Shadows of the Light
A Chronological History!
| The Move | | Electric Light Orchestra | | Roy Wood's Wizzard |




Carl Wayne (vocals)
Roy Wood (vocals, guitar)
Jeffery Lynne (vocals, guitar)
Trevor Burton (lead guitar)
Ace Kefford (bass)
Bev Bevan (drums)

(* items in red are live concerts or shows.)

1966

Feb - Group is formed in Birmingham, W.Midlands, by members of three of the city's best existing beat groups: Wood (b. Ulysses Adrian Wood, Nov.8,1946, Birmingham) ex-Mike Sheridan & The Nightriders; Wayne (b. Aug.18,1944, Moseley, W.Midiands), Kefford (b. Christopher Kefford, Dec.10, 1946, Moseley, Bevan (b. Nov.24,1944, Birmingham) ex-Carl Wayne & The Vikings and Burton (b. Mar.9,1944, Aston, W.Midiands) ex-Danny King & The Mayfair Set. Stabilizing as a quintet after initial jams at Birmingham's Cedar club, group builds strong local reputation, links with manager Tony Secunda and moves to London.

Jun [2] - Performs live in London (UK)

Jun [23] - Performs live in London (UK)

July [30] - Group performs at the 6th annual National jazz & Blues Festival, Windsor, Berks. (They set off distress flares during their act.)

Aug [4] - Performs live in London (UK)

Aug [11] - Performs live in London (UK)

1967

Jan - Night Of Fear, a Roy Wood song with a riff based on the 1812 Overture, hits UK #2.

Apr - Band offers a 200 UK pound reward for information leading to the recovery of tapes stolen from their agent's car in London's Tin Pan Alley. (The tapes will subsequently be found on a building site in North London. The laborer who finds them receives the 200 UK pound reward.)

Apr [29] - Group plays on a 14-hour 'Technicolour Dream' concert in the Great Hall of the Alexandra Palace, London, with Pink Floyd, Tomorrow and John's Children (featuring Marc Bolan).

May - I Can Hear The Grass Grow developing Wood's flirtation with psychedelia, hits UK #5. Group begins to gain a reputation for Who-type destruction (usually smashing TV sets or obliterating effigies of people like Adolf Hitler) on its stage act and on TV appearances.

Aug [11] - Performs live in Windsor (UK)

Sept [30] - BBC Radio 1 is launched in UK, with The Move's Flowers In The Rain as the first disk played.

Oct - Flowers In The Rain hits UK #2. Group has switched, with other Cordell-produced acts, to Regal Zonophone Records (a label previously reserved for Salvation Army music).

Nov - The Move is successfully sued by UK Prime Minister Harold Wilson over a nude caricature of him on promotional postcard for Flowers In The Rain. All the royalties earned by the record go to charity as part of the settlement. Cherry Blossom Clinic, scheduled as the next single, is dropped since its lyric (concerning a mental asylum) is considered likely to create more unfavorable publicity. (The track will appear on the group's first album.)

Nov [14] - Performs live in London (UK)

Dec [22] - Performs live in London (UK)

1968

Mar - Fire Brigade climbs to UK #3.

Apr - Debut album Move makes UK #15. Kefford leaves group due to illness. He does not return and will subsequently pursue a solo career. (He will record a single as The Ace Kefford Stand for Atlantic, reviving The Yardbirds' For Your Love. Burton switches to bass and the group continues as a quartet. Richard Tandy (who will later play with Burton in Balls and with Wood and Bevan in ELO) occasionally joins on keyboards and bass.

July - Wild Tiger Woman does not chart.

Aug [23] - Performs live in Bilzen Jazz Festival (B)

Sept - Live Something Else is released. It is an unusual 5-track 33rpm 7" EP, later to become an expensive collector's item, but it fails to chart.

1969

Feb - Blackberry Way tops UK chart for a week, The Move's only #1 hit. Burton, tired of the group's commercial material, quits on the eve of a US tour, which has to be cancelled. (Burton will join The Uglys and then form Balls with ex-Moody Blues' vocalist Denny Laine.)

Feb [12] - Performs live in Granadas Discotheque (UK) (TV Show)

Feb [13] - Performs live in Stafford (UK)

Feb [15] - Performs live in Cambridge (UK)

Feb [16] - Performs live in Bishops Storford (UK)

Feb [18] - Performs live in Tunstall (UK)

Feb [20] - Performs live in London (UK)

Feb [21] - Performs live in Hinckley (UK)

Feb [22] - Performs live in Chester (UK)

Feb [26] - Performs live in Stockton (UK)

Feb [28] - Performs live in Woolwich (UK)

Mar - Jeff Lynne (b. Dec.30,1947, Birmingham, W.Midlands) of The Idle Race and Rick Price (b. June 10, 1944, Birmingham) of Sight And Sound are invited to join The Move. Lynne decides against it but Price comes in as bassist.

Aug - Curly reaches UK #12. 

Aug [5] - Performs live in London (UK)

Oct [ ] - Performs live in Detroit, MI (USA)

Oct [ ] - Performs live in Detroit, MI (USA)

Oct [ ] - Performs live in Los Angeles, CA (USA)

Oct [ ] - Performs live in Los Angeles, CA (USA)

Oct [ ] - Performs live in Los Angeles, CA (USA)

Oct [ ] - Performs live in Los Angeles, CA (USA)

Oct [ ] - Performs live in Los Angeles, CA (USA)

Oct [ ] - Performs live in San Fransisco , CA (USA)

Oct [ ] - Performs live in San Fransisco , CA (USA)

Oct [ ] - Performs live in San Fransisco , CA (USA)

Oct - The Move's only US tour is unsuccessful and the Northern UK cabaret gigs which follow cause a rift between Wayne and the others.

1970

Jan - Wayne leaves for a solo cabaret and TV career which will see moderate success (but not on disk) during the 70s. Lynne agrees to join in his place, admitting to being more interested in the 'Electric Light Orchestra' project currently being mooted by Wood.

