Thoughts on Electric Light Orchestra
 

Just got into them, pretty good stuff. Just wondering what folks think of them. Also, they are commonly referred to be the continuation of the Beatles, I wonder what people think of that. Did they accomplish that or was it more of a flashy "big headline".

One of my favourite bands ever. Jeff Lynne was influenced by the Beatles, certainly, but I don't think the band was ever intended to be, nor referred to as, a continuation of the Fab Four. What Lynne and Roy Wood did was pretty unprecedented at the time, bringing in string sections - cellos, violin, woodwinds and so forth, all sorts of orchestral instruments - to pop and rock music, and it yielded them some phenomenal successes. For a time from about 1977 to 1982 they were kings of the charts, with tracks like "Mister Blue Sky", "Livin' Thing", "Don't Bring Me Down" and "Telephone Line" bossing the radio waves and selling huge numbers. Their concerts were said to be amazing affairs of light show and video effects (I never saw them live myself) and they influenced a lot of major acts too. Great band.

They're not a continuation of the Beatles.

The thing came from Lynne being friends with George, and John saying once that "ELO started where the Beatles finished" or something.

A pretty decent band in my opinion. I was a big fan 2 or 3 years ago for some time. Much love for the track "Evil Woman", gets me every time

What albums have you heard yet? Are you going chronologically or just choosing the most famous/best known? Check the Album Reviews section soon for their entire discography... :)

ELO are a second-tier band for me. I like a lot of their songs, but I only own one album (Out of the Blue).

Talk of them being a continuation of The Beatles is nonsense. This is the sort of line dreamed up by music journalists who do not actually have anything intelligent to say about the act they are rewriting about. So Jeff Lynne listened to The Beatles a lot. So what? So did just about everyone. Tony Banks has said he listened to them a lot and that he was influenced by them, but I don't think anyone would claim that Genesis sounded anything like The Beatles.

If ELO are musically indebted to anyone, I say it would be The Moody Blues. This may be the reason ELO are not higher in my list of top bands. When I want to hear dramatic rock with a semi-classical sound, the Moodies usually scratch that itch for me.

Oh, and I doubt I will ever want to own "A New World Record", because I hate that song "Telephone Line" with a passion.

I don't know. ELO had a much harder edge than the Moodies. The best comparison would be with the Beatles via Eleanor Rigby/I Am the Walrus/Glass Onion but, as other have noted, ELO had a sound all its own.

What albums would I recommend? I'm partial to the earlier albums (Self Titled, On the Third Day, Eldorado), but there is a lot to be said on the more commercial records of the late seventies and even into the eighties. I think they were underrated at the time and I think that had a lot to do with their long wait to get in the R&R HOF.

Anyway, great band with their own distinctive sound. Beatles influenced to be sure but still unique in their way.

I did a bit more investigation. It seems the Beatles comparison originated with a comment by Roy Wood that he wanted the band to "pick up where the Beatles left off".

I'm not sure what you mean by "underrated"; they seemed to be everywhere from about 1976 to 1982 or so.

Trivium: ELO hold the record for the band with the most singles (20) in the Billboard Top 40 without ever reaching number one.

I mean underrated in terms of history. When they talked about the great artists of the seventies, ELO seemed to be one of the ones that were omitted. Sort of like how the Zombies (another fave band of mine)were overlooked when they talked about the British Invasion. Yeah, at the time, ELO was huge, but they seemed to fade from memory a lot faster than the Eagles or Fleetwood Mac for example.

Yeah you put that how I was thinking...
ELO I only owned Out of the Blue, but that is not a reflection of the amount of my time spent listenning to them.

I can see why there's gossip/talk of the Beatles connection..stuff written like this for example:-

Cloud Nine Review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine
Teaming with legendary Beatles obsessive Jeff Lynne, George Harrison crafted a remarkably consistent and polished comeback effort with Cloud Nine. Lynne adds a glossy production, reminiscent of ELO, but what is even more noticeable is that he's reined in Harrison's indulgences, keeping the focus on a set of 11 snappy pop/rock numbers. The consistency of the songs remains uneven, but the best moments -- "Devil's Radio," "Cloud 9," "Just for Today," "Got My Mind Set on You," and the tongue-in-cheek Beatles pastiche "When We Was Fab" -- make Cloud Nine one of his very best albums.

I just enjoyed the music...

It's pretty much nonsense really. Did the crawling ones ever use violins or cellos? Did they compose any concertos? Any concept - well, okay, but you know what I mean. When the Police hit they too were touted as "the next Beatles". It's all hype based on nothing more than a limited frame of reference for music, like how every new metal band can be described as "the new Iron Maiden" or "the new Metallica". ELO never wanted to be the "new" anything: they were unique and I believe took pleasure in being unique, in bringing classical music to the ears of people who might never have heard it otherwise, and into the mainstream of music and the charts. Sure, bands like ELP (no relation duh) and The Moody Blues did that too, but other than one major hit for the latter you couldn't really say either did anything for mainstream music. ELO did. Who can forget the cello (violin? Never sure) intro to "Livin' Thing" or the superb "Concerto For a Rainy Day" which gave way to superhit "Mister Blue Sky"?

