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Post by Rob 2095 on Nov 17, 2014 0:42:48 GMT
Really? It would be interesting to have another "Rank the Albums" type of thread. That hasn't been done in a while. But then again, there are fans who haven't listened to all of them, and there are irredeemably evil fans who don't consider Zoom to be an ELO album... Why would people think that Zoom is not an ELO album? Because there are fans that still think that ELO was a bonafide group in the Led Zeppelin sense where each member was vital to the constitution and state of the band... and to be fair, ELO WAS presented as a group during it's heyday. I can understand the appeal of group image, comradery and talent just as well as the next guy, and would very much like to see (at least) Bevan and Tandy involved again, but a line in the sand has to be drawn somewhere and credit has to be given where it is due. Jeff was the one indispensable ingredient, musically. There was and is no ELO without him, but there was and is an ELO with only him.
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Post by BSJ on Nov 17, 2014 20:48:10 GMT
Why would people think that Zoom is not an ELO album? Because there are fans that still think that ELO was a bonafide group in the Led Zeppelin sense where each member was vital to the constitution and state of the band... and to be fair, ELO WAS presented as a group during it's heyday. I can understand the appeal of group image, comradery and talent just as well as the next guy, and would very much like to see (at least) Bevan and Tandy involved again, but a line in the sand has to be drawn somewhere and credit has to be given where it is due. Jeff was the one indispensable ingredient, musically. There was and is no ELO without him, but there was and is an ELO with only him. Somewhere I read that the members of the band were paid so much a year - a salary. They were employees of Jeff? A day job?
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Post by unomusette on Nov 17, 2014 22:30:28 GMT
I have voted no and agree with Helmut, it depends if you know the background to the album when you first listened to it. I got the album on the day of release and didn't know anything about it being the last album due to contracts etc, remember there was no internet to get this sort of information back then. I played the album and liked it, it fitted in with songs of that period and seemed a logical progression at the time. This has stayed with me and I still like it now, even after I know the background to it, in fact that makes it some what more interesting to evaluate when I play it which is as often as other ELO albums. Can't add to that. But to add to that - I'll vote Not solely to fulfil contract. I think he enjoyed getting a lot of different things off his chest on BOP
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Post by janne on Nov 22, 2014 8:06:20 GMT
You could sense a shift when Balance of Power came out. It's still a good album, but you get the feeling that Jeff was going through the motions. (Zoom, of course, is really a Jeff solo album, so that one doesn't even count as an ELO album.) Those are fighting words, mister. I'm actually somewhat conflicted and hesitant in seeing Lynne release another album under the ELO name for the simple reason that Zoom was a top tear Electric Light Orchestra album and would be hard to top. Good for you if you think Zoom is a bonafide ELO album. With all due respect, I find it has a totally different atmosphere than the classic ELO albums from, say, Eldorado up until Time. I think Secret Messages started to veer off a bit from the classic formula and then Balance of Power came, which was very different (but still good). And Zoom, sorry, I just don't get that album. Hasn't played it more than, perhaps, 20 times since it came out. But that's what's so great about music, you can have different opinions.
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Post by PowWow on Nov 22, 2014 9:09:38 GMT
Some people like to take the route that Jeff Lynne IS ELO (which to my mind is absolute BS) and therefore look at Zoom as a legit album.
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Post by Timeblue on Nov 22, 2014 12:56:31 GMT
I posted on another thread 'what makes it an ELO album or solo'? Armchair theatre was solo with help from Richard,Zoom was ELO WITH help from Richard.So the first one is a legit solo piece and the second one is a legit piece both having the same two people at the helm.
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Post by Helmut83 on Nov 22, 2014 16:24:54 GMT
Some people like to take the route that Jeff Lynne IS ELO (which to my mind is absolute BS) and therefore look at Zoom as a legit album. Count me as one of those people. I look back at the history of ELO and I can't see even one period where you couldn't say Jeff Lynne was ELO. The fact that some musicians were there for the ride (a ride which lasted a lot of time for some of them) doesn't affect that fact, as all the creative process was always in Jeff's hands.