Feb - Shazam fails to chart but Wood's track Hello Susie is covered by Amen Corner and hits UK #4.

Apr [24] - Performs live in Hereford (UK)

Apr [25] - Performs live in Norwich (UK)

May - Brontosaurus, an uncharactaristically heavy rocker, hits UK #6.

May [9] - Performs live in Lille (F)

May [17] - Performs live in Dusseldorf (D)

June [1] - Rick Price signs solo and production deal with President Records.

Oct - Looking On fails to chart, as does When Alice Comes Back To The Farm, taken from it.

1971

July - The band moves to EMI's Harvest label, with Wood and Lynne jointly producing. Tonight reaches UK #11 but Message From The Country fails to chart.

Oct [13] - The Move makes its final live appearances, after which Price leaves. (He will form Sheridan/Price and then Mongrel, but will later rejoin Wood in Wizzard. The only Move performances will be on UK TV, promoting its final 2 singles.)

Nov - Chinatown peaks at UK #23. Plans are made for transforming The Move into The Electric Light Orchestra (later known as ELO), with the recruitment of 5 (mostly strings) players, including ex-Move part-timer Richard Tandy.

1972

Feb - Wood releases solo When Grandma Plays The Banjo, it fails to chart. (Later sideline solo efforts in Wizzard will net him 4 UK Top 20 hits.)

Apr [16] - First live appearance of ELO, in Croydon, London, signifies the end of The Move.

June - Final Move single Califonia Man hits UK #7.

Aug - Wood leaves ELO to form Wizzard.

Nov - Do Ya, by Lynne on UK B-side of California Man, is issued as an A-side in US and gives The Move its only US chart entry, reaching #93. (The song will later be a bigger US hit for ELO.)




The Electric Light Orchestra



Jeff Lynne (vocals, guitar)
Bev Bevan (drums)
Richard Tandy (keyboards)
Kelly Groucutt (bass)
Mik Kaminski (violin)
Hugh McDowell (cello)
Melvin Gale (cello)
Michael DeAlbuquerque (bass)
Wilf Gibson (violin)
Mike Edwards (cello)
Colin Walker (cello)
Steve Woolam (violin)
Roy Wood (vocals, cello)
Bill Hunt (keyboards)
Andy Craig (cello)

(* items in red are live concerts or shows.)

1967

Wood (b. Nov.8,1946, Birmingham, W.Midlands), ex-local band Mike Sheridan & The Nightriders (now called Idle Race) is guitarist with The Move, currently Birmingham's biggest band enjoying Top 10 success.

1969

Wood offers friend Jeff Lynne (b. Dec.30,1947, Birmingham), who joined Idle Race after Wood's departure and is leading the group, a place in The Move, but Lynne elects to stay with Idle Race.

1970

Oct - When Move singer Carl Wayne leaves for a solo cabaret career, Lynne agrees to join, providing he can also be involved in Wood's separate group within The Move, playing "jazz and classically-influenced free-form music' with instrumentation aligned more to an orchestra than a rock band. The whole idea is financed by manager Don Arden, who secures them a contract with Harvest.

1971

Plans for the first Electric Light Orchestra (ELO) release are delayed as The Move has hits with Tonight and Chinatown and Message From The Country. After a US tour The Move retires from live performance (but will still nominally exist). Drummer Bevan (b. Beverley Bevan, Nov.24, 1946, Birmingham) opens a Birmingham record shop.

1972

Feb [4] - Performs in London (UK) (Radio Show)

Apr [16] - ELO makes its live debut at the Greyhound pub in Croydon, London. Its innovative style is not well received.

May - The Move's California Man hits UK #7.

May [2] - Performs live in Bristol (UK)

May [3] - Performs on "Top of the Pops" TV-Show (UK)

May [3] - Performs live in Brighton (UK)

May [7] - Performs live in Guildford (UK)

May [8] - Performs live in Leicester (UK)

May [10] - Performs live in Sheffield (UK)

May [11] - Performs live in Portsmouth (UK)

May [12] - Performs live in Plymouth (UK)

May [14] - Performs live in Croydon (UK)

May [17] - Performs live in Aberdeen (UK)

May [18] - Performs live in Newcastle (UK)

May [19] - Performs live in Glasgow (UK)

May [20] - Performs live in Edinburgh (UK)

May [22] - Performs live in Solihull (UK)

May [23] - Performs live in Bournemouth (UK)

May [26] - Performs live in Preston (UK)

May [27] - Performs live in Rome (I)

Jun [1] - Performs live in Milan (I)

Jun [11] - Performs live in Cavallermaggiore (I)

Aug - ELO's first single, Lynne's 10538 Overture, hits UK #9- Debut album Electric Light Orchestra, featuring Lynne and Wood and released on Harvest, reaches UK #32. United Artists in US, having rung Arden to discover the album title and being left a message "No Answer" by a secretary who could not reach him, releases it as No Answer. It makes US #196

Having planned ELO for several years, Wood surprises everyone by leaving the group to form his own more pop-oriented group Wizzard. He takes Hunt and McDowell with him while Craig leaves altogether. Lynne recruits cellists Mike Edwards and Colin Walker and bassist Richard Tandy. (Tandy, who later switches to keyboards and Micheal D'Albuquerque will be brought in as bassist)

Aug [12] - The new line-up debuts at Reading Festival, Berks, in Reading (UK)

Aug [25] - Performs live in Dunstable (UK)

Sep [1] - Performs live in Guildford (UK)

Sep [29] - Performs live in London (UK)

Nov [1] - Performs in London (UK) (Radio show)

1973

??? - Performs Roll Over Beethoven on "American Banstand" TV-Show (USA)

??? - Performs Roll Over Beethoven and Showdown on "Top of the Pops" TV-Show (UK)

Feb - First post-Wood release, a version of Chuck Berry's Roll Over Beethoven, with quasi-classical intro, hits UK #6.

