A JEFF LYNNE AND RELATED BLOG

ELSEWHERE IN THE HOUSE OF WILBURY...

2012-01-19T19:57:00.000-05:00

While things at Camp Jeff are still 'quiet', some other interesting items have just been announced - not the least of which, a George Harrison app. George Harrison - The Guitar Collection will be available starting February 23 on iTunes. For $9.99, you can scroll through pictures of George Harrison's private guitar collection, watch related videos and hear vintage Harrison tracks - all on an iPad. Amazing idea.

Also coming up, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers 2012 tour - now with Regina Spektor on the bill for 8 dates. Ms. Spektor will have a new album this year called What We Saw From The Cheap Seats.

PRELIM DETAILS ON 'ELO-40'...

2012-01-16T10:15:00.003-05:00

A 40th Anniversary edition of Electric Light Orchestra (aka No Answer) does appear to be in the offing. Some further digging has even revealed a track list. Again, from HMV Japan:

Disc 1: CD

10538 Overture
Look At Me Now
Nellie Takes Her Bow
The Battle Of Marston Moor (July 2nd 1644)
First Movement (Jumping Biz)
Mr Radio
Manhattan Rumble (49th Street Massacre)
Queen Of The Hours
Whisper In The Night
10538 Overture (Acetate)
Mr Radio (Take 9 Recorded 18/11/70)
Nellie Takes Her Bow (Alternate Mix)
Whisper In The Night (Take 1/Take 2 Edit Recorded 28/4/71)
Mr Radio (7'' Single Version)
10538 Overture (Live) (2001 Digital Remaster)

Disc 2: DVD-Audio

10538 Overture (Quad to 4.1 DTS/96/24 and Dolby Digital) (2012 - Remaster)
Look At Me Now (Quad to 4.1 DTS/96/24 and Dolby Digital)
Nellie Takes Her Bow (Quad to 4.1 DTS/96/24 and Dolby Digital)
The Battle Of Marston Moor (July 2nd 1644) (Quad to 4.1 DTS/96/24 and Dolby Digital) (2012 - Remaster)
First Movement (Jumping Biz) (Quad to 4.1 DTS/96/24 and Dolby Digital) (2012 - Remaster)
Mr Radio (Quad to 4.1 DTS/96/24 and Dolby Digital) (2012 - Remaster)
Manhattan Rumble (49th Street Massacre) (Quad to 4.1 DTS/96/24 and Dolby Digital) (2012 - Remaster)
Queen Of The Hours (Quad to 4.1 DTS/96/24 and Dolby Digital) (2012 - Remaster)
Whisper In The Night (Quad to 4.1 DTS/96/24 and Dolby Digital) (2012 - Remaster)
10538 Overture
Look At Me Now
Nellie Takes Her Bow
The Battle Of Marston Moor (July 2nd 1644)
First Movement (Jumping Biz)
Mr Radio
Manhattan Rumble (49th Street Massacre)
Queen Of The Hours
Whisper In The Night
10538 Overture (Original Promo Clip) (2012 - Remaster)

Again, this is listed as a European import set for release in Japan on 27 February 2012, and there may be more about this in the coming days. Quad to 4.1 DTS has a nice ring to it, doesn't it? Stay tuned.

NEW 40TH ANNIVERSARY EDITIONS?

2012-01-16T09:13:00.001-05:00

HMV Japan has a few new listings of note.

First, out on 24 January 2012, is reissues of Discovery & A New World Record. They just appear, at this point, to be straight up re-issues of the brilliant card sleeve editions from a few years ago.

But more interestingly, two 40th Anniversary editions of Electric Light Orchestra (aka No Answer) - one on vinyl, the other a two disc set featuring CD and DVD - are on the docket for 27 February 2012 release.

The listing suggests these releases are European imports. There's no other info on these right now, we'll keep you posted.

180g of ELDORADO

2012-01-09T20:47:00.002-05:00

It appears there is movement on the new vinyl edition of ELO's Eldorado. Amazon UK is now listing a 30 January release day. Music on Vinyl will list it in the days prior to release day.

The original 10 tracks on 180g vinyl...

BIRTHDAY GREETINGS, BOTTLE OF WINE...

2011-12-30T00:31:00.001-05:00

Jeff Lynne turns 64 today. Happy Birthday, Jeff...

ANOTHER DEAL OF THE DAY...

2011-12-29T10:54:00.002-05:00

Amazon US appears to be running a special on much of George Harrison's download catalog, including the Jeff Lynne-produced Cloud Nine, Brainwashed, and George's career-spanning collection Let It Roll... all $4.99 each - download only.

This download edition of Cloud Nine contains the rare extended version of Got My Mind Set On You.

DEAL OF THE DAY...

2011-12-27T16:14:00.000-05:00

A quick heads up... just got word that the new 11CD Classic Albums Collection from ELO will be PopMarket's Deal of the Day this coming Friday December 30, 2011. The set which regularly goes for $80, will be discounted for those who are either on the fence about it or who would like to buy one as a gift. At present, it shows $62.99 with free shipping. The price/shipping deal may vary depending on where you live.

For the record, the old elomusic.com website from Sony now directs you right to this set.

MORE FROM THE FILLMORE

2011-12-19T19:51:00.001-05:00

FTM now has a full spread on the Live At The Fillmore 1969 set from The Move.

The 2CD comes out on 13 February 2010... but is available to download now on iTunes and some Amazon outlets...

MOVING ON...

2011-12-08T19:28:00.003-05:00

First out of the gate in 2012 appears to be a 2-disc live set from The Move. Live at The Fillmore 1969 is so far slated for a 13 February 2012 release. It includes a bonus track featuring Bev Bevan talking about The Move's USA Tour.

"The Only Complete Move Concert in Existence..."

Sound samples now on Amazon UK...

Being released by Right Recordings UK: Their blurb:

Thought lost for over 30 years, the master tapes from The Move’s shows at the Fillmore West were saved by Carl Wayne but suffered technical problems & could not be released. Thanks to advances in studio technology, Carl began restoring the tapes in 2003. Sadly Carl died in 2004 & was never able to complete the live album he believed would show how incredible The Move was as a live band. Now, with the full cooperation & permission of his wife, Sue Wayne, the tapes have been painstakingly restored, remastered & released in memory of The Move’s dynamic front man & lead singer.

100 minutes of previously unreleased Move live magic recorded at San Francisco’s Fillmore West.

Full colour 12-page booklet with rare & unseen photos & memorabilia.
Exclusive commentary, new & archive interviews with members of The Move.

Track List...

Disc 1:
Open My Eyes
Don't Make My Baby Blue
Cherry Blossom Clinic Revisited
The Last Thing On My Mind
I Can Hear The Grass Grow

Disc 2:
Fields Of People
Goin' Back
Hello Susie
Under The Ice
Additional Night Performances: Introduction
Don't Make My Baby Blue
Cherry Blossom Clinic Revisited
The Last Thing On My Mind
The Move's 1969 USA Tour Recalled By Bev Bevan (Bonus Track)

Right Recordings is giving people the option of the CD autographed by Bev Bevan - and offering T-shirts.

BARBARA ORBISON

2011-12-07T08:58:00.003-05:00

Barbara Orbison, who spent years keeping the legacy of her husband Roy alive, died of pancreatic cancer yesterday - 23 years to the day we lost Roy. She was just 60 years old.

News links:
CBS News
USA Today
BBC
Examiner

CLASSIC ALBUMS BOX ctd...

2011-11-12T11:43:00.002-05:00

The new Classic Albums Collection box set has arrived. Here's another picture to illustrate some of the interesting features.

First off, there's 11 discs, not 12 as some retailers have listed.

The individual albums are housed in good quality card sleeves. If the original album was a gatefold, it's presented here in a gatefold.

The booklet is 28 pages with original album credits and snippets from the remaster booklets. Very nice.

All of the discs are uniform black with logo and title.

So, on the surface, a nicely presented set. A casual fan now has the opportunity to own ELO's main catalog for as little as $45. I suppose that's the intent of this set.

Now for the nitpicky stuff:

I have mixed feelings on the white border of every card sleeve.

