Mellotron

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Hi, I'm new to this forum although I have a very interesting obession with a musical instrument called a mellotron, used most famously by the Moody Blues in their classic seven series of albums from "Days Of Future Passed" in 1968 to "Seventh Sojurn" in 1972. The mellotron was an early musical sampler which worked on the same principal as a cassette player, prerecorded tapes featuring such sounds as violins, brass, woodwinds, cellos, & eight voice choir would be played through the keyboard, which sort of resembles an organ. The first musician to ever use it on record was the Graham Bond Organization in 1965 (featuring Jack Bruce & Ginger Baker before Cream), Mandred Mann in 1966 (the Mike D' Abo era), and then the famous flute intro to "Strawberry Fields" by the Beatles. The original MK II mellotron weighed over 550 pounds, has twin keyboards, a set of precrecorded jazz rhythms on the left side. Other famous users of this model include King Crimson, the Bee Gees, Pink Floyd, early Genesis with Peter Gabriel, the Tokens, the Kinks, Small Faces, Zombies, & Flower Pot Men. The smaller Model 300 appeared later, Had an eerie sound because less instruments were used in the string sound, & was utilized by Gentle Giant & Barclay James Harvest. An M 300 was situated in Holland and such Dutch progressive rock artists like Ekseption, Focus, Earth & Fire, & the German band Frumpy used that machine. Finally there was the only 125 pound white Model 400, which had only three sounds availible on it. Groups like Yes, the Strawbs, Spocks Beard, Medeski, Martin, & Wood, Paul Weller, Genesis, & Julian Cope use this machine. An American cousin of the mellotron, the chamberlin, is used extensively by Aimee Mann, Michael Penn, Jon Brion, Ambrosia, & Fiona Appel. Since most of my early memories are musical, I can tace back my interest in this instrument to when I was four and hearing "Nights In White Satin" by the Moody Blues on the radio when I was four years old. I am curious if anybody else has heard of this instrument, & shares the enthusiasm I have for it. I personally own over 1200 songs in my cd collection which feature it. Chris

I love the sound of the mellotron. I'm not as obsessed with it as you are but it has a haunting distinctive atmospheric sound which I've always enjoyed when I've heard it. I like a lot of old psychedelic and progressive music (love King Crimson!) so that probably helps. If you have a chance - can you jot down a quick list of what you think are the best prog or psych albums which feature it? Because I mainly just know of the Moody Blues, King Crimson and Beatles mellotron stuff and would like to hear more. The more obscure the better!