Electric light orchestra album by album thread

• The Electric Light Orchestra is the debut studio album by English rock band Electric Light Orchestra (ELO), released in December 1971. In the US, the album was released in early 1972 as No Answer, after a misunderstood telephone message made by a United Artists Records executive asking about the album name.[1] The caller, having failed to reach the ELO contact, wrote down "no answer" in his notes, and this was misconstrued to be the name of the album.
  
  
  
  Contents
  [hide]
  • 1 Recording
  • 2 Release
  • 3 Track listing
  • 4 The Electric Light Orchestra (First Light Series)
  • 5 Personnel
  • 6 Chart positions
  • 7 References
  • 8 External links
  
  
  Recording[edit]
  The album is focused on the core trio of Roy Wood, Jeff Lynne, and Bev Bevan who were the remaining members of rock groupThe Move. The Move were still releasing singles in the UK at the same time as this project was undertaken, but interest was soon to be abandoned in Wood's former band. The sound is unique on this recording in comparison to the more slickly produced ELO albums of the subsequent Lynne years, incorporating many wind instruments and replacing guitar parts with heavy, "sawing" cello riffs, giving this recording an experimental "Baroque-and-roll" feel; indeed, "The Battle of Marston Moor" is the most baroque-influenced track on the album. On this track, Roy Wood, in addition to playing virtually all the instruments, had to provide the percussion as well because Bev Bevan, normally the group's percussionist and drummer, refused to play on the track because of his low opinion of it. However, the overall musical connection to The Beatles (it had been stated by the bandmembers that ELO was formed to "pick up where The Beatles left off...") is quite apparent in this album.
  
  Release[edit]
  Professional ratings
  Review scores
  Source Rating
  
  "Queen of the Hours", which became the b-side to "Roll Over Beethoven" from the band's second album, was the first ever ELO published song, released by Harvest Records in November 1971 in a compilation called The Harvest Bag which featured various Harvest records artists.[4]
  
  The original LP was mixed in Quadrophonic sound but was only released in this format in South America. Many of these "quad" tracks appeared with the SQ encoding intact on the "First Light" series edition of the album and on a later double-CD release entitled Early ELO, 1971–1974 (available only as an import in the US). The entire "quad" version with SQ encoding intact has since been released on Disc 3 of the Harvest Years compilation. The original album art was designed by Hipgnosis and the photographs of the band on the back of the album cover, dressed in seventeenth century period costume, were taken at the Banqueting House in Whitehall, adding to the Baroque flavour and emphasis on Stuart Britain found on the record. "Mr. Radio" was intended to be the second single from the album, but was subsequently withdrawn. The edited single version made its first appearance on the 2005 compilation album Harvest Showdown instead.
  
  Track listing[edit]
  Side one
  1. "10538 Overture" (Jeff Lynne) – 5:32
  2. "Look at Me Now" (Roy Wood) – 3:17
  3. "Nellie Takes Her Bow" (Lynne) – 5:59
  4. "The Battle of Marston Moor (July 2nd 1644)" (Wood) – 6:03
  Side two
  1. "First Movement (Jumping Biz)" (Wood) – 3:00
  2. "Mr. Radio" (Lynne) – 5:04
  3. "Manhattan Rumble (49th Street Massacre)" (Lynne) – 4:22
  4. "Queen of the Hours" (Lynne) – 3:22
  5. "Whisper in the Night" (Wood) – 4:50
  Bonus tracks (US 2006 remaster)
  1. "Battle of Marston Moor" (Alternate take) (Wood) – 1:00
  2. "Nellie Takes Her Bow" (Alternate Mix) – 6:02
  3. "Mr. Radio" (Take 9) – 5:19
  4. "10538 Overture" (Alternate mix) – 5:46
  Bonus tracks (40th Anniversary Edition)
  1. "10538 Overture (Acetate Version)" – 5:23
  2. "Mr. Radio (Take 9 Recorded 18 November 1970)" – 5:18
  3. "Nellie Takes Her Bow (Alternate Mix)" – 6:02
  4. "Whisper in the Night (Take 1/Take 2 Edit)" – 4:59
  5. "Mr. Radio (Single Edit)" – 3:56
  6. "10538 Overture (For Top of the Pops)" – 4:42
  The Electric Light Orchestra (First Light Series)[edit]
  The Electric Light Orchestra
  (First Light Series)
  
  Studio album by Electric Light Orchestra
  Released (First Light Series) 30th Anniversary Edition 2001
  Recorded July 1970 – June 1972
  Genre Progressive rock, Art rock, Symphonic rock, Baroque rock
  Label Harvest, EMI
  Producer Roy Wood, Jeff Lynne
  Electric Light Orchestra chronology
  Zoom
  (2001) The Electric Light Orchestra (First Light Series)
  (2001) ELO 2 (First Light Series)
  (2003)
  CD 2 First Light
  
  First Light cover
  Professional ratings
  Review scores
  Source Rating
  Artistdirect.com [5]
  The Electric Light Orchestra (First Light Series) is a two disc expanded special 30th anniversary edition of their debut album.
  
