So, what have you been listening to lately?

[uwe]

If a thing is worth doing, it's worth overdoing and I'm currently wallowing through this here ...

[uwe]

And this guy here:


(Epi JC Sig in sight)




And Jeff Lynne still has that Beatles chip boulder on his shoulder ... 

[westen44]

Despite other stuff he has done (Traveling Wiblurys, George Harrison albums, etc.) I've always thought Jeff Lynne was at his best with his ELO music.  ELO sounds really good in concert, too.  It's understandable that John Lennon compared ELO and the Beatles to each other, though.  But to me Jeff Lynne sounds more like the Beatles when he is with ELO, not collaborating with someone else--even if it's George Harrison. 

[uwe]

Agreed, but there is also a slight cheesiness factor in Lynne's ELO music that even Macca at his most popularity-craving doesn't have.

But he is an excellent craftsman.

[westen44]

Agreed, but there is also a slight cheesiness factor in Lynne's ELO music that even Macca at his most popularity-craving doesn't have.

But he is an excellent craftsman.

Yes, that's true.  No one who says they listen to ELO a lot is going to be viewed as a hard rock person.  Also, although I like George Harrison, I would have preferred that he had collaborated with someone else other than Jeff Lynne.  Like on that "Cloud Nine" album, George Harrison seemed way too influenced by Jeff Lynne for me.  But George obviously thought highly of him.  To me Jeff Lynne did well especially with some of those early ELO songs when he was at the peak of his creativity.  That ELO music has always been criticized for being too cheesy of course.  Some of the harshest criticism was directed toward the "Xanadu" movie with so much ELO music in it.  Still, I think ELO got a bum rap.  Even the movie wasn't quite so bad as they make it out to be.  I've seen way worse movies.  Has anyone seen "The Pest" with John Leguizamo?  That's the worst movie in the history of the world. 

[Rob]

Robert Randolph is a breath of fresh air on that steel.

[uwe]

Yes, that's true.  No one who says they listen to ELO a lot is going to be viewed as a hard rock person.  Also, although I like George Harrison, I would have preferred that he had collaborated with someone else other than Jeff Lynne.  Like on that "Cloud Nine" album, George Harrison seemed way too influenced by Jeff Lynne for me.  But George obviously thought highly of him.  To me Jeff Lynne did well especially with some of those early ELO songs when he was at the peak of his creativity.  That ELO music has always been criticized for being too cheesy of course.  Some of the harshest criticism was directed toward the "Xanadu" movie with so much ELO music in it.  Still, I think ELO got a bum rap.  Even the movie wasn't quite so bad as they make it out to be.  I've seen way worse movies.  Has anyone seen "The Pest" with John Leguizamo?  That's the worst movie in the history of the world.

Anything Lynne produces, he puts hydraulic-presses his stamp on ... Travelling Wilburys, Joe Walsh, Tom Petty, Harrison, he did one song for Bryan Adams and what does it sound like ...



But people who hire him, know and want exactly that.



But he couldn't better this here ...

[westen44]

Sheesh.  Jeff Lynne might as well have gone ahead and been in the video himself.  I prefer the "Cuts Like A Knife" Bryan Adams.

[Basvarken]

The singer/guitarist of my former band is a huge fan of Jeff Lynne.

His new solo album is about to be released. This song has some obvious ELO influences

[uwe]

Yup, it does!

Herr Lynne in younger years on an instrument we normally don't associate him with.





And that is Richard Tandy on bass - who later became ELO's keyboardsmith.

[Dave W]

The article about the Spinal Tap lawsuit caused me to break out my Stumpy Joe CD from 1991. AFAIK the only band named after Spinal Tap's second drummer, Eric "Stumpy Joe" Childs, who choked to death on someone else's vomit.

[westen44]

The singer/guitarist of my former band is a huge fan of Jeff Lynne.

His new solo album is about to be released. This song has some obvious ELO influences

I'm repeating myself, but the more Jeff Lynne's music has an ELO-influenced sound, the better off it is, IMO. 

[uwe]

Something for Rob to complain about again! 



Currently listening to a double CD of his greatest hits - he had a few.

And then I go from easy listening to everybody's favorite shoegazer prog ...

[Basvarken]

I'm repeating myself, but the more Jeff Lynne's music has an ELO-influenced sound, the better off it is, IMO.

But this is Mick Hup's music. 

[Basvarken]

Something for Rob to complain about again! 

I prefer when he still played bass