Craig Fruin & Jeff must have been on DRUGS!
Doctorharford
"What made you think that ELO, after a 15 year absence from public view, (it's
actually more than that when you consider that the hayday was back in the late
1970's), would sell a cumulative hundreds of thousands of concert tickets?"
There is really only one answer: EGO.
While all of ELO's contemporaries are playing (and filling) appropriate venues
of 3000 to 5000 seats, Jeff's ELO feels that they are somehow above those
bands, and surely all those many thousands of fans from way back when would
dish out an inflated $75.00 per seat and return as if it were 1977.
Jeff Lynne is indeed a musical genius, but his genius is matched only by his
bloated head. For over 10 years he has been fighting Bev and the ELO Part II
boys, for sullying the good name of ELO by performing like some kind of
"ELO-Mania" act. Who would have ever thought that it would be Jeff and his
loopy manager who would be responsible for this monstrous and disgraceful
indignity.
Jeff Lynne has always had a distain for the road and oddly, his audience. This
time, he has finally shown it publicly.
Then again, Beethoven had personality problems as well.
Good Luck to all,
Dr. Bill
P.S. Tickets for 1910 Fruitgum Company's football stadium tour go on sale
tomorrow! Be There !!
Slingblade
venues to play and prices to charge for those tickets? I would
imagine it was the management who overspeculated the success of the
return of ELO.
On 16 Aug 2001 19:12:57 GMT, doctor...@aol.com (Doctorharford)
wrote:
Doctorharford
For years Jeff Lynne has been holding everyone hostage, fans, record companies,
ELO II, etc.
All of a sudden he is the victim of "mismanagement".
If he gave a damn, it woudn't take 15 years for him to acknowledge the "little
people", let alone ask them for $75.00 a head.
Please, no more ELO apologists!
I Remain,
Dr. Bill
P.S. Ihope I'll see you there when Hermans Hermits kick off their European
Soccer Stadium Tour!! (Tickets are a steal at $149.50 a seat!!!)
Smurph1166
Bill
months ago he was asked about the whole "Part 2" thing and all he said was Bev
(yes, he named him) owned half of the ELO name and was allowed to use it, when he
(Bev) disbanded ELO Part 2, he gave up his "claim" to the ELO name and that was
that. In fact Bev stated on the "Access All Areas" recording that he called Jeff
FIRST when he wanted to 'resurrect' ELO and Jeff told him no (they even showed a
few pictures of Jeff in the video). At that point Jeff had "had enough" of the
concept (and all that we've heard a million times) and went to producing "all his
heroes". OK, enough of that. As for the inflated ego, that may have come from some
misdirected informants who read this newsgroup and led Jeff to believe he's a god.
(Ooops..pretend you didn't read that..hehehehe)
Or maybe Sony just overestimated things at this point in the game. My personal
opinion is Jeff could care less if he toured or not, and he would continue to do
what he likes - make music.
-Bill
Michael Barsky
I would put out a few ideas:
1. Miscalculation: seeing the triumphant return of some other bands (KISS)
after long layoffs, management may have thought that there was pent up
demand from nostalgic baby boomers to relive their teen years.
2. Ego: Jeff may have been a bit overanxious to prove to the world and to
Bev that he is/was/always will be ELO.
3. Money: Perhaps bitter over Part 2's use of the name throughout the 90's,
maybe he wanted to finally cash in the the retirement plan.
4. No real desire to tour: perhaps Jeff knew all along this wouldn't work,
and is actually relieved about not having to go out on the road. However,
he really did seem to enjoy doing the TV tapings.
I really don't mean for this to be mean spirited. I was fortunate to be
able to see the Storytellers taping (for free), which I will always
remember. I am still hopeful that a smaller, saner tour will be arranged
later this year.
Mike
Doctorharford <doctor...@aol.com> wrote in message
news:20010816151257...@mb-ml.aol.com...
Ron Knorr
<snip good post>
5. Timing is everything. This isn't the year for '70 acts- as good as the new
ELO is. This is the year for Americana acts from "O Brother, where art thou?"
I'm not sure Fleetwood Mac or the Eagles would do so well this year.
Take it to smaller venues next year Jeff, if you're serious about touring. If
not, please find us the next Roy Obison (I really miss him).
--
"Twentieth Century American history is the story of bad white men,
soldiers of fortune, shakedown artists, extortionists, legbreakers.
The lowest level implementors of public policy. Men who are often
toadies of right wing regimes. Men who are racists. Men who are
homophobes. These are my guys. These are the guys that I embrace.
These are the guys that I empathize with. These are the guys that
I love. "
-- James Ellroy
zeet...@yahoo.com
> please find us the next Roy Obison (I really miss him).
> --
He's been here for a dozen years. His name is Chris Isaak.
Rocksinbox
John Caliber
but it's surely down just as much to fans' over-expectations as it was
appallingly-bad management and virtually non-existant advertising campaign?
Still, it's never too late to get attention refocused back on ELO's
direction if Sony can employ promotion personnel who actually like the
group.
Anyway, why is this the end of ELO? The group struggled in the early 70s
until they hit the jackpot with Eldorado. Time has washed the slate clean
and ELO has to get out there and prove itself again; if Jeff is serious
about reforming the gorup, he needs to get cracking on a follow-up album to
ZOOM and explore some more adventurous musical avenues; marketplace
saturation is the key to public awareness now, not waiting ten years for a
follow-up. I hope that Sony will give him a second chance.
- JC
Steven Acevedo
<john.c...@ntlworld.com> wrote:
>A lot of doom-mongering on this newsgroup about ELO's reversal of fortunes,
>but it's surely down just as much to fans' over-expectations as it was
>appallingly-bad management and virtually non-existant advertising campaign?
