Jeff Lynne Jeffrey “Jeff” Lynne (born 30 December 1947) is an 1.2 1970–86: ELO English songwriter, composer, arranger, singer, multi- instrumentalist and record producer who gained fame in the 1970s as the leader and sole constant member of Main article: Electric Light Orchestra Electric Light Orchestra. In 1988, under the pseudonyms Otis Wilbury and Clayton Wilbury, he co-founded the Lynne contributed many songs to the Move's last two al- supergroup Traveling Wilburys with George Harrison, bums while formulating, with Roy Wood and Bev Be- Bob Dylan, Roy Orbison and Tom Petty. van, a band built around a fusion of rock and classi- After ELO’s original disbandment in 1986, Lynne re- cal music, with the original idea of both bands existing [5] leased two solo albums: Armchair Theatre (1990) and in tandem. This project would eventually become the Long Wave (2012). In addition, he began producing var- highly successful Electric Light Orchestra (ELO). Prob- ious artists, with his songwriting and production collab- lems led to Wood’s departure in 1972, after the band’s orations with ex-Beatles leading him to co-produce their eponymous first album, leaving Lynne as the band’s domi- [5] mid 1990s reunion singles "Free as a Bird" (1995) and nant creative force. Thereafter followed a succession of "Real Love" (1996). band personnel changes and increasingly popular albums: 1973’s ELO 2 and On the Third Day, 1974’s Eldorado and 1975’s Face the Music. By 1976’s A New World Record, Lynne had almost developed the roots of the group into 1 Musical career a more complex and unique pop-rock sound mixed with studio strings, layered vocals, and tight, catchy pop sin- gles. Lynne’s now almost complete creative dominance 1.1 Early life and career as producer, songwriter, arranger, lead singer and gui- tarist could make ELO appear to be an almost solo ef- Lynne grew up in the Shard End area of Birmingham, fort. However, the ELO sound and the focus of Lynne’s West Midlands, where he attended Alderlea Boys’ Sec- writing was also shaped by Louis Clark's and Richard ondary School.[1] His first guitar, an acoustic instrument, Tandy's co-arranging, under Lynne’s direction (notably was bought for him by his father, for £2.[2] He was still the large string sections), Bev Bevan’s drumming, and playing it in 2012.[2] In 1963 he formed a group with Richard Tandy’s integration of the Moog, harmonium, Robert Reader and David Walsh using little more than and Mellotron, with more novel keyboard technology, Spanish guitars and cheap electrical instruments to pro- gave Lynne’s songs a more symphonic sound. duce music. They were originally named “The Rockin' The pinnacle of ELO’s chart success and worldwide pop- Hellcats” before changing to “The Handicaps” and finally ularity was the expansive 1977 double album Out of the to “The Andicaps”. They practised at Shard End Com- Blue, which was largely conceived in a Swiss chalet during munity Centre and performed weekly. However, in 1964, a two-week writing marathon.[6] The band’s 1978 world Robert Reader and David Walsh left the band and Lynne tour featured an elaborate “space ship” set and laser light brought in replacements. At the end of 1964, Lynne de- show. In order to recreate the complex instrumental tex- cided to leave the band to replace Mick Adkins of the [3] tures of their albums, the band used pre-recorded sup- local band “The Chads”. plemental backing tracks in live performances. Although Some time in or after 1965,[4] he acquired his first[2] that practice has now become commonplace, it caused item of studio recording equipment, a Bang & Olufsen considerable derision in the press of the time.[7] Lynne 'Beocord 2000 De Luxe' stereo reel-to-reel tape recorder, has often stated that he prefers the creative environment which allowed multi-tracking between left and right of the studio to the rigours and tedium of touring. In channels.[2] He says it “taught me how to be a 1979, Lynne followed up the success of Out of the Blue producer”.[2] In 1966, Lynne joined the line-up of The with Discovery, which held No. 1 in the UK for 5 weeks. Nightriders as guitarist. The band would soon change The album is primarily associated with its two disco- their name to the Idle Race. Despite recording two criti- flavoured singles (“Shine a Little Love” and “Last Train cally acclaimed albums with the band and producing the to London”) and with the title’s word play on “disco” second, success eluded him. In 1970, Lynne accepted an and “very”.[8] However, the remaining seven non-disco offer from friend Roy Wood to join the line-up of the tracks on the album reflected Lynne’s range as a pop-rock more successful band the Move.