Jeff Lynne, as ELO's songwriter, was recently awarded two certificates from Broadcast Music, Inc. One certifies that Turn To Stone has been played on the radio one million times, or a Million Airs, if you will. The other certifies that Don't Bring Me Down has received two million airs.
How 'bout that! (Hat tip: ELO Discovery)
Behold the centerpiece of what's actually been a pretty decent restoration series for the Move.
After plenty of consideration and very generous offers from readers, I've come to conclusion that I'm going to let the Unofficial Jeff Lynne Reference Page expire after Friday without rehosting it. However, I believe this blog could pick up the slack. Over the next several weeks, I plan to reuse much of the information that was written on the UJLRP into fresh posts here. Then, I'll keep the continuous collection of links stored on this page.
Looks like the new incarnation of Face The Music Online is almost ready to go. The Move box set in now less than 2 weeks away.
Still very much a sought-after collectible, the 1991 CD single of the Jeff Lynne-produced Drole De Vie from Et Moi & Moi just had bids on eBay that topped $225.
Peter Bogdanovich's documentary about Tom Petty will go into a wider DVD release on October 28. Runnin' Down A Dream will contain bonus concert footage (some vintage) not on the original DVD/CD set. Plenty of Jeff Lynne and Wilburys content in the documentary portion.
Just a short time ago, I was notified by (the ever deteriorating) AOL that its FTP/website/blog spaces, including this one, will be discontinued on October 31, 2008.
While there are plans to move the blog spaces to another service, the web spaces will not. That means as of October 31, 2008, the Unofficial Jeff Lynne Reference Page will be shut down for good.
I do of course have mixed emotions about this news. The site was created in 1997 as a simple resource guide and a lot of work has gone into it over the years. However, it takes a little more time than I can afford to maintain it. The site and this blog is really just a hobby, but a hobby I get a great deal of pleasure out of. It's all of you who help me to enjoy it. You guys send me kind thoughts, engaging e-mails, and even news tips frequently and I greatly appreciate you all.
I do plan to maintain this blog after October. It's quite easy and fun and I still plan to share e-mails back and forth. That part will not change.
So, in the coming weeks, I hope to have a new URL for the blog and things will return to normal... spelling, grammar and punctuation errors and all. Hopefully AOL will step up and provide us with a blog service where all of you can contribute, not just AOL subscribers. It's the least they can do. (Funny thing is I'm still paying for AOL, hence my "mood" above.)
In any event, I just wanted to pass this news along to all of you. As soon as I get more information about where the blog is going, I will pass it on right away. I also welcome suggestions from you on places where I can host the blog, for free preferably. bflat33@aol.com
Eagles guitarist Joe Walsh just gave an interview to a reporter from the Star-Tribune in Minneapolis/St. Paul. He reveals he and Jeff Lynne have recently recorded together, but didn't elaborate much about it. I really like the possibilities, though...
Roy Orbison was long overdue for a career box set and thankfully, this one has done the man justice.
I have to admit, I didn't have or appreciate Roy's work until I learned of his involvement with Jeff and the Wilburys. The early stuff is just a hair out of era for me personally, but I get it. Go to 3:12 on You Got It and listen to way he delivers that "baby...", and you'll get it too... if you don't already.
Roy's new box set, The Soul of Rock and Roll, out today, contains most all of his released output with Jeff Lynne at the producing helm. Outside of that is a collection about as comprehensive as it gets. And for $30 (got mine at Best Buy,) it's a great value for your money. 107 songs spread out over 4 CDs.
There is a quote from Jeff and Tom Petty among many others plus a factoid I never knew until today: The Traveling Wilburys were Roy's pallbearers at his funeral.
I would have done one thing differently. I would have pushed the new remix of Not Alone Any More. It's an excellent remix and should have at least a little more exposure. That's really just a wish. Overall, this is a first-rate release.
A standard re-issue of the new Traveling Wilburys Volume One and Volume 3 CDs from Rhino will be released in Japan on September 24. You'd think someone at a record company with a little foresight would think to re-issue these as mini-LP paper sleeve editions, but alas, these are apparently standard CDs.