Given the Earth Wind & Fire example for this same series, I thought this would have been a good opportunity to include a short bonus CD of already released tracks that didn't make this round of remasters (ie remastered Hello My Old Friend, Mandalay, Buildings Have Eyes, A Matter Of Fact (both versions), maybe the edit to Evil Woman, Flashback tracks, etc...)

A lot of us had strong doubts Zoom was going to be included. If Sony doesn't own it anymore, my guess is any future 're-packagaing' would probably come from Jeff and his yet to be revealed new endeavor.

One good thing about this box set, it's not cheaply made and there's more attention to detail than usual. But, I can't help but to imagine a real box set geared to the more dedicated ELO fan ala the recent Queen and Pink Floyd sets.

I have to admit, they made nothing new look new.

THERE'S AN APP FOR THAT...

2011-11-06T18:57:00.002-05:00

A report from the George Harrison Living In The Material World Exhibit at the Grammy Museum in LA...

One of our regular readers, who we know as Rock Singer, saw the exhibit last night:

"My favorite part of the exhibit was off to the side, four small mixing board where you could remix George's song "This is Love." I couldn't resist it and had to try. I only wished I could have kept a personal copy of the remix that I made myself." Yeah I'm no Jeff Lynne but it was fun trying."

That would be fun.

I HAVE A QUESTION...

2011-11-02T20:10:00.000-04:00

... Is there any intention of releasing this documentary in USA for those of us who don't have HBO? Just askin'....

MUSIC BOOK BY ROY WOOD

2011-10-14T14:00:00.002-04:00

You remember that compilation Roy Wood has been working on? Well, Music Book appears to be ready for a 14 November release in the UK.

You remember when Roy Wood mentioned that one of his late 80s/early 90s tracks with Jeff Lynne would included in this set?? Well, it appears that he has back-pedaled on that idea.

CD1
1. California Man (Roy Wood with his Rock & Roll "Big Band") *
2. Ball Park Incident (Wizzard)
3. Forever (Roy Wood)
4. Oh What A Shame (Roy Wood)
5. Fire Brigade (Roy Wood) *
6. French Perfume (Roy Wood with Wizzard)
7. Down To Zero (Roy Wood)
8. Raining In The City (Roy Wood)
9. I Can Hear The Grass Grow (Status Quo)
10. Beautiful Daughter (Roy Wood with Carl Waynes)
11. Tonight (Move)
12. Lion's Heart (Roy Wood) *
13. Look Thru The Eyes Of A Fool (Roy Wood)
14. Dear Elaine (Roy Wood)
15. Main Street (Roy Wood with Wizzard)
16. New York City (Roy Wood Rock & Roll Band) *
17. Givin' Your Heart Away (Roy Wood)
18. Sing Out The Old...Bring In The New (Roy Wood with Kempsey School Choir)

CD2
1. See My Baby Jive (Wizzard)
2. Starting Up (Roy Wood)
3. Any Old Time Will Do (Roy Wood)
4. Miss Clarke And The Computer (Roy Wood)
5. Green Glass Windows (Roy Wood with Kempsey School Choir)
6. R. U. Red E 2 Rock (Wizzard)
7. Chinatown (Move)
8. Flowers In The Rain (Nancy Sinatra)
9. Why Does Such A Pretty Girl (Sing Those Sad Songs) (Roy Wood)
10. Brontosaurus (Move)
11. Olympic Flyer (Roy Wood)
12. Angel Fingers (A Teen Ballad) (Wizzard)
13. Keep Your Hands On The Wheel (Roy Wood feat John Bonham Drums)
14. Aerial Pictures (Roy Wood) *
15. This Is The Story Of My Love (Wizzard)
16. Blackberry Way (Move with extra strings by Roy Wood) *
17. I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday (Wizzard)
BONUS TRACK:
18. First Movement E.L.O (Roy Wood acoustic guitar & cello)

* PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED

12 DISCS ???

2011-10-14T13:50:00.001-04:00

There appears to be a bit of confusion (or change) regarding the upcoming Classic Albums Collection box set.

Amazon Germany and another German retailer are listing the collection as 12 discs and that Zoom is the newly added 12th disc. Amazon US and UK also list the collection as 12 discs but no further info.

On the other hand, another import retailer is listing 12 discs with Out Of The Blue split into 2 discs.

Pop Market is still showing 11 discs.

This could all explain the delay. Again, stay tuned.

CLASSIC ALBUMS BOX

2011-10-11T15:01:00.000-04:00

The Classic Albums Collection now moves to November 8.

AND THE TITLE IS...

2011-10-11T14:34:00.000-04:00

Joe Walsh has reportedly revealed the name of this new album. According to Ultimate Classic Rock, it was will be titled Analog Man and Mr. Walsh will testing (at least) the title track on his upcoming set of live shows.

Jeff Lynne is previously reported to have produced half the tacks on the album. The Ultimate Classic Rock article vaguely states it'll be a Winter 2012 release - backing up an article from Cleveland.com which also says early 2012. Stay tuned...

LIVING IN THE MATERIAL WORLD

2011-10-05T08:56:00.000-04:00

For those of you in the US with HBO, tonight is part one of George Harrison - Living In The Material World - part two tomorrow night. Let us know what you think!

FALL CLASSICS

2011-10-01T11:55:00.003-04:00

Here's a small roundup on what's up this month. First, the USA edition of The Essential Electric Light Orchestra is out on October 24. The UK version is out 10 October. Lynn Hoskins at Showdown says the Xanadu tracks are from the 1998 UK edition. The one exception: Xanadu, which appears to be the newer Jeff Lynne version.

Disc 1:

1. 10538 Overture (7" Edit) 4:03
2. Roll Over Beethoven (7" Edit) 4:31
3. Showdown 4:09
4. Ma-Ma-Ma Belle 3:37
5. Can't Get It Out Of my Head (7" Edit) 3:07
6. Evil Woman 4:12
7. Nightrider (7" Edit) 3:42
8. Strange Magic 4:06
9. Livin' Thing 3:32
10. Do Ya 3:45
11. Rockaria! 3:13
12. Telephone Line 4:40
13. Turn To Stone 3:48
14. Mr. Blue Sky 5:02
15. Sweet Talkin' Woman 3:48
16. Wild West Hero 4:41
17. It's Over 4:09
18. Shine A Little Love 4:11

Disc 2:

1. Don't Bring Me Down 4:03
2. The Diary Of Horace Wimp 4:17
3. Confusion 3:40
4. Last Train To London 4:30
5. I'm Alive 3:44
6. Xanadu (New Version) 3:21
7. All Over The World 4:02
8. Don't Walk Away 4:47
9. Hold On Tight 3:06
10. Twilight 3:43
11. Ticket To The Moon 4:07
12. The Way Life's Meant To Be 4:38
13. Rock and Roll Is King 3:08
14. Secret Messages 4:43
15. Four Little Diamonds 4:05
16. Calling America 3:29
17. So Serious 2:42
18. Surrender 2:32
19. Latitude 88 North 3:23

The Classic Albums Collection is "shipping on or before October 15." - which is a Saturday, so not sure this is following a traditional release 'schedule.'

George Harrison : Living In The Material World

The track list for the Deluxe Edition CD is out.

Exclusive CD Tracklist:
1. My Sweet Lord (demo) 3:33
2. Run Of The Mill (demo) 1:56
3. I'd Have You Any Time (early take) 3:06
4. Mama You've Been On My Mind (demo) 3:04
5. Let It Be Me (demo) 2:56
6. Woman Don't You Cry For Me (early take) 2:44
7. Awaiting On You All (early take) 2:40
8. Behind That Locked Door (demo) 3:29
9. All Things Must Pass (demo) 4:38
10. The Light That Has Lighted The World (demo) 2:23

So, it appears there's nothing from the Jeff Lynne/Wilburys era or later on this. And still no announced plans for a DVD or BRD in the USA. The Jeff Lynne Interview bonus feature is included with all released versions in the UK.

Joe Walsh's website has completed a makeover. Right now, there's only solo tour dates and no hint of a new album at all. According to Joe from eons ago, it's been sitting ready to go.

ELO CLASSIC ALBUMS BOX SET

2011-09-06T01:43:00.007-04:00

UPDATE: Release date slides to October 15...

Also suddenly appearing on Sony's release schedule, an 11-CD box set containing the band's current USA remasters.