  Released in 2001 in the UK, disc one contains the original ELO album plus bonus tracks and an interactive CD-ROM feature, while disc two features the oldest surviving live ELO material with co/founder Roy Wood and cellist Andy Craig.
  
  Disc one
  The Electric Light Orchestra
  1. "10538 Overture" (Lynne) – 5:32
  2. "Look at Me Now" (Wood) – 3:17
  3. "Nellie Takes Her Bow" (Lynne) – 5:59
  4. "The Battle of Marston Moor (July 2nd 1644)" (Wood) – 6:03
  5. "First Movement (Jumping Biz)" (Wood) – 3:00
  6. "Mr. Radio" (Lynne) – 5:04
  7. "Manhattan Rumble (49th Street Massacre)" (Lynne) – 4:22
  8. "Queen of the Hours" (Lynne) – 3:22
  9. "Whisper in the Night" (Wood) – 4:50
  Bonus tracks
  1. "Battle of Marston Moor" (Take 1) (Wood) – 1:00
  2. "10538 Overture" (Take 1) (The Move/ELO) – 5:46
  • Enhanced multimedia section with interactive menu leading to EMI Promotional Film: 10538 Overture (May 1972)
  Disc two
  First Light
  1. Brian Matthew Introduces ELO – 0:37
  2. "10538 Overture" (Acetate version) – 5:24
  3. "Look at Me Now" (Quad mix) – 3:19
  4. "Nellie Takes Her Bow" (Quad mix) – 5:59
  5. "Battle of Marston Moor (July 2nd, 1644)" (Quad mix) – 5:55
  6. "Jeff's Boogie No 2" (Live) – 6:58 (Early version of "In Old England Town")
  7. "Whisper in the Night" (Live) – 5:45
  8. "Great Balls of Fire" (Live) – 5:40
  9. "Queen of the Hours" (Quad mix) – 3:18
  10. "Mr. Radio" (Take 9) – 5:18
  11. "10538 Overture" (BBC Session) – 4:38 / (Hidden track) "Whisper in the Night" (Take 1) – 5:00
  Personnel[edit]
  • Jeff Lynne – vocals, piano, electric guitar, acoustic guitar, percussion, bass, Moog synthesizer
  • Roy Wood – vocals, cello, classical acoustic guitar, bass, double bass, oboe, bassoon, clarinet, recorders, slide guitar, percussion, bass clarinet, krumhorn
  • Bev Bevan – drums, timpani, percussion
  • Bill Hunt – french horn, hunting horn, piccolo trumpet
  • Steve Woolam – violin
  Additional personnel
  • Rick Price – bass on some original tracks (erased and redubbed by Wood and Lynne respectively)
  • Richard Tandy – bass, keyboards
  • Wilf Gibson – violin
  • Hugh McDowell – cello
  • Mike Edwards – cello
  • Andy Craig – cello
  Chart positions[edit]
  • UK – number 32 UK Albums Chart[6]
  • US – number 196 Billboard 200[7]
  • AUS – number 54 ARIA Albums Chart

 

It is difficult to do justice to the excellent OP other than to say "thank you".

Being a child at the time, I did not realise that ELO emerged from The Move and simply thought of them as a wonderful innovative new group that stood out from the rest.

The TOTP performance of 10538 Overture in the summer of 72 was superb; attitude, instrumentation and sound were so refreshing.

That summer they were competing against Bowie's Starman, the belated success of Layla, Mott's All The Young Dudes, School's Out, Virginia Plain and You Wear It Well. Oh what a summer!

 

You're very welcome

 

I've always liked the baroque sound of the album

 

A fine album indeed with a rougher Baroque texture than the later more lush ELO albums. An important transitional link that can be viewed as either the first ELO album or the last Move album (or both).

 

10538 Overture is the first song I recall hearing by this group in full. Now the Electric Light Orchestra is one of my favorite groups. I am also a Move nut, and this particular album is a good bridge between the two groups, though when all is said and done, it doesn't remind too much of either group in their halcyon days.

Baroque - that word sums up this album perfectly. The Battle of Marston Moor is a perfect example of this... But then again, there's typical Roy Wood pop such as Look at Me Now - a great track, the rusty-sounding strings sit up nice against Wood's piercing voice, and Jeff Lynne's contributions certainly aren't bad either. Nellie Takes Her Bow is a good song, Mr. Radio could have been a good single, Queen of the Hours has an exciting, rusty vibe about it (is it Mars, the Bringer of War they mess around with in the beginning of that song?) - First Movement (Jumping Biz), the Classical Gas send-up thing, gets a bit old. But it's still an enjoyable listen, though I must admit my Electric Light Orchestra favorites lie in the latter part of their career.

