Originally launched by Jeff Lynne, Bev Bevan and Roy Wood as a sideline to their legendary band the Move, ELO arrived in 1971 with their debut album No Answer. Wood departed soon after, but singer/songwriter/guitarist/producer Lynne continued to pilot ELO through a series of ambitious albums that blended the band's expansive symphonic-rock sound with songs that were both sonically adventurous and infectiously catchy. ELO was particularly successful in America, where the band scored a series of multi-platinum albums as well as 19 Top 20 singles.
ELO's recordings grew progressively more ambitious, with the playful experimentation of the group's early efforts evolving into the extended orchestral excursions of 1974's Eldorado and the rousing, concise songcraft of the dual commercial breakthroughs A New World Record and Out of the Blue.
Albums included:
- No Answer
- Electric Light Orchestra II
- On the Third Day
- Eldorado
- Face the Music
- A New World Record
- Out of the Blue
- Discovery
- Time
- Secret Messages
- Balance of Power
Each album features rare bonus tracks, including numerous alternate versions and unreleased tracks.
Each album is packaged in a replica mini-LP-style sleeve reproducing that album's original cover art.
No Answer (The Electric Light Orchestra) (1971)
The Electric Light Orchestra is the debut studio album by English rock band Electric Light Orchestra (ELO), released in December 1971. In the US, the album was released in early 1972 as No Answer, after a misunderstood telephone message made by a United Artists Records executive asking about the album name. The caller, having failed to reach the ELO contact, wrote down "no answer" in their notes, and this was misconstrued to be the name of the album.
1. 10538 Overture (5:30)
2. Look At Me Now (3:17)
3. Nellie Takes Her Bow (5:59)
4. The Battle Of Marston Moor (July 2nd 1644) (6:03)
5. First Movement (Jumping Biz) (3:00)
6. Mr. Radio (5:04)
7. Manhattan Rumble (49th Street Massacre) (4:22)
8. Queen Of The Hours (3:22)
9. Whisper In The Night (4:50)
BONUS TRACKS
10. The Battle Of Marston Moor (Take 1 / Alternate Mix) (1:00)
11. Nellie Takes Her Bow (Alternate Mix) (6:02)
12. Mr. Radio (Take 9) (5:19)
13. 10538 Overture (Take 1 / Alternate Mix) (5:46)
Produced by Jeff Lynne and Roy Wood
The Band
Jeff Lynne - Vocals, Piano, Electric guitar, Percussion, Bass
Roy Wood - Vocals, Cello, Acoustic guitar, Bass, String bass, Oboe, Bassoon, Clarinet, Recorders, Slide guitar, Percussion, Krumhorn
Bev Bevan - Drums, Percussion
Bill Hunt - French horn, Hunting horn
Steve Woolam - Violin
Additional personnel:
Rick Price - Bass guitar on some original tracks (erased and redubbed by Wood and Lynne respectively)
Richard Tandy - Bass guitar, Keyboards
Wilfred Gibson - Violin
Hugh McDowell, Mike Edwards & Andy Craig - Cello
ELO II (1973)
ELO 2 is the second album by Electric Light Orchestra (ELO), released in 1973. In the US the album was released as Electric Light Orchestra II and is sometimes known as ELO II.
Originally to be titled The Lost Planet, but that concept was quietly dropped, it was during the initial recording sessions for this album that Roy Wood left the band and formed Wizzard in early 1972. Although uncredited at the time Wood performed on two tracks, playing cello and bass on "In Old England Town" and "From the Sun to the World". Classically trained cellists Colin Walker and Mike Edwards replaced Wood, and Wilfred Gibson played on violin. Richard Tandy made his ELO studio debut, playing keyboards on the album although he had earlier performed live with the original lineup playing bass. Bassist and Vocalist Mike de Albuquerque also made his ELO studio debut on the album. All five pieces are longer than standard rock songs, and feature multi-layered orchestral instruments that create a dense, complex sound.
