Lately, I’ve wondered, “Whatever happened to so-and-so artist?” and while listening to John’s Monday music from The Sound of One Hand Typing when the same thing popped into my head. That’s when I had the bright idea to create a series of posts bearing the title Whatever happened to.
It was John’s feature song Mister Blue Sky that got me thinking about today’s group and like the bright idea it is, it’s only fitting my first selection is none other than Electric Light Orchestra (ELO).
I often wonder how the group came up with its name. Is there a connection with the bands’ name and electricity? The group did a play on words electric light as in a light bulb which was used on an album cover and “electric” rock instruments and the use of a few cellos and violins to producing their signature light orchestra backing I came to love in their style of music.
In the late 60s, Roy Wood (from the group, The Move) guitarist, singer/songwriter conceived an idea for a new sound concept for a band that excited Jeff Lynne. It took Wood’s second invitation to hook Lynne to join with the general agreement they’d focus on the intended direction of the band proposed by Wood’s earlier.
The concept finally became a reality in July 1970 after Wood added multiple cellos to Lynne’s first penned song, “10538 Overture” (UK top-ten hit) for the new group, Electric Light Orchestra with founding members: Lynne, Wood, and Bev Bevan releasing their 1971 début album, The Electric Light Orchestra, in the UK and the US the following year. You can listen to all of their songs featured from their début album.
ELO seemed to pound out the hits in the 70s and Lynne was asked to write the music for the movie Xanadu. Although the musical did poorly at the box-office the soundtrack did exceptional well going double platinum spawning hit singles for both Olivia Newton-John and ELO. This is one of my favorite all-time albums!
Although Wood left the band in the early 70s, the Electric Light Orchestra as most of us knew them as began disbanding the mid to late 80s and before the new millennium Bevan sold his ELO rights to the last founding member, Lynne.
In 2000, Lynne’s ELO comeback with the remastering of tracks, outtakes, and unfinished works in a 3-disc retrospective box-set entitled Flashback. It was 15 years, since the last album released until 2001 with billing and marketing of the first new album of the 21st century by ELO. The only returning original band member was Jeff Lynne and Richard Tandy – bass player (did only one song) along with guest musicians, Ringo Starr and George Harrison (former Beatles band members).
After Zoom’s production, Lynne reformed ELO with all new band members including his then girlfriend, Rosie Vela and Tandy rejoined to do a few live performances.
Over the next six years the music label Harvest and Epic/Legacy reissued ELO remastered unreleased or out-take album tracks. One such song written 30 years before released in 2006 to make it to the UK singles chart at 81 with Surrender.
The other unreleased (remastered) song surfaced in 2007 from the Out of the Blue album.
More revitalizing of old music continued from 2010 through 2014. I could go in to lengthy detail telling you the relaunch of each, but I didn’t see that helping a lot. Finally, in September 2015 billed as Jeff Lynne’s ELO the release of the album, Along in the Universe.
Since the release of this album, Lynne did a small promotional tour and made a few rare special U.S. TV appearances. Jeff Lynne’s events include a few here in the states, which you might want to check out.
What’s your favorite ELO song? Did you know about the newest ELO album?
Let me know what you thought of this edition and who you wonder about. That’s it for this time of What ever happened to…? Be sure to join me tomorrow for not-so Wordless Wednesday. 😉