Mar - ELO II is released, making UK #35 and US #62.

Mar [2] - Performs live in Bristol (UK)

Mar [3] - Performs live in Cambridge (UK)

Mar [9] - Performs live in Chelmsford (UK)

Mar [10] - Performs live in Norwich (UK)

Mar [11] - Performs live in Stevenage (UK)

Mar [13] - Performs live in Liverpool (UK)

Mar [14] - Performs live in Birmingham (UK)

Mar [17] - Performs live in Malvern (UK)

Mar [19] - Performs live in Manchester (UK)

Mar [23] - Performs live in London (UK)

Mar [24] - Performs live in Dagenham (UK)

Mar [30] - Performs live in Leeds (UK)

Mar [31] - Performs live in Boston (UK)

Apr [7] - Performs live in Folkestone (UK)

Apr [8] - Performs live in Croydon (UK)

Apr [10] - Performs live in Watford (UK)

Apr [19] - Performs live in London (UK)

Apr [21] - Performs live in Douglas, Isle of Man (UK)

Apr [25] - Performs live in London (UK) (Radio Show)

Apr [26] - Performs live in Hastings (UK)

May [4] - Performs live in New York, NY (USA)

May [20] - Performs live in Aston (UK)

May [25] - Performs live in Cirencester (UK)

June - Group begins Large US tour in Santa Barbera, CA.

Jun [1] - Performs live in Santa Barbara, CA (USA)

Jun [2] - Performs live in San Bernhardino, CA (USA)

Jun [3] - Performs live in Berkeley, CA (USA)

Jun [4] - Performs live in Tucson, AZ (USA)

Jun [5] - Performs live in Phoenix, AZ (USA)

Jun [7] - Performs live in Los Angeles, CA (USA)

Jun [8] - Performs live in Fresno, CA (USA)

Jun [9] - Performs live in Los Angeles, CA (USA)

Jun [11] - Performs live in Minneapolis, MN (USA)

Jun [12] - Performs live in Omaha, NE (USA)

Jun [14] - Performs live in Chicago, IL (USA)

Jun [15] - Performs live in Indianapolis, IN (USA) (Afternoon Perf )

Jun [15] - Performs live in St Louis, MO (USA) (Evening Perf )

Jun [16] - Performs live in Toronto (CN)

Jun [17] - Performs live in Buffalo, NY (USA)

Jun [18] - Performs live in New Orleans, LA (USA)

Jun [19] - Performs live in Houston, TX (USA)

Jun [20] - Performs live in Philadelphia, PA (USA)

Jun [22] - Performs live in New York, NY (USA)

Jun [23] - Performs live in New York, NY (USA)

Jun [25] - Performs live in Columbia, MD (USA)

Jun [27] - Performs live in Detroit, MI (USA)

Jun [30] - Performs live in Cleveland, OH (USA)

Jul [1] - Performs live in Cincinnati, OH (USA)

Jul [4] - Performs live in Virginia City, NV (USA)

Jul [13] - Performs live in New Westminster, British Columbia (CA)

Jul [14] - Performs live in Salem, OR (USA)

July [28] - Roll Over Beethoven makes US #42.

Sept - McDowell returns from Wizzard. Gibson and Walker leave and Mik Kaminski joins on violin.

Nov - Showdown, later an R&B hit for Candi Staton, reaches UK #12.

Dec - Lushly orchestrated concept album On The Third Day is released through Warner Bros. in UK but fails to chart. United Artists releases the album in US where it makes #52.

Dec [8] - Performs live in Copenhagen (DK)

Dec [9] - Performs live in Stockholm (S)

1974

Jan [25] - Performs live in London (UK)

Feb [1] - Performs live in Uxbridge (UK)

Feb [2] - Showdown peaks at US #53.

Feb [2] - Performs live in Sheffield (UK)

Feb [3] - Performs live in Coventry (UK)

Feb [9] - Performs live in Canterbury (UK)

Feb [16] - Performs live in London (UK)

Feb [17] - Performs live in Birmingham (UK)

Feb [18] - Performs live in Manchester (UK)

Feb [21] - Performs live in Middlesbrough (UK)

Feb [22] - Performs live in Newcastle (UK)

Feb [23] - Performs live in Southport (UK)

Feb [24] - Performs live in Glasgow (UK)

Feb [26] - Performs live in Bristol (UK)

Mar [2] - Performs live in Chatham (UK)

Mar [4] - Performs live in Barcelona (E)

Mar [5] - Performs live in Madrid (E)

Mar [7] - Performs live in Folkestone (UK)

Mar [9] - Performs live in Leeds (UK)

Mar [12] - Performs live in Southend (UK)

Mar [13] - Performs live in Aberystwyth (UK)

Mar [15] - Performs live in London (UK)

Mar [19] - Performs live in Portsmouth (UK)

Apr [6] - Ma-Ma-Ma Belle reaches UK #22.

Apr [20] - Performs live in Portchester, NY (USA)

Apr [27?] - Performs live in London, Ontario, Canada

May [3] - Performs live in Santa Barbara, CA (USA)

May [12 ] - Performs live in Long Beach, CA (USA) This was the recorder concert for the LP "The Night the Lights went on in Long Beach"

May [25] - Daybreaker stalls at US #87.

Aug [30] - Performs live in Aarau (CH)

Sep [25] - Performs live in Offenbach (D)

Sep [27] - Performs live in Heidelberg (D)

Oct - Eldorado, billed as 'A Symphony By The Electric Light Orchestra' released, makes US #16 and earns a gold disk.

Oct [4] - Performs in Cologne (D) (TV show)

Nov - Live The Night The Light Went On In Long Beach, is released worldwide, excluding UK and US. Harvest issues Showdown, a compilation of singles and tracks from the first 2 albums. Edwards and D'Albuquerque leave to be replaced by bassist Kelly Groucutt, ex-Barefoot, and cellest Melvyn Gale, ex-London Palladium orchestra.

