ELO: shock return
It would be a great day for fans of symphonic rock, beards and flying saucer stage spectaculars. The Electric Light Orchestra, a globe-straddling 70s phenomenon, are said to be poised for a comeback.
The Brummie group led by Jeff Lynne, sold 50 million albums, and picked up the mantle for studio innovation left by the Beatles.
But whilst Mr Blue Sky now soundtracks M&S commercials there was a time when the band’s fusion of classical, pop and rock was sneered at by cool musical types.
can classical and pop mix?
Their reputation has been overhauled in recent years with artists including James Dean Bradfield of the Manic Street Preacers citing Lynne’s melodic gifts as a major influence – the next Manic’s album is built on massive orchestrated choruses, a la ELO.
Guillemot Fyfe Dangerfield also sought to emulate Lynne’s orchestrations on his hit solo album, Fly Yellow Moon.
So how confident can we be about the reunion? Neil Hannon is the unlikely source for the revelation. Performing an excellent set as The Duckworth Lewis Method at Richard Thompson’s Meltdown on Thursday, the duo gave a hat-tip to Rob Caiger, ELO’s archivist, apparently in the audience.
Hannon said the cricket-themed Duckworth album could not have been made without ELO, encored with Mr Blue Sky and revealed his excitement that a new ELO album was in the works. The loquacious singer then told the intrigued audience that he had perhaps said too much.
A new message on the official ELO website suggests that Hannon is on the right track: “There will be exciting announcements coming over the next few months as we celebrate ELO’s 40th Anniversary…”
ELO: back to earth?
The time certainly seems right for an ELO comeback. Promoters will be rubbing their hands with glee at the return of a genuine arena-filling phenomenon.
It will give Sony a chance to repackage their albums to a younger audience discovering them for the first time.
Whilst Lynne, who went on to work with Tom Petty and The Travelling Wilburys, owns the rights to the ELO name, there is a question of who would be part of the line-up.
Fans might want to see a reunion with Roy Wood, who left in 1972 and there are several “ELO Part II”-type bands, featuring former members, on the live circuit.
But if Lynne had the budget to recreate the saucer-flying stadium extravaganzas on the past, it’s not hard to see an ELO comeback being a lucrative addition to the tour circuit over the next year.
The 70s party theme seems to go on forever.
There’s music, films and fashion to remind us.
The site here is full of all outfits worn by
people of the time.
Sheila
[...] be a possibility ever since that Jeff Lynne & Peter Asher interview almost 2 months ago! Rick ELO, the band the Beatles could have been, set for shock return? | Beehive City ELO, the band the Beatles could have been, set for shock return? June 18, 2010 By Adam Sherwin [...]
Hi,
It would be great to see Jeff release a new album, as it has been 9 years since Zoom. However just one point to clear up in your article…. ELO Part 2 were a band put together by Bev Bevan in the late-1980′s and featured a number of former ELO members including Hugh McDowell, Lou Clark, Kelly Groucutt & Mik Kaminski. When Bev left this band in November 1999, the band ‘ceased to be’.
After a court case involving Jeff & the remaining band members, Kelly, Mik & Lou went on to form The Orchestra (featuring former members of ELO & ELO Part 2), and continue to tour the world today, despite the tragic passing of Kelly Groucutt in February 2009 shortly after a sell-out gig in Berlin.
So here’s hoping for some new music from Jeff with hopefully some live gigs, plus the continuing superb live shows by The Orchestra!!!
Regards, Jim