The blurb:

This box set is the definitive document of Electric Light Orchestra's classic recordings
Each album features rare bonus tracks, including numerous alternate versions and unreleased tracks.
Each album is packaged in a replica mini-LP-style sleeve reproducing that album's original cover art.
Includes such enduring ELO hits as "Can't Get It Out of My Head," "Evil Woman," "Telephone Line," "Livin' Thing," "Sweet Talkin' Woman," "Mr. Blue Sky," "Don't Bring Me Down" and "Hold On Tight."

UPDATE: Release date slides to October 15...

Hat tip: Cory

FULL STREAM AHEAD...

2011-09-02T18:32:00.002-04:00

RollingStone.com is now streaming the entire Listen To Me: Buddy Holly collection... Enjoy and feel free to post your thoughts on Words of Love...

ESSENTIAL ELECTRIC LIGHT ORCHESTRA

2011-09-01T20:31:00.000-04:00

Sony/BMG will be releasing The Essential Electric Light Orchestra in the UK. This time a 2 CD collection spanning the length of the ELO brand.

Disc 1

10538 Overture
Roll Over Beethoven
Showdown
Ma-Ma-Ma Belle
Can't Get It Out Of My Head
Evil Woman
Nightrider
Strange Magic
Livin' Thing
Do Ya
Rockaria!
Telephone Line
Turn To Stone
Mr. Blue Sky
Sweet Talkin' Woman
Wild West Hero
It's Over
Shine A Little Love

Disc 2

Don't Bring Me Down
The Diary Of Horace Wimp
Confusion
Last Train To London
I'm Alive
Xanadu
All Over The World
Don't Walk Away
Hold On Tight
Twilight
Ticket To The Moon
The Way Life's Meant To Be
Rock and Roll Is King
Secret Messages
Four Little Diamonds
Calling America
So Serious
Surrender
Latitude 88 North

Release date: 10 October 2011. Amazon UK

LISTEN TO ME: BUDDY HOLLY PROMO

2011-08-30T16:07:00.002-04:00

A promo CD of Listen To Me: Buddy Holly is out there now, even though it is now less than a week before the official release... and still no full preview of Words of Love yet...

...AND AGAIN...

2011-08-29T22:46:00.001-04:00

The re-recorded Mr. Blue Sky, now playing on a Target ad in Australia.

Hat tip: Robert

FIRST LOOK: LIVING IN THE MATERIAL WORLD

2011-08-22T19:50:00.001-04:00

We are getting our first look at the trailer for the upcoming George Harrison documentary, Living In The Material World:

THANKS...

2011-08-22T09:18:00.000-04:00

Thanks to Ged and everyone involved with the Earthrise re-issue. You guys did a great job!

...AND AGAIN...

2011-08-22T09:16:00.002-04:00

The movie trailer count is adding up. Don't Bring Me Down (old and new versions) is featured in the trailers for Our Idiot Brother. A 30-second spot features the classic version. Here's one of the longer trailers:

FUTURAMA

2011-08-04T22:15:00.002-04:00

While sitting at home unwinding from another long day, this came on:

Futurama

Thursdays 10/9c

The Wreck of the Original Planet Express Ship

www.comedycentral.com

Comedy Central

Funny TV Shows

Roast of Charlie Sheen

Older post: This is a still picture (taken on my phone) from tonight's episode of Futurama. In this scene, the crew flies through a spaceship graveyard.

HERE COMES THE DOC, DO DO DO DO

2011-08-03T20:47:00.003-04:00

We now have our first look at what the new George Harrison documentary, Living In The Material World will look like on deluxe DVD, at least for the UK. There's still no listing for the CD of 'never before heard' tracks. However, the Special Features section has some interesting items:

Special Features:
George plays the Uke*
Here Comes The Sun
Dispute and Violence
Deep Blue*
Paul McCartney interview
Jeff Lynne interview
Damon Hill interview
Growing Up in Liverpool interview*
Neil Aspinall interview*
The Inner Light interview*
Gordon Murray interview*
* Exclusive to the Deluxe Edition.

The initial list price for this Deluxe Edition: 74.99 GBP. I suspect this will get interesting. Stay tuned...

This is the DVD release.

and this is the Blu-Ray release.

LISTEN TO BUDDY...

2011-07-25T19:17:00.000-04:00

An announcement we've been seemingly waiting ages for is official as of today. A collection of Buddy Holly cover songs called Listen To Me: Buddy Holly will be released on September 6, just in time to celebrate Buddy's 75th birthday. Jeff Lynne has contributed (and produced) a cover of Words Of Love for the set.

A new web site has launched in preparation for the release... as well as a press video giving us a short preview of some of the tracks including Words Of Love.

Listen To Me: Buddy Holly will be available as a CD and a digital download. The Listen To Me series will benefit music industry charities geared towards young, up and coming musicians.

This will be the first studio recording under the Jeff Lynne banner since 1991.

LIVING IN THE MATERIAL WORLD

2011-07-14T09:01:00.001-04:00

GeorgeHarrison.com has taken the wraps off the new Martin Scorsese documentary about George's life, Living In The Material World.

If you are in the UK, good news for you. The film will be released in 3 configurations: DVD, DVD/Blu-Ray Combo pack, and a deluxe edition featuring the DVD, Blu-Ray disc and a CD of unheard material. Release date: 10 October 2011.

If you're in the US, the film will debut in two parts on HBO on October 5th and 6th.

Although today's press release doesn't mention Jeff Lynne by name, I can't imagine he's not part of it in some form or fashion.

This is just how the film will debut, but plenty of questions remain. When will the USA get a DVD/Blu-Ray release... and what's on that CD? Stay tuned.

A companion book will help usher in the film. Expected UK Release date for that September 3, September 15 for the USA.

EARTHRISE SAMPLER

2011-07-09T09:59:00.001-04:00

Here's an update for those of you following the new Earthrise re-issue. A sampler is available to hear now while everything else is being finalized. Order/payment links will appear in the coming days and the CD is expected to ship next month.

One surprise, Colin Owen, who "commanded the live desk on ELO's Time tour," is the engineer on this project.

And notice the artwork now says Morgan/Tandy...

UPDATE ON ROSSIF SUTHERLAND

2011-06-28T22:20:00.002-04:00

Rossif Sutherland has just released an album of all-new material to his MySpace page. No Jeff Lynne involvement, but it's worth checking out anyway. These Words and Waiting For The Train are still available to hear.

KINDA OT: EARTHRISE

2011-06-15T09:07:00.002-04:00

It appears a new day is dawning for Earthrise, the 80s project by ELO members Richard Tandy and Dave Morgan. A new site has been launched in preparation for a new re-issue of the album. Earthrise will be digitally remastered with bonus tracks and available as a CD, digital download and a limited edition picture disc with new artwork. Pretty schnazzy...

WANDERING SOLDIER

2011-06-09T09:18:00.006-04:00

Many of you remember the rather amazing freshman album Something Peculiar from the rather talented Julianna Raye. The album was produced and arranged by Jeff Lynne and was released in April 1993. Now Ms. Raye is streaming the only known outtake from the Something Peculiar sessions, Wandering Soldier. Enjoy.

ON THE RUN...

2011-06-09T09:18:00.004-04:00

Just to let you know, this blog is now mobile device-friendly. When you access this blog from any mobile device, you will get a page that loads quickly and is easy to navigate. Ah, progress....

ALL OVER THE WORLD, AGAIN...

2011-05-10T19:48:00.002-04:00

For the record, Sony is apparently re-issuing All Over The World: The Very Best of Electric Light Orchestra in Europe (I believe) at the end of this month. Same track listing, but in this case, with new artwork.

Release day 30 May 2011.

Order links:
Play.com
Amazon UK
HMV UK

RAVE ON BUDDY HOLLY

2011-05-02T08:54:00.001-04:00

There apparently will be more than one Buddy Holly Tribute CD this year. Rave On Buddy Holly which was mentioned earlier is not the Peter Asher project with Words of Love newly-recorded by Jeff Lynne.

Turns out, the Asher project is due later this year and is titled Listen To Me: Buddy Holly.

MECHANICAL SYMPATHY

2011-04-12T22:41:00.003-04:00

ELO Discovery linked to this rather amazing short film using Steppin' Out from ELO.