I believe this will be the straw that breaks the camel's back as far
as Jeff working with a major label again. The capricous nature of the
business makes me so sick to my stomach. Better that he should start
his own independent label and give a flying flip to the record
industry's arbitary attitude.
Pavlov's Dogma
final sentence): maybe the word "Sony" should be changed - maybe JEFF should
NOT give SONY a second chance! Either way, I still believe "Zoom" is just
the beginning of a new chapter for Jeff.......
In fact, after reading your message, my conspiratorial mind now tends to
wonder for the first time whether someone at Sony (or in the pipeline
somewhere) may be a migrant from the Warner/Reprise world, or perhaps a bed
buddy? Maybe someone orchestrated a little payback for not being able to
get their way with Jeff and his destiny in the past? Perhaps I'm
delusional, but I'm so used to the machinations and the backstabbing of
Hollywood, that I do declare that stranger things often daily here!
"John Caliber" <john.c...@ntlworld.com> wrote in message
news:dI2f7.61$0z....@news11-gui.server.ntli.net...
Slingblade
wrote:
Very few musical artists have much to say about their promotional
tours. The vast majority of them have little to say about their
recording efforts. Many times, the record companies and management
companies dictate to them what will be done...
Take for example, Secret Messages, which was supposed to be a double
album, but was forced to be cut down to a single LP by the record
company.
Also...take in account, XANADU soundtrack, which was originally
supposed to be a JEFF LYNNE effort, but because the record company
thought it'd LOOK better with the ELO moniker on it, had to be
re-recorded to include Richard, Bev and Kelly.
Also take in account the cover of Eldorado, which ELO themselves say
they had nothing to do with, it was the record company's idea.
Often music artists will give up part of their royalties in lieu of
more control over their recordings, and in some cases, such as Jeff
Lynne's, they actually get the chance to PRODUCE their own stuff, but
this isn't the case most of the time.
When it comes to promotional tours...most of the time, the
considerations of the artists aren't, well...considered. Usually the
record companies decide where and when the artist will play, and they
are the ones who get with the management company and determine how to
promote the tour and so forth.
You can believe or think whatever you want, but I don't honestly
believe that Jeff Lynne set out to "stick it to the fans". I'd be
willing to bet money that he had his reservations about playing the
larger venues himself!
But if you honestly feel like you've been screwed by Jeff Lynne, look
at it this way...atleast you do have ZOOM...
Jeff could have simply "faded like the Beatles on Hey Jude" and you
might never have heard another note from him again.
I just hope that this cancellation of the tour doesn't cause Jeff to
give up on ELO. I'd like to see another album or two in the near
future.
Ron Knorr
> Ron Knorr wrote:
>
> > please find us the next Roy Orbison (I really miss him).
> > --
>
> He's been here for a dozen years. His name is Chris Isaak.
As much as I enjoy Isaak's voice, the heart isn't there
NoJunkMail105050
>Ever consider that possibly it was NOT Jeff Lynne who chose which
>venues to play and prices to charge for those tickets? I would
>imagine it was the management who overspeculated the success of the
>return of ELO.
>
Please see the message I posted under "A music business insider speaks".
(Warning: it's a long message.)
I assure you, Jeff was very much part of the decision for ELO to play such
large venues. As for the ticket prices, blame the concert promoter in each
city. Management had something to do with that too.
NoJunkMail105050
>Date: 8/16/01 3:53 PM Eastern Daylight Time
>Message-id: <20010816155317...@ng-bj1.aol.com>
Dr. Bill, I agree for the most part although I really don't think Jeff despises
his fans. I think he just may be a little bit too much out of touch with his
fans. This is what happens when you spend too many years away from that unique
fan connection you get by performing for your fans in concert. You can't get
that important personal connection with fans when you're holed up in the
studio.
NoJunkMail105050
>final sentence): maybe the word "Sony" should be changed - maybe JEFF should
>NOT give SONY a second chance! Either way, I still believe "Zoom" is just
>the beginning of a new chapter for Jeff.......
>
>In fact, after reading your message, my conspiratorial mind now tends to
>wonder for the first time whether someone at Sony (or in the pipeline
>somewhere) may be a migrant from the Warner/Reprise world, or perhaps a bed
>buddy? Maybe someone orchestrated a little payback for not being able to
>get their way with Jeff and his destiny in the past? Perhaps I'm
>delusional, but I'm so used to the machinations and the backstabbing of
>Hollywood, that I do declare that stranger things often daily here!
>
Sony wasn't responsible for booking ELO into those large arenas and
amphitheaters. That's the fault of Jeff, management, and the booking agency. In
my opinion, the cancellation of he tour is much more embarassing than Zoom
falling off the charts so quickly. No one really expected the album to go gold
or platinum. If anything, I expected the tour to do better than the album. (But
that was before I knew ELO committed to such large venues.) Lots of veteran
bands put out new albums that flop (Styx, Night Ranger, REO Speedwagon, just to
name three) but they still draw fairly big crowds. But even those bands can't
fill arenas. Even Kiss had trouble selling out arenas on this most recent tour
they did.
John Deaux
"Doctorharford" <doctor...@aol.com> wrote:
Geez, I hate Backstreet Boys fans.
JD
timpe...@aol.com
Jon
stellas...@gmail.com
All I will say is JEFF LYNNE IS ELO for me personally, I would never go to see a tribute band, because I know I would be disappointed, Jeff thank you for the songs that have played such a massive part in my life, there are still times even now when I too feel ALONE IN THE UNIVERSE, God bless you xx