1. In Old England Town (Boogie No.2) (6:57)
2. Mama... (6:59)
3. Roll Over Beethoven (7:04)
4. From The Sun To The World (Boogie No.1) (8:17)
5. Kuiama (11:17)
BONUS TRACKS
6. In Old England Town (Instrumental) (2:43)
7. Baby I Apologise (Session Outtake) (3:43)
8. In Old England Town (Take 1 / Alternate Mix) (6:56)
9. Roll Over Beethoven (Take 1 / Alternate Mix) (8:15)
Produced by Jeff Lynne
The Band
Jeff Lynne - Vocals, Guitar, Moog Synthesizer
Bev Bevan - Drums, Percussion
Richard Tandy - Keyboards, Moog Synthesizer, Guitar, Harmonium
Mike de Albuquerque - Bass, Backing vocals
Wilfred Gibson - Violin
Mike Edwards - Cello
Colin Walker - Cello
Additional personnel:
Marc Bolan - Guitar on ELO 2 tracks 10–12
Roy Wood - Bass, Cello on ELO 2 tracks 1 and 4
Carl Wayne - Lead Vocals on The Lost Planet tracks 6–8
On The Third Day (1973)
On the Third Day is the third studio album by Electric Light Orchestra (ELO) and the first to be recorded without any input from Roy Wood.
Of all other ELO albums, except for ELO 2, this might be considered closest in style to progressive rock, with some elaborate band arrangements and complicated musical segués between tracks. The Mini Moog synthesizer can be heard prominently on several tracks, particularly as lead instrument on the instrumental "Daybreaker". It was to be the last ELO album where Jeff Lynne attempted to re-create an orchestral sound in the studio by multi-tracking the cellos and solo violin of the band members - for the next album, a real orchestra would be hired. Marc Bolan played guitar on "Ma-Ma-Ma Belle" and "Dreaming of 4000", both originally uncredited, as well as on "Everyone's Born to Die", which was not released at the time but appears as a bonus track on the 2006 remaster.
"Ocean Breakup/King of the Universe" contains a sequence of morse code signaling ELO, something Lynne would also do 10 years later on "Secret Messages". "Bluebird Is Dead" features a guitar solo played backwards. The working titles for "In the Hall of the Mountain King" was "In the Hole of the Mounted Parrot", "Daybreaker" was "Theme from Glass Table" and "Dreaming of 4000" was "I'm Only Dreaming" and "Mambo". Ted Blight (an ELO sound engineer) plays cello on this album.
1. Ocean Breakup/King Of The Universe (4:07)
2. Bluebird Is Dead (4:42)
3. Oh No Not Susan (3:07)
4. New World Rising/Ocean Breakup Reprise (4:05)
5. Showdown (4:09)
6. Daybreaker (3:51)
7. Ma-Ma-Ma Belle (3:56)
8. Dreaming Of 4000 (5:04)
9. In The Hall Of The Mountain King (6:37)
BONUS TRACKS
10. Auntie ('Ma-Ma-Ma Belle' Take 1) (1:19)
11. Auntie ('Ma-Ma-Ma Belle' Take 2) (4:05)
12. Mambo ('Dreaming Of 4000' Alternate Mix) (5:05)
13. Everyone's Born To Die (3:43)
14. Interludes (Previously Unreleased) (3:40)
Produced by Jeff Lynne
The Band
Jeff Lynne - Vocals, Guitars
Bev Bevan - Drums, Percussion
Richard Tandy - Piano, Moog, Clavinet, Guitar, Backing Vocals
Mike de Albuquerque - Bass, Backing Vocals
Wilf Gibson - Violin on tracks 5–14
Colin Walker - Cello on tracks 5–14
Mike Edwards - Cello
Mik Kaminski - Violin on tracks 1–4
Additional personnel:
Marc Bolan - Guitar on tracks 8, 10–13 (maybe 7 unconfirmed)
Eldorado - A Symphony By The Electric Light Orchestra (1974)
Eldorado (sometimes known as Eldorado - A Symphony by the Electric Light Orchestra) is the fourth studio album by the Electric Light Orchestra (ELO), released in 1974.
