Music Flashback: Electric Light Orchestra (ELO)

I have seen a lot of great rock concerts in my life. Electric Light Orchestra is a band that I am forever kicking myself over because I never got to see them perform live before the group broke up. This great group, usually just referred to as “ELO“, was easily one of my favorite groups of the 1970′s and 1980′s.

This British Supergroup was active from 1970 until 2001. From 1972-1986, the group racked up an impressive 27 Top-40 hits in the United Kingdom and USA. Trying to label the groups signature sound is hard but it can best be described as Symphonic Progressive Rock. They were one of the first rock groups to incorporate horns, cello’s, and violin’s into their regular assortment of instruments.

Some of their great hits included:

Evil Woman
Strange Magic
Roll over Beethoven
Livin Thing
Telephone Line
Don’t bring me down
I’m Alive
Last Train to London
Calling America
Shine a Little Love
Sweet Talkin Woman
All over the World
Twilight
Turn to Stone
Rockaria!
Mr. Blue Sky
Showdown
Xanadu

and countless others…….

Their music is as great now as it was all those years ago, though it really makes you feel old when you start to hear “Don’t bring me Down” on the “Oldies but Goodies” station enjoyed by people approaching retirement age. Then, of course, you dive into a great depression when you realize that people of my current age are much closer to the senility of old age than to the glorious years of being a teenager. Getting old sucks!

The groups last album, ZOOM, was released in 2001.

The group sold over 50 Million albums over the course of their career.

During their peak years, ELO was:

Jeff Lynne – Vocals, Guitar
Bev Bevan – Drums
Roy Wood – Guitar
Richard Tandy – Keyboards
Hugh McDowell – Cello
Mik Kaminski – Violin
Kelly Groucutt -Bass

The band holds the dubious record of having the most Top-40 Billboard hits in US History without ever having a #1 hit.