MINI-LP BOX

There's early word that the new set of Sony Mini-LPs from ELO will be boxed together (all 9) in a hardbound box with Disvoery artwork... Stay tuned. They're due out in Japan March 14.

JEFF LYNNE FEATURING...

I'm listening to this collection of Mark Ronson productions.  Ronson's stock as a record producer has skyrocketed with his win for Amy Winehouse's Rehab.  This collection, which I highly recommend, has him teamed up with several other artists as well as "solo" tracks.

It, of course, got me to thinking if a similar CD by Jeff Lynne would make for a viable release.  The Rossif Sutherland tracks (which have yet to be released) would be a good feature as well as other artists Jeff has worked or would like to work.  Then, for good measure, weave in some new solo Jeff Lynne tracks, maybe an instrumental... and boom!... new music from Jeff and perhaps some support for other artists' tracks he produces.  Many ELO fans never really jumped on board his productions outside of ELO, which is a bit of a shame.  Hard to believe, but Zoom is seven years old this spring.

I was just wondering if anyone in Jeff's camp ever considered such a thing.

ROUND TWO...

There's a second pressing of the Japanese Mini-LP CDs from ELO coming March 14.  They're available for pre-order, but no word on whether there will be any differences with them.  These second editions will be for On The Third Day through Balance Of Power sans Xanadu and Long Beach.

Also, on April 1, it appears Ole ELO may be re-issued by Sony.  Another pre-order link here.  At $6.99 retail, it looks like they're going all out on this one. 

For those not in the know, Ole ELO was a nice compilation album from 1976 with tracks from the group's first 5 albums.  Some LPs had all full length songs, other editions had a few edited versions. 

Oddly enough, this LP spawned some of the most cherished collectibles for ELO fans.  A version on gold vinyl and promo-only cover is rare but easy to find with some digging.  However, in honor of the USA's bi-centennial year in 1976, three other promo-only versions of Ole ELO were pressed: one on red vinyl, one on white vinyl and one on blue vinyl.  Those three are extremely rare and valuable.

AND THE GRAMMY GOES TO...

It's unrelated, I know.  But, I have to hand it to a good friend who predicted big things for Amy Winehouse a year ago when she was practically unknown, especially in the USA.  While vacationing in Mexico last March, my friend gave me his iPod and said, "listen to this..." and told me the story (true or not) about how Winehouse's label wouldn't release Back To Black until she went to rehab.  She then wrote Rehab.  The song instantly clicked with me and I spent the subsequent six months listening to that CD almost exclusively.

Then last night, after months of seeing a very wild life played out in public, she gets on stage in London, sings two songs that perfectly encapsulate her (& her turbulence)and afterwards, Rehab wins the Record of the Year Grammy.  Now, that's poetry from arguably the most fascinating figure in pop music in a long time.

Other than that, the Beatles tribute was wonderful and it was great to the Beatles' Love pick up 2 statues.  George Martin's gesture to pull Ringo up to the stage with him and his son was nice, but Ringo spent a little too much time at the mic.

TICKET TO THE SAME 'OL PLACE

Indeed, Ticket To The Moon landed in retail shops stateside today.  Besides a smaller and bolder font on the back insert and spine, nothing new to report from my previous review of this disc.  The set is also available on iTunes.

I'm frankly not sure how releases work in the few shops we can actually buy CDs anymore.  But my local Borders was already carrying the UK import of Ticket To The Moon, so they were not carrying the USA edition released today.  While stocking the import makes for a better CD retailer, I would think that's a downside to staggering worldwide release days.

So, long story short, unless you're a collector, I'd just buy the remastered albums.  They're much easier to listen to than having Eldorado cut & pasted between two 80s tracks.

TICKET TO THE MOON

Just a reminder (as the Honda commercials featuring Hold On Tight have started airing again) Ticket To The Moon: The Very Best of Electric Light Orchestra Vol. 2 is in USA stores tomorrow.  It should be in wide release, but it's also available in the FTM Shop with a bonus postcard.

IF YOU BET ON 'AMERICAN GIRL'... YOU WON.

I have to admit, it was an amazing half-time show for Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers.  Three songs from Full Moon Fever was a surprise.

It was one of the more entertaining parts of the evening until an actual football game broke out in the 4th Quarter.

CARE TO MAKE A WAGER?

The New England Patriots may be 12-point favorites in Super Bowl XLII, but apparently the odds Tom Petty will open the half-time show with Free Fallin' are 3:1...

Go Patriots...

WELL, HE DID KNOW A BEATLE

He got it.

A new species of beetle has been named in honor of Roy Orbison.  It gives the appearance of a bug wearing a tuxedo, so now scientists have christened it Orectochilus orbisonorum.

