Electric Light Orchestra fans say the group’s founder, Roy Wood, should have “returned” after the release of Time.
In a thread where members of the r/ELO subreddit shared their controversial opinions, one user suggested Wood, who founded ELO, should have returned. Though Jeff Lynne has provided many of the band’s best songs and is set to retire the group at the Over and Out Tour finale at Hyde Park later this year, it seems some longed for Wood’s return. It appears the perfect time for his return would have been after Time, with one user suggesting it in a thread of hot takes from dedicated fans. One user asked: “What are you ELO hot takes?”
Another replied: “Roy Wood should’ve come back after Time.” While they did not extrapolate on the reasons for Wood’s return, other users suggested the albums following on from Lynne’s commercial peak, Discovery, were not as strong.
One user wrote: “I’m not quite sure why, but I just can’t get into Face the Music, Discovery or Time. The first album is ok. I’ve never listened to Balance of Power and what I’ve heard of Secret Messages, I actually prefer over Time.” Another agrees with the lacklustre feeling around Time, adding: “As much as I love Time, some songs are really out of place (theme-wise) and one of those should have been removed in favour of Julie Don’t Live Here Anymore.”
Wood left the band shortly after the completion of the group’s debut album, Electric Light Orchestra. Wood left the band in 1972 and formed Wizzard. He left during the recording sessions for the band’s second album, ELO 2. On Wood’s official website, he has since shared the reason he left the band was due to “disagreements” with management.
What Are Your ELO Hot Takes That Got You Like:
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It reads: “Roy had an ambition over a number of years, to form a classically based band featuring live strings instead of the conventional guitar lineup. Together with Jeff, they formed The Electric Light Orchestra.
“10538 was the first track they recorded. Originally an idea by Jeff to be included in a Move album. They were experimenting in the studio, and after the backing track had been recorded, Roy was just messing around on a cheap Chinese cello. He ended up recording lots of string parts on the track, which finally created the sound of E.L.O… 10538 Overture.
“They managed to convince EMI that it was time to start this new project, and the first Electric Light Orchestra album came into being. This record mainly featured Jeff and Roy, who co-wrote and co-produced the album. After a few months of auditioning and rehearsing string players, they finally embarked on a few live tours, Roy unfortunately had political disagreements mainly with the management, and with true regret decided he had to leave the band.”
I have spoken to Roy Wood on several occasions between 2010 and 2019. Roy has told me that he has never been interested in reforming any of his past bands.That is why Roy refused to be involved with Bev Bevan’s reformation of The Move, Carl Wayne agreed to be involved, but unfortunately he sadly died from throat cancer in 2004, that was before The Move project got underway. Trevor Burton later joined with Bevan as the only two original members of reformed version of The Move.
Woody has performed in a reformed version of The Move only once with Bevan and Chris ‘Ace’ Kefford in 1981, it was for a charity fund raising event at The Locarno in Birmingham.
Roy Wood still has his nine piece “Rock & Roll Band” which he formed in 2005, Roy and his band still do winter tours of the UK.
I just shake my head…..ELO was successful under Jeff Lynne’s lead – there might be a minority of people who feel Roy’s return would be good but I & millions of others do not agree. I could not listen to that crazy stuff of Roy Wood, it might be fun for a night, but you want your band to be taken seriously & that wasn’t.
The success of ELO under Jeff’s leadership compared with that of Roy during the same period, says it all.
I didn’t understand the thinking in the response from one fan saying they couldn’t get into Face the Music lumped in with Discovery and Time. The latter 2 were Pop ELO and not nearly as great as Out of the Blue for that era. Face the Music is a classic era ELO masterpiece, among their best, imo