ELO
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Johnspex

Original Poster:

4,724 posts

200 months

Saturday 30th July 2022
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I've just been watching TOTP from 1978 on BBC2.
On a scale of 1 to 10 just how awful are/were ELO?

Flip Martian

21,699 posts

206 months

Saturday 30th July 2022
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Given their talent, I'd say 1 (if you're making 10 "very awful"). I don't like all their songs but I can appreciate the talent. Jeff Lynne's songwriting back in the day was up there with the best.

Super Sonic

9,732 posts

70 months

Saturday 30th July 2022
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I've heard worse. There were some truly awful bands around in the '70s. Trex for instance.

Flip Martian

21,699 posts

206 months

Saturday 30th July 2022
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If you're defining "awful" as "I don't like them at all", this ends up a very subjective thread really. laugh

Super Sonic

9,732 posts

70 months

Saturday 30th July 2022
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Ikr. Alternative thread title 'what 70s band don't u like.

Flip Martian

21,699 posts

206 months

Saturday 30th July 2022
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Super Sonic said:
Ikr. Alternative thread title 'what 70s band don't u like.
Ah now, in that case...

Dawn, Brotherhood of Man, Middle of the Road, Lt Pigeon, Paperlace, Bay City Rollers... I grew up in the 70s but nostalgia hasn't helped me like any of those.

All way worse than ELO.

Flip Martian

21,699 posts

206 months

Saturday 30th July 2022
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dibbers006 said:
Don't bring me down. They're awesome!
Ah now, DBMD was a classic. Sounds awesome live (not seen ELO, just a couple of cover bands at wifey's insistence).

Johnspex

Original Poster:

4,724 posts

200 months

Saturday 30th July 2022
quotequote all
Flip Martian said:
Super Sonic said:
Ikr. Alternative thread title 'what 70s band don't u like.
Ah now, in that case...

Dawn, Brotherhood of Man, Middle of the Road, Lt Pigeon, Paperlace, Bay City Rollers... I grew up in the 70s but nostalgia hasn't helped me like any of those.

All way worse than ELO.
You're just naming bands that were supposed to be awful.
It's like saying Ernie was a terrible record. It was never meant to be good.Whereas the God-awful Imagine was supposed to be good and it was beyond dreadful.

Super Sonic

9,732 posts

70 months

Saturday 30th July 2022
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Oh just remembered, it was ELO's 'Living Thing' that got me listening to violin concertos. Does the violin bit come from anywhere or is it original ELO,?

Flip Martian

21,699 posts

206 months

Saturday 30th July 2022
quotequote all
Johnspex said:
You're just naming bands that were supposed to be awful.
It's like saying Ernie was a terrible record. It was never meant to be good.Whereas the God-awful Imagine was supposed to be good and it was beyond dreadful.
Imagine by Lennon? I don't know anyone that's ever called that "beyond dreadful". But again, it's your opinion and you're entitled to it, of course.

cherryowen

12,172 posts

220 months

Saturday 30th July 2022
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Looking at my chord sheet for Mr. Blue Sky, not only is it a very agreeable tune but it uses a very inventive chord progression. The verse starts in F major for three measures, then moves to Eminor7 / Aminor7 / Dminor7. Strict music theory says that the Am7 and Dm7 are allowed in the key of F major, but the E should be an Em7b5 (half diminished 7th). But Jeff borrows a chord from the key of F minor, because its a better "fit".

Anyway, ELO reminds me of going for a drive with my Dad when I was a nipper; he loved ELO. Played on a tape in a Rover 2600 TC in red, with a vinyl roof!


Flip Martian

21,699 posts

206 months

Saturday 30th July 2022
quotequote all
Super Sonic said:
Oh just remembered, it was ELO's 'Living Thing' that got me listening to violin concertos. Does the violin bit come from anywhere or is it original ELO,?
Original ELO I think. They used strings quite a bit.

jjaack

109 posts

113 months

Sunday 31st July 2022
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1. A new world record and
2. Out of the blue, (double l.p),

Both outstanding L.P"s.

The picture on the cover of Out of the blue was Wow!
Has to be an album cover to remember?

Anything before and after not so sure.

Aged 14/15 went straight out and bought both after listening to a tape a mate taped for me, but I had to own them both.

Bloody small fortune 3 or 4 weeks pay from helping the milky to buy them. About £20 I think. : )

Flip Martian

21,699 posts

206 months

Sunday 31st July 2022
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OP - what do you class as good? Without starting a battle it would be interesting to see what your taste is.

Pflanzgarten

5,849 posts

41 months

Sunday 31st July 2022
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ELO were the sound the Beatles would have become IMHO if they'd have stuck together.

TwigtheWonderkid

46,400 posts

166 months

Sunday 31st July 2022
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jjaack said:
1. A new world record and
2. Out of the blue, (double l.p),

Both outstanding L.P"s.

The picture on the cover of Out of the blue was Wow!
Has to be an album cover to remember?
I have that LP on picture disc.

I like ELO. Rockaria, Living Thing, Turn To Stone, all great songs. Wild West Hero is a brilliant record.

Boringvolvodriver

10,474 posts

59 months

Sunday 31st July 2022
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There are a lot lot worse than ELO.

As others have said, some great albums.

Saw Jeff Lynn’s ELO a few years back and I could have been listening to the album such was the quality. That actually disappoints me as I like to see bands live do things a bit differently- Jeff Lynn certainly doesn’t have much of a personality on stage but is one hell of a good musician.

Flip Martian

21,699 posts

206 months

Sunday 31st July 2022
quotequote all
Boringvolvodriver said:
There are a lot lot worse than ELO.

As others have said, some great albums.

Saw Jeff Lynn’s ELO a few years back and I could have been listening to the album such was the quality. That actually disappoints me as I like to see bands live do things a bit differently- Jeff Lynn certainly doesn’t have much of a personality on stage but is one hell of a good musician.
Probably find there would have been some parts of the songs on backing tracks. Pretty common now. Many bands seem to move away from that "live, basic and more raw" sound. Even with 10 or more musicians on stage.

Milkyway

10,593 posts

69 months

Sunday 31st July 2022
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Sky Arts shows ELO live at Wembley quite often, in which JL / ELO wanted to recreate the studio sound, which isn’t easy... brilliant.
How can you knock a group that can write, perform & actually play instruments.


Edited by Milkyway on Sunday 31st July 15:09

Nimby

5,194 posts

166 months

Sunday 31st July 2022
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Milkyway said:
Don’t forget JL’s ‘War of the Worlds’ either.
That's Jeff Wayne.