While on the topic of half-assed re-issues, ELO's Out of the Blue was indeed re-issued earlier this year. Turns out, it's the remastered CD with the bonus tracks, new standard booklet, but the old ZGK 35530 back insert. All that can be yours for a measly $6. You'll know it's the budget version when you pick the CD up and one side of the tray insert is blank.
The long awaited Move Anthology 4 CD box set will apparently be out on September 29 in the UK. The track list according to Play.com:
Disc 1: 1966 - 1967
Disc 2: Live At The Marquee 1968
Disc 3: 1968 - 1969
Disc 4: 1969 - 1972
I have to admit, I'm not terribly excited by this track list yet.
It appears the ELO Playlist CD is already out.
Indeed, this is a re-packaged Essential Electric Light Orchestra collection from 2003. The one difference, there's an enhanced section on the CD that leads you to additional photos (including one of the newer shots of Jeff used in the Yamaha magazine article about him), credits and most notibly, 2 new wallpapers. I had a hell of time trying to access the wallpaper, but here are direct links to them:
http://feature.legacyrecordings.com/playlist/ELO/playlist_elo_1024x768.jpg
http://feature.legacyrecordings.com/playlist/ELO/playlist_elo_1680x1050.jpg
http://feature.legacyrecordings.com/playlist/ELO/playlist_elo2_1680x1050.jpg
http://feature.legacyrecordings.com/playlist/ELO/playlist_elo2_1024x768.jpg
By the way, if you think the Essential madness is over, Michael Jackson, Billy Joel, Bruce Springsteen, Judas Preist, Journey and several others are getting Essential 3.0 releases. They contain a third music CD of more hits and fan favorites. Funny.
Two other observations: 1) There are no post-1974 group photos in the enhanced section... and 2) There's an ELO Part II CD in the discography.
While taking this week off, I thought I'd take in a show. Actually, I meant to see Xanadu on Broadway a while ago, I just had major fears about what I was going to see when I got there. I'm not really a Broadway musicals fanatic, but after 2 Tony award nominations, I figured it was worth trying.
But it was hard to get to that point. Xanadu (the film) got some of the most horrifying reviews ever. I mean, what's not to love about a creative muse who pops out of a mural with her 8 sisters and persuades 2 men (a character played Gene Kelly one of them) to open a roller disco?
Frankly, the new Broadway cast CD and performances on TV didn't help me. I just didn't see it translating well.
That was then.
Flash forward to last night, I get my Playbill and my glow stick, then finally settle into my seat. Surprise #1, the Helen Hayes Theatre was a packed house.
The house lights dim, then I brace myself for the worst. The male lead, Cheyenne Jackson, sets up the first number. The music strikes up, the mural "comes to life" and the festivities begin. As soon as you realize that two of the muses were now guys, all bets were off.
Xanadu on Broadway was excellent.
It's now a jacked-up, and high-camp comedy only loosely based on the film. The talent was amazing, every one of them. And for the record, I caught it with Whoopie Goldberg... a huge bonus.
The jokes were far from stale. Like I said, two of the muses are now guys: the muse of comedy and the muse of dance. However, if that idea bothers you, stay as far away from this show as you can.
Otherwise, prepare to have a great time in a very Mama Mia-esque kinda way.
Rob Caiger, by the way, is interviewed about Jeff in Xanadu: The Book! Seriously! which is sold at the Helen Hayes Theatre. While Rob's interview is quite good, it should be an interview with Jeff. And given the Tony nominations and the good will, fun and humor this show is creating, Jeff may want to consider embracing this production very publicly. I'm not confident it's his kind of humor, but the show won over so many.
I'm almost shocked how much fun it was.
I'm now officially thankful Xanadu was an awful movie.
Here's their webiste, and for discount tickets (highly recommended, the show is not cheap) go to broadwayoffers.com and enter XUDVD85. For a larger premium, there are seats on the stage.