Message from the Country by The Move is one of my all-time favorite albums, though. I think it was recorded at the same time as this album, though they come from completely different mindsets. Shortly after this, Lynne would go into full-scale symphonic sounds in the shape of great pop music, while Wood would fuse his multi-instrumental longings into retro rock and roll! So with that in mind this album is certainly an oddball.

 

To OP: great start to the thread!!!
I hope that you include the final Move single (Do Ya) that was released after the ELO debut and before ELO 2.

I wish that this album appealed to me more. Other than 10538, this one is over my head.

In regard to the Beatles, I believe that the quote was that ELO would pick up where "I Am The Walrus" left off. The baroque feel of the cellos on Walrus is indeed replicated on this album.

I can't wait for ShardEnder to chime in.......

 

we will

 

Maybe thank wikipedia where the post was taken from.

Haven't heard the album for about 35 years, not very distinguished. Better stuff was to come.

 

I bought the first one after enjoying the later hits while roller-discoing (yeah, I'm old) and it was quite a shock. I grew to really enjoy the early ELO sound once I adjusted.

 

Still my favorite ELO LP. The massive sound of those cellos in 10538 Overture was a stroke of genius. I love the overall sonic messiness of this record. Somewhat reminiscent of the Wizzard records to come.

Being more of a Roy Wood fan than of Jeff Lynne I am less enthused by the next few LPs although Eldorado is definitely a fine work.

 

The 40th anniversary issue of this album contains the quadraphonic mix on DVD - disc 2 in the set.

Wowie!

 

aside from overture...this album sounds like eleanor rigby over and over again.

 

And what's wrong with that?

 

i dont care much for that song... too much and forget it.

 

All right fair enough

 

Are the best masterings will be discussed in this thread? It would be good IMO.

 

You can if you want to

 

I want to, but I would be more on the listening side.

 

So would I lol

 

The original UK Harvest LP (SHVL 797) to my ears is the best.

On CD the 1990 Sony from Japan (CSCS 6026.) No funny business with the mastering either. The UK LP still sounds better.

 

It's a shame Roy Wood didn't fully engage with ELO at this time and chose instead to channel a lot of his best songs to his debut solo album Boulders -- which was recorded at the same time but held up for release.

Had the first ELO album included orchestrated versions of "Dear Elaine," "Wake Up," or "Miss Clarke and the Computer" instead of some of what he did contribute, it would have been mindblowing. I'm a fan of pretty much all Woody's stuff (including the maligned Starting Up) but even I shake my head at his "Classical Gas" cop "First Movement (Jumping Biz)" and "The Battle of Marston Moor (July 2nd 1644)," which might have worked at half its six-minute length.

However I will say that Woody putting white shoe polish in his hair and beard was a nice touch. Rock stars had never looked like Old Father Time before (his description from a 1981 interview), and it's great he elected himself to play that role.

Nice to see a thread like this -- kudos to the OP.

 

Back in the early 70's the discount store/grocery store "super store" that my family always shopped at almost weekly, and where I purchased the majority of my early 45s and albums, one day had a big trash can sized bin sitting out filled with 45s thrown in it. All of them had "free" written in marker on the sleeves. Some also had drill holes in the label, some had promo notices on the labels. I dug through the pile as best I could and the only artist I recognized by name was Doc Severinsen. Finally, the name Electric Light Orchestra caught my eye, and I thought "that's a cool sounding name." So, I took that promo single "10538 Overture" having no clue what it would sound like. When I got home and played it, I was blown away! 43-some years later, it's still one of my all-time favorite songs.

Funny how music that will make such a big impact on your life comes to you sometimes in the most unlikely ways.

Since I didn't have a lot of extra spending money as a kid, I mostly just bought 45s and saved up for gradually getting all of The Beatles albums. I did get Ole Elo for Christmas the year it was released. Not until CDs did I ever pick up ELO original full album releases, and No Answer was the first one I bought. I absolutely love this album, it is Electric Light Orchestra to me. All the later years that became so much more popular with the general public is a totally different band, and one that quickly lost my interest as the rocking "Orchestra" aspect was jettisoned in favor of more straight pop music.

I love those deep riffing percussive cello sounds throughout this album. It was many years later that I read about the connection with The Move's Message From The Country album, and purchased that as well. I like it, but not nearly as much as I love No Answer. It is just the perfect blend of classical and rock for the way I most enjoy hearing that combination of sounds and influences.

 

I love to crank the volume on that surround and feel those sawing cellos in my chest.