Nov [21] - Performs live in Fresno, CA (USA)

Dec [5] - Performs live in Chicago, IL (USA)

Dec [6] - Performs live in Cleveland, OH (USA)

Dec [17] - Performs live in Roanoak, VI (USA)

1975

??? - Performs on "Midnight Special" TV-Show (USA)

Feb [14] - Performs live in Newcastle (UK)

Feb [15] - Performs live in York (UK)

Feb [16] - Performs live in London (UK)

Feb [17] - Performs live in Bristol (UK)

Feb [18] - Performs live in Brighton (UK)

Feb [20] - Performs live in Sheffield (UK)

Feb [21] - Performs live in Salford (UK)

Feb [22] - Performs live in Leeds (UK)

Feb [24] - Performs live in Birmingham (UK)

Feb [25] - Performs live in Wolverhampton (UK)

Mar [7] - Performs live in Tubingen (D)

Mar [8] - Performs live in Erlangen (D)

Mar [9] - Performs live in Stuttgart (D)

Mar [12] - Performs live in Hannover (D)

Mar [15] - Using a 30-piece string section for the first time, ballad Can't Get It Out Of My Head, from Eldorado, becomes group's first US Top 10 hit at #9. (Band will spend most of the year touring.)

Oct - Face The Music, much of it recorded at Musicland studios in Munich, Germany (where the group will record most of its future work), hits US #8.

Jul [17] - Performs live in Houston, TX (USA)

Nov [27] - Performs live in Glasgow (UK)

Nov [28] - Performs live in Edinburgh (UK)

Dec [6] - Performs live in London (UK)

Dec [8] - Performs live in Birmingham (UK)

1976

??? - Performs on "Midnight Special" TV-Show (USA)

Jan [31] - Evil Woman hits UK #10.

Feb [3] - Performs live (USA)

Feb [14] - Evil Woman hits US #10, as a successful US tour begins.

Feb [16] - Performs live (USA)

Mar [4] - Performs live in Detroit, MI (USA)

Apr [ ]- Performs live in San Fransisco, CA (USA)

Apr [ ] - Performs live in Kansas City, KS (USA)

Apr [ ] - Performs live in New York, NY (USA)

Apr [ ] - Performs live in New York, NY (USA)

Apr [ ] - Performs live in Allentown, PA (USA)

Apr [ ] - Performs live in Philadelphia, PA (USA)

Apr [18] - Performs live (USA)

May [22] - Strange Magic reaches US #14.

Jun [15] - Performs live in Bristol (UK)

Jun [17] - Performs live in Birmingham (UK)

Jun [18] - Performs live in Oxford (UK)

Jun [19] - Performs live in Manchester (UUK)

Jun [20] - Performs live in London (UK)

Jun [22] - Performs live in Portsmouth (UK)

Jun [24] - Performs live in Hanley (UK)

Jun [26] - Performs live in Glasgow (UK)

Jun [27] - Performs live in Newcastle (UK)

Jun [28] - Performs live in Liverpool (UK)

July - Strange Magic makes UK #38.

Aug [28] - Reissued Showdown peaks at US #59.

Sept - ELO, signed to Arden's JET label, releases US-only greatest hits album Ole ELO, which reaches US #32.

Dec [4] - A New World Record, written, arranged and produced by Lynne, now the main focus in the group, gains immediate radio interest and hits UK #6. It sells 5 million copies worldwide. Livin' Thing hits UK #4.

1977

Jan [8] - Livin' Thing reaches US #13, as parent album A New World Record hits US #5.

Jan [17] - ELO begins a major US and Canadian tour at the Veterans' Memorial Auditorium, Phoenix, AZ- (It will end three months later on Apr. 6 at Place de Nationale, Montreal, Canada.)

Jan [17] - Performs live in Phoenix, AZ (USA)

Feb [11] - Performs live at Madison Square Garden, New York City USA.

Feb [23] - Performs live in Flint Mich., USA.

Feb [25] - Performs live in Milwaukee, Wisc., USA.

Feb [25-26] - Performs live in Chicago Ill., USA.

Mar [10] - Performs live in Atlanta Ga., USA.

Mar [25] - Performs live at Notre Dame, South Bend, Ind., USA.

Mar - Dramatic Rockaria! hits UK #9.

Apr [2] - ELO's version of The Move's only US hit, Do Ya, reaches US #24, after Todd Rundgren has used it in his live show. Harvest releases compilation The Light Shines On, as Lynne, locked away in a chalet in Bassins, Switzerland, writes songs for a new album.

Apr [ ] - Performs live in Ottawa, (CA).

Apr [6] - Performs live at Place de Nationale, Montreal, Canada.

Apr [11] - A New World Record peaks at UK #6, 8 months after its release. An extensive world tour begins, which, with the year's record sales, will gross the band more than $10 million.

Apr [22] - Performs live in Los Angeles, CA (USA)

June - Telephone Line, from A New World Record, hits UK #8.

Sept [24] - Telephone Line hits US #7, Giving the band its first gold single.

Nov [12] - With worldwide advance orders of 4 million, double album Out Of The Blue, again written and produced by Lynne, hits UK #4.

Dec [10] - Turn To Stone reaches UK #18.

1978

Jan [8] - Out Of The Blue hits US #4. (During its chart run, US distribution for JET switches to CBS/Columbia and the band sues United Artists for allegedly allowing millions of defective copies to reach the market.)

Feb [4] - Turn To Stone reaches US #13.

Feb - ELO begins it's largest and most extravagent world tour ever, billed as "THE BIG NIGHT" in the USA. They played eigth successive sold-out shows at the Wembley Empire Pool in London. This was the tour with the giant laser-lit space ship that opened up with the band playing inside. At the time, this tour was the biggest grossing tour of any live concert ever!

