from musictap.net:

We've heard that the next rollout of ELO titles will occur on February 12/13 for Out Of The Blue (w/ 3 bonus tracks); Balance of Power (w/ 7 bonus tracks); and an expanded ELO's Greatest Hits (maybe they'll include "Don't Bring Me Down" on this one making it a much more complete set - a sad exclusion on the original release). Thanks to RVII.


What the Greatest Hits really needs is "Fire On High," the most criminal exclusion from the ELO comps.

Please forgive me for being a sourball here ... based on the previous reissues, I'm going to guess that Out Of The Blue's bonus tracks are three snippets of demos of songs that have already been released. I am gonna get these new editions but I'm afraid I don't have much faith in Jeff putting together really compelling packages.

I thought last year's All Over the World was supposed to be the ELO compilation to end all ELO compilations. Now we're getting an expanded Greatest Hits.

If you include box sets, imports, and vinyl LPs, I'm sure ELO has more hits collections than regular albums.

P.S. I'd still like to see Lynne's solo disco single, "Doin' That Crazy Thing," tacked on to one of the ELO reissues.

They once said that the first Best Of The Doors would be the only Doors CD compilation. I think this was back when it first came out. The compilations never end. But, if "Fire On High" is on the expanded Greatest Hits, I might have to buy it on principle.

I am still hoping that Out Of The Blue becomes a double CD with more than 3 bonus songs. I find it hard to believe that Balance of Power will have 7 bonus songs and one of their biggest CD's will have less. I was even hoping for some live stuff on OOTB.

Mark

One Of the bonus tracks intended for "Out of The Blue" is an unreleased song,and it has been included in a promo CD sampler that accompanied the prevous batch of CD remasters.Not having heard the song,I can't tell you whether it's an authentic 1970's outtake,a Pro Tools modification of a vintage outtake,or simply an all-new 2005 composition and recording.Now we all have to hope that Jeff Lynne and his manager don't have another dspute with Sony,to cause a 4 to 6 month postponement.If these 2 expanded/remasters get released,I'll consider it enough to let go of my desire for further ELO/Move/Wizzard/Roy Wood archival material.It would have been nice to have a new attempt at expanding and remastering the Cube/Regal Zonophone material by "The Move",but the existing boxed set "Movements"(while not ideal) isn't bad,and Roy Wood and his advisors would be unlikely to permit any new archival project involving this material.

Phil...are you talking about "Surrender"?

Mark

"Don't Bring Me Down" was released on Discovery, which came after the GH collection. In fact, the pictures that were in the GH album was them recording Discovery.

Mark

Nope. ELO's Greatest Hits was released in the fall of 1979, only a few months after Discovery. I remember wondering why "Shine A Little Love" and "Don't Bring Me Down" weren't on there, as they'd just been on the charts.

Might it be that they didn't want to impact sales of Discovery?

Quite possibly. It was still selling at the time the Greatest Hits was released. The record industry operated differently in those days, when the companies wanted to push out a steady stream of product.

I thought it was weird, because wasn't a compilation called Ole-Elo issued only a couple of years earlier??

Ahh, whaddya I know?? Just ban me, Linda!! I'm overdue for a banning.

No,I wasn't refering to "Surrender".There's another new track(one yet to be released publicly) out on a promo-only basis.

My error...sorry...

Mark

What's the track called? I'd like to find this promo for my collection.

No. You want it too much.

Out of the Blue and I'm done w/ELO

They had some really good stuff after Out Of The Blue...I really liked Discovery and Time...and Secret Messages had some high points as well.

BTW, anybody heard "Alpacas Orgling," the new album by L.E.O.? They're an ELO tribute band, not in the sense that they do covers, but they do original songs in the style of ELO. It's an all-star thing, not unlike the Wilburys, mostly led by a guy named Bleu, with guest appearances by Mike Viola, Andy Sturmer, the Hanson brothers, the guy from Papas Fritas, and a bunch of other indie power-pop idols.

The album has a few dull spots, but the highs are incredibly high, most notably "Ya Had Me Goin'."

You can listen to the whole thing here: http://www.notlame.com/leo.htm

I think the track is called "Latitude 88 North" or something like that. Don't know anything more about it...guess we'll have to wait till Feb '07.

Jim

Thanks Jim. Someone is confirming that as an OOTB bonus track in Rolling Stone's German forum:

http://www.rollingstone.de/forum/archiv ... 21532.html

Isn't "Zoom" to be remastered as well? I seem to remember reading that somewhere-that was a good, underrated album by wasn't really an ELO record. Obviously, it doesn't need remastering but some bonus tracks would probably sucker me in.
Also, as for the later records, "Balance Of Power" has some real gems like "Getting To The Point" and the Top hit "Calling America"-don't ignore this one!

Your right. Zoom was just a glorified solo record.. Goerge Harrison plays slide guitar and Ringo plays durms, both only on a couple of tracks. Jeff L. plays almost all the rest. Armchair Theater could use a remaster w/ bonus cuts. Great cd. And I agree, Balance of Power is a fantastic pop record. "Heavan only Knows" & "So Serious" were big hits that got a lot of airplay.