Editing The Moody Blues (section)

===Arrival of Hayward and Lodge===
The three remaining members of the Moody Blues, Pinder, Thomas and Edge, assembled a new line-up in October 1966. The new members were bassist and vocalist (and ex-El Riot & the Rebels member) [[John Lodge (musician)|John Lodge]] and guitarist and vocalist [[Justin Hayward]].<ref>{{cite AV media|title=Days of Future Passed Deluxe Edition page 4|publisher=Universal Music Group 2006}}</ref><ref name="how_nights_fin_times">Hann, Michael: [https://ig.ft.com/life-of-a-song/nights-in-white-satin.html "How the Moody Blues' Nights in White Satin became a standard"], ''[[Financial Times]]'', 9 April 2018, retrieved 20 May 2023</ref> Hayward was formerly of the Wilde Three with famed UK singer [[Marty Wilde]] (father of future pop star [[Kim Wilde]]). He was recommended to Pinder by [[Eric Burdon]] of [[the Animals]]. Pinder phoned Hayward and was impressed when Hayward played him his single "London Is Behind Me" (released in January 1966) during their car ride to meet the other members in [[Esher]].<ref name="A History of The Moody Blues">{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yKP3sYEUAm0|title=A History of The Moody Blues|date=11 June 2015 |access-date=28 March 2023|via=YouTube}}</ref>

Around this time "Boulevard de la Madeleine" became a hit single in [[Belgium]] and with the band's commercial success floundering in the UK, they relocated there almost immediately after Hayward and Lodge joined.<ref name="webwriter.f2s.com"/>

By February 1967 the band had returned to the UK. Unable to get gigs, they had no choice but to play the [[cabaret]] circuit. This lasted only a short time and after a confrontation with an audience member at one show, who went backstage to berate the band on their performance,<ref name="A History of The Moody Blues"/> the band realised that continuing to play rhythm and blues covers without Laine, whose voice had been the best suited to that style, was not working (in a 2005 interview, Hayward stated that the band continued playing their biggest hit "Go Now" after he and Lodge joined, with different members attempting lead vocal, but that it never sounded right).<ref name="A History of The Moody Blues"/>

Although the band had only released original songs on record after ''The Magnificent Moodies'' in July 1965, the R&B covers were still the main focus of their live show until this point, after which the band focused primarily on playing their own original songs, with Hayward bringing a new musical influence to the band with his [[Folk music|folk]]-inspired songwriting style.<ref>{{cite AV media notes|title=Days of Future Passed 1997 remaster liner notes Ray Thomas interview}}</ref>