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SHOWDOWN The ELO Mailing List Digest Issue #006 October 14, 1997 In this issue: World Party - sounds like Jeff More on first ELO Part II album New entry in Eric's Diary Jumpin' Biz (used to be Classical Gas/First Movement) Jeff influenced by The Beatles "Access All Areas" video review on the Web "Sweet Talkin' Woman" ripped off? Leeds show reviewed by Ken Latta ============================================================ ALL PUBLIC RESPONSES TO ARTICLES ON THIS LIST SHOULD BE SENT TO THE TALK LIST ADDRESS: elo-list@eskimo.com ============================================================ Subject: World Party - sounds like Jeff Date: Thu, 9 Oct 1997 15:00:47 +0000 From: Maurice Dockrell does anyone think that World Party at times sound like Jeff Lynne in his ELO days, Wilbury moments and solo. I have jsut been listening to their last two albums and there are moments when I think hey that sounds just like Jeff vocally and musically.i bought my first World Party album "Bang" becasue I actually thought that "All I Gave" was Jeff's new single when I heard it on the radio. Their new album "Egyptology" has some wonderful Beatlesque, ELO and Lynne moments. Does anyone know if Karl Wallinger has ever stated he is influenced by Jeff or ELO - at times it is just uncanny how similar he sounds to Jeff. ********** Subject: World Party Date: Thu, 9 Oct 1997 20:00:25 -0500 (CDT) From: Adam John Vogt As was mentioned before, World Party at times does indeed have that ELOish sound. EGYPTOLOGY is the latest album, and many moments, especially "Call Me Up" and Beutiful Dream" have Lynne-similarites. Much like Robert Palmer, World Party albums frequently go thru a barage of styles, and not everything on EGYTOLOGY sounds like ELO, but most of the album is very good and listenable. "All I Gave" off BANG is one of my favorites from WP. Whoh, this list is ten times as busy as it usually is! I don't post very often so I just take it all in. When the first Part 2 album came out it was a complete surprize to me. This was in the long-box days, so I couldn't read the personnell and there wasn't a sticker explaining what was going on. So I bought it, and for me the album is black and white: the Erik songs are quite good, Honest Men may be a little overboard but I love the production, and Heart Of Hearts would have been a good single (and yet it was the b-side for both US singles, neither of which charted). The songs that Erik dosen't sing on are awful. I doubt anyone buying this album on the strength of past ELO material appreciates a song like "Every Night", sung by a no-talent singer, sounding like bad Poizon, and including lyrics like "I've got an itch that just won't quit I see you wear that dress that just don't fit I know what you do every night every night and I want you to do it to me." That's just plain BAD.I figure the only reason that and HEARTBREAKER are there is to appeal to rock radio, but they were never released, so they are both worthless and useless.Someone said that later ELO fans would like this album, but connections to BOP or SECRET MESSAGES are nil! My own opinions, mind you. Don't get mad. I think MOMENT is great! ********** Subject: Re: World Party - sounds like Jeff Date: Thu, 9 Oct 1997 15:37:46 -0700 From: Steve Rifkin Actually, Jeff Lynne once said in an interview that he thought that World Party would be an up and coming band, the type that he'd like to produce... or something like that. LIGHT!'s home page: http://www.erols.com/steve410/elo/light/light.html ********** Subject: Re: World Party - sounds like Jeff Date: Fri, 10 Oct 1997 11:56:22 +0000 From: Maurice Dockrell thanks that is very interesting as I think that World party at times sound frighteningly like Jeff and at times how I wish Jeff would write again - I mean all the experimental complicated stuff which could be very hit and miss but rarely boring. ********** Subject: Re: World Party - sounds like Jeff Date: Sat, 11 Oct 1997 17:37:54 EDT From: Caballero Roberto Pardon me if this has been mentioned already, but... On the Rockline interview with Jeff in 1990, the interview asked him about any current bands he liked. Jeff mentioned that he was really big into the new (at the time) World Party CD, Bang. Said he'd like to produce 'em too, I think. ********** Subject: Re: World Party - sounds like Jeff Date: Sun, 12 Oct 1997 19:12:25 -0500 (CDT) From: Adam John Vogt Actually, BANG! didn't come out until 1993. You're probably referring to GODDBYE JUMBO, the 1990 release, which is probably the better of the 2 albums. Total stab in the dark here, but my totally uninformed theory as to the release delay for Jeff's new album is that they want him to tour (woundn't a club tour be great?) and he refuses to.He turned down a Wilbury tour in 1990, apparently.Maybe he's built up a kind of tour-phobia. Tourophobia? Could be! ********** Subject: Eric's Diary Date: Fri, 10 Oct 1997 20:21:25 +0100 From: John Kilcline Hi All, At last I have managed to get Eric Troyer writing his diary again!!! See the following for the latest installment http://www.elopart2.demon.co.uk/diary.html Enjoy ********** Subject: Jumpin' Biz! Date: Fri, 10 Oct 1997 03:17:42 +0000 From: Joe Ramsey I think that what I meant to say was... "Classical Gas," to my young mind, was the first pop hit that took an overtly classical sounding thing and put it to a rock beat. It probably added to the authenticity of the "classical" sound that it was instrumental. It really was original and I think probably became one of the templates that Roy modeled his ELO after. And I certainly didn't mean to imply that Roy COPIED anything... every writer has some frame of reference when he or she starts a song. Roy is just the best at taking everything, throwing it in the pot and, in the words of the ganga prophets, "Stirrin' it up!" Gosh, I thought when I wrote it that someone would bring up "Eleanor Rigby" or something like that. The George Martin scores for some of the early Beatle things certainly are classically oriented. I mean, Roy has even stated the he wanted ELO to take up where "I Am The Walrus" left off... influenced by the Beatles? I'm sure. Joe PS. Even some of The Move classical flirtations predate "Classical Gas." How about "Night Of Fear?" And "Blackberry Way" wasn't far behind... PSS. Sorry for The Move references - I know, I'm in the wrong list. ********** Subject: New Can Of Worms Date: Fri, 10 Oct 1997 03:55:58 +0000 From: Joe Ramsey Off-list comment: > Ever notice the similarity of "Look at Me Now" and "Eleanor Rigby"? ... Or "Blackberry Way" to "Penny Lane" (lyrically more than musically - actually closer to the "James Bond Theme" musically. "Stir It Up," Roy! I love it!) ********** Subject: Re: Jumpin' Biz! Date: Fri, 10 Oct 1997 08:09:38 +0000 From: Scott Pierson > I mean, Roy has even stated the he wanted ELO to take up where > "I Am The Walrus" left > off... influenced by the Beatles? I'm sure. John Lennon was quoted as calling ELO the "son of Beatles" because they seem to pick up where the Beatles left off. Luckily for us Jeff didn't marry anyone like Yoko.... Scott p.s. Do you think Jeff was influenced a little by the Beatles? Listen to Idle Race's greatest hits... I hear a LOT of Beatles and even a little bit of the Hollies in there... ********** Subject: Re: Jumpin' Biz! Date: Fri, 10 Oct 1997 08:40:05 -0400 (EDT) From: Bruce Dumes On Fri, 10 Oct 1997, Scott Pierson wrote: > John Lennon was quoted as calling ELO the "son of Beatles" because > they seem to pick up where the Beatles left off. Luckily for us Jeff > didn't marry anyone like Yoko.... You mean Yoko Ono? The person that John Lennon loved, and the person that made him happy? The person to whom he was utterly devoted? The person who, John Lennon said, made it *possible* for him to stay in the Beatles as long as he did? John was ready to quit in 1968. Listen to Double Fantasy. Read the Playboy interviews. John was, at 40, a happy man, and we have Yoko Ono to thank for that. No, instead Jeff's marriage ended up in divorce and pain. Whew, I guess we sure are lucky about that. My apologies to the group for getting off-topic.... > p.s. Do you think Jeff was influenced a little by the Beatles? > Listen to Idle Race's greatest hits... I hear a LOT of Beatles and > even a little bit of the Hollies in there... George and John and Ringo and Paul were playing lovely tunes (from "Girl At The Window" as if you all didn't know... :-) ) ********** Subject: Re: Jumpin' Biz! Date: Fri, 10 Oct 1997 09:11:42 +0000 From: Scott Pierson Additional apologies for getting off the subject: Bruce, Sorry, didn't know Jeff's marriage ended in divorce and pain. And actually, yes, I was referring to the Yoko that "killed" John. The one that took him from a fading rock musician with drug problems to a comatose, air headed, flake, who wouldn't have known his own opinion if it was flashing before him on a neon sign! Wake up man. The completely untalented woman sucked all of poor John's life force out, alienated him from his own son (so much so that Paul McCartney had to write the lad a song -- "Hey, Jules"). The same Yoko that still to this day is busy making sure she profits off the man still... ... but that's my opinion. ********** Subject: Access All Areas video Date: Sat, 11 Oct 1997 14:41:39 +0100 From: John Kilcline Hi All, Just uploaded the review of "Access All Areas", the video, to the web site Cover shot as