|
Post by fourlittlediamonds on May 30, 2017 20:17:07 GMT
It occurred to me recently, why Jeff who incorporated so many instruments into ELO s sound (strings, synths and keyboards, French horns, full orchestras and choirs) never used a saxophone in the band ?Personally I love a great sax contribution and or solo to a track, and I could easily imagine a sax player in the classic line up. It certainly would have changed the sound and arrangements somewhat of some of the classics we know and love but Jeff clearly doesn't seem to like the instrument so we'll never know.
|
|
|
Post by jackpunch on May 30, 2017 21:35:16 GMT
Sax is an awful instrument. Badly designed, never stays in tune. Destination Unknown is the only ELO song with sax I think. Sounds a little too Benny Hillish for my liking
|
|
|
Post by babyzoomer on May 30, 2017 21:50:34 GMT
Jeff did use a sax (played by Christian Schneider) on a few tracks on the Balance of Power album ..... I'm fine with it. (as opposed to the 'No sax please, we're British' camp...).
|
|
|
Post by Chippa on May 31, 2017 0:51:29 GMT
Jeff used sax on "Armchair Theater", with the solo on "Don't Let Go". The Wilburys had some sax on "Tweeter and the Money Man", "Heading For The Light", and "The Wilbury Twist". Jeff also produced a couple of songs for Jim Horn,who played sax on the aforementioned tracks.
|
|
|
Post by Helmut83 on May 31, 2017 17:41:04 GMT
Destination Unknown is the only ELO song with sax I think. "Getting to the Point" has a considerable sax solo towards the end. I think those two are the only ELO songs that have sax, or is there any other? BTW, Jim Horn playing sax is as ironic as Jim Sax playing horn would be.
|
|
|
Post by Helmut83 on May 31, 2017 17:52:26 GMT
fourlittlediamonds: I'm normally not a big fan of the sax sound, but I'm a big fan of the diatonic harmonica (the "common" one, with 10 holes) and I feel a similar thing about it. I'm well aware a harmonica doesn't always fit well in pop songs, but I think there are several ELO tunes in which it could have easily featured, enhancing them with it's sound. And no, "Train of Gold" doesn't count, as that is blowing just 2 or 3 notes here and there in the background, not a significant participation.
|
|
|
Post by ash2 on May 31, 2017 18:11:32 GMT
Sorrow about to fall (BOP) has sax here and there and the middle 8 is a sax solo
|
|
|
Post by queenofthehours on Jun 1, 2017 16:39:45 GMT
I'm not a huge lover of sax. It just screams 80s and BOP is very 80s so the sax there doesn't help and is probably why I'm not so keen on the album. However, I am prepared to overlook any sax played by Mr Horn who brings a whole new sound to the instrument. Just listen to his work on George Harrison's albums, Jeff should have worked with him earlier.
|
|
|
Post by unomusette on Jun 1, 2017 20:13:04 GMT
I don't mind a bit of sax here and there, I like it on Getting to the Point. And when it's mad and cheerful, like with Wizzard or even The Wombles, can't fault a bit of mindless fun
|
|
|
Post by queenofthehours on Jun 2, 2017 15:21:28 GMT
I don't mind a bit of sax here and there, I like it on Getting to the Point. And when it's mad and cheerful, like with Wizzard or even The Wombles, can't fault a bit of mindless fun Mad and cheerful, now that's the kind of saxophone I do like.
|
|
|
Post by babyzoomer on Jun 4, 2017 13:56:21 GMT
Ok - here's a little side issue; but very sax/ELO related. Gerry Rafferty's 1978 hit "Baker Street" owes a lot of it's success (Rafferty made a mint from it) to the sax solo by Raphael Ravenscroft contained within; Ravenscroft claimed the he alone was responsible for the riff (and that he was only paid 27 pounds for it!) - however early demo tapes (and the testimony of others) show that Rafferty was really the composer of the riff; sadly they are both dead now, but it just shows that it (the music industry) is a muddy & messy business (perhaps a lesson there for the KG ra-ra team...).
|
|
|
Post by unomusette on Jun 4, 2017 19:18:07 GMT
I can remember an interview with Gerry Rafferty where he said he intended to play the riff on guitar but it didn't sound right so they brought in Raphael Ravenscroft. It's true that the saxophone version is the song's crowning glory (and jolly well played), so Mr Ravenscroft could claim credit for the feel of it, but Mr Rafferty most likely wrote it in the first place. In musical history, there are probably loads of session musicians who have played iconic riffs but not reaped the royalties.
|
|
|
Post by janne on Jun 7, 2017 23:58:47 GMT
Saxophone is an instrument you really have to use in moderation. Not to speak ill of the dead, but many a Springsteen song was ruined by Clarence Clemons insistant honking.
And ELO songs with sax... geez, I am glad that a masterpiece like Out of The Blue isn't ruined by some blaring saxophone suddenly breaking through the mix.
|
|
|
Post by finberty on Jul 1, 2017 12:53:21 GMT
On the other hand, most of Supertramp's output was lifted by John Helliwell's sax playing.
|
|