Mechanical Sympathy from Tom McDermott on Vimeo.

From the creator of the film:

Created as part of my dissertation which is titled '‘Breathing life into an inanimate object using stop motion animation techniques’. This film is made up of 6,300 individual photographs and shot and edited in just over five weeks.

NITEY NITE...

2011-04-09T14:47:00.001-04:00

While browsing what's probably the only CD shop within 25 miles of here, I came across this:

It's a lullaby tribute to Tom Petty and it leans heavily on Petty's collaborations with Jeff Lynne.

The track list:
Free Fallin'
I Won't Back Down
You Wreck Me
Saving Grace
Runnin' Down A Dream
Here Comes My Girl
American Girl
Learning To Fly
Into The Great Wide Open
The Waiting

The songs are available to download from iTunes and Amazon. Other tributes in this series include Michael Jackson, Dave Matthews Band, Bruce Springsteen and Jimmy Buffett.

The tracks are instrumental and within an inch of complete kitch. After a few minutes playing it, I strongly suspect the music will do anything but put a child to sleep.

BLAH-RAY...

2011-03-23T22:35:00.000-04:00

Now, let me qualify this comment. I'm playing the Concert For George Blu-Ray on a standard low-to-mid-price Sony Blu-Ray player.

Still, I'm expecting to be (even somewhat) wow-ed by the picture. I'm not. At all.

Anyone else?

CONCERT FOR GEORGE PRESS MATERIALS

2011-03-23T20:31:00.006-04:00

(UPDATE: 1888 Media apparently removed their Concert For George content. I amended the posting to take out the missing images.)

A reminder, Concert For George is out on Blu-Ray this week. Thanks to Rob at 1888 Media for sharing some press materials for this week's release. Enjoy.

The widget:

The trailer:

The press release:

CONCERT FOR GEORGE SET FOR BLU-RAY DEBUT

Legendary George Harrison Tribute Concert To Be Released
On Blu-Ray For First Time On March 22

Los Angeles, CA— CONCERT FOR GEORGE, the legendary tribute concert in honor of GEORGE HARRISON, will be released for the first time ever on Blu-ray on March 22. Originally released in High Definition, the CONCERT FOR GEORGE 2-disc Blu-ray will include the complete concert on the first disc, with a second disc containing the original theatrical version featuring concert highlights, interviews with the performers, rehearsals, and behind-the-scenes footage. The second disc will also include a previously unreleased interview segment entitled “Drummers,” featuring Ringo Starr, Jim Keltner and Ray Cooper.

CONCERT FOR GEORGE has been certified 8 times platinum by the RIAA since its initial release as a 2DVD set in November 2003 and earned a 2004 Grammy® Award for Best Long Form Music Video.

On November 29, 2002, one year after the passing of George Harrison, Olivia Harrison and longtime friend Eric Clapton organized a performance tribute in his honor. Held at London's Royal Albert Hall, the momentous evening featured George's songs, and music he loved, performed by a lineup that included Clapton, Jools Holland, Jeff Lynne, Paul McCartney, Monty Python, Tom Petty, Billy Preston, Ravi and Anoushka Shankar, Ringo Starr, Dhani Harrison and many more.

Directed by David Leland (whose credits include the feature Wish You Were Here, HBO’s Band Of Brothers and the Traveling Wilburys video “Handle With Care”), CONCERT FOR GEORGE captures stunning renditions of some of the most significant music of the 20th century, including “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” (featuring Clapton on guitar, McCartney on piano and Starr on drums), “Taxman” (performed by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers) and “The Inner Light” (covered by Jeff Lynne and Anoushka Shankar). Lynne, Harrison’s longtime friend and collaborator, produced the audio elements of the concert, while Clapton oversaw the entire proceedings as Musical Director.

CONCERT FOR GEORGE
Track Listing

Your Eyes - Anoushka Shankar
The Inner Light - Jeff Lynne & Anoushka Shankar
Arpan - Conducted by Anoushka Shankar
Sit On My Face – Monty Python
The Lumberjack Song – Monty Python with Tom Hanks
I Want To Tell You - Jeff Lynne
If I Needed Someone - Eric Clapton
Old Brown Shoe - Gary Brooker
Give Me Love - Jeff Lynne
Beware Of Darkness - Eric Clapton
Here Comes The Sun - Joe Brown
That’s The Way It Goes - Joe Brown
Horse To The Water – Sam Brown
Taxman - Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
I Need You - Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
Handle With Care - Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers with Jeff Lynne & Dhani Harrison
Isn’t It A Pity - Billy Preston
Photograph - Ringo Starr
Honey Don’t - Ringo Starr
For You Blue - Paul McCartney
Something - Paul McCartney & Eric Clapton
All Things Must Pass - Paul McCartney
While My Guitar Gently Weeps - Paul McCartney & Eric Clapton
My Sweet Lord - Billy Preston
Wah Wah - Eric Clapton & Band
I’ll See You In My Dreams - Joe Brown

Purchase links for Amazon US and Amazon UK ...

HALL OF FAME LIVE

2011-03-21T22:22:00.001-04:00

Time-Life has issued what appears to be a download-only collection of Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame live performances.

Included with this particular collection is While My Guitar Gently Weeps performed by Tom Petty, a few of his Heartbreakers, Jeff Lynne, Dhani Harrison, Marc Mann, Ray Cooper (right?) Steve Winwood, and a hot guitar solo from Prince.

This is an audio-only download... available only on iTunes as of March 15... and you can buy any individual track for $.99...

This particular one is way worth the money, whether or not you've already heard this...

CONCERT FOR GEORGE BLU-RAY; ctd

2011-03-11T00:22:00.001-05:00

Here's what the new Concert for George Blu-Ray will look like. This and the digital download are coming in less than two weeks.

Check out this review from Blu-Ray.com, it's more from a technical stand point. The audio portion gets a rave review.

And according to Rhino's website, there will be bonus 'bonus' material, a feature called 'Drummers'...

FOUR FROM FAR

2011-03-03T20:13:00.001-05:00

Here's one for the collectors. Regina Spektor will celebrate Record Store Day next month by releasing a limited edition EP called Four From Far. The 7" EP will be pressed on light blue vinyl and will be in shops on April 16.

The track list is:
Riot Gear
The Sword & The Pen (produced by Jeff Lynne)
Time Is All Around
Eet (Live in London)

THE BUDDY HOLLY PROJECT

2011-03-02T20:44:00.001-05:00

The fine people at Direct Current have a title called The Buddy Holly Project, listing it for a June 28 release. Is this Peter Asher's covers collection?

For those not in the know, Jeff Lynne has recently recorded a cover of Words of Love...

(Hat Tip: J.)

HAPPY MADISON JAM SESSION

2011-01-30T20:18:00.001-05:00

Some pictures from Adam Sandler's big bash... (under the Happy Madison tab) at AdamSandler.com

(Hat Tip: Dave)

CONCERT FOR GEORGE; ctd.

2011-01-18T21:21:00.001-05:00

Concert For George comes to Blu-Ray on March 22.

... AND AGAIN...

2011-01-16T20:23:00.003-05:00

The re-recorded Mr. Blue Sky was used in the opening sequence of tonight's American Dad.

JUST FOR THE RECORD...

2011-01-15T16:40:00.002-05:00

I went to a crafts store to buy a simple frame for this print. elo.biz/Fanfire lists the print as 14x20. It's not. It's actually 18x24.

I have to go back to the store.

OT: GERRY RAFFERTY

2011-01-06T10:03:00.000-05:00

I'd be remiss if I didn't take a moment to recognize the passing of Gerry Rafferty on Tuesday. The few songs that became mega hits for him were radio staples in my household growing up. He was extremely talented with a large body of work but never quite got the recognition he deserved.

LONG ENDURANCE, BULKY CURTAINS; ctd...

2010-12-30T08:56:00.001-05:00

Happy 63rd Birthday, Jeff....

NOW LIVIN' THING

2010-12-28T08:35:00.002-05:00

A new recording of ELO's Livin' Thing by Jeff Lynne is now in a Dutch commercial for the World Wildlife Fund:

For those keeping score, re-recorded versions of:
Mr. Blue Sky
Showdown
Evil Woman
Don't Bring Me Down
Livin' Thing
have made the rounds on film and TV shows/commercials.