Eldorado marks the first album on which Jeff Lynne hired an orchestra; on previous albums, Lynne would overdub the strings. Louis Clark co-arranged and conducted the strings, and would go on to become a full member. The group's three resident string players continued to perform on recordings, however, and can be heard most prominently on the songs "Boy Blue" and "Laredo Tornado". Mike de Albuquerque departed early on in the recording process, as touring made him feel separated from his family. Lynne plays the bass and provides most of the backing vocals for the album, even though de Albuquerque received credit. Kelly Groucutt replaced de Albuquerque for the subsequent tour, when cellist Melvyn Gale also joined. "Eldorado Finale" is heavily orchestrated much like "Eldorado Overture". Jeff Lynne said of the song, "I like the heavy chords and the slightly daft ending, where you hear the double bass players packing up their basses, because they wouldn't play another millisecond past the allotted moment."
Concept
Eldorado is the first complete ELO concept album; vocalist Jeff Lynne conceived the storyline before he wrote any music. The plot follows a Walter Mitty-like character who journeys into fantasy worlds via dreams, to escape the disillusionment of his mundane reality. Lynne began to write the album in response to criticisms from his father, a classical music lover, who said that Electric Light Orchestra's repertoire "had no tune".
1. Eldorado Overture (2:12)
2. Can't Get It Out Of My Head (4:21)
3. Boy Blue (5:19)
4. Laredo Tornado (5:29)
5. Poor Boy (The Greenwood) (2:57)
6. Mister Kingdom (5:29)
7. Nobody's Child (3:56)
8. Illusions In G Major (2:37)
9. Eldorado (5:17)
10. Eldorado Finale (1:34)
BONUS TRACKS
11. Eldorado Instrumental Medley (Previously Unreleased) (7:56)
12. Dark City (Previously Unreleased) (0:46)
Produced by Jeff Lynne
The Band
Jeff Lynne - Lead & backing vocals, Electric, Acoustic, & Bass guitars, Keyboards, Orchestra and Choral arrangements
Bev Bevan - Drums, Percussion
Richard Tandy - Piano, Moog synthesiser, Guitar, Backing vocals, Orchestra and Choral arrangements
Mike de Albuquerque - Bass guitar, Backing vocals
Mik Kaminski - Violin
Hugh McDowell & Mike Edwards - Cello
Additional personnel:
Louis Clark - arrangements, orchestra conductor
Prologue spoken by Peter Forbes-Robertson
Face The Music (1975)
-Face the Music is the fifth studio album by Electric Light Orchestra (ELO), and features a new line-up following their previous studio album, Eldorado.
ELO's fifth studio LP was released in 1975 and the first to be recorded in Musicland Studios Munich, which was introduced by Deep Purple in a tour in the United States. The band featured a new line-up with bassist Kelly Groucutt and cellist Melvyn Gale replacing Mike de Albuquerque and Mike Edwards respectively.
The back cover of the record sleeve shows the members of the band with their faces pressed against a glass panel, supposedly watching the "electrocution" depicted on the front cover. The band member who is looking away is Richard Tandy, who didn't like the idea and didn't want to participate. New member Kelly Groucutt sang lead vocals on "Poker" and "Down Home Town" (while Jeff Lynne sang harmony) as well as one of the verses in "Nightrider." (Usually, Lynne sang all lead vocals for ELO.)
1. Fire On High (5:31)
2. Waterfall (4:11)
3. Evil Woman (4:29)
4. Nightrider (4:26)
5. Poker (3:32)
6. Strange Magic (4:29)
7. Down Home Town (3:54)
8. One Summer Dream (5:51)
BONUS TRACKS
9. Fire On High Intro (Early Alternate Mix) (3:23)
10. Evil Woman (Stripped Down Mix) (5:00)
11. Strange Magic (U.S. Single Edit) (3:27)
12. Waterfall (Instrumental Mix) (4:15)
Produced by Jeff Lynne
The Band
Jeff Lynne - Vocals, Guitar, String arranger
Bev Bevan - Drums, Percussion, Spoken intro (backwards), Vocals
Richard Tandy - Piano, Clavinet, Moog, Guitar, String arranger
Kelly Groucutt - Bass, Vocals
Mik Kaminski - Violin
Hugh McDowell & Melvyn Gale - cello
Additional personnel:
Louis Clark - string arranger
Ellie Greenwich, Susan Collins, Nancy O'Neill & Margaret Raymond - uncredited vocals
A New World Record (1976)
A New World Record is the sixth studio album by Electric Light Orchestra (ELO), released in 1976.
