/JEFF LYNNE
ELO's next title, 'Secret Messages', was supposed of have been an ambitious 2-disc swan song for the group, including a few intentional backward masking thrown in for good measure and humor, hence the title. However, the recording industry was still going through the last of the recession from the late seventies and couldn't afford another loss leader in the cut-out bins, so they cut the package in half (and, in the U.S., took out the backward messages warning sticker joke on the back cover). To Lynne, this WAS the final straw.
Between this and the 1986 'Balance Of Power', the group changed labels and management. Lynne worked on some solo tracks for the 1984 movie, 'Electronic Dreams'. After B.O.P., it's last ELO Top 40 hit ('Calling America') and it's promotional tour (with the live gigs only performed in the UK), Lynne left ELO dormant to lead a life of his own.
Through Edmund's recommendation, George Harrison hooked up with Lynne to co-produce his 'Cloud Nine' LP. Just from this title, Lynne would end up producing Tom Petty (two CD's worth), Roy Orbison, Brian Wilson's first solo project, Del Shannon (a personal hero), a reunion track with Roy Wood, Joe Cocker and Randy Newman (who was returning a favor since Newman wrote a song [inaccurately] about ELO called 'A Story Of A Rock And Roll Band' from his 1979 'Born Again' LP).
A musician's dream team formulated by Lynne and Harrison would see the light with two Traveling Wilbury's CD's, containing Petty, Orbison, Lynne, Harrison and Bob Dylan. All but one would end up working with Lynne within the next four years.
Along the way, Jeff managed to assemble his own solo record, 1990's 'Armchair Theater'. Though the album and it's singles ('Every Little Thing' and 'Lift Me Up') passed without much notice, many believed that the LP was his finest moment.
On June 9, 1996, Jeff would receive his third Ivor Award. This time for 'Outstanding Services to British Music' in the overall catalog. He joins an elite group with this particular statuette: Sir George Martin, Sir Paul McCartney and Mantovani!
Back in the jungle, ELO's old drummer and co-owner, Bev Bevan, was getting anxious to get back into rock n' roll. Since he obviously couldn't drag Lynne away from his new-found freedom, he tried to form his own version of ELO. However, Jeff didn't like this idea and took him to court.
After much litigation and lawyer's paychecks, Bev ended up renaming
his little orchestra, ELECTRIC LIGHT ORCHESTRA PART TWO. Also as part of the deal, Jeff would get a cut from the band's profits, which, in retrospect, wasn't much of a deal.
After a big sold-out debut show with the Moscow Symphony Orchestra at Wembly Stadium near London, Bev prepared a big push for the band's self-titled CD, complete with a major tour with the M.S.O. in tow straight through the US and Europe. All starting with a three night stand at New York City's historic Radio City Music Hall.
However, the ticket and record sales flopped and the US leg was canceled, though the rest of the tour fared much better in the UK. Despite the continued negative reactions from critics and some die-hard fans and low record and ticket sales, Beven continued to push on with his now-trimmed version of the orchestra (now with former ELO members). 1997 saw their second CD, 'Moment Of Truth' and a second live CD. 1998 and '99 saw a small series of tours through the US, a third lead singer and a video documentary.
Bev Bevan retired from the road and quit ELO Pt.2 on his 55th birthday in early December 1999. The Pt. 2 band, however, continued on with a new drummer and lead singer (their third) and a new name, 'Orchestra'. As of late, Bevan reached back further into his musical past to just before ELO for his next band, 'Bev Bevan's The Move', only without the leaders from that original band....Jeff Lynne and Roy Wood.
Lynne, who now owns the ELO name outright, finally resurfaced in November 2000 with, of all things, a second ELO box set called 'Flashback'. Unlike 'Afterglow', Lynne had direct involvement and the set was mastered from the original master tapes, thus a far better sound and more interesting song selections. Among the unreleased material included here were several unfinished tracks from the early eighties completed thanks to a audio computer system called Pro Tools, alternative versions and a newly recorded version of 'Xanadu'!