TBD

2010-12-26T15:42:00.000-05:00

Joe Walsh discusses his new album on Undercover News, perhaps aiming for a spring release...

DBMD TURNS UP AGAIN...

2010-12-26T15:16:00.000-05:00

The re-recorded Don't Bring Me Down now in a shorter film trailer for The Dilemma.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

2010-12-23T13:03:00.000-05:00

Just wanted to take this opportunity to wish everyone a Happy Holidays and Happy New Year. This was quite a quiet year. With the exception of a new ELO DVD and a few Rossif Sutherland tracks, there's not been much to discuss this year. Hopefully, that will change with the new year.

Anyway, have a safe and enjoyable holiday. See you in 2011!

CONCERT FOR GEORGE

2010-12-23T12:53:00.001-05:00

Musictap.com is reporting that Concert For George is coming to Blu-Ray on February 22, 2011. Well, it was shot in high-def...

BLUE LIPS

2010-12-23T12:43:00.001-05:00

Credit to Nicolas at ELO Discovery for catching this one first. Regina Spektor's new DVD Live in London has a great little surprise. An instrumental mix of the Jeff Lynne-produced Blue Lips plays over the closing credits...

This is the kind of stuff that turns my crank and re-affirms everything I've always loved about this song. So original and so well done. This DVD has been on my shopping list, but I just finished a big move (for a new job) and haven't had the chance to settle in yet.

Anyway, the track was slowed down a bit perhaps for effect. Except for the short edit in the beginning, the whole track is there. Awesome. You can get this on DVD or Blu-Ray with a concert CD.

'... AT ANOTHER POINT, WE PLAYED PING PONG.'

2010-12-03T20:32:00.001-05:00

The lead singer of Rooney experiences what many of us would love...

MTV Shows

A TRIBUTE TO BUDDY HOLLY...

2010-11-30T08:56:00.003-05:00

The Hollywood Reporter has a new interview with producer Peter Asher who revealed he's working on a Buddy Holly tribute collection and that Jeff Lynne is contributing a song to it, a cover of 'Words of Love':

THR: You’re equally passionate about the music of Buddy Holly. Tell us about the tribute album you’re putting together.

Asher: I am a huge fan. Buddy Holly was one of the things that brought Gordon and I together at school, back in the very formation of Peter and Gordon. I was more of a folkie, Gordon was more of a rocker and he pretty much taught me about Buddy Holly. Those songs always meant a lot to me, so when I was approached to take on the production of a Buddy Holly tribute for the 50th anniversary of his death, I was happy to do so. We've done seven tracks so far: Stevie Nicks, Lyle Lovett, Jeff Lynne who produced his own version of “Words of Love,” which is brilliant, The Fray, Chris Isaac .... Who have I left out?

Even though Asher is an acclaimed producer in his own right, he says Jeff produced his own version:

THR: And you’re producing every track?

Asher: So far, the only one I didn't do is Jeff Lynne because he does all his stuff in his own studio, his own way. So I was happy spectator and visitor, but everything else has been tracked in L.A. at Conway Studios.

And the next question... when:

THR: When do you hope to have it out and who will release it?

Asher: I'd like to see it come out in late spring. It may be a direct-to-retail deal, it’s still a bit up in the air.

POSTCARDS FROM THE EDGE

2010-11-30T08:45:00.001-05:00

The ELO merchandise shop at elo.biz has two new entries: One, a 14x20 print on heavy stock paper featuring artwork for something called Mr. Blue Sky: The Best of Electric Light Orchestra and two, a set of postcards featuring the ELO spaceship including a rework of Zoom's artwork.

Could this be a preview of things to come?

MR. BLUE SKY IS BACK

2010-11-20T02:33:00.001-05:00

Just a heads up for the UK fans, BBC Radio 6 will re-air Mr. Blue Sky: The Jeff Lynne Story on 27 and 28 of November.

ORIGINAL ALBUM CLASSICS SERIES

2010-10-30T14:19:00.000-04:00

The card sleeves on this set are straight up scans of original LP covers. A New World Record even shows sleeve wear along the top and On The Third Day is kinda dirty. Was that on purpose??

That said, the set is actually kinda cool.

A NOVEMBER FLASHBACK IT IS

2010-10-29T16:17:00.000-04:00

It looks like November 8 is the UK release day for the re-sized Flashback box set from ELO which was originally released 10 years ago. Hard to believe it's been ten years.

Anyone have or find a higher-res picture/jpg of this set?

SUTHERLAND CD?

2010-10-29T16:06:00.000-04:00

Rossif Sutherland has been blogging about his recent recording experience and it turns out he may release a physical CD after all, one way or another. Here's a relevant passage:

After that, hopefully sometime before Christmas, I'll make my way back down here with Seth to work with Matt on mixing this thing. And after that, we'll get it mastered. By that point I should have all the art work for the album done and be ready to actually make cds. Not quite sure how I'll be making it available at first, online I guess and hardcopies through ebay maybe. I look forward to sharing the music...

Another:

In early January, after I finish shooting this movie I have to do here in Toronto, which I'm very excited to be a part of, I will return to Texas for seven days of mixing, then the last step will be mastering, and then I have a record:) I look forward to sharing the music...

Sutherland's These Words, Waiting For The Train and In The Clouds are produced by Jeff Lynne and are still available to hear on his MySpace page. He previously wrote that he'll include all three on his CD, but time will tell if he sticks to that plan. It sounds like he's been pretty productive lately.

FLASHBACK RESIZED

2010-10-17T09:28:00.000-04:00

What the resized Flashback will look like courtesy of Play.com:

ORIGINAL ALBUM CLASSICS SERIES ctd...

2010-10-11T17:37:00.004-04:00

What the Original Album Classics series will look like:

A SMALLER FLASHBACK

2010-10-11T15:36:00.002-04:00

Tim Fraser-Harding at Sony Music Int'l gave everyone on the Showdown mailing list a heads-up about this a few weeks ago. A re-sized (to DVD-sized hard-bound book) Flashback box set is on the schedule for release, perhaps as soon as November. Amazon's various websites are differing on the release date with the UK site saying 8 November, but ominously not taking pre-orders yet. The US site, which is offering the box set as an import, is showing November 16, and the German site is saying 5 November. Play.com says 8 November as well. Standby for clarification.

THE ELO STORY IN 12 MINUTES

2010-09-22T17:29:00.001-04:00

Saw this link to a Swedish TV show on the ELO Forever Boards. The program focuses on 1978 and ELO takes up a big portion of the program. Bev Bevan is interviewed for the show and gives the audience a general overview of the band. Watch it now, the video is only available until 11 October. After that, the link will apparently go dead.

The thing I noticed most was the number of rarely-seen ELO promo videos that appear to be intact (and cropped to widescreen) for this show to use. Kinda whets the appetite for the upcoming BBC documentary, doesn't it??

Later in the same video is a segment about Olivia Newton-John where she has a quick little anecdote about Jeff.

ORIGINAL ALBUM CLASSICS SERIES

2010-09-22T09:07:00.002-04:00

ELO is one of several artists who will be getting 5 catalog CDs grouped into one box to be released next month. What may make this instance a bit different is the last '5CD box series' Sony put out a few years ago had unique card sleeves for the CDs, as opposed to just grouping 5 discs with their jewel cases and putting them in a box. That could make it more interesting for collectors. Time will tell. Release date for this series is 25 October 2010 and will apparently be only a UK/European release.

This box will group On The Third Day, Face The Music, A New World Record, Discovery and Time. Question remains since they are showing the now outdated Third Day artwork, will this box contain the newer remasters or the original ancient history CDs.

MIKE EDWARDS

2010-09-05T16:50:00.007-04:00

Former ELO cello player Mike Edwards has been killed in a bizarre hay bale accident in southwestern England. He was 62.

FTM is building a tribute section in honor of Edwards.

From the Daily and Sunday Express.

ELO founder Jeff Lynne paid tribute to Edwards yesterday, saying: “I still think about him on stage in his woollen balaclava playing his cello solo with an orange. Now that was pretty original. Mike was a great cellist but most of all a real gentleman.”

News links:
Daily Mail
Telegraph UK
The Sun
BBC
Birmingham Post
This is Devon
CNN

COMING THIS FALL/WINTER

2010-08-27T11:07:00.002-04:00

Here's a head scratcher for you. Well, a head scratcher or a really good sign...

