Did Xanadu Destroy ELO's AOR Reputation?

41 years after the release of the disco movie Xanadu, what do you think is the legacy of that film on the reputation of the original ELO? The album, Time, released 40 years ago this year, was meant, according to Jeff Lynne and Bev Bevan, to be a return to a heavier sound (Lynne) and to salvage the reputation of the band (Bevan). Thoughts?

 

what was their 'reputation' before & after?

 

Was this before or after Don't Bring Me Down ....groos ?

 

I don't think it destroyed it and it shouldn't have. Lynne wrote some of ELO's best songs for that movie (a return to form after the dismal Discovery). There are some jaded rock snobs who couldn't handle Olivia singing lead on the title song, but I thought it was a great and imaginative pairing. By the way, AOR was destroyed when it degenerated into Classic Rock.

 

I don’t know but Xanadu certainly helped Rushs’

 

I'm not a hardcore ELO fan but I love the tracks Xanadu and All Over The World.

However, I've never seen the film, as it doesn't look like the the sort of thing I'd enjoy.

 

The US singles off Xanadu, all of them were played pretty extensively in my parts.
One of my first LP's- purchased via lawn mowing money.

 

People talk about 80's music glowingly these days but it was awful at the time really as groups like ELO and The Bee Gee's were seen as very very naff!
At least these days every type of music and genre is appreciated.

 

Did Xanadu destroy ELO’s AOR reputation?

I’ve no idea. I don’t think AOR is a thing here.

I’ll say this, Xanadu certainly didn’t do Olivia Newton-John’s movie career any favours..

 

Both ELO and ONJ should have returned to their 1st LP roots.
I guess you can't unring the bell.

 

Was Air Supply involve in this?...

 

Op you're an ELO fanatic, why don't you weigh in? I'm guessing that you think it did....

No, not in any impactful way. For a brief time with a small segment of their diminishing AOR fanbase, perhaps. The music written for that movie is way more in step with these current times than Ma Ma Ma Bell or Poker. He's played those songs on recent tours and they sound great. It was the right decision at the time and we have some more choice ELO songs to enjoy.

 

ELO was seen as a pop sell-out before Xanadu. Out Of The Blue was the last album I bought from them that I could stomach.

 

Gene Kelly was in that film?

I did not know that.

Now, I know that.

 

Pretty sure Out of the Blue and Discovery were the beginning of ELO being seen as a pop singles act, not Xanadu.

 

Great avatar! Did you happen to see them at the World Series of Rock?

 

Yes, I believe that's Russell, top right

 

"Xanadu" is their greatest single, a true pop masterpiece. The soundtrack itself is hit or miss. I didn't buy it when it came out. I didn't buy anything that followed either, but that says more about the '80s, and me, than ELO.

 

Even Jeff Lynne has stuck by the Xanadu song over the years. Often praising Olivia’s vocal too.

All Over The World is pretty good as well. But the other 3 ELO songs on the soundtrack are routine at best, IMO.

 

I enjoy all except for Don't Walk Away, my favorite probably being The Fall. I had to grab the 7 inch I'm Alive to get Drum Dreams. Ugh
Funny that Japan tracked all the ELO tunes first on the old compact.

 

Yes. That threw me when I got the CD.

 

I didn't even know ELO was involved in the Xanadu film. To me, they're the band that did a very silly, grandiose version of "Roll Over, Beethoven," a cool song called "Don't Bring Me Down," a killer instrumental with very vigorous acoustic guitar strummings, and pop stuff about telephone lines.

 

The only possible reason I could think of, it was part of the Japan ELO CSCS re-issue campaign.

 

After Horace Wimp? No. If we're taking about the point where their reputation went from aor to pop it was no later than Discovery.

 

I love some of the music, but the film is, by far, one of the worst I have ever seen.

I have no idea what it did to ELO's reputation.