Feb [ ] - Performs live in Hawaii, New Zeland, and Australia

Feb [22] - Performs live in Tokyo (J)

Feb [23] - Performs live in Osaka (J)

Feb [24] - Performs live in Osaka (J)

Feb [25] - Performs live in Kioto (J)

Feb [25] - Mr. Blue Sky hits UK #6.

Feb [26] - Performs live in Fukuoka (J)

Feb [28] - Performs live in Nagoja (J)

Mar [2] - Performs live in Shizuoka (J)

Apr [23] - Performs live in Gothenburg (SW)

Apr [29] - Performs live in Kiel (D)

Apr [29] - Sweet Talkin'Woman reaches US #17.

Apr [30] - Performs live in Dortmund (D)

May [2] - Performs live in Bremen (D)

May [3] - Performs live in Hannover (D)

May [4] - Performs live in Hamburg (D)

May [6] - Performs live in Ludwigshafen/Rhein (D)

May [8] - Performs live in Cologne (D)

May [10] - Performs live in Berlin (D)

May [11] - Performs live in Nurnberg (D)

May [12] - Performs live in Munich (D)

May [15] - Performs live in Paris (F)

May [18] - Performs live in Brussles (B)

Jun [2] - Performs live in London (UK)

Jun [6] - Performs live in Stafford (UK)

Jun [9] - Performs live in London (UK)

Jun [10] - Performs live in London (UK)

Jun [11] - Performs live in London (UK)

Jun [12] - Performs live in London (UK)

Jun [14] - Performs live in London (UK)

Jun [15] - Performs live in London (UK)

Jun [16] - Performs live in London (UK)

June [24] - Wild West Hero hits UK #6.

Jun [30] - Performs live in Omaha, NE (USA)

Jul [2] - Performs live in Kansas City, MO (USA)

Jul [3] - Performs live in Oklahoma City, OK (USA)

Jul [5] - Performs live in Memphis, TN (USA)

Jul [6] - Performs live in Atlanta, GA (USA)

Jul [7] - Performs live in Birmingham, AL (USA)

Jul [9] - Performs live in Lexington, KY (USA)

Jul [11] - Performs live in Greensboro, NC (USA)

Jul [12] - Performs live in Roanoke, VA (USA)

Jul [15] - Performs live in Cleveland, OH (USA)

Jul [19] - Performs live in Toronto (CN)

Aug [10] - Performs live in Chicago, IL (USA)

Aug [12] - Performs live in Pontiac, MI (USA)

Aug [12] - Mr. Blue Sky makes US #35. Group continues a tour featuring an elaborate set, with lasers and a huge illuminated 'spaceship'.

Aug [13] - Performs live in Pontiac, MI (USA)

Aug [14] - Performs live in Indianapolis, IN (USA)

Aug [15] - Performs live in Milwaukee, WI (USA)

Aug [16] - Performs live in Madison, WI (USA)

Aug [17] - Performs live in St. Paul, MN (USA)

Aug [19] - Performs live in Denver, CO (USA)

Aug [22] - Performs live in Las Vegas, NV (USA)

Aug [23] - Performs live in San Francisco, CA (USA)

Aug [26] - Performs live in Anaheim, CA (USA) "The most famous of the Big Night concerts"

Sep [1] - Performs live in Fort Worth, TX (USA)

Sep [2] - Performs live in Shreveport, LA (USA)

Sep [3] - Performs live in Houston, TX (USA)

Sep [4] - Performs live in Baton Rouge, LA (USA)

Sep [5] - Performs live in Biluxi, MS (USA)

Sep [7] - Performs live in Knoxville, TN (USA)

Sep [8] - Performs live in Dayton, OH (USA)

Sep [9] - Performs live in Murphysboro TN (USA)

Sep [11] - Performs live in Buffalo, NY (USA)

Sep [12] - Performs live in New Haven, CT (USA)

Sep [14] - Performs live in New York, NY (USA)

Sep [15] - Performs live in New York, NY (USA)

Sep [18] - Performs live in Philadelphia, PA (USA)

Sep [19] - Performs live in Philadelphia, PA (USA)

Sep [22] - Performs live in Hampton, VA (USA)

Sep [23] - Performs live in Largo, MD (USA)

Sep [25] - Performs live in Pittsburgh, PA (USA)

Sep [27] - Performs live in Boston, MA (USA)

Sep [28] - Performs live in Providence, RI (USA)

Sep [29] - Performs live in Portland, ME (USA)

Sep [30] - Performs live in Montreal (CN) End of the BIG Night 1978 World Tour!

Oct [21] - Sweet Talkin' Woman hits UK #6, becoming the fourth UK hit from Out Of The Blue.

Nov [18] - It's Over peaks at US #75.

Dec [16] - EP ELO makes UK #34. (Tracks are Can't Get It Out Ofmy Head, Strange Magic, Ma-Ma-Ma Belle and Evil Woman.) Lynne's first solo Doin' That Crazy Thing is released but, like Bevan's solo Let There Be Drums, fails to chart.

1979 

Concentrating on recording and less on live performance (band has toured every year since l972), Lynne pares full-time band to a core of himself, Bevan, Tandy and Groucutt, calling on Mik Kaminski when required.

Jan [6] - Jet box set Three Light Years, comprising On The Third Day, Eldorado and Face The Music, makes UK #38. Kaminski's solo Violinski: Clog Dance makes UK #17.

Mar - Harvest issues The Light Shines On Vol. 2, with little success.

May - Shine A Little Love hits UK #6.

May [4] - ELO are honored with the Outstanding Contribution To British Music award at the annual Ivor Novello Awards lunch.

June [2] - Discovery hits UK #1, group's first UK chart-topper album.

July - The Diary Of Horace Wimp hits UK #8,

July [5] - Discovery hits US #5.

