In the early seventies and before punk happened I was a bit of an ELO fan. I remember getting the New World Record as an Easter present from my Mum. She had stopped buying me Chocolate Eggs and instead would buy me an album. Alladin Sane by Bowie was probably the most memorable. I was miffed that I had to go away for Easter and wouldn't be able to play it til I got back.
But this wasn't from that album. It was from "Face The Music" which I didn't have and wasn't interested in after my mate Alan played it for me. A cassette he had picked up for 50 cents in Thailand. It seemed a little too bright after Eldarado which I loved. So I've always had this weird love \/hate thing with ELO. And when 1977 came along I hated them completely and didn't listen to their music again until 1999.
What made me go back and have another listen.? I went to see this film called "The Virgin Suicides" an d there's this moment when this song comes on and the cinema just filled up with this incredible sound. It sounded amazing. But then a lot of songs sound great pumping out of cinema speakers. But it made me go back and have another listen to ELO. I'd long ago thrown away the New World Record but I still had Eldarado. And I bought a greatest hits CD. And finally realised how great Jeff Lynne was. He still managed to put out a bit of rubbish though. Still can't go near those later ELO records.
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