1975 - October: E.L.O. “Face the Music”

What the Riff?!?

The Electric Light Orchestra, also known as E.L.O., was formed in Birmingham in 1970 by multi-instrumentalists Jeff Lynne and Roy Wood, and by percussionist Bev Bevan. Wood was in a band called the Move in 1968 and had the idea of a new band which would feature classical instruments more prominently than the guitars, hoping to "pick up where the Beatles left off." He recruited Lynne to the cause in 1970. Wood would leave the band in 1972 at which point Lynne would be the leader of the band, producing and arranging all the albums and writing most of the songs.

Face the Music was ELO's fifth studio album, and the one which would be their real worldwide breakthrough. The album moved away from the large-scale orchestral pieces and contained more single-friendly material. It would be the first ELO album to go Platinum. The band at the time consisted of multi-instrumentalist and creative heart Jeff Lynne, Bev Bevan on percussion, Richard Tandy on keyboard, Kelly Groucutt on bass and vocals, Mik Kaminski on violin, Hugh McDowell on cello, and Melvyn Gale on cello. Louis Clark was the conductor of the orchestra and did some of the orchestral and choral arrangements along with Lynne and Tandy.

We're catching ELO on their way up with this album. The band would hit the pinnacle of their success with 1977's double album "Out of the Blue." In 1986 Lynne would leave the group to pursue other projects, while Bevan would form the group "ELO, part II," eventually renamed "The Orchestra." Lynne would reform the group as Jeff Lynne's ELO along with Richard Tandy in 2014.

Bruce presents this symphonic rock album in this week's podcast.

Fire On High
The opening track is a largely instrumental piece. Drummer Bev Bevan is vocalizing the backward lyrics, "The music is reversible but time is not. Turn back, turn back, turn back, turn back!" Lynne had received criticism from some fundamentalist groups about backward masking on the El Dorado album, and this is his joking response. The song's mix of symphony with rock and roll was played at home games for the Atlanta Thrashers hockey team.

Strange Magic
This was the second single from the album and features keyboardist Richard Tandy playing the guitar part while Lynne plays a 12-string acoustic fed through a phase shifter. It went to number 14 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Nightrider
While this is a deeper cut, it actually was released as a single and just didn't chart. Bassist Kelly Groucutt takes turns with Jeff Lynne to provide lead vocals on this song. The title was also the title of Lynne's first major band prior to forming ELO.

Evil Woman
This song about a bad woman is the first single and the big hit off the album. As seems common with many hit singles, it was originally written as a filler track to give the album a longer runtime with no thought to its being a hit. Lynne wrote it in about 30 minutes. It went to number 10 on both the US Billboard Hot 100 and the UK singles charts.

ENTERTAINMENT TRACK:

Theme from Mahogany (Do You Know Where You're Going To) (from the motion picture "Mahogany")
Diana Ross stars in this film about a woman torn between a life in Rome as a fashion designer and life in Chicago with the man she loves. Ross sane the theme as well.

STAFF PICKS:

Fool for the City by Foghat
Wayne launches the staff picks with this rocking tribute to the city from the Platinum-selling album of the same name. "I'm ready for the city, air pollution, here I come." The album cover features the drummer fishing in a manhole in New York City. New York City policemen on patrol stopped at the scene and jokingly asked if they had a fishing license. Foghat came out of the remnants of a group called Savoy Brown.

They Just Can't Stop It (Games People Play) by The Spinners
Rob features a crossover success that hit the number 1 spot on the US Hot Soul Singles chart and number 5 on the Billboard Hot 100. The song was recorded at Philadelphia's Signa Sound Studios, and the female vocals are provided by the studio backing vocal group called Sweethearts of Sigma - Carla Benson, Evette Benton, and Barbara Ingram. Evette Benton is the lead female voice on the song.

Lyin' Eyes by the Eagles
California country is the focus of Lynch's staff pick. Lyin' Eyes appeared on the Eagles' 1975 album "One of These Nights," and was written by Henley and Frey. Don Henley took lead vocal duties on this one. It went to number 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 and won a Grammy for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals. The origin of the song was observing young attractive women in Hollywood dating older rich guys.

Bad Blood by Neil Sedaka
Bruce brings us a lost number 1 hit. Sedaka was better known for his work in the 1950's and early 60's, but had a revival during the mid-70's. This song about a woman who is trouble also features an uncredited vocal by Elton John. Sedaka sings and plays piano on this song, while David Foster provides the keyboard work.

INSTRUMENTAL TRACK:

Will o' the Wisp by Leon Russell
We finish off with a brief piano instrumental from singer-songwriter Leon Russell's album of the same name.

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