BBC Four has just put out a press release regarding the upcoming shows for their Fall and Winter 2010/2011 season. Here's the blurb:

ELO - 40 Light Years

Charting the fascinating story of musical genius, singer-songwriter, producer, multi-instrumentalist and Electric Light Orchestra leader Jeff Lynne, this film celebrates 40 years since ELO's first groundbreaking hit recording. The programme follows the band through their successes, up to their brand new ELO album – their first for almost 10 years.

With exclusive access to Jeff Lynne, this documentary charts his story from his early years in Birmingham with cult legends the Idle Race, through to his first UK chart success with the Move. It also investigates his international mega-stardom with ELO and beyond, with The Travelling Wilburys – Tom Petty, Roy Orbison, George Harrison and Bob Dylan – Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, the Beatles, Del Shannon, Regina Spektor and many more.

... this film celebrates 40 years??

...up to their brand new ELO album - their first in almost 10 years????

Stay tuned.

I HEART ALBUM NEWS

2010-08-26T09:19:00.001-04:00

There's an update of sorts on the album Joe Walsh recorded with Jeff Lynne. Mr. Walsh was apparently on I Heart Radio and revealed some details. According to a reader of L&M's Eagles Fastlane:

I just spoke with Joe Walsh! I asked him about his new solo album coming up, and the specifically about the arrangements...I wanted to hear some songs centered around the acoustic guitar...like Indian Summer, Collage, etc.

He said the album is done and in the can...and the overall process is 4/5ths done. He isn't sure when it will be out 'cause he's an eagle right now. But my impression is that it's close.

He said working with Jeff Lynne was a total challenge (in a good way). It really forced him to challenge himself....he really likes the results! Said they were two old timers set in their ways, and it took a while to figure out how to work together.

I mentioned that my daughter was mad 'cause I made her go to school today and miss hearing his call. He told her thanks for being a fan and to "grow up good."

Joe was very down to earth, and the whole thing was pretty quick. It was, afterall, a business call recorded for the Eagles radio show. Still, it was pretty cool.

And for the record, it appears The Eagles will be touring for the rest of this year.

EARLY YEARS UK VS. USA

2010-08-26T09:08:00.001-04:00

I really don't know if this was standard procedure or if it was on purpose that the UK DVD was made Region 0. Either way, I can't find a single reason to own the USA edition of this DVD, unless you're collecting. I got mine from Key Mail Order for almost the same price as the USA edition and it shipped to me in a week. You are welcome to post links where you got yours for fans who were waiting to get theirs.

As for the DVD itself, it's amazing how much more enjoyable this footage is now that the audio and video is cleaner. I prefer the studio stuff over the live material in general. But overall, thumbs up on this.

WHAT A DOLL...

2010-08-21T10:36:00.001-04:00

There's a Jeff Lynne doll for sale on eBay. Seriously. And the bidding is hot.

Kinda looks like a converted G.I. Joe doll to me.

GBP 310 or $478 USD...

BONUS MP3s???

2010-08-16T20:44:00.004-04:00

UPDATE 8/23: I'm told you get 3 free downloads from the Rockin' Movies web page selection. The site may probably be only accessible in the USA. But trust me, you're not missing anything. You can redeem credits from this DVD and you get three free tracks from various Universal Pictures soundtracks including Xanadu. There is no Xanadu bonus material.

ORIGINAL POST: Can anyone shed any light on this Xanadu DVD that was released earlier this month? It's the same version put out recently, but it offers three bonus mp3's with the purchase. I'm assuming you just get to choose three songs from the soundtrack. Can anyone confirm this?

SCATTERED LIGHT

2010-08-13T18:10:00.000-04:00

Out this week is a fan tribute to ELO. The CD is called Scattered Light and contains 12 ELO covers all recorded by fans of the band. The track list:

Mission (A World Record)- Triangle Paradise

Stranger- Damien Spanjer

Strange Magic- Nun The Wiser

Danger Ahead- Matt Abright & Bill Casper

Can't Get It Out Of My Head- Rubber Universe

Daybreaker- Andy Brown

Oh No Not Susan- The Bagweeds

Showdown- Matthew Gough

Night In The City- Poorboy

From The End Of The World- Jamie Amos ft. Shaz Pratt & Conrad Shields

Whisper In The Night- Casey McCammon

Mr. Blue Sky- Scattered Light Orchestra

CDs are only $10 and proceeds will benefit the Birmingham Children's Hospital and George Harrison's Material World Foundation. You can order one from the Scattered Light website.

INSIDE THE DVD

2010-08-12T11:22:00.004-04:00

Some scans from the Early Years UK DVD. On the inside:

The info:

NTSC? And a 5.1 surround option?? Wow. And finally the promo sticker:

Another thing I noticed is on the Eagle Rock website. They list both versions of the DVD, but only making the USA edition available to buy. I'm still waiting on a UK DVD to see if it works here. I bought one because it's listed as NTSC and Region 0.

and for the USA fans, a preview clip of Strange Magic is on Amazon's page.

MORE FROM THE BEEB

2010-08-11T09:29:00.001-04:00

More from the BBC coming next week in the form of download-only releases. This time, it's The Move and seemingly only a UK-release at the moment.

This is the Pete Drummond Session (15 December 1971) with the track list:

Ella James
Words of Aaron
Message From The Country

They're available starting 16 August 2010 from Amazon UK and iTunes in the UK...

EARLY YEARS, EARLY REVIEWS

2010-08-09T07:35:00.000-04:00

Hey, UK fans! How's the DVD?

NEWS: ROSSIF SUTHERLAND

2010-08-02T09:33:00.003-04:00

Rossif Sutherland has updated his MySpace page. The Jeff Lynne-produced Waiting For The Train and In The Clouds are new to the site...

I'm leaning towards In The Clouds. Excellent track. Waiting For The Train is pretty straight-forward, would fit snuggly on Highway Companion. Overall, Rossif's songwriting is pretty good and both tracks are as tight as you'd expect from Jeff Lynne's studio.

So, now my guess is (along with These Words) we have all three of the tracks Jeff Lynne produced for Rossif Sutherland back in 2005. Sadly, nobody's given the guy a record deal yet. But I'm glad these songs aren't sitting around unheard.

Not sure which I like more, the surprise of having these made available to hear with no warning, or a press release with a three-month wait. Either way, the wait for a new disc from the big guy just got a bit more bearable.

RECORD COLLECTOR DISCUSSES THE EARLY YEARS

2010-07-16T07:49:00.000-04:00

The first review of Electric Light Orchestra Live - The Early Years DVD comes from the UK's Record Collector magazine. In short:

Truthfully, there are few signs that ELO are on the verge of becoming one of the biggestselling acts in the world, though Evil Woman confidently stakes its claim as one of the most accomplished pop singles of the decade. Something for everyone, then, but especially followers who prefer their musical adventure without any intergalactic window dressing.

Read the rest of the three star review here.

The DVD is out 9 August in the UK, August 24 for the USA.

(Hat tip: Euan)

RINGO's 70th...

2010-07-08T11:16:00.001-04:00

Ringo Starr celebrated his 70th Birthday with a concert at Radio City Music Hall in New York City. He finished off With A Little Help From My Friends with help from some friends we recognize.

Steve Marinucci's Examiner blog has more on the big bash and the rather amazing guest list. Even more here. Happy Birthday, Ringo...

LIVE - THE EARLY YEARS: USA EDITION

2010-06-28T20:49:00.000-04:00

Eagle Rock Entertainment will issue the USA edition of Electric Light Orchestra Live - The Early Years on August 24. Eagle Rock's website description is showing some notable exclusions (naturally) from the European version.

