has anybody ever heard of electric light orchestra?

Answer 1

One of the first singles I ever bought was "The Diary of Horace Wimp" about 1980 I think. Strange song!!!

ELECTRIC LIGHT ORCHESTRA biography

An incredible 35 years since their formation, the music of the Electric Light Orchestra is still as popular as ever. All over the world, people are tuning into the sound of ELO via radio, the internet, cinemas and TV. The seemingly ageless songs of ELO leader Jeff Lynne are even being heard again in the singles charts, thanks to the cream of today’s young dance acts sampling the band’s original music and turning on a whole new generation of fans.

ELO thrived under the guidance of Lynne, ...An incredible 35 years since their formation, the music of the Electric Light Orchestra is still as popular as ever. All over the world, people are tuning into the sound of ELO via radio, the internet, cinemas and TV. The seemingly ageless songs of ELO leader Jeff Lynne are even being heard again in the singles charts, thanks to the cream of today’s young dance acts sampling the band’s original music and turning on a whole new generation of fans.

ELO thrived under the guidance of Lynne, recording twelve original studio albums and releasing twenty-eight hit singles in the UK alone. At their peak between 1974 and 1981, ELO amassed a string of nine consecutive gold, platinum and multi-platinum albums. The band were one of the biggest arena and stadium draws during the seventies and early eighties, with spectacular shows including massive flying saucer stage sets and vibrant light and laser displays.

Originally a 1970 experimental offshoot of sixties English hitmakers The Move, ELO’s initial concept of a rock band augmented by a string section struggled to find success. Though early singles such as ‘Showdown’ and ‘Ma-Ma-Ma-Belle’ were hits, ELO albums failed to make the charts in the UK and the group was virtually ignored as a live act.

It was the USA that first embraced ELO, thanks to lengthy coast-to-coast tours that helped propel singles ‘Evil Woman’ and ‘Strange Magic’ and albums ‘On The Third Day’, ‘Eldorado’ and ‘Face The Music’ into the American charts. UK acceptance finally came in 1976 with ‘A New World Record’ and Top 10 singles ‘Livin’ Thing’, ‘Rockaria!’ and ‘Telephone Line’.

A double album masterpiece, 1977’s ‘Out Of The Blue’ was a worldwide smash on pre-orders alone and featured global hits ‘Turn To Stone’, ‘Wild West Hero’, ‘Sweet Talkin' Woman’ plus the song Lynne considers to be his greatest ELO achievement, ‘Mr. Blue Sky’. Recently voted “Anthem Of The Midlands” by the public, the track continues to appear in film soundtracks and ads to this very day. The bands’ legendary 1978 tour set audience attendance records wherever it played and established ELO as one of the most popular acts in the world.

‘Discovery’ in 1979 consolidated that success with the singles ‘Shine A Little Love’ (sampled back into the charts in 2005 by The LoveFreekz), ‘Don’t Bring Me Down’ ‘The Diary Of Horace Wimp’ and ‘Confusion’. While subsequent albums ‘Xanadu’, ‘Time’, ‘Secret Messages’, and ‘Balance Of Power’ were huge sellers, together with later hits ‘Hold On Tight’ and ‘Rock ‘N’ Roll Is King’, Lynne decided to disband ELO in 1986 for newer challenges.

During 2000, Lynne decided to reactivate the Electric Light Orchestra with ‘Flashback’, a retrospective 3-CD boxset, followed a year later by new album ‘Zoom’ and single ‘Alright’ plus a DVD of ELO’s first live shows for over 15 years, filmed in Los Angeles.

Rob Caiger

Why this artist must be listed in www.progarchives.com :
This band was one of the very first to incorporate symphonic elements like the strings (violins, cellos) into the main workings of their songs.

Discography:
No Answer (Electric Light Orchestra) (1971)
ELO 2 (1973)
On The Third Day (1973)
Eldorado (1974)
The Night the Light Went On (In Long Beach) (1974)
Face The Music (1975)
OLE ELO (1976)
A New World Record (1976)
Out of the Blue (1977)
Discovery (1979)
Xanadu (1980)
Time (1981)
Secret Messages (1983)
Balance of Power (1986)
Zoom (2001)

Answer 2

ELO for some years in the 70's held records for concert attendance and boxoffice gross $$$. They were definitely BIG!
The stage show was awesome!!!

Many of the members went on to other famous bands...can't think of most but the lead singer did some stuff with Beatles George Harrison, Tom Petty, Roy Orbison (The Honeydrippers???).

ELO had electric violins, bass violins, cellos, etc.

What a flashback!

Answer 3

Yes, more commonly known as ELO and responsibly for gems such as Mr Blue Sky and Sweet-talkin Woman

Answer 4

Yes

Answer 5

Yes, they were post-prog-rock meandering garbage. About the best thing they ever did was a collaboration on Xanadu with Olivia Newton John. Yes, that bad.

Answer 6

Yeah they're a really famous rock band from the 70's also known as ELO.

Answer 7

Yes also known as ELO. They sing Mr Blue Sky.

Answer 8

Yes, they are better known as ELO and have been around since the early 1970's.

Answer 9

Yes,, a band of the 70's. Mr Blue Sky...and more but just can't remember any more right now

Answer 10

Yeah, they rocked! But then Jeff Lynne left and they sucked a bit. But then Jeff Lynne did 'Lift Me Up' which I love. You can hear it on the closing credits of Deuce Bigalow, Male Gigolo.