Moody Blues frontman Justin Hayward talks life on the road

This latest solo tour is named after Stage Door, a track from your very first solo album, Songwriter, released in 1977.

That title resonates with me because as boys, my brother and I spent a lot of time outside the stage door of the Empire Theatre in Swindon.

What can we expect to see in the setlist?

I do quite a few things from the Moodies’ repertoire, including some deeper album cuts that we’ve never done on stage before – ones that didn’t really work with the band. And of course there’s a lot from my solo album Spirits Of The Western Sky [2013]. I also get to do Forever Autumn [from the War Of The Worlds soundtrack], which is always a delight.

Moodies staples Nights In White Satin, Question and Your Wildest Dreams are all included. Does a part of you secretly hanker to ditch those in favour of a purely solo repertoire?

No, it’s almost the opposite. I really enjoy playing those songs in the style of how they were recorded, with the acoustic guitar up front. Nights is still based on what I played on an old twelve-string guitar. Sharing those songs is something you never tire of.

Last year the Moodies toured the UK, Europe and the States. Are there any plans for more of the same, or perhaps a follow‑up to the 13-year-old December?

The Moodies have a US tour that begins in October, and I’m sure we’ll do something at home. And an album? I think a live DVD is more likely.

However, your just-released solo anthology All The Way does include a brand new track, The Wind Of Heaven.

That’s a song we recorded for a movie [of the same name]. I’m very thankful and pleased that Eagle Records has collected together all of this material.

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Dave Ling was a co-founder of Classic Rock magazine. His words have appeared in a variety of music publications, including RAW, Kerrang!, Metal Hammer, Prog, Rock Candy, Fireworks and Sounds. Dave’s life was shaped in 1974 through the purchase of a copy of Sweet’s album ‘Sweet Fanny Adams’, along with early gig experiences from Status Quo, Rush, Iron Maiden, AC/DC, Yes and Queen. As a lifelong season ticket holder of Crystal Palace FC, he is completely incapable of uttering the word ‘Br***ton’.