Their second album to be recorded at Musicland Studios in Munich, the LP proved to be the band's long awaited breakthrough in the UK: after seeing their previous three studio recordings fail to chart in their home market, A New World Record became their first top ten album in the UK. It became a huge global success and would consolidate the band's position as one of the biggest selling rock bands in the world, reaching multi-platinum status in the US and UK, The album sold five million units worldwide within its first year of release. The cover art features the famous ELO logo, designed by Kosh, for the first time. This logo would be included on most of the group's subsequent releases.
The album included the hit singles "Telephone Line", which became the band's first gold US single, "Livin' Thing", and "Do Ya" (US); and "Rockaria!" (UK). "Do Ya" was an ELO updating of The Move's late 1972 final US single on United Artists Records. The focus is more on shorter pop songs, a trend which would continue throughout the rest of ELO's future albums. In 1977, many of the album's songs were featured on the "Joyride" soundtrack. In 2006, the album was remastered and released with bonus tracks on Sony's Epic/Legacy imprint. "Surrender" was also issued as a promotional single and an iTunes download single, which entered the top 100 download chart.
1. Tightrope (5:06)
2. Telephone Line (4:40)
3. Rockaria! (3:12)
4. Mission (A World Record) (4:25)
5. So Fine (3:55)
6. Livin' Thing (3:32)
7. Above The Clouds (2:17)
8. Do Ya (3:45)
9. Shangri-La (5:40)
BONUS TRACKS
10. Telephone Line (Different Vocal) (4:41)
11. Surrender (2:37)
12. Tightrope (Instrumental Early Rough Mix) (4:55)
13. Above The Clouds (Instrumental Rough Mix) (1:14)
14. So Fine (Instrumental Early Rough Mix) (4:16)
15. Telephone Line (Instrumental) (4:51)
Produced by Jeff Lynne
The Band
Jeff Lynne - Vocals, Lead, Rhythm and Slide guitars, Percussion, Piano
Bev Bevan - Drums, Minimoog drum, Percussion, Vocals
Richard Tandy - Piano, Minimoog, Micromoog, Polyphonic keyboard, Electric guitars, Clavinet, Grand piano, Mellotron, Percussion, Vocals
Kelly Groucutt - Vocals, Bass guitar, Percussion, Backing vocals
Mik Kaminski - Violin
Hugh McDowell & Melvyn Gale - Cello
Additional personnel:
Mary Thomas - operatic vocals
Patti Quatro, Brie Brandt & Addie Lee - uncredited vocals
Orchestra and choral arrangements - Jeff Lynne, Richard Tandy, Louis Clark
Out Of The Blue (1977)
Out of the Blue is the seventh studio album by the British rock group Electric Light Orchestra (ELO), released in October 1977. Written and produced by ELO frontman Jeff Lynne, the double album is among the most commercially successful records in the group's history.
Jeff Lynne wrote the entire album in three and a half weeks after a sudden burst of creativity while hidden away in his rented chalet in the Swiss Alps. It took a further two months to record in Munich. Side three of the original double LP consisted of the symphonic Concerto for a Rainy Day, composed of four separate tracks which together made up a cohesive suite, instead of one continuous track. The inclement weather effects heard on "Concerto" were real and recorded by Lynne during a very rainy summer in Munich 1977. The Concerto suite would be Lynne's last dabbling in symphonic rock.
