SHOPPING FOR AUTOGRAPHS

I always encourage people to research before they buy an autographed ELO album.  Some shops like to forge the band's signatures to sell albums that have been sitting in their stores for years.

But, do some people think we're this stupid?

ALL OVER THE WORLD

Just a quick observation.  Browsing the CD shop a few days ago, I noticed the promo sticker on the front of the USA version of All Over The World compilation CD has been corrected.  They took Can't Get It Out Of My Head off the sticker.  Too bad they couldn't just add the song to the line-up.

CONVERSATIONS WITH TOM PETTY

Conversations With Tom Petty has landed in bookstores today.  There are a few Jeff-related surprises in the book, but at the risk of spoiling them, I'll tell you it's probably better for you to just pick up a copy and thumb through.  There's actually a great deal of Jeff Lynne related material in the book.

What's more interesting is that the book's epilogue has (from what I can tell) a track by track discussion of his new Highway Companion album.  The track list is practically laid out.  So, the album must not be too far behind.

IPOD VIDEO

This could very well be my obession only, but I'm still deciding the best way to gather all of my ELO and related videos and keep them handy to watch, well, whenever.

For those of you who plan to use iPod (and/or iTunes) to watch videos and keep video files on your PC in mpeg2 format, you can convert those files to iPod friendly formats by using Videora.  It's free, but you can also send a donation.  I suggest even a small donation because the program does a brilliant job.

On the subject of videos and iTunes, the video for ELOs Rock'n'Roll Is King is available for purchase on iTunes.  It's never been available for purchase on any format, but here it is.  I wonder if there's more on the way?

EURYTHMICS REMASTERED

I can't help but to think what could be.

Sony/BMG, which is currently home to our Electric Light Orchestra, is ready to unleash what they call their most extentive album reissue campaign to date.  In what looks to be a rather incredible set, eight Eurythmics albums are being upgraded and expanded to be sold as separate CDs or as a deluxe boxed set.  The soundtrack to 1984 is not among them though.  The albums are remastered by Dave Stewart and now include at least 4 bonus tracks each... Touch has 7.

So, an 8 album set is Sony BMG's most extentive reissue campaign to date??  A similar ELO set would probably involve 12 albums, 13 if you include Long Beach.

I can't help but to think of what could be.

IT'LL ALL WORK OUT

I don't want to be planting any rumors or anything, but I was reading more items on Tompetty.com's message boards.  This one concerning "It'll All Work Out" which appears on the new Elizabethtown soundtrack.  It's a remix from the original version on Let Me Up (I've Had Enough).  There's less echo on the track, some instruments shine through a little more and the end is extended a bit. 

Since Jeff Lynne has been working with Tom on his new album (one of Tom's new tracks Square One is on Elizabethtown)... the possibility is open that Jeff may have helped remix It'll All Work Out.  This wouldn't be unprecidented.  Jeff has remixed tracks for George Harrison.

Again, I'm just raising the possibility of that being the case.  Nobody besides the remixers know for sure because the credits don't give any hint.

TOM PETTY: BAND VS. SOLO

I'm reading bits and pieces on Tom Petty.com's Message Board about Tom Petty vs. Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers in the context of Tom's new album being a solo one.

I supposed I was a bit surprised to find that many people don't view Into The Great Wide Open as favorable as other later Heartbreaker albums, mostly because of Jeff's involvement.  At the same time though, Full Moon Fever gets high marks from the same people (by in large) for being a Tom Petty solo disc.

Full Moon Fever is a classic album... that's pretty much without debate.  But, it's shame most people didn't recognize that Into The Great Wide Open was (in my opinion) a step-up in Tom Petty's songwriting/poetry, and about 2 steps up on Jeff Lynne's production.  Jeff's producing hit such a stride on this record and should have won more fans over.  Go back and listen to the absolutely amazing musicianship on that record.  From everyone.  It was a good direction for Tom, the Heartbreakers and for Jeff, even if it was temporary.

So, now we're coming up to Highway Companion, a third Tom Petty/Jeff Lynne collab.  Square One is out and may be a hint of what we're in for.  I hope they blow the lid off convention like they did the last two times... because they can.

MESSAGE FROM THE COUNTRY

Using the same standard to judge the First Light edition of Electric Light Orchestra (No Answer) and ELO II, look at the new remaster of Message From The Country as probably the most definitive we'll ever get.  That said, I don't think they'll be much disappointment to go around.

The best we've had of these tracks before this remaster was the similar Great Move collection from 1995.  You'll hear the sound improvement on the new remaster right from the opening notes of the disc.  That will be this set's biggest attribute, the clarity of the sound.  If you load it into an iPod (with better headphones than they give you) you'll hear what I mean.