well!! http://www.elopart2.demon.co.uk/videos.html The release date is set for 10th Nov 1997 in the USA (the resr of us will have to wait) ********** Subject: "Sweet Talkin' Woman" ripped off? Date: Sat, 11 Oct 1997 17:38:30 EDT From: Caballero Roberto Anybody ever notice that Huey Lewis' "Do You Believe in Love" is a rather blatant rip-off of ELO's "Sweet Talkin' Woman"? Listen to the first verse. It's not only a very, very similar melody, the words are almost exactly the same! ELO: I was searchin', on a one-way street I was hopin', for a chance to meet Huey Lewis: I was walkin', on a one-way street Just a lookin', for someone to meet Has anyone else ever noticed this? ********** Subject: Leeds review Date: Mon, 13 Oct 1997 22:00:50 +0100 From: John Kilcline Hi All, I just posted an excellent review of the Leeds gig by Ken Latta http://www.elopart2.demon.co.uk/leeds.html Thanks to Ken, I felt I was there!! ********** Subject: Live at Leeds! Date: Tue, 14 Oct 1997 13:36:32 +0000 From: Lynn Hoskins For those who don't have Web access, here's Ken Latta's great review of last Sunday's Leeds show. I wish I had seen Mik's clog dance! (Keep the reviews comin'!) Lynn __________ ELO Part II Leeds - Grand Theatre Sunday, 12th October 1997 This was the first visit to Leeds for ELO Pt. II, although the original ELO did play Leeds University way, way back in 1975 during the Eldorado tour - I know, cause I was there! With only a few tickets available on the Sunday morning, the venue was sold out well before the end of the afternoon! What a way to return to Leeds after all those years! The theatre from the outside is not that impressive, but once you get into the auditorium it really does live up to its name...Grand. With stalls, dress circle, upper circle and gods plus boxes it really does look impressive! The show started at 7.30p.m. prompt and opened with Fire On High, which got things off to a fine start. This led into a full version of All Over The World. During the first half of the show we heard the return of Twilight and Honest Men, the latter last performed, correct me if I'm wrong, when Neil Lockwood and Pete Haycock were with the band. The first half of the show also featured Shine A Little Love, a song not played by Part II in the UK until this tour. Also performed live for the first time was Eric's Love Or Money. The first half finished off with a great version of The Diary Of Horace Wimp with Kelly at his best on lead vocal and a light show to match. Very dramatic! This left the audience looking forward to the second half. The interval lasted about 20mins then the show unusually opened with an acoustic-ish medley which started with an old Beatles track, Because. This featured just Kelly, Eric and Phil on stage doing some wonderfully tight vocal harmonies. This was followed with the welcome return of All Fall Down. This medley also featured Midnight Blue which sounded well when given this acoustic style treatment, although Livin' Thing, for me at least, lost some of its impact. The medley finished with Strange Magic. A song or two later and its time for Mik's solo. With Mik being on home territory, he slipped in On Ilkla Moor Baht Tat to a big cheer, and a sing-a-long, from the audience. This then led into one of the highlights of the show - Clogdance. With Mik covering every inch of the stage, the audience loved it! Another highlight for me was Phil's rendition of Getting To The Point - my thirteen year old daughter has been singing it ever since! She says it's better than the original! I'm not one to argue!!! All throughout the show Louis' keyboard strings, in conjunction with Mik's blue violin, filled out the sound in the old ELO tradition, no more so than on Telephone Line, where they returned to the original rendition of the song. Lets hope that next year, UK audiences will be able to see the delights of Louis waving his baton in control of some real strings. The uptempo songs started to wield their magic on the audience, as they leaped to their feet with the opening of Sweet Talking Woman, for a roller-coaster ride through Ma-Ma-Belle, Dont Wanna, Rockaria! and Do Ya. The band finally left the stage....the audience wanted more....and they got more - in the form of an excellent Bev Bevan drum solo which led into Let There Be Drums accompanied by Kelly and Phil plus Eric lending a hand on percussion. The show closed with Don't Bring Me Down with even the people up in the gods standing up, very precariously! The show finished at 10.00pm, and as the audience left one could hear them enthusing over what they had just witnessed. 25 years of great music! Ken Latta 13/10/97 End of Showdown #006 ********************
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