July [20] - ELO advertises in music press dedicating forthcoming single Don't Bring Me Down to 'Skylab'.

July [21] - Shine A Little Love hits US #8.

Sept - Don't Bring Me Down hits UK #3.

Sept [8] - Don't Bring Me Down hits US #8, band's biggest US single success.

Nov - Confusion hits UK #8.

Sept [17] - Confusion makes US #37.

Dec [18] - ELO's Greatest Hits hits UK #7.

Dec [22] - ELO's Greatest Hits makes US #30.

1980

Feb [2] - Last Train To London makes US #39.

May - ELO is commisioned to write songs for film "Xanadu". First release from the film I'm Alive, makes UK #20.

June - Title track Xanadu teams ELO with Olivia Newton-John and hits UK #1 (band's first UK chart-topper single).

July - Soundtrack album Xanadu, with one side featuring ELO and the other Olivia Newton-John, hits UK #2 and US #4. The film. however. Is a box-office disaster.

July [12] - I'm Alive reaches US #16.

Aug - All Over The World, from Xanadu, reaches UK #11.

Oct [4] - All Over The World reaches US #13.

Oct [11] - Xanadu hits US #8.

Dec [6] - Don't Walk Away reaches UK #21,

1981

May [19] - Xanadu wins Best Film Song, Theme Or Score at the annual Ivor Novello Awards lunch.

Aug [29] - Time released, tops UK chart and reaches US #16.

Sept [5] - Hold On Tight hits UK #4. (It is the first disk credited to the ELO acronym. They will revert to full name m 1986, when signed to CBS/Epic.)

Oct [3] - Hold On Tight hits US #10.

Group begins a major tour, but for the first time since the early 70s plays to less than capacity audiences.

Oct [1] - Performs live in Largo, MD (USA)

Oct [2] - Performs live in Philadelphia, PA (USA)

Oct [3] - Performs live in Boston, MA (USA)

Oct [4] - Performs live in Rochester, NY (USA)

Oct [6] - Performs live in Hempstead, NY (USA)

Oct [7] - Performs live in Hartford, CT (USA)

Oct [8] - Performs live in East Rutherford, NJ (USA)

Oct [10] - Performs live in Buffalo, NY (USA)

Oct [11] - Performs live in cleveland, OH (USA)

Oct [12] - Performs live in Charleston, WV (USA)

Oct [14] - Performs live in Roanoke, VA (USA)

Oct [15] - Performs live in Williamsburg, VA (USA)

Oct [16] - Performs live in Pittsburgh, PA (USA)

Oct [17] - Performs live in Greensboro, NC (USA)

Oct [19] - Performs live in Lexington, KY (USA)

Oct [20] - Performs live in Nashville, TN (USA)

Oct [21] - Performs live in Atlanta, GA (USA)

Oct [23] - Performs live in Baton Rouge, LA (USA)

Oct [24] - Performs live in Mobile, AL (USA)

Oct [25] - Performs live in Jackson, MS (USA)

Oct [26] - Performs live in Norman, OK (USA)

Oct [28] - Performs live in Kansas City, MO (USA)

Oct [29] - Performs live in St. Louis, MO (USA)

Oct [30] - Performs live in Omaha, NE (USA)

Oct [31] - Performs live in St. Paul, MN (USA)

Nov [2] - Performs live in Milwaukee, WI (USA)

Nov [4] - Performs live in Detroit, MI (USA)

Nov [5] - Performs live in Chicago, IL (USA)

Nov [6] - Performs live in Cincinnati, OH (USA)

Nov [7] - Performs live in Bloomington, IN (USA)

Nov [7] - Twilight, their poorest chart showing for years, makes UK #30.

Nov [28] - Twilight reaches US #38.

Dec [1] - Performs live in London (UK)

Dec [2] - Performs live in London (UK)

Dec [4] - Performs live in London (UK)

Dec [5] - Performs live in London (UK)

Dec [9] - Performs live in London (UK)

Dec [10] - Performs live in London (UK)

Dec [12] - Performs live in Birmingham (UK)

Dec [13] - Performs live in Birmingham (UK)

Dec [14] - Performs live in Birmingham (UK)

Dec [15] - Performs live in Birmingham (UK)

Dec [16] - Performs live in Edinburgh (UK)

1982

Jan [30] - Ticket To The MoonIHere Is The News makes UK #24.

Feb [4] - Performs live in Oslo (N)

Feb [6] - Performs live in Stockholm (SW)

Feb [7] - Performs live in Copenhagen (DK)

Feb [10] - Performs live in Rotterdam (NL)

Feb [11] - Performs live in Bruseels (B)

Feb [13] - Performs live in Frankfurt/Main (D)

Feb [14] - Performs live in Frankfurt/Main (D)

Feb [15] - Performs live in Strasbourg (F)

Feb [16] - Performs live in Paris (F)

Feb [18] - Performs live in Lyon (F)

Feb [19] - Performs live in Zrich (CH)

Feb [20] - Performs live in Dortmund (D)

Feb [21] - Performs live in Dortmund (D)

Feb [23] - Performs live in Guthenburg (SW)

Feb [25] - Performs live in Bremen (D)

Feb [26] - Performs live in Wurstburge (D)

Feb [27] - Performs live in Kassel (D)

Mar - For the first time since Nightrider 6 years earlier, an ELO single (The Way Life's Meant To Be) fails to chart in UK and US.

Mar [2] - Performs live in Cologne (D)

Mar [3] - Performs live in Cologne (D)

Mar [4] - Performs live in Saarbrucken (D)

Mar [5] - Performs live in Munich (D)

1983

Apr - Dave Edmunds' Information, produced bv Lynne, is released.

June - ELO's Rock N' Roll Is King makes UK #13.

July - ELO releases "Secret Messages" LP it hits UK #4, but makes only US #36.

