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Post by denny on May 29, 2021 3:41:08 GMT
A couple of the rock web sites I look at are mentioning Rock Candy magazine having an article on Led Zep’s big concert at Knebworth. I believe ELO was first choice for headliner as they were on top of their popularity at that point, but they turned down the gig. Looking back I’m thinking it was a missed opportunity... Does anyone have info as to the reasons for not playing? Was it just JL hating live shows especially after some of the “problems” on the OOTB/Big Night tour or was it the string section sacking or something else?? I’m thinking Arden would have wanted the guys to play....
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Post by StrangeMagic on May 29, 2021 3:50:26 GMT
A couple of the rock web sites I look at are mentioning Rock Candy magazine having an article on Led Zep’s big concert at Knebworth. I believe ELO was first choice for headliner as they were on top of their popularity at that point, but they turned down the gig. Looking back I’m thinking it was a missed opportunity... Does anyone have info as to the reasons for not playing? Was it just JL hating live shows especially after some of the “problems” on the OOTB/Big Night tour or was it the string section sacking or something else?? I’m thinking Arden would have wanted the guys to play.... Jeff and Sandy had just gotten married and Laura was on the way. I imagine he was more interested in that than in putting on another concert.
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Post by Timeblue on May 29, 2021 5:59:07 GMT
A couple of the rock web sites I look at are mentioning Rock Candy magazine having an article on Led Zep’s big concert at Knebworth. I believe ELO was first choice for headliner as they were on top of their popularity at that point, but they turned down the gig. Looking back I’m thinking it was a missed opportunity... Does anyone have info as to the reasons for not playing? Was it just JL hating live shows especially after some of the “problems” on the OOTB/Big Night tour or was it the string section sacking or something else?? I’m thinking Arden would have wanted the guys to play.... Jeff and Sandy had just gotten married and Laura was on the way. I imagine he was more interested in that than in putting on another concert. Maybe it was that, but for the sake of a weeks work to play for 100,000+ ? The other guys must have been disappointed...
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Post by lasttrain929 on May 29, 2021 10:37:31 GMT
Jeff seemed to have lost interest in touring by 1979, Discovery was a massive hit for ELO without touring, number one album and four top ten singles. It’s a shame though they didn’t do it, it’s not every day you get the chance to headline in front of that size of crowd almost double Wembley or Bust!!! Imagine that had been released on DVD for a 40th anniversary in 2019. It would have had this forum buzzing.
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Post by Timeblue on May 29, 2021 11:12:05 GMT
It certainly would have!
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Post by ShardEnder on May 29, 2021 20:11:15 GMT
Between his new family commitments and already being deep into work on the Xanadu soundtrack (while also possibly already developing Time, which he first mentioned during a fan club message released in late '79 as being a concept album), Jeff made it clear the Discovery video album was a way of avoiding a tour. Rather than accept that one-off headlining slot at Knebworth, he decided to make a few promotional appearances around the UK in a hot air balloon, but I just can't imagine the logistics needed for a show that would live up to the previous year's Big Night Tour, not to mention it puts everyone in a dilemma: do they invest the time and effort to do something different for a single performance, or just wheel out the '78 set and risk setting off further discussions already resolved from the Brass Ring lawsuit? The way things worked out, fans were absolutely clamouring for live activity in support of Time, and Jeff reluctantly agreed to a scaled down presentation that switched out the cellists for keyboard players while having pretty much every other aspect drastically reduced for more of a focus on the music itself.
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Knebworth
Jun 1, 2021 22:31:24 GMT
via mobile
Post by djcammie on Jun 1, 2021 22:31:24 GMT
Forgive my ignorance but what was the Brass Ring lawsuit?
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Post by ShardEnder on Jun 2, 2021 4:47:39 GMT
Forgive my ignorance but what was the Brass Ring lawsuit? This should provide a very rough summary:
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Post by dillwyn on Jun 2, 2021 13:50:22 GMT
When you think of sequencers/computers being used now, this is essentially standard practice in these times ...
even then it wasn't about the tapes was it really, poor tactic unless they hoped they would settle out of court to avoid the potential poor publicity.
All they had to do is play the tapes... whatever happened with the court case?
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Post by StrangeMagic on Jun 2, 2021 22:55:15 GMT
Forgive my ignorance but what was the Brass Ring lawsuit? This should provide a very rough summary: I don't know specifically what happened to the lawsuit. My assumption is it "went away" because it was obviously frivolous and retaliatory toward ELO asking Brass Ring for the money that was owed to them. So my guess is it was withdrawn or a judge threw it out.
In almost any business, the fastest way to get sued is to ask a debtor to pay a debt. They'll sue whether they have a firm basis or not, trying to get the creditor to leave them alone. Clearly, there was no firm basis here.
Unfortunately, the lawsuit damaged ELO's reputation for some time afterward. Most likely, it further soured Jeff on touring.
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Post by Chippa on Jun 3, 2021 15:51:31 GMT
When you think of sequencers/computers being used now, this is essentially standard practice in these times ... even then it wasn't about the tapes was it really, poor tactic unless they hoped they would settle out of court to avoid the potential poor publicity. All they had to do is play the tapes... whatever happened with the court case? As I've mentioned before, I used to work doing security for various events and venues, which included hundreds of concerts over the years. The list of artists who use backing tracks during live shows is too numerous to mention, and its not just the usual suspects like Ariana Grande or Britney Spears. Rock bands like Motley Crue and ZZ Top have done it for years.
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Post by orioles70 on Jun 3, 2021 16:53:04 GMT
1978 was the year that ELO broke away from Don Arden. It's fun to imagine how Don might have reacted to the Brass Ring lawsuit. "I see your brass ring and raise it to Brass Knuckles!"
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Post by Timeblue on Jun 3, 2021 17:00:56 GMT
Personally I think it's OK to have a certain amount of pre recorded backing, especially if its a band like ELO whose career was built on the orchestral sound. It was impossible to tour with a full blown orchestra at that time (certainly not on a world tour) so what if certain instruments seemed more enhanced.....
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Post by lasttrain929 on Jun 3, 2021 18:14:00 GMT
I would have jumped at the chance to have seen the classic lineup in 1979. It wouldn’t have bothered me if they had used pre recorded tapes. If I’m being honest I probably wouldn’t have noticed. Never got the chance to see ELO ever right up to their final tour for BOP, so for me to have seen them in 78/79 would have meant a lot.
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Post by Timeblue on Jun 3, 2021 19:05:39 GMT
I would have jumped at the chance to have seen the classic lineup in 1979. It wouldn’t have bothered me if they had used pre recorded tapes. If I’m being honest I probably wouldn’t have noticed. Never got the chance to see ELO ever right up to their final tour for BOP, so for me to have seen them in 78/79 would have meant a lot. I was 14/15 in '78 '79 so probably just too young to venture out to see them (no-one else I knew then liked them to go with) but I too would have loved to see the line ups of the day back then....
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