Editing Jeff Lynne (section)

=== 1970–1986: The Move and ELO ===
[[File:Jeff Lynne 1973.png|thumb|Lynne in 1973]]
Lynne contributed many songs to the Move's last two albums while formulating, with Roy Wood and [[Bev Bevan]], a band built around a fusion of rock and [[classical music]] – a project which would eventually become the [[Electric Light Orchestra]] (ELO). The original idea was that both bands would exist in tandem.<ref name=AM/> Bevan has, however, since suggested that Lynne had little interest in the Move, stating: "The only reason Jeff Lynne ever joined the Move was to form a new band. He was never interested in being a part of the Move."<ref>{{cite web |last=Jeff |title=Stone Cold Crazy: A Very Candid Conversation with Bev Bevan |url=http://jeffcramer.blogspot.com/2015/09/a-very-candid-conversation-with-bev.html |website=Stone Cold Crazy |date=11 September 2015 |access-date=5 January 2019}}</ref>

The original aim of [[Electric Light Orchestra]] was to take up "where the Beatles had left off, and to present it on stage." [[John Lennon]] later praised the group, calling them the "sons of the Beatles" on a radio station when discussing the group's 1973 single "[[Showdown (Electric Light Orchestra song)|Showdown]]" on the New York radio station WNEW.<ref>{{cite news |last=McGee |first=Alan |date=16 October 2008 |title=ELO: The band the Beatles could have been |work=Guardian |location=London |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/musicblog/2008/oct/16/elo-better-than-beatles |access-date=2 January 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Showdown by Electric Light Orchestra |url=https://www.songfacts.com/facts/electric-light-orchestra/showdown |access-date=May 17, 2021 |website=Songfacts}}</ref> Critics often compared Electric Light Orchestra to The Beatles, and they were often criticised for "ripping off" the band. Lynne admitted that he "was very influenced by the Beatles' sound of '68 and '69. That has obviously been a big influence on the way [he] looked at songwriting" and said that being compared with The Beatles was the "ultimate compliment".<ref>{{cite web |title=John Paul George Ringo and Jeff Lynne |url=http://www.absoluteradio.co.uk/vip/profile/ELObsessive/blog/5137/John__Paul__George_and_Ringo_____and_Jeff_Lynne.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120716045219/http://www.absoluteradio.co.uk/vip/profile/ELObsessive/blog/5137/John__Paul__George_and_Ringo_____and_Jeff_Lynne.html |archive-date=16 July 2012 |access-date=2 January 2011 |publisher=Absoluteradio.co.uk}}</ref>

The band's [[The Electric Light Orchestra (album)|eponymous first album]] was released in December 1971, featuring heavy contributions from Lynne and Wood and producing the band's debut single "[[10538 Overture]]". Problems led to Wood's departure in 1972 (he formed the band [[Wizzard]] later that year), a year after the release of the band's first album, leaving Lynne as ELO's dominant creative force.<ref name="AM" /> Thereafter followed a succession of band personnel changes and increasingly popular albums: ''[[ELO 2]]'' and ''[[On the Third Day]]'' (both 1973), ''[[Eldorado (Electric Light Orchestra album)|Eldorado]]'' (1974) and ''[[Face the Music (Electric Light Orchestra album)|Face the Music]]'' (1975). By ''[[A New World Record]]'' (1976), Lynne had almost developed the roots of the group into a more complex and unique pop-rock sound mixed with studio strings, layered vocals and tight, catchy pop singles. Lynne's now almost complete creative dominance as producer, songwriter, arranger, lead singer and guitarist could make ELO appear to be an almost solo effort. However, the ELO sound and the focus of Lynne's writing was also shaped by [[Louis Clark]]'s and [[Richard Tandy]]'s co-arranging, under Lynne's direction (especially the large string sections in addition to ELO's own string trio) and Bevan's drumming, while Richard Tandy's integration of the piano, [[Moog synthesizer|Moog]], [[Pump organ|harmonium]] and [[Mellotron]], with more novel keyboard technology, gave Lynne's songs a more symphonic sound. Bassist [[Kelly Groucutt]]'s distinctive voice mixed with Lynne's to produce the classic ELO harmonic vocal sound.
[[File:Jeff Lynne 1977.jpg|thumb|185x185px|Lynne in 1977]]
The pinnacle of ELO's chart success and worldwide popularity was the expansive double album ''[[Out of the Blue (Electric Light Orchestra album)|Out of the Blue]]'' (1977), which was largely conceived in a Swiss chalet during a two-week writing marathon.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ftmusic.com/outoftheblue/sleeve_notes.html |title=ELO Remaster Series ''Out of the Blue'' Sleeve Notes |publisher=Ftmusic.com |access-date=6 October 2010 |archive-date=19 July 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110719185854/http://www.ftmusic.com/outoftheblue/sleeve_notes.html |url-status=dead}}</ref> The band's 1978 world tour featured an elaborate "space ship" set and laser light show. In order to recreate the complex instrumental textures of their albums, the band used pre-recorded supplemental backing tracks in live performances. Although that practice has now become commonplace, it caused considerable derision in the press of the time.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.jefflynnesongs.com/ootbtour/ |title=Jeff Lynne Song Database - Electric Light Orchestra - Out of the Blue / The Big Night Tour |publisher=Jefflynnesongs.com |access-date=6 October 2010}}</ref> Lynne has often stated that he prefers the creative environment of the studio to the rigours and tedium of touring. Lynne followed up the success of ''Out of the Blue'' with ''[[Discovery (Electric Light Orchestra album)|Discovery]]'' (1979), which held No. 1 in the UK for 5 weeks. The album is primarily associated with its two disco-flavoured singles ("[[Shine a Little Love]]" and "[[Last Train to London]]") and with the title's word play on "disco" and "very".<ref name="autogenerated1">{{cite web |url=http://www.lightshineson.de/2008/04/appreciation-jeff-lynne-a-symphony/ |title=Appreciation – Jeff Lynne, A Symphony by The Light Shines on In … Eldorado |publisher=Lightshineson.de |date=11 February 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-date=10 January 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090110142731/http://www.lightshineson.de/2008/04/appreciation-jeff-lynne-a-symphony/}}</ref> However, the remaining seven non-disco tracks on the album reflected Lynne's range as a pop-rock songwriter, including a heavy, mid-tempo rock anthem ("[[Don't Bring Me Down]]") which uses a drum loop. Lynne later recalled his forays into dance music: "I love the force of disco. I love the freedom it gave me to make different rhythms across it. I enjoyed that really steady driving beat. Just steady as a rock. I’ve always liked that simplicity in the bass drum."<ref name="autogenerated1" />

