Is the Moody Blues' Justin Hayward ells it, life on the road certainly has :hanged for the British band that once Jrove itself across America in a station vagon and a U-Haul truck full of gui-ars and amps.

Driving themselves from coast to coast in '68, they picked up gigs at small :lubs along the way. Staying in small motels, at the residences of gracious6 ans, or "wherever we found ourselves at that particular moment," the vtoody Blues started out like hundreds of other bands hitting the road in \merica for the first time. Nearly 40 years and dozens of albums later, the jand has become legendary7 for their concert performances worldwide. Al-hough their music has retained its ethereal and majestic spirit,8 life on the •oad has changed since those early days with the U-Haul.

'The qualities of the hotels have changed, that's for sure," says Hayward who ilong with the two other remaining longtime members of the influential sand¡ªJohn Lodge and Graeme Edge (flautist9 Ray Thomas departed after the !003 tour ended)¡ªhas been currently touring North America and Canada iince May with the Moodys. "It's better now," he adds without hesitation. 'People always say 'don't you want to go back and play all the little clubs again and that kind of stuff? ' But, what's the point of being a Moody Blue if

you can't do it nicely with some style10?"

The band's nerve center" , Hayward, Lodge and Edge (all around 60 y« old) , still hit the road ¡ª in style ¡ª about four times a year. Being on the re so often, don't they get tired of traveling and being away from home? "I dc mind," says Hayward who lives with his wife in the south of France. '"V just have to accept that touring is sort of 80 percent boredom , 20 percent fr; tic12 activity. I like the frantic activity stuff. "

For the band's tours these days, Hayward says they usually try to perform nights continuously ¡ª usually in different cities ¡ª and then take a day off. you're 6,000 miles from home, you had better play nightly really," says He ward. "On the days off I'm just sort of wandering around, looking for a me ie. " Although Hayward says the last flick he took in, Shrek 2, was "OK,' he would prefer to be up there performing on stage every night, even if i songs that were written over 20 years ago for the most part.

The Moodys don't play a show, however, without a certain song that me tions the word "satin." In fact, Hayward is sure that the band has play< Nights in White Satin at every gig the band has played since 1967. So, ho does the song stay fresh? Has the meaning changed for its songwriter?

On the latest episode of American Idol the Bottom three left standing on stage were Siobhan Magnus, Michael Lynche and Casey James.  One of these three would be the next Idol contestant eliminated from the running, leaving just five hopefuls.  Ryan Seacrest made sure to leave plenty of dramatic pauses and commercial breaks in between the announcement of who was safe and who was facing elimination.

At the end of the show they once again announced that "Big Mike" aka Michael Lynche was safe.  It's become a weekly tradition to preserve Lynche towards the end.  With the lights dimmed, it was down to just Casey James and Siobhan Magnus.  Seacrest sadly let the world know that Siobhan would be going home.  A sad moment for Idol, but Siobhan jofully belted out her last song on the stage, before making the rounds to hug her family in the audience, as well as Simon Cowell and the AI judges.

Other highlights of the April 28th American Idol were performances by Lady Antebellum, Shakira, Rascall Flats and a relatively new band Sons of Sylvia who has had the internet buzzing since after Idol ended.  There was also behind the scenes footage of a new Ford music video with the Idol contestants being done up as vampires, as well as a trip to the voice over recording studios to do some fun work with the "Shrek Forever" director.  Actors Antonio Banderas and Cameron Diaz appeared on the Idol stage to hype up the upcoming final Shrek movie.