Imminent Release: Alone In The Universe -- ELO

[mgap]

I wonder if we went to the O2 concert as a Taylor fan club we could get a meet and greet with Jeff.  I think this could be a pretty good adventure, it has been 13 years since I went to London.

[timfitz63]

I wonder if we went to the O2 concert as a Taylor fan club we could get a meet and greet with Jeff.  I think this could be a pretty good adventure, it has been 13 years since I went to London.

Yeah, wouldn't that be cool?!  We could all choose an ELO song to learn and collectively play...!

[Craig]

Yeah, wouldn't that be cool?!  We could all choose an ELO song to learn and collectively play...!

I'll get a talk box and tackle Mr Blue Sky :-)

Craig

[timfitz63]

Yeah, wouldn't that be cool?!  We could all choose an ELO song to learn and collectively play...!

I'll get a talk box and tackle Mr Blue Sky :-)

OK!  But (trivia time) you'll have to know what phrase to say into the vocoder at the end of the song...  Do you know what is said...?

[Sedated]

"Jeff Lynne's" ELO?

A tad egotistical, don't you think?

ELO is a sound; an identifiable sound. Trying to have ELO with only two original members is like trying to have The Stones without Keith and Charlie.

It just doesn't work.

It's like "John Kaye & Steppenwolf". Why the need to be out front?

I saw Jefferson Starship recently. Paul Kantner was the only original member on stage.

The music was good, but it wasn't Jefferson Starship.

[timfitz63]

"Jeff Lynne's" ELO?

A tad egotistical, don't you think...?

In fairness, I can't say what the driving motivation behind the name change was.  Aside from the hard feelings among the former band members that I described in an earlier post, the name change could have simply been an effort to distinguish this version of ELO from ELO Part II.  But I freely acknowledge that it can be perceived as ego at work; I'd be lying if I said the same thought hasn't crossed my mind...

... ELO is a sound; an identifiable sound. Trying to have ELO with only two original members is like trying to have The Stones without Keith and Charlie.

It just doesn't work.

It's like "John Kaye & Steppenwolf". Why the need to be out front...?

Can't disagree at all with what you've said.  In fact, many ELO fans have been critical of Jeff Lynne's continued tendency to migrate away from the core group of musicians -- all of whom helped to establish that sound that was uniquely ELO -- to a solo effort that seemingly is Electric Light Orchestra in name only.  Heck, Jeff is pretty-much a one-man band in the studio nowadays; and those of us who've listened to Alone In The Universe seem to agree:  while enjoyable music, it has more in common with Jeff Lynne's previous solo efforts than ELO.

Acknowledging that Jeff Lynne was (and remains) the main creative force behind ELO, I would personally like to see him reconcile with the other band members -- at least those with whom reconciliation would be possible -- and really, truly bring ELO back to life.  Sadly, Kelly Groucutt, God rest his soul, will not return; a suitable bassist could probably be found, but Kelly's backing vocals would be hard to replace.  It would be great to have Bev Bevan back behind the drums, however -- both in the studio and live.

[Sedated]

It's kinda' like going to see Boston.

Despite having a bunch of people on stage with him, it's still just Tom Scholz.

[mgap]

Well... the music was written by Jeff and Richard Tandy, so I think the bulk of the sound and personality is all there.

[timfitz63]

Well... the music was written by Jeff and Richard Tandy, so I think the bulk of the sound and personality is all there.

More accurately:  ELO's music was always written by Jeff Lynne alone (with the exception of their debut album, on which Jeff shared songwriting duties with the third founding member of ELO, Roy Wood).  Richard Tandy worked on the musical arrangements with Jeff.  But the essence of your point is correct.

Still, although Jeff Lynne is a very talented musician, let's be honest:  he's not a drummer.  Sure he can keep rhythm and time; but I don't really hear him playing the drums as an instrument like Bev did.  There were a lot of 'intangibles' that Bev, Kelly, and ELO's full-time string section (Hugh McDowell, Mik Kaminski, and Melvyn Gale) brought that Jeff just can't duplicate on his own -- even with his talent and penchant for multi-tracking.

