Does E.L.O. naturally appeal to Disco lovers ???????

[KoolChris]

I've recently noticed, on friends/colleagues of mine I sometimes expose to the music I like, that those who enjoy Disco also enjoy E.L.O., the symphonic pop/rock group lead by Jeff Lynne, a.k.a. Electric Light Orchestra.

Said people are very mainstream, in the fact that they seldom have a deep interest in music, and their knowledge in that area is usually limited to what gets massive airplay. Just basic people, who sometimes listen to the radio or watch video clips, but will not systematically have enough interest go out to buy a record/disc. No record collectors, just basic consumers. Obviously, the tracks I subjected them to, were massively previously unknown to them, whether E.L.O. material, or Disco, so there's no subjective attachment/ rejection pertaining to memories associated with a given track.

Is the fact that E.L.O. recordings most always included a symphonic orchestra an effective selling point to Disco heads? Do YOU like E.L.O. as much as I do?? And is your taste for E.L.O. a direct consequence of the "symphonic sound"??

Please take the time to take the poll associated with this thread, and to develop your answers/ideas on the subject as you post replies...


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[boogyjuice]

I think this here might've got disco-fans interested in them , but i could be wrong


Always dug their logo



which reminded me of

[Dayna]

The mere name Electric Light "ORCHESTRA" is enough to make you assume alot Disco fans would like them.
And I think it is,as you said, because of the symphonic aspect of the music. I personally love them..Songs like Telephone Line,Strange Magic..Evil Woman etc.. and of course all the songs form the Delicious CHEESE fest Xanadu that I worship:icon_biggrin:
...

[Videoskooter]

ELO was cool, nice tunes, nice symphonic campy music.

This makes me think: as they were quite influenced by The Beatles and Jeff never denied that fact....would The Beatles have gone Disco if they still would have been around in the late 70's when all the others were jumping on the bandwagon? Paul McCartney sure did with Wings?

[KoolChris]

This makes me think: as they were quite influenced by The Beatles and Jeff never denied that fact....would The Beatles have gone Disco if they still would have been around in the late 70's when all the others were jumping on the bandwagon? Paul McCartney sure did with Wings?

Good question! Obviously, no one could know for sure, but my idea is that, since their music was so specific and different from what was being produced at the time, except for their mentors: the Monkees (LOL), they wouldn't have done anything that could be mistaken for anything else. Strings, kickdrums, and... sitars, anyone?

Funny thing, you often hear that Beatles fans and Rolling Stones fans didn't mix; even that in some places, streetfights were waged on that sole difference. With regards to what I like today, is it any surprise I was a Beatles fan? Not by my own choice, but because my parents were into folk, opera, and...the Beatles. Pete Seeger & Joan Baez bored me to death, opera took too much patience to get into, but the Beatles were just me. I only started listening to what was available in my home, further widening my taste according to what was available on the radio, and on my friends' brothers' and sisters' turntables, hence E.L.O., Disco, and others.

I wonder whether it might have made a difference if my parents had Rolling Stones records around the house instead.

[SandraDee]

I saw an interview with John Lennon from 1976 & when the interviewer asked him what music he listened to he definitely stated that he was into disco at that time. Living in NYC I s'pose he was in the rioght place!

[markydefad]

Yeah, I think my affinity for ELO stemmed from their Beatle-esque (is that a word????!!) :icon_redface: melodic qualities, coupled with the classical overtones...not much of a disco-ish feel for me in their music.

I know "Last Train To London" is sometimes listed as their concession to "disco" track....

My first ELO purchase was their first "Greatest Hits" set titled "Ole' ELO"...and then I bought all their new releases after that...

[thommy2458]

I wouldn't say I was a huge fan,but I think Eldorado is
perfect-"Can't Get It Out Of My Head" and "Boy Blue"
are my favorite tracks from them.

[Cdnbob]

There are several ELO songs I like but the funny thing is personally, I've never considered them disco.

[KoolChris]

There are several ELO songs I like but the funny thing is personally, I've never considered them disco.

Neither have I! They were pop, or perhaps more precisely symphonic pop/rock.

The idea is to ascertain whether disco enthusiasts are naturally inclined towards E.L.O. because of instrumental/arrangement similarities, i.e. the use of an orchestra.

I love most on their work; my favorites of late have especially included "One Summer Dream", a dreamy, languorous ballad.

[Dayna]

There are several ELO songs I like but the funny thing is personally, I've never considered them disco.

I dont think there's any question as to the fact that they are NOT a Disco band
the thread is about their music's apeal to Disco Lovers.. because if they were Disco It would be a silly question
because of course a Disco band would apeal to Disco lovers ..

[Cdnbob]

I dont think there's any question as to the fact that they are NOT a Disco band
the thread is about their music's apeal to Disco Lovers.. because if they were Disco It would be a silly question
because of course a Disco band would apeal to Disco lovers ..

LOL Dayna. Put this one down to replying to posts too early in the morning. LOL. :icon_razz:

[remicks]

I dont think there's any question as to the fact that they are NOT a Disco band
the thread is about their music's apeal to Disco Lovers.. because if they were Disco It would be a silly question
because of course a Disco band would apeal to Disco lovers ..

But Dayna , surely you've noticed here that disco lovers come in several flavors and are very choosy as to which Disco bands they want to offer the love !!! !!