After adding the Move's A & B sides from around this time, there wasn't a huge amount of room for bonus material, but the selections are pretty cool.  Don't Mess Me Up is a nice variation.  Of course, I always thought putting the Move's take 1 version of 10538 Overture (no vocals or cello) would make a nice final track for this remaster as a proper segue to Electric Light Orchestra (No Answer), but that's a wish more than it is a complaint.

Somehow, someway, I had the impression the FTM 20 page booklet was suppsoed to be full color, but besides the front cover and centerfold, it is not.  I don't know about you, but what's strange about my pressing is that all of the songs start two seconds in.  In other words, there's 2 seconds of silence at the beginning of each track.

ROCK'N'ROLL HALL OF FAME

To nobody's surprise probably, ELO isn't on the list of Rock'n'Roll Hall Of Fame inductees this year.  And while I don't put a great deal of stock into this, I have to wonder about the mentality when it comes to making up the list.  ELO put 19 songs into the American Top 40, several of them in the Top 10.  This feat is not nearly achieved by several of the artists in the Hall... much less on this year's short list.  Unless the music is about sex or making a political statement, they may never get the recognition they deserve as musicians.

SQUARE ONE

I swear I usually know what I'm talking about, but when I heard the short clip of Tom Petty's Square One on the Elizabethtown website, I swore it sounded more like something that would have fit on Petty's Wildflowers album.  But indeed, Square One was recorded in Petty's new sessions with Jeff Lynne and it's now released on the new Elizabethtown soundtrack.

Square One: written by Tom Petty. Produced by Jeff Lynne, Tom Petty and Michael Campbell.

Hearing the entire song now, the only hallmark of a Jeff Lynne production is maybe the upfront slide guitar solo and the subtle string or keyboard part.  But it's a nice little tune by Tom.  It's one of those songs that grows on you quickly, having all the sensibility you'd expect from these guys.

Is this a preview of Highway Companion?  Sure, Square One will be one less song to enjoy when the CD comes out, but it's too good to leave off.

REVIEW: HARVEST SHOWDOWN

When you stand back and see this Harvest compilation is geared towards a larger audience, you'll appreciate it a little more.  While I long for releases that cater to us fans, Harvest Showdown is the next best thing.  It's a rather nice cross-section of tracks from the late-Move, Early-ELO era.

While I don't particularly do back-flips over edited versions, I can appreciate Do Ya and Tonight especially for the sound it's delivering on this set.  But, my intital impression of the USA radio mono mix of 10538 Overture was different.  In reality, it's the LP version in mono and after hearing it, I fail to see why this was fit for inclusion.

Showdown, just like the Early Years CD from ELO, is hard to listen to.  Much more so here just because it is so overwrought with the ADT effect.

"King Henry VIII's Bollocks" was fine, and again like the Early Years CD from ELO, the hidden track is by far the winner as far as fan content is concerned.

It's nice to hear all these tracks in such grand sound quality sans Showdown, although I think the previously unreleased tag is used way too freely.

TOM PETTY IN ELIZABETHTOWN

A follow-up about the new Tom Petty material which is expected to be released end of this year or early next:  Cameron Crowe's new movie Elizabethtown is being release in October, so says tompetty.com.

Apparently, the movie will feature two new Petty tracks, "Jack" and "Square One" but there's no indictaion yet that these are part of his new sessions with Jeff Lynne.  Also in the movie is Tom Petty/Jeff Lynne collab Learning To Fly from 1991's Into The Great Wide Open.  A soundtrack is scheduled to be out September 13.

MESSAGE FROM THE COUNTRY - HARVEST SHOWDOWN

There are very informative write-up's about Message From The Country and Harvest Showdown from Spin CDs.com.  The hidden track on Harvest Showdown is revealed, so don't read it if you don't want to spoil the surprise.  Is it a surprise?  You be the judge.

All of the vendors selling the CDs are still listing a September 5 release day, but with just over two weeks to go, FTM Online and The Move's official web sites have nothing on it.  I won't read anything into it like I always do, but then again...

The question raised on the Showdown List is whether we want the CDs by the September 5 release day or if we wait a little longer, we can get them with an autograph... most likely just from Bev Bevan.  I voted to get them on time.  I can always work on the autograph later.  After reading the responses on the list, I found myself clearly in the minority on this.