In terms of albums, I bought them as follows (number in brackets is my rating as to how high they are on my list as essential albums)

Out of the Blue (1)
Discovery (3)
A New World Record (7)
On the Third Day (9)
Face the Music (6)
Eldorado (2)
Xanadu (11)
Time (4)
ELO (10)
ELO 2 (12)
Secret Messages (5)
Balance of Power (13)
Zoom (8)
Alone in the Universe (Haven't heard yet)

I don't share your hatred of "Telephone Line", bob, in fact I love it. But you shouldn't miss out on what is a really good album just because you don't like/dislike/hate one track. That album has some great songs - "Do ya", "Livin' Thing", "So Fine" - a great opener in "Tightrope" and a great closer in "Shangri-La", to say nothing of the close harmony acapella in "Above the Clouds."

There are plenty of albums - well, a few - on which I hate one song, but that doesn't stop me from listening to and enjoying the album. At times I want to kill, disembowel and eat Gary Moore (yes I know he's passed on already) for writing the piece of unmitigated garbage that is "Teenage Idol" - I hate it with the sort of passion I reserve for things I really, really, really hate - but I still listen to Victims of the Future. I'm not terribly fond of Abacab but I don't refuse to listen to it even though I despise "Whodunnit". You shouldn't, in my opinion, cut off your nose to spite your face by refusing to give an album a chance just because you hate one track.

Anyway, in these days of digital albums you can surely arrange to buy or download it minus that song? Or, you know, just skip it? Up to you of course, but you really should give the album a chance. It's pretty damned good.

I've heard all the ELO tracks you mention, and I do like "So Fine" and "Livin' Thing", though I probably have heard the latter so many times I hardly need to own it. Not so fond of "Do Ya". Still I concede that that album is mostly good stuff.

The bottom line is that, for me, ELO are the kind of band where I find one album is enough, especially since Out of the Blue is a double album. If I were going to get another, it would probably be from their earlier period such as Eldorado or possibly Face the Music.

I have a kind of bob_32 to the extreme attitude to ELO. There was a time when their music seemed to be everywhere. A big enthusiast was person I didn't like at school, so rather unfairly to J Lynn, that put me off them too.

times two! So far, ELO have remained a band that I have unwillingly heard but never listened to. Still, with some lesser known tracks being recommended here, I might give them a go later today...

PS: No-one has mentioned Roy Wood yet; wasn't he like half the band?

Roy Wood initially formed ELO with Lynne but I don't think he stayed with them very long. Lynne, I believe, had joined the Move just before they broke up and ELO basically took off from there.

Thanks, rs ! I had no idea that Lynn was briefly in The Move. They had some good singles back in the sixties.

They did and you can hear the comparisons to ELO as well. same thing with Lynne's original band, The Idle Race. I absolutely love their Birthday Party album.

Yeah Wood was more about the folky rock thing (which is why I'm not so enamoured of the first two albums) while Lynne was into getting the classical edge on the music. I guess you could say (maybe wrongly) that Wood was ELO's Syd?

To all who have heard the singles to death, let me assure you there are some album tracks that knock them into a hat (cocked or otherwise) and you should not judge ELO on the strength (or weakness due to repetition) of their hit singles alone. Did you know they do a cover of Grieg's "In the Hall of the Mountain King"? Or that they tackle future issues on the album Time? Or that there's a full concerto on Out of the... oh you knew that did you? Well did you know Eldorado is basically one big concerto, and one of their greatest albums? Or that On the Third Day features a fine instrumental and... well, I could go on. Book by the cover, guys! Book by the cover...

Eldorado's ****ing great (even if Illusions in G Major is a skipper and a half).

Agree, and I can do without "Nobody's Child" too, but the rest is 24-carat gold.

I've dipped into "Eldorado", but have to say that this combination of pop and orchestral is just not doing it for me. I got as far as "Boy Blue", which feels to me as if that nice honest pop song, "Hang On Sloopy" is struggling to break out from an excess of orchestration. For me, "Can't Get It Out of My Head" has a similar problem; what underneath is an average, somewhat repetitive pop song has been dressed up to sound grander than it really is, and has lost its bright poppy edge in the process. Or maybe it's another iteration of what JLennon called McCartney's "grannie rock": rock music with all the sharp corners rubber off.

Anyway, my apologies to the enthusiasts here; I'll take myself off and go rain on someone else's parade, ok?

A little pre-history..

The Move had quite a following in England in the late sixties as noted by this TV appearance in 1968



That same year, Jeff Lynne formed the Idle Race, not as popular as the Move but obviously good enough to get Roy Wood's attention



Jeff Lynne joined the Move in 1970 and was a big part in the Move's final album, Message From the Country in 1971.



And I found out through Wiki that 10538 Overture was actually recorded by the Move. Wood and Lynne though decided it didn't in with the Move so they saved it for Electric Light Orchestra.