---- For the reasons others have stated, ELO is a big fave of mine. They were that middle ground were rock meets disco .... perhaps they did us a big favor in those days with their presence . At Odyssey Records that was one we could play to make most employees happy . I played them as my choice during my round occasionally as a concession to the others .... but really I perceived it as introductory fodder for rockers to warm up to that orchestral sound ....to enjoy the lusciousness of strings :icon_mrgreen: .....

Their album DISCOVERY came out in 1979 and the suspicious title was not lost on me ! But here's how its written in WIKI:

The LP 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 (played : Piano, Synthesizer, Electric piano, Clavinet ) came up with its well known nickname, Disco Very).

*****

[Dayna]

But Dayna , surely you've noticed here that disco lovers come in several flavors and are very choosy as to which Disco bands they want to offer the love !!! !!


---- For the reasons others have stated, ELO is a big fave of mine. They were that middle ground were rock meets disco .... perhaps they did us a big favor in those days with their presence . At Odyssey Records that was one we could play to make most employees happy . I played them as my choice during my round occasionally as a concession to the others .... but really I perceived it as introductory fodder for rockers to warm up to that orchestral sound ....to enjoy the lusciousness of strings :icon_mrgreen: .....

Their album DISCOVERY came out in 1979 and the suspicious title was not lost on me ! But here's how its written in WIKI:

*****

Ms Sandie..
My originaL post states that I LOVE ELO,as I do..
I am simply saying ELO is not labeled a Disco band therefore if they were a disco band they would naturally appeal to Disco Lovers..I didnt get intricate and break down Disco catagories ..
Disco Flavors is a WHOLE other thread.. sounds like a good one too.
and yes ,we all have our different flavors and that's what makes the board so intresting,because you can learn so much from other members about the flavors you are not as familiar with..

[Dayna]

LOL Dayna. Put this one down to replying to posts too early in the morning. LOL. :icon_razz:

lol ..OH HONEY you should read some of mine when I'm wide awake..hehe:icon_lol:

[disco-disc]

Saw a music video on tv last night by Lovefreekz- who have jazzed up ELO's Shine a little light, and call it SHINE

[STEPHEN L FREEMAN]

I can't say that Jeff Lynne / ELO made "Disco" records. But they did make records that you could dance to. Full arrangments and strong rythms. A successful Pop formula. (After all, people were dancing to Pop music, before "Disco" came along.)

In the 80's Jeff Lynne Produced Agnetha's 2nd solo LP. I only have the Razormaid mix of "One Way Love" (And it's fantastic!:icon_smile:), but it's unmistakably 'Jeff Lynne'. A record with all the ELO elements, Agnetha on vocals, and a hard back-beat, four-on-the-floor.

[Zef]

They did good job working the 12" coloured vinyl thing prevelent back in the day(I tried to paste picture in but could not)

Living thing blue 12"
Wild west hero yellow 12"
Sweet talking woman purple 12"
Shine a little light white 12"
All over the world blue 10"

Interesting discussion although I must confess to not really being a fan.

[Zef]

....and Xanadu pink 10"

[boogyjuice]

....and Xanadu pink 10"

Is that the soundtrack or single on 10" ?

One of the first ebay items i ever bought was this 7"-picdisc of "Magic"



YouTube - Olivia Newton-John - Magic, Xanadu



The actor looks like a twin-brother of the late Andy Gibb.

[needlefingers]

I am a big fan of ELO with A New World Record being my favorite album by them.

Side 1

Tightrope
Telephone Line
Rockaria
Mission (A World Record)

Side 2

So Fine
Livin’ Thing
Above The Clouds
Do Ya
Shangri-la

But there is a group that precedes them and in a similar style; The Moody Blues.

Symphonic, pop/rock and poetry. I mention them for those who may not know them.

The Moody Blues - Nights in White Satin


The Moody Blues - Question


The Moody Blues - I'm Just A Singer (In A Rock And Roll Band)


The Moody Blues - Ride my See Saw


Moody Blues - Tuesday Afternoon


Moody Blues "The Voice





They also have a tie-in to disco. Singer/songwriter Justin Hayward is a vocal on Jeff Wayne’s The War Of The Worlds.

Jeff Wayne - War of the worlds (Live) (Eve of the war)

[SandraDee]

They also have a tie-in to disco. Singer/songwriter Justin Hayward is a vocal on Jeff Wayne’s The War Of The Worlds.

There's another disco connection - Giorgio Moroder's cover version of Knights In White Satin.

[needlefingers]

There's another disco connection - Giorgio Moroder's cover version of Knights In White Satin.

Oh yeah. I forgot that one. :icon_mrgreen:

[markydefad]

The trendy hipsters at Amoeba Records in Hollywood were playing ELO last night when I shopped!!!!

[Hemmy]

Hi, Guys !
The first ELO song I heard was Last Train To London and I loved it instantly. It still remains my top favourite disco song.It's on my cell phone, too. I bought ELO's Greatest Hits album,but was disappointed that very few of the tracks were half as good as the Last Train To London. I liked Hold On Tight To Your Dreams,Evil Woman, Xanadu, Confusion...but I lost interest in the group because it didn't live up to my disco sound expectations !

HEMMY