Porter
Junior Member
Posts: 17
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Post by Porter on Oct 2, 2018 13:34:30 GMT
Why would you lock a thread "before it turns nasty." Sort of jumping the gun instead of allowing a good conversation?
Jeff Lynne isn't particularly a "band" guy. Ever since the breakup of the band he has done very little other than ego pumping. Remember the ELO compilation "Flashback" with the book in it? I threw up in my mouth every time Jeff mentions his girlfriend Rosie Vela, and now its in there forever haha.
He rarely acknowledges old band members, calls ELO his, and is generally a control freak of the material. Jeff Lynne, while my favorite musician, sees himself as the varsity squad of the rock world when I think he is somewhere as captain of the JV team. Seriously ask anyone who is in the Traveling Wilburys and there is one member everyone will forget. I believe mostly what Groucutt's son said about Jeff Lynne. There are two sides to every story, but I suspect Kelly Groucutt got treated the way he did because Jeff didn't want any backtalk. I'm pretty sure Kelly got his due to the tune of 6 figures and royalties. So, he has nothing to be complaining about in the end.
As for my live comment, come on....Jeff Lynne is among the worst live performers of all time. Have you seen the DVDs? The old ELO was exciting because Bev Bevan was a killer drummer, the strings guys were all over the stage, and Kelly was out getting people pumped. Jeff just stood there. He has even said he dislikes the tour phase and would rather just go back in and make another record. I swear Jeff takes Xanax before shows.
So yeah, I think Jeff overall is an arse, but a lot of musicians are and there is nothing wrong with that. He also is not good live. His shows are boring. The ZOOM DVD is my favorite to put in to put me to sleep. His Wembly performance is boring from a couple years ago.
Needless to say, ELO is my favorite band. I love the records. Jeff has written so many amazing songs. From OTTD to OOTB, I can listen to those records from front to back. Have been since I was 14 years old. Chippa will vouch for me from long long ago.
So, this thread doesn't need to be locked, we can be adults and have this discussion. I think Jeff is a control guy, doesn't appreciate former members all that much, and truly believes ELO is his. And he might be right, he was the primary force of ELO. Zoom certainly I don't think is an ELO album. If you disagree with me? That's ok!
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Post by jackpunch on Oct 2, 2018 19:01:18 GMT
Jeff probably is a control freak, an egotistical helmet, most people that successful are. I really couldn't give a shit. He's a great songwriter, vocalist and producer and I like the fact that the live performances are so perfect. Rather that than out of tune strings, and drums that sound like a set of dustbins. Each to their own I guess
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Post by Horacewimp on Oct 2, 2018 20:20:33 GMT
To confirm the right to decide what is acceptable or not and the decision to lock threads will be made by the forum moderators and administrators, their decision is final. This thread will remain open as long as it sticks to the topic and the posts do not break the forum rules. jefflynneselo.proboards.com/thread/6/forum-rules |
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Post by sundown on Oct 2, 2018 20:37:05 GMT
As for my live comment, come on....Jeff Lynne is among the worst live performers of all time. Have you seen the DVDs? The old ELO was exciting because Bev Bevan was a killer drummer, the strings guys were all over the stage, and Kelly was out getting people pumped. Jeff just stood there. He has even said he dislikes the tour phase and would rather just go back in and make another record. I swear Jeff takes Xanax before shows. If the music is good enough you don't need anything else. Jeff's music IS good enough, his concerts sell out. Ill go further and say that all that jumping around the stage turns me right off. It may be ok for the musicians but for the singer It just interrupts the flow of the songs. The songs sound crap when the singer is out of breath. |
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Post by unomusette on Oct 2, 2018 21:14:38 GMT
Maybe Jeff models his stage persona on his hero, Roy Orbison. He wasn't a big mover on stage either and might even have given Jeff the idea of wearing shades the whole time.
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Post by BIuebird on Oct 2, 2018 21:48:07 GMT
As far as the live thing goes, you also have to keep in mind that Jeff is not as young as he used to be. How many 70 year olds are up to running all over the stage? Probably not many. However, that might just not be his style in general, and that's okay with me. The man can sing, and that's all that really matters. Nerves can also do funny things to a person too, which I know from experience. Everyone handles that in a different way; maybe Jeff's way of handling nerves is to just focus on singing and not doing a bunch of other stuff simultaneously?  |
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Post by pelo on Oct 2, 2018 21:58:14 GMT
There are several types of live performances. Personally, I don't want to see Jeff running around the stage. Remember ELO is the band with the spaceship, so I even think there needs to be some kind of distance between the performers and the audience for this space show with its impressive visuals to be effective.
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Post by elophile on Oct 2, 2018 22:55:23 GMT
Jeff is Jeff.
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Post by orioles70 on Oct 2, 2018 22:57:45 GMT
I went to a Todd Rundgren concert last year. He dressed like he was 30 and moved around like he was 30, but ... he's not. I give him credit for trying, but the audience was all 50+ and could care less about the clothes or dance moves. Just play the songs!
On the other hand, I do wish Jeff would tell us a few stories during the show. And it would be great if he'd invite out some friends to join in a song here or there. How about Mik and his blue violin?
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Post by eloneen on Oct 3, 2018 1:08:59 GMT
I could say a lot about this (again) but I won't. I'll just say this: I thoroughly enjoyed the ELO show I saw in Philly in August. I knew what I was getting and I got good value for what I spent. I enjoy animated stage performances if the performers are having fun and the music is good. That's not JL's style. As for the rest, he's just a person, he has his faults, and I'll leave it at that.
