I realize ‘ascends’ is sort of a New Agey term and not everyone likes it. I considered using ‘passes on’ but that’s too funereal for my likes. No, if any word is appropriate for Mike Pinder, ‘ascends’ is it.

As a member of the original Moody Blues, Pinder carried on with the band through its classic phase during the 1970s. He left when reluctant to tour toward the end of that decade, with Swiss keyboardist Patrick Moraz replacing him.

In the 80s the Moodies had a big comeback album without Pinder, and although exciting to see the vintage rockers chart a hit or two in an era of sheer decadence, the absence of Pinder meant it wasn’t ‘really’ the Moody Blues. Not for me, anyhow.

I saw the band at Maple Leaf Gardens just before that new, comeback album was released, probably in the late 70s. Pinder wasn’t there and Moraz had already taken up his new position on stage. Moraz was a much flashier keyboardist and I remember disliking the Star Wars-ish laser gun sound effects he arguably overplayed during the show.

By way of contrast, Pinder’s style was understated. His innovations on the mellotron, a complex keyboard that can play pre-recorded sounds, are respected by keyboardists worldwide. And he always wrote, played, and sang from the heart, not trying to dazzle with cheesy keyboard FX.

In 2018, Pinder’s place in music history was solidified when he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame alongside his Moody Blues bandmates.

All the world astounds me and I think I understandThat we’re going to keep growingJust wait and see

~ Mike Pinder, The Moody Blues

The Moody Blues (pictured in 1970) made significant use of the Mellotron in the 1960s and 1970s, played by Mike Pinder (left)