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Post by Helmut83 on Jan 25, 2015 5:43:26 GMT
Given that we haven't been receiving many news later from Jeff Lynne's bunker, let's go on with the chat about ELO-related personal experiences.
The question is simple: do any of your family, friends, couple, workmates, classmates, etc... know ELO? What do they say about it? Do they like it? Is any of them a genuine fan? Did you convert anyone?
Answers next.
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Post by BSJ on Jan 25, 2015 18:19:47 GMT
I've tried making Jeff/ELO a conversation, nice and easy - nothing crazy. No real fan feedback. They seem not to know what to say next. Now, I don't bother. It's bad enough getting strange looks when saying I'm going/been to a Ringo concert. I have to defend a Beatle! I get the faint whiff of "you've too much time on your hands". It's insulting. A while ago a waitress, in her 20's, asked about my ELO pin on my jean jacket. I told her to start with the greatest hits. She's not been around. Probably hiding from me! I was able to go off on a rant about Jeff, at a used record store, just after his concert. That poor kid. He asked! The only person who really knows, though he isn't a big fan, is my used record store and show buddy, Eddie. And of course tk6! It's really tough when no one takes your interests, what ever they are, seriously. This is great idea Helmut!
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Post by Horacewimp on Jan 25, 2015 18:44:59 GMT
Out of my five best mates I would say two are avid ELO fans, two think they are ok and will know most songs and the other doesn't rate them. So when I see them we can discuss ELO with all but one having an interest and knowledge of the band and music. They know I love them and so will ask me about any latest news etc.
Years back when I saw them more often we found a pub in Birmingham which had The Battle of Marston Moor on the juke box, we will always put it on repeat and get the landlord to turn it up loud, this is probably why my one friend doesn't like them!
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Post by unomusette on Jan 25, 2015 20:00:53 GMT
Wow, a pub with Marston Moor on the jukebox? This is why so many brilliant bands came from Birmingham, I remember going into a pub called The Costermonger somewhere in a basement near the Bull Ring back in the late '80's, it had an awesome jukebox and was thoroughly fab. I bet it's been "redeveloped" now Since Jeff made his epic visit to my lair and I showed the pics to my mates at work I was amazed that quite a few had no idea who he was. And they're all my age or thereabouts. I find that people either snigger about ELO as if I should be embarrassed to like them, or they quite like the best known songs but can't put Jeff's face to the band. I suppose he'd be quite pleased about the last bit though, he is ridiculously modest bless him smiley-cool15
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Post by Horacewimp on Jan 25, 2015 20:13:45 GMT
I remember the Costermonger it was like a hole in the wall and steps straight down to the basement, a bit of a dive, ok a lot of a dive what were you doing there Uno. It was top end of Corporation St in the Dale End area. Surprisingly it wasn't one of the pubs on our 25 or 30 pub night. It has closed down now The Marston Moor pub was near New Street station, wasn't it a B side of an early single?
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Post by unomusette on Jan 25, 2015 21:40:27 GMT
I'd imagine it was a b-side of 10538 Overture, were there any other singles off ELO 1?
The Costermonger didn't strike us as dive-y, it was quite upmarket compared to our local pubs hehe. We were there to see Alice Cooper at the Birmingham Odeon on the Constrictor tour, happy days! Mr Musette and I in full Cooper makeup, we were even interviewed outside the venue by the TV news people but we were probably in our usual state of excited drunkenness and it never made it to air. Birmingham is FAB!
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Post by Helmut83 on Jan 26, 2015 5:47:14 GMT
I envy you, Horace! The fact that you get together with 5 other people and out of them 4 (plus you) like ELO is a very rare case. But, of course, being from Birmingham or nearby place the likelihood to find people who are keen on ELO must increase considerably. As for me, I'm quite alone in this world. My mother, who lived through those times, knows most of the songs from "Discovery" (which is the only ELO album that hit quite hard in Argentina), but doesn't even know any song out of that album, not even "Mr. Blue Sky". Then, my 10 year old cousin for some reason knew they existed and asked me if I liked them. And then there's the rocker guys with whom I get together to jam; many of them are in their 40s and 50s and remember ELO from those times, and in general they say it was a great band. Other than those few, I can't recall any friend or relative of mine being aware of the sheer existence of ELO, although I must say that my friends are surprisingly ignorant when it comes to music or are more into Argentine folklore. Of course, everyone else knows "Last Train to London", but I don't think anyone would know who is the author if asked. So that's it, but as they say, geniuses are often uncomprehended, my friends.
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Post by nickheynes on Jan 26, 2015 11:51:40 GMT
Not one of my family or friends or work colleagues are into ELO.I like it that way!
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Post by Horacewimp on Jan 26, 2015 12:26:20 GMT
I envy you, Horace! The fact that you get together with 5 other people and out of them 4 (plus you) like ELO is a very rare case. But, of course, being from Birmingham or nearby place the likelihood to find people who are keen on ELO must increase considerably. The last time we were all in Spain and at an Indian restaurant (like you do) I set my phone to shuffle and played loads of ELO rather loud while we were waiting for the meal. This prompted a drunken singalong by all but one of my friends much to the amusement of the other diners. This led to Don't Bring Me Down being voted the song of the holiday as it got played the most. Maybe I should have posted this in the drunken thread
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Post by Helmut83 on Jan 26, 2015 21:47:50 GMT
Haha, amazing anecdote. If I were the other friend, I would have learnt it and sung along all the way even if I hated the artist. I mean, it's better than being the only one sitting there doing nothing.
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Post by wilko on Jan 27, 2015 0:35:07 GMT
Several of my friends like ELO and one is a what I'd call a 'real' fan. We were teenagers in the 70's so the timimg was just right.
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Post by Helmut83 on Jan 27, 2015 3:17:31 GMT
Several of my friends like ELO and one is a what I'd call a 'real' fan. We were teenagers in the 70's so the timimg was just right. Another enviable case. Not everyone can say that.
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Post by Helmut83 on Jan 27, 2015 16:26:26 GMT
Do your acquaintances know/like ELO, jrmugz?
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Post by Horacewimp on Jan 27, 2015 16:41:17 GMT
My Mum (RIP) liked quite a few ELO songs especially ones with classical elements to them, she also sung the line from "Don't Walk Away" when talking to the dog she would say "all you gotta do is STAY" to it!
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Post by janne on Jan 27, 2015 18:50:04 GMT
One of my oldest friends is an ELO fan, the band was a big part of our growing up together. We discovered A New World Record together, and nothing was the same after that. Out of The Blue and Discovery was like dreams. Time was the first album that we didn't love unconditionally, but it grew over the years.
I have also bonded over old ELO/The Move/Idle Race stuff with a guy I have met in my job.
Other than that, ELO fans are hard to come by...
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