1. Turn To Stone (3:49)
2. It's Over (4:08)
3. Sweet Talkin' Woman (3:49)
4. Across The Border (3:53)
5. Night In The City (4:04)
6. Starlight (4:31)
7. Jungle (3:53)
8. Believe Me Now (1:21)
9. Steppin' Out (4:40)
10. Standin' In The Rain (3:59)
11. Big Wheels (5:32)
12. Summer And Lightning (4:15)
13. Mr. Blue Sky (5:03)
14. Sweet Is The Night (3:28)
15. The Whale (5:07)
16. Birmingham Blues (4:23)
17. Wild West Hero (4:45)
BONUS TRACKS
18. Wild West Hero (Previously Unreleased Alternate Bridge / Home Demo) (0:26)
19. The Quick And The Daft (Previously Unreleased) (1:50)
20. Latitude 88 North (Previously Unreleased) (3:24)
Produced by Jeff Lynne
The Band
Jeff Lynne - Lead and Backing vocals, Guitar, Keyboards, Percussion
Bev Bevan - Drums, Percussion, Backing vocals, Fire extinguisher on "Mr. Blue Sky"
Richard Tandy - Keyboards, Guitar
Kelly Groucutt - Co-lead vocals on "Sweet Is the Night", Backing vocals, Bass guitar, Percussion
Mik Kaminski - Violin
Melvyn Gale - Cello, Piano
Hugh McDowell - Cello
Additional personnel:
Louis Clark - Orchestral and choral arrangements, orchestra conductor
Discovery (1979)
Discovery is a 1979 album by Electric Light Orchestra (ELO).
Discovery was the band's first number 1 album in the UK, entering the chart at that position and staying there for five weeks. The album contained five hit songs in "Shine a Little Love", "Don't Bring Me Down", "Last Train to London", "Confusion" and "The Diary of Horace Wimp", many of which were heavily influenced by disco (in fact, Richard Tandy came up with its well known nickname, Disco Very). "Don't Bring Me Down" would become one of their only two top three hits in the UK throughout their career ("Xanadú" will be number One in 1980), and also their highest-charting US single at number 4. "The Diary of Horace Wimp" was also a hit single in the UK, not patterned after the disco sound; instead it was closer in its Beatlesque style to the band's earlier hit "Mr. Blue Sky". The album itself was the first ever to generate four top-ten singles (one of which was a Double A-side) from a single LP in the UK and was eventually certified 2x platinum by the RIAA in 1997.
1. Shine A Little Love (4:42)
2. Confusion (3:42)
3. Need Her Love (5:12)
4. The Diary Of Horace Wimp (4:18)
5. Last Train To London (4:31)
6. Midnight Blue (4:19)
7. On The Run (3:55)
8. Wishing (4:13)
9. Don't Bring Me Down (4:06)
BONUS TRACKS
10. On The Run (Previously Unissued Home Demo 1979) (1:01)
11. Second Time Around (Previously Unissued Home Demo 1979) (0:43)
12. Little Town Flirt (Previously Unissued) (2:53)
Produced by Jeff Lynne
The Band
Jeff Lynne - Vocals, Guitar, Piano, Synthesizer
Bev Bevan - Drums, Percussion
Richard Tandy - Piano, Synthesiser, Electric piano, Clavinet
Kelly Groucutt - Bass guitar, Vocals
Additional personnel:
Louis Clark - string and choral arrangements, orchestra conductor
Time (1981)
Time is a concept album by Electric Light Orchestra (ELO) released in 1981 through Jet Records. The album tells the story, through its songs and lyrics, of a man from the 1980s finding himself in the year 2095 and trying to come to terms with being unable to return and adjusting to his new surroundings.
An immediate success upon its original release, Time would rank as the eighth highest charting album in the world for 1981.