Aug [20] - Rock N' Roll Is King reaches US #19.

Sept - Secret Messages the single makes UK #48.

Oct [8] - Four Little Diamonds stalls at US #86. (It will be the group's last hit for 2 years.) Bevan leaves to join Black Sabbath (but will rejoin in time for the next album).

1984

??? - Jeff Lynne's second solo single, "Video," is released from the ELECTRIC DREAMS soundtrack

Sept - Lynne produces 6 tracks for Dave Edmunds' Riff Raff.

1986

Mar - ELO Releases their last LP as ELO called "Balance of Power"

Mar - Signed to CBS/Epic, ELO, now reduced to 3-piece Lynne, Bevan and Tandy, to US charts with Calling America, at UK #28.

Mar [15] - Group makes its first concert appearance in 4 years, in its home town Birmingham for the "Heartbeat" '86 TV charity show. George Harrison joins them on stage.

??? - Performs on "Solid Gold" TV-Show (USA)

??? - Performs on "Montreux Pop Festival" TV-Show (CH)

??? - Performs on "American Bandstand" TV-Show (USA)

??? - Performs at "Disneyland" for TV broadcast (USA)

Apr [5] - Calling America single reaches US #18. Balance Of Power LP hits UK #9 and US #49, but So Serious and Getting To The Point taken from it, fail to chart.

Jul [5] - Performs live in London (UK)

Jul [12] - Performs live in Dortmund (D)

Jul [13] - Performs live in Stuttgart (D) This will be ELO's last live apperance, as Jeff Lynne disbands the group shortly after.

1987

Lynne produces a track on Duane Eddy, Eddy's comeback album on Capitol. Long-time Beatles fan Lynne works with ex-Beatle, George on his album Cloud Nine (featuring Lynne's US #1 and UK #2 produced Got My Mind Set On You).

June [5-6] - Lynne takes part in the fifth annual Prince's Trust Rock Gala at London's Wembley Arena.

1988

July - Lynne co-writes and co-produces Let It Shine with Brian Wilson for his debut solo album Brian Wilson.

Oct - Concentrating more on production, Lynne teams with Randy Newman for tracks on Land Of Dreams and helps successfully re-launch Roy Orbison's recording career with what proves to be his final album Mystery Girl, and worldwide hit You Got It. Lynne also combines with Orbison as part of The Traveling Wilburvs with Bob 'Lucky' Dylin, George 'Nelson' Harrison and Tom 'Charlie T. Jr.' Petty. Debut single Handle With Care is released with the album from which it is taken, Traveling Wilburys. 'Nelson' Harrison and 'Otis" Lynne co-produce the project.

Nov - ELO was officially disbanded by Jeff Lynne, Jet Records however put out a statement on 22nd November that The Electric Light Orchestra was not disbanded and that Jeff alone had left the group.

1989

Lynne co-writes and co-produces Tom Petty's Full Moon Fever and records comback, and subsequently final, tracks for Del Shannon.

Dec [23] - ELO's The Greatest Hits, on TV-advertised Telstar Records, reaches UK #23. (Relaunched in Oct.1990 as The Very Best Of The Electric Light Orchestra it makes UK #28.)

1990

May - Lynne produces 2 tracks for Roy Wood for later release.

July - Having successfully written and produced for a number of colleagues over the past decade, Lynne turns the spotlight on himself via solo deal with Reprise. First fruit Every Little Thing makes UK #59,

July [21] - Lynne's solo album Armchair Theatre makes US #92 and will reach UK #24. (ELO retrospective Afterglow is released.)

1991

Mar - Lynne considers his legal position as Bevan gathers a number of musicians and begins a world tour under the banner ELO Part Two.

2000

Nov. - After 15 years since the last ELO LP Jeff Lynne resurects ELO with a 30th anniversay release called FLASHBACK. This 3 CD boxed set included many remastered, new and never released ELO songs.

After years of waiting for Lynne's second solo LP, news of an upcomming LP called Zoom is slated for April of 2001 and will carry the ELO banner once again. This will be the first totally new Album to carry the ELO name since 1986.

2001

April 20 - ELO performed live for the first time in 17 years for the VH1 Storytellers taping in New York City. About 40 ELO fans are invited to the taping. (It was so cool!) The new line up is Jeff Lynne and Richard Tandy of the original ELO lineup, as well as new members: Rosie Vela, Marc Mann, Gregg Bissonette, Matt Bissonette, Peggy Baldwin, Sarah O'Brien and "Nika" Nancy.

May 23/24 - ELO performed live at the CBS studios in Hollwood for a taping to air on PBS during their pledge drive later this year. The taping will also be used for a 90 minute DVD to be released later as well. Nancy, The Cellist at the VH1 taping is replaced with cellist Sarah O'Brian.

June 8 - ELO's VH1 Storytellers Show is played across the USA.

June 12 - ELO releases ZOOM. An album billed as ELO 15 years after the last ELO release Balance of Power. Sales are sharp right away but become slugish across the world.

June - Jeff Lynne and Rosie Vela are on Rockline. Jeff does a show 'Off the Record' with Joe Benson. Other ELO related radio shows play worldwide to promote the new album.

July - ELO Schedules the biggest USA tour, to begin September 7 in Albany New York, USA, since Out Of the Blue in 1978. The tour is to include a new spacship and laser show along with a new ELO lineup. Only Jeff Lynne and Richard Tandy are from the original lineup.

August/September - ELO's Zoom Show taped in May plays across the USA on PBS. Since it was pledge week, many PBS station opted not to show it and played it at a later date.

August 15 - A few weeks before the first live ELO show, ELO's management shocks the ELO community by cancelling the first few dates, and then, a few days later, the entire concert is scrapped. Reasons stated for the cancelation were economic factors. Life in the USA gets worse as the largest terrorist attack on the USA Destroys the World Trade Center and all who were in it on Spetember 11. Many major events are cancelled or delayed as a stunned USA tries to deal with a new reality on terror.