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Post by ShardEnder on Oct 3, 2018 10:54:35 GMT
I'm pretty sure Kelly got his due to the tune of 6 figures and royalties. So, he has nothing to be complaining about in the end. I really wish that was the case, but Kelly's six-figure settlement ultimately went on legal fees and the outstanding studio advances for his two solo albums (by October 1983, a planned second LP under his contract with RCA was already complete). Since none of ELO's songwriting credits have ever been retroactively adjusted, it's safe to assume he wasn't given any royalties - such a move would have opened the proverbial floodgates for other long-rumoured contributors to also demand a larger financial cut, and it's interesting that Kelly was prepared to risk hinting at the truth long after being given what amounted to a put-up-and-shut-up type final offer that also doubled as his severance payment. Rather than painting anyone as outright villainous, I'd prefer to remain diplomatic and portray the members of ELO as individuals who each had their own unique ideas of right and wrong. Jeff achieved mostly great things on the records in a way he could quite easily have done himself, especially in the group's later years together, while his colleagues kept fans engaged in a live setting by playing on their more outward personalities. However, there's a lot more to the story than just this simple dividing of each person's qualities... For one, Kelly made it clear from the beginning of his case against Jet Records then later Jeff himself that he was in a difficult and different financial position to many contemporaries. To the outside world, ELO gave the impression of being a traditionally structured band, yet Jeff saw this as something of a necessary evil, particularly when you consider that Don Arden expected new product delivering every few months, followed by extensive tours to keep each latest release in the public consciousness long enough that further efforts still had a market he could sell to and therefore profit from. Without going into the many unpleasant aspects of Arden's life, I can't ignore the fact that his business decisions worked for a period, meaning that ELO was still able to shift units at a point when Jeff became increasingly disillusioned by his remaining contractual obligations. Many artists sign deals they'll later come to regret, and I won't blame Jeff for how things turned out years after the fact. However, it's also clear that until technology caught up and finally allowed him to operate "Alone In The Universe," he was open to external input through necessity, even if this wasn't always fairly acknowledged in the subsequent liner notes. On the other side of this argument, perhaps Jeff's colleagues made the mistake of thinking they'd be working in more typical conditions? Until selling off his share, Bev enjoyed the residual benefits of being a legal co-owner in the ELO name, plus we know Richard earned enough even as a salaried musician that he eventually relocated to Los Angeles as a tax exile. Does that mean Kelly wasn't as careful with the amount he received? I've not seen any evidence to suggest this was the case, yet it's no secret that ELO was something of a business black hole behind the scenes. From its inception all the way through to the last two cellists being dismissed in early 1980, it seems as if more classically minded additions to the revolving door of players saw the potential problems, and some actually dared to challenge this. We even have quotes from Jeff confirming his decision to abandon overdubbing strings in the UK because of his issues with strict union rules, plus there's the little detail of him also now calling Los Angeles home. Instead of looking at any one person as the cause of ELO's backstage disharmony, I suggest we blame money. Even when there's enough to go round, everyone is always jostling for a bigger cut! |
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Porter
Junior Member
Posts: 17
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Post by Porter on Oct 4, 2018 17:53:40 GMT
I went to a Todd Rundgren concert last year. He dressed like he was 30 and moved around like he was 30, but ... he's not. I give him credit for trying, but the audience was all 50+ and could care less about the clothes or dance moves. Just play the songs! On the other hand, I do wish Jeff would tell us a few stories during the show. And it would be great if he'd invite out some friends to join in a song here or there. How about Mik and his blue violin? Jeff will only ever talk about Richard Tandy or for some reason Roy Wood. He won't mention any of the old guys. Watch the Live at Wembley DVD. Jeff boring. I don't expect Jeff to run around the stage, but like you guys are saying, he won't tell funny stories about the past. He's so boring. I'd love to hear some debauchery stories about the ELO days. Again, I love ELO. Jeff Lynne is my favorite musician, but I wouldn't get along with him too well. |
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Post by elophile on Oct 4, 2018 23:08:31 GMT
He's so boring. I'd love to hear some debauchery stories about the ELO days. I don't think Jeff is boring. I think Jeff is very private and very uncomfortable with fame. From the anecdotes I've heard from people who know him personally he sounds like a real wise-ass. Do you seriously think Jeff is just some boring old fart IRL? I mean, ask yourself: could you hang with this guy? Joe Walsh is Jeff's bestie! This is who Jeff parties with!  Or do you think it's an opposites attract thing?  |
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Post by Timeblue on Oct 7, 2018 11:21:37 GMT
Most of what you say is relevant Porter,Jeff IS a control freak and comes across as very laid back live, with the other band members doing the running around etc. Mike Stevens does what Bev used to do in doing the announcements leaving Jeff just to stand there and sing and say the odd word...
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stardust1
New Member
omg i have loved ELO FOR 40 YRS AND MY FIRST CONCERT last night seeing the guy i have loved
Posts: 1
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Post by stardust1 on Oct 8, 2018 8:02:24 GMT
i went to the manchester gig,i was expecting geoff to say more ,but maybe the music did the talking....i mean for 40 yrs i have waited to see this band...i was tho put out by where i sat,i was told to sit down by some old roadie type behind me who kept saying..quote..back in the day i knew geoff and was a roadie,unquote...so bloody what
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