In 1979, Lynne rejected an offer for ELO to headline the [[Knebworth Festival 1979|Knebworth Concert]] in the UK, allowing [[Led Zeppelin]] to headline instead. In the absence of any touring to support ''Discovery'', Lynne had time to contribute five tracks to the soundtrack for the 1980 film [[musical theatre|musical]] ''[[Xanadu (film)|Xanadu]]''. The score yielded three Top 20 singles for ELO in both the UK and the US: "[[I'm Alive (Electric Light Orchestra song)|I'm Alive]]" (UK No. 20, US No. 16), "[[All Over the World (ELO song)|All Over The World]]" (UK No. 11, US No. 13) and the title track "[[Xanadu (Olivia Newton-John and Electric Light Orchestra song)|Xanadu]]", featuring Olivia Newton-John joining ELO on lead vocals, which reached number one in the UK (US No. 8). Nevertheless, Lynne was not closely involved with the development of the film, and his material consequently had only superficial attachment to the plot. ''Xanadu'' performed weakly at the box office (although it later has experienced popularity as a [[cult following|cult favourite]]).
Lynne took the band in a somewhat different direction with the science-fiction themed album ''[[Time (Electric Light Orchestra album)|Time]]'' (1981), reaching number one for two weeks in the UK, producing the second Top 3 single in less than two years. The strings were still featured, but with heavily synthesised textures. Following a marginally successful tour, Lynne kept this general approach with ''[[Secret Messages]]'' (1983) and a final contractually-obligated ELO album ''[[Balance of Power (album)|Balance of Power]]'' (1986). Lynne discusses the contractually-obligated nature of the final albums on the short interview included with the 'Zoom' DVD. ELO now had only three remaining official members (Lynne, Bevan and Tandy), and Lynne began devoting more time to producing. During his time in the Electric Light Orchestra, Lynne had managed to release a few recordings under his own name. In 1976, Lynne covered [[the Beatles]] songs "[[With a Little Help from My Friends]]" and "[[Nowhere Man (song)|Nowhere Man]]" for ''[[All This and World War II]]''. In 1977, Lynne released his first solo single, the [[disco]]-flavoured "[[Doin' That Crazy Thing]]"/"[[Goin' Down to Rio]]". Despite ELO's high profile at that time, it received little airplay and failed to chart.

[[File:Electric Light Orchestra (1986).jpg|thumb|left|ELO performing in 1986 (Lynne and Tandy pictured)]]

In 1984, Lynne and Tandy contributed two original songs "[[Video!]]" and "Let It Run" to the film ''[[Electric Dreams (film)|Electric Dreams]]'' (they also provided a third song, "[[Sooner Or Later (Jeff Lynne song)|Sooner Or Later]]", which was released as the b-side of "Video!"). Lynne collaborated with Tandy again in 1986 with Lynne producing the charity single "Action!" for [[Tandy Morgan Band]].  

In contrast to the dense, boomy, [[Baroque pop|baroque]] sound of ELO, Lynne's post-ELO studio work has tended toward more minimal, acoustic instrumentation and a sparse, "organic" quality that generally favours light room ambience and colouration over artificial reverb, especially on vocals. Lynne's recordings also often feature the jangling compressed acoustic guitar sound pioneered by [[Roger McGuinn]] and a heavily gated [[snare drum]] sound.