Brunel University 1973:
1) King Of The Universe
2) Ma-Ma-Ma Belle
3) In The Hall Of The Mountain King
4) Great Balls Of Fire

Germany 1974 - Rockpalast:
1) Daybreaker
2) Showdown
3) Orange Blossom Special
4) Ma-Ma-Ma Belle
5) In The Hall Of The Mountain King
6) Great Balls Of Fire
(This section omits Daytripper and Roll Over Beethoven)

London 1976 - Fusion:
1) Poker
2) Nightrider
3) Showdown
4) Eldorado Overture
5) Can’t Get It Out Of My Head
6) Poor Boy (The Greenwood)
7) Illusions In G Major
8) Strange Magic
9) 10538 Overture
10) Do Ya
11) Evil Woman
12) Ma-Ma-Ma Belle

(This section omits Roll Over Beethoven)

Bonus Feature:
Rockpalast interview

IDLE RACE DOWNLOADS

2010-06-28T07:57:00.002-04:00

A few Idle Race 'live' tracks from the BBC have surfaced recently and are available for download on Amazon and iTunes pretty much worldwide including USA, UK, and Japan...

First up, The David Symonds Show from 7 January 1969. The tracks:

Days of the Broken Arrows
Worn Red Carpet

And secondly, Symonds On Sunday from 16 Spetember 1969. The tracks:

Someone Knocking
Come With Me
Please No More Sad Songs

They have been available since the 7 June 2010 and cost the standard price of a single download per track, cheaper if you buy the full 'album'...

Amazon USA links:
The David Symonds Show, 7 January 1969
Symonds on Sunday, 16, Spetember 1969

JUST A SUGGESTION...

2010-06-21T23:07:00.003-04:00

The buzz about what may be on the horizon just got a lot louder in the past few days. It started with this, an article by Adam Sherwin in a UK-based media-oriented news website, followed by this video sent to Nicolas at ELO Discovery. Apparently, Neil Hannon blurted out during a gig that an ELO album (not a Jeff Lynne solo album) is coming out soon... and then he was abruptly shushed.

Here's my unsolicited take on it and take from it what you will: Of course, only Jeff knows what's happening and over years, we've learned that he announces nothing until it's totally set in stone. For the record, I'm not totally convinced it'll be a new ELO album. And this is just an opinion, but frankly I don't think it should be. (The remakes collection, of which I'm just assuming there is one, could be a different story.)

Why? Take what happened 10 years ago. The timing seemed to be right, Jeff had the sheer joy of playing with a new Pro-Tools suite in his house and came up a nice collection of new tunes. Nostalgia for other bands of ELO's genre seemed quite high. Then came the box set, which seemed to usher in the classic stuff again fairly well. Then, the new album was released with some fanfare. And because it was labeled as Electric Light Orchestra, the critics (and indeed some fans) automatically approached it with raised expectations. The result: the critics shrugged their shoulders and the album sadly went nowhere fast.

Oh, and the tour. Take, for instance, the tour stop closest to where I am, the First Union (now Wachovia) Center in Philadelphia, a 20,000 seat arena. Look, I love ELO, I grew up listening to them, I'd be ecstatic to think they can pull it off. But, even I knew there was no way a band who hadn't had a hit single in 15 years would fill a 20,000 seat arena as the headlining act. No way. As it turned out, the tour was called off before it even launched, clearly because ticket sales barely made a sound. And $80 tickets didn't help.

I think it might be good to try a different approach. Let the guy take a crack at a solo career again; you can still drive home the point that this was the guy who brought us ELO. But try to gear it away from the classic rock genre. There is a huge case to be made for approaching non-commercial radio stations (ie WXPN, World Cafe-carrying stations, etc) for promoting and spreading the word about the album, not to mention using Facebook and MySpace. Treat it as a new beginning for Jeff instead of resurrecting the past again. Regina Spektor's Folding Chair (produced by Jeff Lynne) got steady airplay on these stations (at least here in Philly) and the track fit perfectly in their playlist. A Jeff Lynne solo record, I think, would accomplish that before an ELO record would. It's too difficult to sell a new ELO track to a classic rock station. People who listen to classic rock, want only classic rock. Is Tom Petty's new record getting heavy airplay on classic rock stations? I really don't know that answer, but XPN played at least 2 different songs in a 3 hour span just today... and it's their featured album of the week, so it will get way more airplay than any classic rock station. I'd bet the house on it. Flat out forget Top 40.

And for the love of God, if there's going to be a tour of any kind, try to sell out smaller venues first before attempting huge arenas that only Lady Gaga, Coldplay and Beyonce can sell these days. I thought that was a no-brainer.

I want any new record of Jeff's to succeed. But calling a new album ELO and slapping a spaceship on it didn't work very well a decade ago. Even though we've seen ELO songs get great exposure in high-profile commercials in recent years, I don't see any evidence that same strategy of 10 years ago will work now.

SO, WHADDA YA THINK?

2010-06-21T16:51:00.000-04:00

Blogger.com just offered us some expanded designs for our blogs. After some tinkering, I'm thinking of giving this design a try. What do you think?

NEWS: LIVE - THE EARLY YEARS ON DVD

2010-05-18T18:04:00.001-04:00

Here is the first substantial release of the year in the Jeff Lynne department. Eagle Rock Entertainment will issue a new DVD called El ectric Light Orchestra Live - The Early Years (just in the UK it sounds like) containing live performances from ELO spanning 1973-1976 including the full Fusion concert during the Face The Music tour.

The DVD will include:
Brunel University 1973
1. King Of The Universe
2. Ma-Ma-Ma Belle
3. In The Hall Of The Mountain King
4. Great Balls Of Fire

Germany 1974 - Rockpalast
1. Daybreaker
2. Showdown
3. Day Tripper
4. Orange Blossom Special
5. Ma-Ma-Ma Belle
6. In The Hall Of The Mountain King
7. Great Balls Of Fire
8. Roll Over Beethoven

London 1976 - Fusion
1. Poker
2. Nightrider
3. Showdown
4. Eldorado Overture
5. Can't Get It Out Of My Head
6. Poor Boy (The Greenwood)
7. Illusions In G Major
8. Strange Magic
9. 10538 Overture
10. Do Ya
11. Evil Woman
12. Ma-Ma-Ma Belle
13. Roll Over Beethoven

Release date is 9 August 2010. So far this is a UK only release and it's not clear whether this will be a region-free DVD. So, you see that In Performance DVD that's listed a few posts down. Scratch that. More on this particular release as we find it.

ELO.BIZ IS LIVE

2010-05-07T22:31:00.009-04:00

At long last, Jeff Lynne and ELO have an official website again. Some opening thoughts:

A very nice and fresh new bio. Interesting Richard Tandy is the only other member of ELO mentioned by name. That will not sit well with some fans.

Xanadu is finally acknowledged.

Copyright 2008. Copyright 2008 Electric Light Orchestra.

So, Electric Light Orchestra is now on the Live Nation merchandise roster...(LOL.. Sorry about the rooster, I type a little too quickly at times. Please feel free to point out these lapses in English to my attention.)

I know the spaceship T-shirts work for the mainstream buyer, but I bet a rustic Secret Messages-themed T-shirt would sell like mad among fans. I'd pay $24.95 for that.

To the IT guys: The track lists are a bit off... Track 8 on Time, Track 9 on ELO II Beethover? All She Wanted is listed 4 times. I would think the official website is where you want to get it right.

No links to buy the music? No links to iTunes or Amazon mp3??

Nice look, just not much to it yet...

SOME OT NOTES...

2010-05-05T20:36:00.000-04:00

Here is some new music (from fans, friends and readers) you may enjoy checking out...

First, The 286. They are a London-based band combining Beatlesque pop with classical music. Sound familiar? You can hear some of their stuff on their MySpace page and it's expected to be available on iTunes soon. They are also on Facebook.

Next, is from an ELO fan, collector and friend Oliver Achnitz from Germany. His band, Creedsight, just released their second studio album, Planet Two, this week. You can hear tracks from the new album at their website or join them on Facebook. Cool album cover, huh?

And in case you haven't heard about this yet, Bev Bevan plays drums on the new Paul Weller album. The album, I believe, is out in the UK and will be released in the States on June 1.

A PAIR OF BOOTS

2010-04-26T20:57:00.002-04:00

A few new bootlegs have surfaced, mostly out of Russia. Similar to the Armchair Theatre Mini-LP CD that was floating around last year, there are two new Jeff Lynne-related mini-LP bootlegs featuring tracks you generally can't buy anymore (or yet again as the case may be.)