And the rest is history :)

Thanks for inviting us to re-visit that excellent single,"Fire Brigade", and showing how those two bands turned themselves into ELO.

Yes, for a while The Move regularly appeared in the UK charts or that reputation-making show, Top of The Pops. With their two biggest singles on it, I bought their debut album myself. It's packed with inventive, quirky songs; this one was my own non-single favourite from the album:-

Got the infamous Video Unavailable once again. You guys need new copyright laws or something :D

:laughing: Or you guys need to change your firewall settings to "floods of pirate videos from overseas are fine by me"

Anyway, the song was "Mist On A Monday Morning" - you may well know it already.

Here's an interesting take on ELO by Asia. Think they really nailed it! :D

I thought somebody would mention where and why Roy Wood left ELO...
just an extract from wiki...

Not long after the release of Electric Light Orchestra's first album, Wood found himself in political disagreements with the band's manager Don Arden. Following a difference of opinion during recording of the band's second album, ELO 2, Wood walked out of the session, went down the road to a studio where the Birmingham group Mongrel (which included his former Move bandmate Rick Price, as well as drummers Charlie Grima and Keith Smart) were recording, and asked them if they would be interested in putting a band together.

Wood left ELO, taking band members Bill Hunt (keyboards and french horn) and Hugh McDowell (cello) with him, as well as ELO's sound engineer, Trevor Smith. Despite press reporting a fallout between Wood and co-founder/leader Jeff Lynne, Wood denies that he and Lynne ever had a real row, blaming it on press fabrication and insisting that "We never had a real row and we're still mates now.] In fact, Wood claimed that he left the group because he foresaw a fallout between him and Lynne due to their increasing differences of opinion (which he felt were caused, indirectly, by the band's management) and wanted to avoid it.

Also in the line-up were saxophone players Mike Burney and Nick Pentelow (the son of actor Arthur Pentelow). Prior to the recording of the band's second album, Introducing Eddy and the Falcons, McDowell left and was not replaced (he returned to ELO), and during the recording of the album Bill Hunt also departed and was replaced by Bob Brady (also from Mongrel). Prior to the 1975 recording of the band's final album, Main Street (released 2000), drummer Keith Smart departed the band and was not replaced.

Chart success and tours
The band made their live debut at The London Rock and Roll Show at Wembley Stadium on 5 August 1972.[5] Wizzard's second appearance was at the Reading Festival later that month. With Wood's distinctive warpaint make-up and colourful costume,[6] not to mention regular appearances on BBC Television's Top of the Pops in which members and friends, including Wood's girl friend, singer Ayshea Brough, variously appeared in pantomime horses, gorilla costumes or as roller-skating angels, often wielding custard pies for good measure, they were one of the most picturesque groups in the British glam rock era. In 1973 they scored their first Top 10 hit with "Ball Park Incident", which made No. 6 for three weeks from 13 January.
Their biggest hit was with their second single. "See My Baby Jive", Wood's faithful and affectionate tribute to the Phil Spector generated 'Wall of Sound', made No. 1 in the UK Singles Chart for four weeks.
It sold over one million copies globally, and was awarded gold disc status.

A tour of the US later that year failed to bring them any commercial success there, but after meeting Brian Wilson some members guested on a Beach Boys session, which resulted in the eventual release of the latter group's single "It's OK" in 1976.[9] According to Wood, the record label neglected to make a substantial push to make Wizzard a success in the U.S., preferring to focus promotion on England since the band were already very popular there.

Extracts only... and the rest can be read on the Wiki page itself..

^^ "See My Baby Jive" is one of those hits that brings back memories for me. It was number one here for what seemed like ages, and was very much the soundtrack to my first summer in Perth.

Yeah yeah but listen to "I Wish It Could Be Christmas Every Day" - it's the same bloody song! :yikes:

Don't know it.

Oh sure you do. You've just blocked it from your mind, like all of us at Xmas! :D

Never heard it. Guess being American does have its advantages :D

No, I mean it. I just watched the clip and I have never heard it. I suspect it's a UK thing.

Wizzard wasn't all that popular in the States despite Wood's reputation.

Huh, got a lot of information out of this. Literally listened to them for the first time cause my dad sent me "All Over the World" on vinyl. Was a huge fan when he was younger. And that with the Beatles, it was written inside the album sleeve, some sort of message by Lynne, but yeah it was more along the lines of "continuation".

I guess it is a thing this side of the water. I mean, it's a tradition here. Nobody hates the song (except Mr. Burns, as per my journal some years ago) but there are songs that are played every single Christmas without fail - WHAM's "Last Christmas", Slade's "Merry Christmas Everybody", Mud's "Lonely this Christmas" and Greg ****ing Lake's "I Believe in Father Christmas" among them - and you just get sick of hearing them.

All the same, now that you've heard it isn't it the same song, almost?

Let's say it's cut from the same cloth. :)

Australia has the best Xmas song ever: Paul Kelly's "How To Make Gravy." I never tire of hearing this song.



The video is distracting; best to just listen and concentrate on the words.

that suits a lot of occasions we all experience sometimes.

Sad though.