COMING TO SHM-CD...

ELO and related titles from the Harvest era are getting SHM-CD mini-LP editions in Japan.

Electric Light Orchestra and ELO 2
Message From The Country from The Move

Boulders and On The Road Again from Roy Wood
Super Active Wizzo from Roy Wood Wizzo Band
Wizzard Brew from Wizzard

The limited editions will come in cardboard sleeve mini-LPs promising to reproduce the original UK LP.  Release date for Japan only: March 19, 2014

LONG ENDURANCE, BULKY CURTAINS ctd...

Happy 66th Birthday, Jeff!

See you all in 2014!

NOW STREAMING: STREAM OF STARS

From Lynn Hoskins at Showdown and Jeff Lynne's official Facebook Page: a link to hear Stream Of Stars.

STREAM OF STARS

The soundtrack to American Hustle, opening this month, will be available for digital download beginning this Friday December 6, 2013. (now December 10...)

In addition to including the original 10538 Overture from ELO in their film trailer, the soundtrack includes the remake of 10538 Overture, ELO's Long Black Road and (more to the point) a new solo track by Jeff Lynne titled Stream of Stars.  The film itself opens December 18.

UPDATE 12/4: A post on Jeff Lynne's official Facebook page mentions another new Jeff Lynne track used in the film but not on the soundtrack: Claire de Lune.

CHILDREN IN NEED ROCKS 2013 ctd

Enjoy these rather amazingly well-done live performances from Children In Need Rocks 2013...

CHILDREN IN NEED ROCKS

Jeff Lynne (and it looks like Richard Tandy too) was among the many performers who just played at the Children In Need Rocks 2013 concert - held over two days this week in London.  Two hours of it is slated to air on BBC One (tomorrow) Thursday November 14 at 8pm (or 20:00) -

From BBC One:

Fearne Cotton and Chris Evans present a spectacular concert featuring some never-before-seen surprise collaborations held in support of Children in Need, staged over two nights at the Apollo in Hammersmith, London. Brought together by one of Children in Need's biggest supporters, Gary Barlow, performers doing their bit for Pudsey include Robbie Williams, Kings of Leon, Barry Manilow, Ellie Goulding, Dizzee Rascal, Nicole Scherzinger, Little Mix, Tom Odell, Rizzle Kicks, Bastille, the Lumineers, Passenger and The Wanted.

From The Daily Star:

And the Take That star, (Gary Barlow) 42, also joined ELO great Jeff Lynne, 65, and Gareth Malone’s choir for a show-stopping Mr Blue Sky.

From The Telegraph - Mr. Blue Sky concluded the concert in a supposedly climatic fashion.

Another special guest, Jeff Lynne of Electric Light Orchestra, concluded the concert with Mr Blue Sky only for Chris Evans to enthusiastically call for more. A few sheepish looks later and the band launched into Mr Blue Sky – again. Clearly, an encore was not on Lynne's schedule, but nobody in the audience cared.

Pictures from Contact Music - clearly.

And one from Digital Spy: (hat tip: Neil)

Now, BBC has a slideshow of the event:

MORE BLU-SPEC CD2...

All Over The World, Sony's collection of ELO originals is coming their Blu-Spec CD2 format. Release date for the Japanese limited edition: December 11, 2013

... AND AGAIN...

The original 10538 Overture from ELO now featured in the new trailer for the film American Hustle...

LIVE FROM BUNGALOW PALACE

Here's another opportunity to catch Live From Bungalow Palace featuring Jeff Lynne and Richard Tandy on BBC Four.  (Early) next Sunday September 8 at 00:50.

ONE SUMMER DREAMY ctd...

Beginning today, Claudia Brucken's new single, her rather pleasant and trippy (and Stephen Hague-produced) version of ELO's One Summer Dream, is available for download.  The whole EP - which features remixes - is available to download from Amazon and iTunes.

WORLD CAFE

Here's an audio link to the full World Cafe interview between David Dye and Jeff Lynne.

REMINDER: WORLD CAFE

A reminder: Jeff Lynne is on the World Cafe today starting at 2:00pm Eastern Time.  Here's the webstream: WXPN 88.5.

And a website preview with a playlist:

ELO / "JUST FOR LOVE" / "Zoom" (remastered)
Jeff Lynne / " EVERY LITTLE THING / "Armchair Theater"
The Beatles / "FREE AS A BIRD"/ "Anthology 1"

AND NOW, RED WHITE AND BLUE VINYL , ctd...

Mark Dodsworth unboxes the new vinyl...

WORLD CAFE

Jeff Lynne will be David Dye's guest on NPR's World Cafe on Thursday July 25.  If it's anything like the other interviews David Dye has done over the years, this will be a treat. 

His show starts at 2PM Eastern Time:

Live Stream

Station finder

... AND AGAIN...

The re-recorded version of Don't Bring Me Down now featured in the film trailer for Disney's Planes.

FINALLY A STAR, ctd.

There's now a press release about Jeff's upcoming star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.  His reaction:

“I’m thrilled to be recognized by the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce and feel honored to be in the great company of some of my biggest heroes,” says LYNNE of the honor. “Growing up in Birmingham, England, I never imagined my name on the Hollywood Walk of Fame–it really is fantastic.”

and new material next year:

He plans to release an album of all-new material in 2014.

The elo.biz article is here.

SECRET ANNIVERSARIES

Before we let June slip away, I thought it would be appropriate to note a landmark anniversary this month.  While some of ELO's earlier works got the 30th Anniversary treatment, this particular anniversary will go by quietly.

It is the 30th anniversary of ELO's Secret Messages, an album that, for many reasons, remains at the top of many fan's favorites list... and a release of the original 2LP version remains at the top of most every fan's wish list.  It was an album full of unique song ideas. The mythology behind its creation and subsequent cover artwork are about as layered as the sounds it featured.

During a mall visit in 1983, I spotted it in a record store bin... and my mom refused to buy it for me because I "already have too many records."  People then watched as a 12-year-old broke into an epic shitfit.  Those were the days.

Happy Anniversary, Secret Messages.  Here's to hoping...

FINALLY A STAR...

The Hollywood Chamber of Commerce has announced the list of artists who will be in their Walk of Fame Class of 2014 - and Jeff Lynne is reportedly one of them.  He will be getting a star on the iconic Hollywood Walk of Fame and will sit among his numerous friends and heroes who have received the honor over the years.

No date has been set for Jeff's star ceremony but when it is set, they will be streaming the event at walkoffame.com.

News links:
Examiner
Hollywood Reporter
Classic Hits 105.5

So, Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame, put that in your pipe and smoke it.

(Hat tip: Nicolas)

VINYL SLIDES AGAIN...

It appears the new 2LP color vinyl editions of Electric Light Orchestra Live, Zoom and Armchair Theatre, which were originally on the release schedule for May, then delayed until this month, are now sliding to July 8 (for now) from the UK-based Let Them Eat Vinyl...

UPDATE: Moved to 22 July 2013...

NOW AVAILABLE... DEPENDING ON WHERE YOU ARE ctd...

After a few weeks delay, Electric Light Orchestra Live is finally available digitally on iTunes in the UK...