[5] songwriter, including a heavy, mid-tempo rock anthem 1 2 1 MUSICAL CAREER (“Don't Bring Me Down”) that, despite its use of a drum to the film Electric Dreams (they also provided a third loop, could be considered the antithesis of disco. In an song, "Sooner Or Later", which was released as the b- April 2008 interview, Lynne fondly recalled his forays side of “Video!"). Lynne also wrote the song “The Story into dance music: of Me,” which was recorded by the Everly Brothers on their comeback album EB84. Even before the official end I love the force of disco. I love the free- of ELO, Lynne began his move toward focusing almost dom it gave me to make a different rhythms exclusively on studio production work. Lynne produced across it. I enjoyed that really steady driving and wrote the 1983 top-40 hit "Slipping Away" for Dave beat. Just steady as a rock. I’ve always liked Edmunds and played on sessions (with Richard Tandy) that simplicity in the bass drum.[8] for Edmunds’ album, Information. Lynne also produced six tracks on Edmunds’ follow-up album in 1984, Riff In 1979, Lynne rejected an offer for ELO to headline the Raff. In contrast to the dense, boomy, baroque sound of Knebworth Concert in the UK, allowing Led Zeppelin to ELO, Lynne’s post-ELO studio work has tended toward headline instead. In the absence of any touring to support more minimal, acoustic instrumentation and a sparse, Discovery, Lynne had time to contribute five tracks to the “organic” quality that generally favours light room ambi- soundtrack for the 1980 film musical Xanadu. The score ence and colouration over artificial reverb, especially on yielded three Top 40 singles: "I'm Alive" (UK No. 20), vocals. Lynne’s recordings also often feature the jangling "All Over The World" (UK No. 11), and the title track compressed acoustic guitar sound pioneered by Roger "Xanadu", which reached number one in the UK. Never- McGuinn and a heavily gated snare drum sound. theless, Lynne was not closely involved with the develop- Lynne’s influence by the Beatles was clearly evident in ment of the film, and his material consequently had only his ELO work, and the connection to the Beatles was superficial attachment to the plot. Xanadu performed strengthened when Lynne produced George Harrison's weakly at the box office (although it later has experienced Cloud Nine.[5] The latter was a successful comeback al- popularity as a cult favourite). Lynne subsequently dis- bum for Harrison, released in 1987, featuring the popu- avowed his limited contribution to the project,[9] although lar singles "Got My Mind Set on You", "When We Was he later re-recorded the title song (with his lead vocal) Fab" (where Lynne played the violin in the video) and for the 2000 box set Flashback. In 2007, the film was "This Is Love", the last of which was co-written by Lynne. loosely adapted into a successful Broadway musical, in- Lynne’s association with Harrison led to the 1988 forma- corporating almost all of the songs from the original film, tion of the Traveling Wilburys, a studio “supergroup” that and also using two other ELO hits: “Strange Magic” and also included Tom Petty, Bob Dylan and Roy Orbison and “Evil Woman”. resulted in two albums (Vol. 1 and Vol. 3), both produced by Harrison and Lynne.[5] In 1988 Lynne also worked on Orbison’s album Mystery Girl,[5] co-writing and produc- 1.3 1980s ing Orbison’s last major hit, "You Got It", plus two other tracks on that album. For Rock On!, the final Del Shan- In 1981, Lynne took the band in a somewhat different non album, Lynne co-wrote “Walk Away” and finished direction with the science-fiction themed album Time, off several tracks after Shannon’s death. reaching number one for two weeks in the UK, producing the second Top 3 single in less than two years. The strings In 1989, Lynne co-produced Full Moon Fever by Tom [5] were still featured, but with heavily synthesised textures. Petty, which included the hit singles "Free Fallin'", "I Following a marginally successful tour, Lynne kept this Won't Back Down" and "Runnin' Down a Dream", all co- general approach with 1983’s Secret Messages and a final written by Lynne. This album and Traveling Wilburys contractually-obligated ELO album Balance of Power in Vol. 1 received nominations for the Grammy Award for 1986. Lynne discusses the contractually-obligated nature Best Album of the Year in 1989. The Traveling Wilburys of the final albums on the short interview included with won a Grammy for “Best Rock Performance By A Duo [10] the 'Zoom' DVD.