ELOMUSIC.COM

It could mean something.  It could mean nothing at all.  Sony Music's official ELO website is now offline with a promise that a new one is coming soon.  It's just as well, elomusic.com hasn't been updated with any content since Essential ELO was released over two years ago... and that was the first edit to that site in two years.  Much of the info and design was centered around ELO's Zoom, which is apparently no longer in Sony/Epic's jurisdiction.  It all raises the questions: What will this new site contain and what ever became of plans for elo.biz?

CARLY SIMON

It's completely unrelated to anything Jeff Lynne-oriented, but while reading through some entertainment news, I came across something quite refreshing.  Carly Simon's new CD, Moonlight Serenade is in the Top 20 (#17 this week after debuting at #7) on the Billboard album charts. You go, girl.

THE NEXT BIG ELO COMPILATION CD

Now that the All Over The World CD has seen release in America, I can say for certain that since other countries have track alterations, I don't find this USA collection definitive at all.  Horace Wimp and Wild West Hero were singles in the UK, so their presence on the UK edition is warranted.  Leaving Can't Get It Out Of My Head (arguably the band's most compelling performace) off of a definitive ELO collection is almost bewildering.  AOTW's biggest atribute, though, is the remastered sound.  Nice and clear with the tape flaws taken out of Evil Woman and Hold On Tight.

So when Mr. Blue Sky: The Ultimate Electric Light Orchestra Collection or something like that gets released in two or three years... (you laugh, but there will be another comp... watch...) I'd like to propose the track list based on the tracks that have had a big impact in the USA and resembling a good cross section of the band's catalog: I'll even use AOTW as a model.

FIRE ON HIGH  -  CAN'T GET IT OUT OF MY HEAD  -  LIVIN' THING (I'd even start this with the last note of So Fine, just to be different)  -  MR. BLUE SKY  -  EVIL WOMAN  -  DON'T BRING ME DOWN  -  SWEET TALKIN' WOMAN  -  SHINE A LITTLE LOVE  -  TURN TO STONE  -  DO YA (my version would have the unedited alternative mix)  -  HOLD ON TIGHT  -  TELEPHONE LINE  -  ALL OVER THE WORLD  -  SHOWDOWN  -  MA-MA-MA BELLE  -  XANADU (Olivia version)  -  ROCKARIA!  -  STRANGE MAGIC  -  ALRIGHT   -  ROCK'N'ROLL IS KING

Running Time 79:58.  I think it flows rather well.

USA RELEASE OF ALL OVER THE WORLD

Well, Day one of the US release of the new All Over The World comp CD didn't exactly leave me encouraged.

For one, It was difficult to find.  OK, it's a comp CD on its release day.  There are higher priorities.  But, Best Buy had none... and after more traveling, I end up at our three story Tower Records which gets a lot of traffic.  They had just one copy.

It gives the appearance to me that Legacy Recordings isn't even setting this up to succeed.

Although I support (and tell people to support) artists by buying their CDs, I can't seem to justify the huge ugly ass FBI warning on the back cover and disc.  I'm afraid to play the damn thing much less rip it into my iPod.

Oh yes, the promo sticker on the front cover... says "20 Massive Hits including 'Evil Woman,' 'Can't Get It Out Of My Head,'..."  Sitting next to that on the shelves is ELOs Greatest Hits, now adorned with a Sony/BMG slipcase with the phrase "Career-Spanning Hits From The Classical String Rockers!"

Does anybody at a record company check anything?

NEW TOM PETTY ALBUM

What a way to start a Friday: reading good news (Hat tip: Bryan Crain).  Rolling Stone.com is reporting that Jeff Lynne is producing the new Tom Petty (solo) album due out later this year or early next.  Of all of the incredible people Jeff has collaborated with over the years, his Tom Petty collaborations have yielded some of his strongest material.  To me, it's always been a perfect blending of two great musical minds and I always hoped they would work together again.

Tom is enjoying a rather successful concert tour and playing one of his new songs, "Turn This Car Around."  I missed the tour when it came to the Philly area, but a friend and co-worker who did go, loved it.

INTERESTING NEW REMIX

Someone on the Showdown list spotted a new DJ mix with ELO on the net.  While these mixes generally meet with mixed results, (by mixed, I'm thinking about the appalling mashing of ELO and the Scissor Sisters tracks) this one is actually pretty good. It crossed Pink's Get Thie Party Started with ELO's Don't Bring Me Down.   Here's the link... use IE to download... AOL Media player only lets you listen.

MESSAGE FROM THE COUNTRY

The news page has some pre-order links for the remastered and expanded edition of  Message From The Country and a new Harvest Sampler CD.  Face The Music Online may be offering both discs together as one deal.  Stay tuned.