[Sedated]

My guess is it's not too long before you seem him playing the casino circuit.

[timfitz63]

My guess is it's not too long before you seem him playing the casino circuit.

Hmm.  Frankly, I don't see that outcome.  Jeff is fairly reclusive; it's well-known that he'd prefer to sit in the studio rather than perform live -- which is why he hasn't done any touring for so long (and the folks at the BBC pretty-much had to twist his arm to get him to even consider Hyde Park last year).  I think if he didn't see any merit in continuing with ELO beyond this album, he'd just mothball it again and go back to songwriting and producing other artists.

[Sedated]

My guess is it's not too long before you seem him playing the casino circuit.

Hmm.  Frankly, I don't see that outcome.  Jeff is fairly reclusive; it's well-known that he'd prefer to sit in the studio rather than perform live -- which is why he hasn't done any touring for so long (and the folks at the BBC pretty-much had to twist his arm to get him to even consider Hyde Park last year).  I think if he didn't see any merit in continuing with ELO beyond this album, he'd just mothball it again and go back to songwriting and producing other artists.

But that's really trying to have it both ways. If he'd rather sit in the studio, he could certainly do that; Lord knows he doesn't need the money from a tour and a new album. So why bother?

Well, I also understand that, despite his propensity for privacy, he has a pretty big ego, so I think that probably comes into play.

[timfitz63]

My guess is it's not too long before you seem him playing the casino circuit.

Hmm.  Frankly, I don't see that outcome.  Jeff is fairly reclusive; it's well-known that he'd prefer to sit in the studio rather than perform live -- which is why he hasn't done any touring for so long (and the folks at the BBC pretty-much had to twist his arm to get him to even consider Hyde Park last year).  I think if he didn't see any merit in continuing with ELO beyond this album, he'd just mothball it again and go back to songwriting and producing other artists.

But that's really trying to have it both ways. If he'd rather sit in the studio, he could certainly do that; Lord knows he doesn't need the money from a tour and a new album. So why bother?

Well, I also understand that, despite his propensity for privacy, he has a pretty big ego, so I think that probably comes into play.

I can't say any more than the next guy how much of this tour is being driven by ego.  I've never met the guy, but most of what I've heard reported about Jeff Lynne is that he's generally easy to get along with and fairly humble -- at least as rock stars go...  But there's no question that he's very protective of his work.

All I know is Jeff was being interviewed in Britain a little over a year ago for an achievement award he was being given, and the notion of headlining the annual Hyde Park concert was offered to him.  He reluctantly said that if the fan response was positive, he'd do it.  As it happened, Jeff was already working on a new album (after all, he still enjoys created new music); so he tossed out a counter-offer of sorts that if the Hyde Park concert went well, he'd consider doing a world tour as well.  The Hyde Park concert tickets sold out in less than an hour; and from all indications, the concert was a big success.  So, out came the new album, and a somewhat limited (in terms of dates) world tour was announced.

[Sedated]

Well, whatever the motivation, as a big 1970's ELO fan, I can't say I would be too interested in this. Like I said, it's just Jeff Lynne playing his new music and music that his old band played.

[timfitz63]

Well, whatever the motivation, as a big 1970's ELO fan, I can't say I would be too interested in this. Like I said, it's just Jeff Lynne playing his new music and music that his old band played.

Fair enough; frankly, I generally agree with you.

I'm also a much bigger fan of Jeff's earlier musical works than what I've heard on Alone In The Universe.  As I've said in assorted ways in other posts:  the music is enjoyable, and definitely has Jeff Lynne's signature production touches to it; but there's a missing element that prevents it from being Electric Light Orchestra.  I think that the missing intangible came from the other (now absent) members of ELO; Jeff just can't duplicate that in the studio using his own talent -- or on stage with session musicians.

Will I listen to Alone In The Universe and enjoy it?  Sure.  Will I listen to it more than A New World Record, Eldorado, Time, or Out Of The Blue?  Not likely.