re: Endless Sleep - The Obituary Thread

Michael Thomas Pinder ( December 27, 1941 – April 24, 2024) was an English rock musician and founding member and the original keyboard player of the rock group the Moody Blues. He left the group following the recording of the band's ninth album Octave in 1978.

Pinder was renowned for his technological contributions to rock music, most notably in the development and emergence of the Mellotron in 1960s rock music. In 2018, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of the Moody Blues. He was the last surviving of the group's original five members.

In 1964, Pinder, Ray Thomas, Denny Laine, Clint Warwick and drummer Graeme Edge formed The Moody Blues. Their initial single, "Steal Your Heart Away" on Decca, failed to chart. Their second release, "Go Now", however, became UK No. 1 in January 1965. The band went on to have a further UK hit with "I Don't Want To Go On Without You" and then released their first album The Magnificent Moodies (Decca) in mono only, on which Pinder took the lead vocal on a cover of James Brown's "I Don't Mind". "Bye Bye Bird" from this album was also a big hit for the band in France. The album was released in the USA, retitled as Go Now, on London Records.

Pinder was instrumental in the selection of young Swindon guitarist/vocalist/songwriter Justin Hayward as Laine's replacement. It was Pinder who phoned Hayward and then collected him at the railway station. Old friend John Lodge from the El Riot days came in to replace the temporary Rod Clarke as permanent bassist/vocalist, thus completing the 'classic' Moodies line-up.