1. Prologue (1:16)
2. Twilight (3:41)
3. Yours Truly, 2095 (3:12)
4. Ticket To The Moon (4:07)
5. The Way Life's Meant To Be (4:38)
6. Another Heart Breaks (3:49)
7. Rain Is Falling (3:55)
8. From The End Of The World (3:16)
9. The Lights Go Down (3:33)
10. Here Is The News (3:49)
11. 21st Century Man (4:02)
12. Hold On Tight (3:06)
13. Epilogue (1:36)
BONUS TRACKS
14. The Bouncer (B-side of UK 'Four Little Diamonds' 12'' Single) (3:14)
15. When Time Stood Still (B-side of UK 'Hold of Tight' 12'' Single) (3:33)
16. Julie Don't Live Here (B-side of UK 'Twilight' 12'' Single) (3:42)
Produced by Jeff Lynne
The Band
Jeff Lynne - Lead and Backing vocals, Electric and Acoustic guitars, Piano, Synthesizer
Bev Bevan - Drums, Percussion
Richard Tandy - Acoustic and Electric pianos, Synthesizer, Guitar
Kelly Groucutt - Bass, Backing vocals
Additional personnel:
Ghislaine - French verse (track 12)
Rainer Pietsch - conductor, string arrangements
Sandi - girl’s voice (track 5)
Secret Messages (1983)
-Secret Messages is an album by Electric Light Orchestra (ELO), released in 1983 through Jet Records. It was the last ELO album with bass guitarist Kelly Groucutt, conductor Louis Clark, and real stringed instruments. It was also the final ELO studio album to become a worldwide top 40 hit upon release.-
1. Secret Messages (4:43)
2. Loser Gone Wild (5:27)
3. Bluebird (4:13)
4. Take Me On And On (4:57)
5. Time After Time (4:01)
6. Four Little Diamonds (4:05)
7. Stranger (4:27)
8. Danger Ahead (3:52)
9. Letter From Spain (2:51)
10. Train Of Gold (4:20)
11. Rock 'N' Roll Is King (3:49)
BONUS TRACKS
12. No Way Out (Unused Track from the Original Double Album Version of Secret Messages) (3:28)
13. Endless Lies (Previously Unreleased / Unused Trackfrom the Original Double Album Version of Secret Messages) (3:26)
14. After All (B-side of ''Rock 'n' Roll Is King'' Single) (2:24)
Produced by Jeff Lynne
The Band
Jeff Lynne - Vocals, Background vocals, Guitar, Synthesisers, Bass, Piano, Percussion, Oberheim DMX
Bev Bevan - Drums, Percussion
Richard Tandy - Synthesizers, Grand piano, Electric piano, Harmonica, Oberheim DMX
Kelly Groucutt - Bass guitar, Background vocals ("Train of Gold", "Rock 'n' Roll Is King", "No Way Out" and "Beatles Forever")
Additional personnel:
Louis Clark - string conductor (tracks 7, 8 and 10)
Dennis - bark
Mik Kaminski - violin solo (track 11)
Dave Morgan - background vocals
Balance Of Power (1986)
Balance of Power is an album by the Electric Light Orchestra (ELO) released in 1986.
Balance of Power was the last studio album by the Electric Light Orchestra for a period of over 15 years (until Zoom was released in 2001). By this time Kelly Groucutt had departed and the group was pared down to a trio, with Jeff Lynne handling bass (in addition to his usual guitar work) and more dabbling with electronic percussion and synthesisers. ELO played some live concerts in the UK and Europe (their last for fifteen years), and in one UK show George Harrison performed as guest guitarist.
The video for the single "Calling America" was shot in Paris, and contains shots of the band playing in front of Centre Georges Pompidou. A video was also made for the single "So Serious." The track "Endless Lies" was intended as an homage to Roy Orbison, and was originally recorded for the never-released double LP version of Secret Messages; it reappeared on this album in a slightly reworked and more compact form. A number of "ELO firsts" can be attributed to this album: it was the first ELO album not to feature any strings whatsoever; the first to feature a saxophone solo; and the band's first compact disc issued. The album, in its original form has also the shortest running time in the ELO catalogue.
1. Heaven Only Knows (2:56)
2. So Serious (2:43)
3. Getting To The Point (4:30)
4. Secret Lives (3:32)
5. Is It Alright (3:27)
6. Sorrow About To Fall (4:04)
7. Without Someone (3:51)
8. Calling America (3:30)
9. Endless Lies (3:00)
10. Send It (3:10)
BONUS TRACKS
11. Opening (0:24)
12. Heaven Only Knows (Alternate Version) (2:34)
13. In For The Kill (3:16)
14. Secret Lives (Alternate Take) (3:26)
15. Sorrow About To Fall (Alternate Mix) (3:50)
16. Caught In A Trap (B-side of UK Single) (3:47)
17. Destination Unknown (B-side of UK Single) (4:10)
Produced by Jeff Lynne
The Band
Jeff Lynne - Vocals, Guitars, Synclavier II computer synthesizer, Keyboards, Piano
Bev Bevan - Drums, Percussion
Richard Tandy - Keyboards, Piano, Sequence programming
Additional personnel:
Christian Schneider - saxophone