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Post by Southernman on Nov 22, 2014 17:21:08 GMT
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Post by jefflynnenut on Nov 28, 2014 9:42:01 GMT
I absolutely agree. Jeff didn't want to do this album. He has hinted at thisa number of times. In my opinion if Jeff hadn't been contractually obligated for more albums I think E.L.O. would have ceased to exist after "Xanadu". I recall reading in a pop fanzine from '80 were Lynne was being interviewed and he said "I really would like to continue to concentrate on film music scores at this point" I was only 14 reading this and "Time" and "secret messages" had been released. By '84 he had also put songs for that "friends Electric" movie. So you could really see where he was trying to steer his passion and career. Still today when I listen to Balance the album feels "rushed" and "fed up" (only my opinion btw!!!!). There are some key Gems on it all the same. I love "Calling America" and the key track for me is "Getting to the point" and "without someone" you really feel Lynnes yearning that what once was the apple of his eye has turned into a contract nightmare, and it shouldn't have got like this. Really sad...but I gotta say Jeff knew this was it for E.L.O and decided to end the most incredibly changing, exciting, sometimes dowdownright bizarre band of all time with "send it" ? Again (only my opinion) but a truly weak song to end a 15 year legacy. I say thank god for "Zooms" release in '01. I always feel it was like Lynne pulled a Sylvester Stallone and "took Rocky and Rambo" back out of retirement, to apologise for a weak ending that he wasn't happy with himself at all. Now I don't dislike B.O.P. but when I stand it up beside the other 80's material "Time and Secret Messages" it just doesn't have the same magnetism for me.
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Post by jefflynnenut on Nov 28, 2014 9:54:19 GMT
Because there are fans that still think that ELO was a bonafide group in the Led Zeppelin sense where each member was vital to the constitution and state of the band... and to be fair, ELO WAS presented as a group during it's heyday. I can understand the appeal of group image, comradery and talent just as well as the next guy, and would very much like to see (at least) Bevan and Tandy involved again, but a line in the sand has to be drawn somewhere and credit has to be given where it is due. Jeff was the one indispensable ingredient, musically. There was and is no ELO without him, but there was and is an ELO with only him. Somewhere I read that the members of the band were paid so much a year - a salary. They were employees of Jeff? A day job? As far as I know, strings, bass, were paid a salary but it was different for Bev and Richard. When Kelly left/sacked over diputes over pay he went to court with argument that he had a mortgage and children and whilst E.L.O were a multimillion dollar selling group Kelly had not seen the benefits financially of this success. He had been "employed" by Lynne in '74 and that was that...poor sod! Anyway! There is a great interview on youtube with Mel Gale and he reaal explains the inside E.L.O attitude really well. It doesn't seem there was much of a group or brotherhood at all.
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Post by BSJ on Nov 28, 2014 15:46:54 GMT
Somewhere I read that the members of the band were paid so much a year - a salary. They were employees of Jeff? A day job? As far as I know, strings, bass, were paid a salary but it was different for Bev and Richard. When Kelly left/sacked over diputes over pay he went to court with argument that he had a mortgage and children and whilst E.L.O were a multimillion dollar selling group Kelly had not seen the benefits financially of this success. He had been "employed" by Lynne in '74 and that was that...poor sod! Anyway! There is a great interview on youtube with Mel Gale and he reaal explains the inside E.L.O attitude really well. It doesn't seem there was much of a group or brotherhood at all. Found this one.
Is there another video of him? Have read a number of interviews by him and others, talking about contracts, money, etc.
How's your holiday shows doing?
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Post by jefflynnenut on Nov 28, 2014 21:03:50 GMT
Thats the one! Fair play BSJ!!! Another one tomorrow!!! Last week was a disaster! Terrible! Anyway....Keep going eh? Working on a pic here of sheep on the Arran Islands...Prob the most beautiful place in Ireland. Anyway back to topic! This interview says it all really! Melvin strikes me as a gent and doesn't seem to harbour any ill felling against Jeff, However his explanation to how Mick, and more so Hugh and himself is not very nice.
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Post by BSJ on Nov 28, 2014 21:09:50 GMT
Thats the one! Fair play BSJ!!! Another one tomorrow!!! Last week was a disaster! Terrible! Anyway....Keep going eh? Working on a pic here of sheep on the Arran Islands...Prob the most beautiful place in Ireland. Anyway back to topic! This interview says it all really! Melvin strikes me as a gent and doesn't seem to harbour any ill felling against Jeff, However his explanation to how Mick, and more so Hugh and himself is not very nice. Chin up! I'm thinking of ya!
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Post by Horacewimp on Dec 1, 2014 16:32:39 GMT
I thought it was interesting when Mel said Jeff saw the tours as a necessary evil to sell HIS albums
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Post by jefflynnenut on Dec 2, 2014 9:20:23 GMT
I thought it was interesting when Mel said Jeff saw the tours as a necessary evil to sell HIS albums And that's why E.L.O is Jeff Lynne.
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