano
- Ray Thomas – vocals, flute, harmonica, tambourine
- Graeme Edge - drums, percussion
Charts edit
| Chart (1977) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| US Billboard 200[4] | 26 |
References edit
- ^ Eder, Bruce. Caught Live + 5 at AllMusic
- ^ Photocopy of clipping posted by Ray Thomas's wife Lee at https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10207972305919457&set=gm.1696168280625280&type=3&theater
- ^ McCarty, Michael. A Question of Balance: Interview with Moody Blues Guitarist Justin Hayward. Esoteria-land. January 17, 2015.
- ^ "The Moody Blues Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved 5 February 2022.