You can't make this stuff up.  Or maybe you can.

GRRRROOOOOOSSSSS

This is probably the best mash-up of an ELO song I've heard to date.  It combines ELO's Don't Bring Me Down with Eddy Grant's Electric Avenue with rather excellent results.  Cudos to the remixer (who goes by the name Nemozob) and hat tip to the ELO Discovery web site.

TICKET TO THE MOON

On top of a US release on February 5, Ticket The Moon: The Very Best of Electric Light Orchestra Volume 2 will be released in Japan on February 20.  Sony Music Japan is using an animated (30 second) video clip to promote Twilight.  Moment in Paradise is promoted with a clip from Zoom Tour Live.

Twilight, by the way, kicked off the Japanese edition of All Over The World: The Very Best of ELO (Volume 1)... further proof Twilight was a bigger hit there than anywhere else.

IT'S OFFICIAL, IT'S A FAKE

Well, it stirred up conversation on several Beatles web sites and blogs and certainly piqued my curiosity, but indeed Now And Then is a fake.

NOW AND THEN... A FOLLOW-UP

Well, no one seems to be in agreement where this could have come from, but the track as a whole isn't terribly consistent with other Jeff Lynne productions especially Free As A Bird and Real Love.  In a few ways, it's close, but it's too daft.  There are other "official" videos posted by the same "user" but even that seems inconsistent in places, so increasingly my guess is it's an outfake. 

AND NOW... NOW AND THEN?

I'm just going to post this video, only because it appears to be posted on Paul McCartney's official YouTube site.  If there's anything official on this, I'll pass it on.  But this is labelled The Beatles Now And Then... with some very convincing finishing touches.

LONG ENDURANCE. BULKY CURTAINS

Happy 60th Birthday, Jeff.

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU...

Barring any major breakthroughs, I'll be laying low during this holiday week.

But I do want to say "thanks!" to all of you, especially you regulars (you know who you are!) for another great year!

Happy Holidays to you all and all the best in 2008! 

ROSSIF SUTHERLAND UPDATE

I was just doing a short roundup of web site browsing and saw that Rossif Sutherland has updated his MySpace page.  In short, the album is coming along and should be out soon.  He's financing and selling the CD himself, no record company.

He also writes that the songs he did with Jeff Lynne were done two years ago, so we can only assume These Words is a final mix, which I think is a good thing. He writes that all three of his produced by Jeff Lynne songs will be on the album, thankfully.

XANADU ON BROADWAY

Well, bang my bongos and call me Desi.  It appears Xanadu is a hit on the Great White Way.  One symbol of its success, Xanadu On Broadway is being released on CD on January 8, 2008.  CD Universe and Barnes & Noble among other retailers have preorders up for it.

Now I guess I have to see it. 

TICKET TO THE MOON

 

Pause & Play.com is reporting that ELO's Ticket To The Moon: The Very Best of Electric Light Orchestra Volume 2 will be released in the states on February 12, 2008.  One can only assume at this point that the CD will be exactly like the UK version, only with an FBI warning on it.

Here's a pre-order link from Amazon.

KEEP 'EM COMIN'...

I have to say, it has been a really nice 18 months (or so) for ELO and/or Wilbury fans.  We now have a rather nice collection of new and refreshed music to savor... and believe me, I have been!  The Rossif Sutherland surprise was the perfect cherry on top to 2007. 

Personally, my favorites: A New World Record, Balance Of Power, Highway Companion, Maxine, Idle Race Japanese remasters and the complete set of ELO Mini-LP CDs.

But now, look ahead at some of the many projects which are currently rumored or waiting for a green light:

The Move - we should be beginning the year with a Looking On remaster and an all-out box set; Rossif Sutherland's album should be finished soon with a reported 3 tracks produced by Jeff Lynne; Roy Orbison's Mystery Girl and King Of Hearts should be remastered and released in 2008; An Idle Race Box set; an expanded and remastered edition of Jeff Lynne's Armchair Theatre; a re-release of ELO's Zoom; an ELO singles box (which should flush out remastered versions of Buildings Have Eyes and two versions of A Matter Of Fact); ELO Zoom Greatest Hits Live; Into The Mysterious, a collection of solo ELO and closely related tracks.

As for my wish list, that includes remasters of the Long Beach concert, Xanadu and a re-do of Secret Messages with remastered versions of Mandalay, Buildings Have Eyes, Hello My Old Friend and *gulp* a full-on,  untampered with and unedited Beatles Forever; a CD collection of unreleased session material from ELO post-1973; a 70s box set of unreleased material from Del Shannon; and of course, a new album from Jeff.