Jeff Lynne and Friends: Every Little Thing.
track list:
Jeff Lynne - Every Little Thing (12" Remix)
Duane Eddy - Rockabilly Holiday
Roy Orbison - Heartbreak Radio
Miss B Haven - Sand in My Eyes
Jeff Lynne - Borderline
Jimmy Nail - Blue Beyound the Grey
Miss B Haven - Nobody's Angel
Duane Eddy - The Trembler
Jeff Lynne - I'm Gone
Jeff Lynne - Sirens
Duane Eddy - Theme from Something Really Important
Jim Horn - Work It Out
Miss B Haven - You're Wrong
Roy Orbison - I Drove All Night
Jeff Lynne - Lift Me Up

Next is: George Harrison and Jeff Lynne: Cloud '86-'89
track list:
1. Johny B. Goode
(Live at Heartbeat Festival / National Exhibition Centre / Birmigham, UK 15.03.1986)
2. That's the Way It Goes
(Remix / "When We Was Fab" Single / Remixed in 1982)
3. Hottest Gong in Town
("Shanghai Surprise" Movie Soundtrack, Recorded in 1986)
4. Hottest Gong in Town
("Handmade in Hong Kong" Documentary Version, Recorded in 1986)
5. Zig Zag
("When We Was Fab" Single, Recorded in 1986)
6. Zig Zag
("Shanghai Surprise" Movie Version, Recorded in 1986)
7. While My Guitar Gently Weeps
(Live at the Prince's Trust Concert / Wembley Arena, London, UK 06.06.1987)
8. Here Comes the Sun
(Live at the Prince's Trust Concert / Wembley Arena, London, UK 06.06.1987)
9. When We Was Fab
(Reverse End / "When We Was Fab" Single, Recorded in 1987)
10. Got My Mind Set On You
(Extended Version "Got My Mind Set On You" Single, Recorded in 1987)
11. That's What It Takes
(Rough Mix / "Lost and Found" Bootleg, Recorded in 1987)
12. When We Was Fab
(Rough Mix / "Lost and Found" Bootleg, Recorded in 1987)
13. Rockline Medley
(Radio Show / RocklineLos Angeles, USA, 10.02.1988)
14. Cheer Down
("Lethal Weapon 2" Movie Soundtrack, Recorded in 1987-1989)
15. Cheer Down
("Lethal Weapon 2" Movie Version, Recorded in 1987-1989)
16. Interview
(G. Harrison talks about Jeff Lynne / "Cloud 9" Promo, 20.11.1987)

For most fans who have been compiling Jeff Lynne related material over the years, there doesn't appear to be anything new on these CDs. All of these tracks can be found elsewhere. But I find that the Jeff Lynne and friends CD would make an interesting official release.

(Hat Tip: Mike)

IN PERFORMANCE THE SEVENTIES

2010-04-21T12:03:00.005-04:00

UPDATE 4/23: Jim Hoban from The ELO Network says not to bother with this. The quality is awful. It didn't look very promising to begin with, did it?

Original Post: Not much info on this apparently new DVD that has just cropped up in the UK. Electric Light Orchestra: In Performance The Seventies is for sale at a few outlets and it's not terribly expensive.

Order links:
Amazon
eBay UK

There is a track list provided:
In Concert 1974

Daybreaker
Showdown
Daytripper
Orange Special Blossom
Ma-Ma-Ma Belle
In The Hall of the Mountain King
Great Balls of Fire
Roll Over Beethoven

In Concert 1976:

Poker
Nightrider
Showdown
Can't Get It Out Of My Head
Poorboy (The Greenwood)
Illusions in G Major
Strange Magic
10538 Overture
Do Ya
Evil Woman
Ma-Ma-Ma Belle
Roll Over Beethoven

Probably an official but not an approved release.

(Hat Tip: Neil)

BRIT WEEK ON THE RADIO

2010-04-20T10:37:00.003-04:00

Jeff Lynne and Peter Asher made a radio appearance on K-Earth 101FM yesterday talking about Brit Week. Here are some snippets of the broadcast from their web site. There were a few short references to Jeff's new material before he changes the subject...

27 tracks, huh?

For those interested in Brit Week in LA: http://www.britweek.org

MASHUPS

2010-04-17T09:07:00.001-04:00

This mash-up remix of Telephone Line (Instrumental) and Oasis' Wonderwall is getting a lot of thumbs up from the fans. May I also suggest a mash-up from a few years ago I also thought was excellent. Electric Avenue vs. Don't Bring Me Down from Nemozob. And DBMD makes that remix work.

FAB PIC DISC

2010-04-07T19:39:00.000-04:00

I was doing a bit of eBay browsing today and saw these: 7" vinyl picture discs of Free As A Bird and Real Love. I've never knew these existed and judging from the bids they're getting, they might be real and quite rare. Any of you guys have or seen these before??

THE PORTFOLIO

2010-03-31T08:46:00.002-04:00

Here's a little more info on the Traveling Wilburys: A Limited Edition Portfolio, which is quietly available for sale. GeorgeHarrison.com lists the portfolio as:

Curated by acclaimed art director David Costa, this limited edition portfolio of 250 numbered lithographs includes photographs by Alberto Tolot during the making of the “Handle With Care” video, Neal Preston’s iconic photos for the first album, Caroline Greystock’s capture of early rehearsals, as well as Polaroids by the Wilburys themselves.

So, all of the lithographs appear to be pictures from the book. Turns out, select James Perse Stores in California are offering the deluxe portfolios, but nowhere else. They are $350 and the store will make arrangements to ship one if you can't visit a store in person.

UPDATE: The Traveling Wilburys online store just added the portfolio for $300 as well as the Genesis Publications book for $319.

OFF TOPIC: SHE AND HIM

2010-03-30T13:39:00.001-04:00

Again, just a recommendation...

She and Him Volume 2: (Zooey Deschanel and M. Ward)

It's a bit of a '50s girl groups/Nancy Sinatra-retro theme. What hooked me first is track 2 - called In The Sun. The chorus confuses me and I keep disconnecting from it. But you know, M. Ward is really getting the hang of this record-making thing.

ONE INSTANCE WHERE 'XANADU' WAS BETTER

2010-03-26T19:03:00.000-04:00

I wish I can take credit for finding this, but the credit goes to a fellow fan/collector who wishes to remain anonymous for the sake of his peaceful household. I don't know if this info was already out there among fans, but this is the first time I've heard this.

Perhaps unbenounced (or not) to ELO or their management, several ELO songs were used in an adult video from 1976 called Ecstasy In Blue. As is the case with many films of its genre, Ecstasy In Blue is this hilariously bad account of some scary-looking freaky guy who has magic powers over women, or something like that. The plot kind of escaped me. And according to the description on the box, the cinematography is great. I, er, beg to differ.

The video apparently made its way to DVD a few years ago. I'm told it wasn't terribly uncommon in those days for adult movie directors to use music by popular artists. But what makes this juicy bit of info even more odd is the ELO songs (among others) they decided to use:

Fire On High
In The Hall Of The Mountain King
Daybreaker
Ocean Breakup/King Of The Universe
Manhattan Rumble (49th Street Massacre)
Dreaming Of 4000

Yes, indeed, ladies and gentlemen, you heard it here. Manhattan Rumble was used in an old porn movie. Now, if that's not good trivia, I don't know what is.

SUNDAY EXPRESS

2010-03-22T18:22:00.003-04:00

There was a feature on Jeff Lynne in last weekend's Sunday Express newspaper in the UK... with an offer for a free ELO's Greatest Hits Volume 2 CD. There's an online version of the article here. The interview was done to help publicize the new Traveling Wilburys book from Genesis Publications. There's really nothing in the article that most of us didn't know already. Next up: 'writing a couple of albums under his own name' and working on an album with Joe Walsh.

The free CD, despite the word 'live' in the description is likely the 16 track CD from 1992 featuring Wild West Hero, tracks from Discovery and later. Regardless, it's another way ELO is staying on the radar...

A WILBURY BOOK BASH

2010-03-05T18:18:00.005-05:00

Jeff Lynne and Tom Petty were on hand last night in LA for the book launch of The Traveling Wilburys by Genesis Publications. Much of the Wilbury family and extended family packed a Beverly Hills clothing store to celebrate.

Here's more on the party (including a few more pictures) from George Harrison's website...

Uh, what's in the "A Limited Edition Portfolio" and how can I get one...?
:-)