November 13 - ELO's Zoom Tour Live DVD is released with 90 minutes of video from the CBS taping in May.

2002

February - ELO's Remasters series is delayed once again and possibly cancelled. Strangely Nothing has been heard from the ELO management on any rescheduled tour or ELO release.

Nov [29] - Exactly one Year to the day after Gerorge Harrison Died, most of the great musical artists of the Rock era join together in a tribute "A Concert for George" at the Royal Albert Hall in London England. Jeff Lynne plays on stage with names such as Ravi and Anoushka Shankar, Tom Petty, Eric Clapton, Ringo Star, Paul McCartney, Monty Pythons Flying Circus, and may others.

2003

Nov [18] - Almost one Year to the day after "A Concert for George", the DVD Box set of the concert is released. Jeff Lynne is credited as producing the audio of the DVD set.

2004

Mar - Jeff Lynne and Tom Petty induct the late George Harrison into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in New York City, NY at the Waldorf Historia Hotel. Jeff and Tom play two Harrison songs "Handle With Care" and "As My Guitar Gently Weeps". Prince, the artist formerly know only by a symbol (also inducted that night) joins them on stage.






Roy Wood (vocals, guitar)
Rick Price (bass)
Hugh McDowell (cello)
Nick Pentelow (saxophone)
Mike Burney (saxophone)
Bill Hunt (keyboards, French hom)
Keith Smart (drums)
Charlie Grima (drums)

1972

July - Wood (b.Ulysses Adrian Wood, Nov.8,1946, Birmingham, W. Midlands), having embarked on a new venture with guitarist Jeff Lynne (b. Dec.30,1947, Birmingham), after their Birmingham group The Move has had its last hit (UK #7 in May) with California Man, originally the Wood-Lynne project but now called the Electric Light Orchestra (ELO), which hits UK #9 with its first single, 10538 Overture, loses interest m the concept and announces the formation of his new group, Wizzard.

Aug - Wizzard debuts at London's Wembley Rock 'N' Roll Festival, on a mismatched bill with Chuck Berry and Bill Haley.

1973

Jan - Debut single Ball Park Incident hits UK #6. The Move's contract with EMI/ Harvest officially has 2 years to run, but the company continues with both splinter groups.

Apr - Wood writes, produces and plays on Farewll, a single by UK children's TV presenter Ayshea.

May - See My Baby Jive tops UK chart, as Wood's multi-colored hair and clothes become part of Wizzard's image.

June - Wizzard Brew reaches UK #29.

Aug - Wood solo Dear Elaine reaches UK #18. (B-side Songs Of Praise was shortlisted for previous year's UK Eurovision Song Contest entry.)

Sept - Angel Fingers tops UK chart. Wood's solo album Boulders reaches UK #15.

Nov - Boulders makes US #173. (Wizzard will never achieve US chart success.)

Dec - Harvest celebrates Christmas with Wizzard's I Wish It Could Be Christmas Every Day, which hits UK #4, and Wood's Forever, which hits UK #8. (I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday will re-chart at Christmas 1981 (#41) and 1984 (#23).

1974

Wood begins year in poor health. The demands of touring and recording lead to ulcers and he is advised to slow down.

May - Wizzard signs to Warner Bros. and first single Rock'N'Roll Winter (Looney's Tune) hits UK #6.

July - Wood's solo Going Dourn The Road reaches UK #13.

Aug - This Is The Story Of My Love (Baby) makes UK #34. Introducing Eddy And The Falcons reaches UK #19. Each track on the album is in the style of a 50s rock'n'roll hero: Gene Vincent, Duane Eddy, Cliff Richard, Del Shannon, etc.

Nov - Wizzard begins unsuccessful US tour.

1975

Jan - Featuring Wood's favorite new instrument, the bagpipes, Are You Ready To Rock hits UK #8.

May - Wood's solo Oh What A Shame, on JET label, reaches UK #13.

Oct - Wizzard's management refuses to finance second US tour; band splits.

Nov - Wood's second album, Mustard, is released. Despite vocal contributions from Phil Everly and girlfriend Annie Haslam, it flops. It is subsequently repackaged as Roy Wood 7he Wizzard.

1976

Wood signs to EMl/Harvest, Warner and JET at the same time, with little idea which he is most bound to. He also has managerial difficulties.

Mar - On JET, Indiana Rainbow, credited to Roy Wood's Wizzard, is drawn from planned Wizzo (which will never be released). The Beach Boys release It's OK, on which Wood and 2 other members of Wizzard had played during their 1974 US tour.

1977

Apr - Wood re-emerges with The Wizzo Band. Its On The Road Again featuring contributions from Led Zeppelin's John Bonhani, Andy Fairweather-Low and original Move vocalist Carl Wayne. Album is deleted soon after release and band ceases. Wood will write and produce for other acts, including Darts, and forms a live band, The Helicopters, as well as releasing several unsuccessful singles.

Sept - Wamer Bros. releases Roy Wood's Wizzo Band's Super Active Wizzo, featuring Wood with new line-up of Bob Wilson (guitar), Rick Price (pedal steel, guitars), Paul Robbms (vocals, keyboards), Graham Gallery (bass), Billy Paul (saxes) and Dave Donovan (drums).

1979

On The Road Again is released in US and Germany as a Wood solo.

1982

July Speed Records r-eleases a compilation album of Wood's work with The Move and beyond, The Singles, which reaches UK #37.

1983

Wood sings Message In A Bottle on Arrested, a collection of The Police songs performed by various rock musicians and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.

1985

He signs to Legacy Records.

1986

Mar - Wood joins other Birmingham musicians including Robert Plant, ELO and The Moody Blues for 'Heartbeat '86' benefit gig.

Nov - He helps out Doctor & The Medics with their version of Abba's first hit, Waterloo, which reaches UK #45.