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Mr. Blue Sky
"Mr. Blue Sky" is a song by the Electric Light Orchestra (ELO), featured on the band's seventh studio album '' Out of the Blue'' (1977). Written and produced by frontman Jeff Lynne, the song forms the fourth and final track of the "Concerto for a Rainy Day" suite on side three of the original double album. "Mr. Blue Sky" was the second single to be taken from ''Out of the Blue'', peaking at number 6 in the UK Singles Chart and number 35 in the US Billboard Charts. Promotional copies were released on blue vinyl, like the album from which the single was issued. Due to its popularity and frequent use in multiple television shows and movies, it has sometimes been described as the band's signature song. Inspiration In a BBC Radio interview, Lynne talked about writing "Mr. Blue Sky" after locking himself away in a Swiss chalet and attempting to write ELO's follow-up to ''A New World Record'': Lynne also said: The song's arrangement has been called "Beatlesque", bearing similar ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Electric Light Orchestra
The Electric Light Orchestra (ELO) are an English rock band formed in Birmingham in 1970 by multi-instrumentalists Jeff Lynne and Roy Wood and drummer Bev Bevan. Their music is characterised by a fusion of pop and classical arrangements with futuristic iconography. After Wood's departure in 1972, Lynne became the band's sole leader, arranging and producing every album while writing nearly all of their original material. During their first run from 1970 to 1986, Lynne and Bevan were the group's only consistent members. The group's name is a pun that references both electric light and "light orchestral music", a popular style featured in places such as the BBC Light Programme between the 1940s and 1960s. ELO was formed out of Lynne's and Wood's desire to create modern rock and pop songs with classical influences. It derived as an offshoot of Wood's previous band, the Move, of which Lynne and Bevan were also members. During the 1970s and 1980s, ELO released a string of ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
A New World Record
''A New World Record'' is the sixth studio album by the English rock band Electric Light Orchestra (ELO). It was released on 15 October 1976, by United Artists Records in the United States and on 19 November 1976, by Jet Records in the United Kingdom. ''A New World Record'' marked ELO's shift towards shorter pop songs, a trend which would continue across their career. Their second album to be recorded at Musicland Studios in Munich, the LP proved to be the band's breakthrough in the UK; after their previous three studio recordings failed to chart in their home country, ''A New World Record'' became their first top ten album on the UK Albums Chart. It became a global success and reached multi-platinum status in the US and UK. The album sold five million units worldwide within its first year of release. The cover art features the ELO logo, designed by Kosh, for the first time; this logo would be included on most of the group's subsequent releases. The album yielded four hit sing ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Bee Gees
The Bee Gees were a musical group formed in 1958 by brothers Barry Gibb, Barry, Robin Gibb, Robin, and Maurice Gibb. The trio was especially successful in popular music in the late 1960s and early 1970s, and later as prominent performers in the disco music era in the mid-to-late 1970s. The group sang recognisable three-part Close and open harmony, tight harmonies: Robin's clear vibrato lead vocals were a hallmark of their earlier hits, while Barry's Rhythm and blues, R&B falsetto became their signature sound during the mid-to-late 1970s and 1980s. The group wrote all their own original material, as well as writing and producing several major hits for other artists, and are regarded as one of the most important and influential acts in pop-music history. They have been referred to in the media as Honorific nicknames in popular music, The Disco Kings, Britain's First Family of Harmony, and The Kings of Dance Music. Born on the Isle of Man to English parents, the Gibb brothers li ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Fire Extinguisher
A fire extinguisher is a handheld active fire protection device usually filled with a dry or wet chemical used to extinguish or control small fires, often in emergencies. It is not intended for use on an out-of-control fire, such as one which has reached the ceiling, endangers the user (i.e., no escape route, smoke, explosion hazard, etc.), or otherwise requires the equipment, personnel, resources or expertise of a fire brigade. Typically, a fire extinguisher consists of a hand-held cylindrical pressure vessel containing an #Types of extinguishing agents, agent that can be discharged to extinguish a fire. Fire extinguishers manufactured with non-cylindrical pressure vessels also exist, but are less common. There are two main types of fire extinguishers: stored-pressure and cartridge-operated. In stored-pressure units, the expellant is stored in the same chamber as the firefighting agent itself. Depending on the agent used, different propellants are used. With dry chemical extingu ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Bev Bevan
Beverley Bevan (born 25 November 1944) is an English rock musician who was the drummer and one of the original members of the Move and Electric Light Orchestra (ELO). After the end of ELO in 1986, he founded ELO Part II. Bevan also was a drummer for Black Sabbath during the Born Again Tour, and later played percussion on '' The Eternal Idol'' in 1987. Bevan was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2017 as a member of Electric Light Orchestra. Early years and education Bevan was born in South Yardley, Birmingham. After attending Moseley Grammar School, where he gained two O level passes, he worked as a trainee buyer in a city centre department store called The Beehive with school friend Jasper Carrott (Robert Davis). Career The Move His professional music career started with a stint with Denny Laine in his group Denny Laine and the Diplomats, then with Carl Wayne & the Vikings, followed by the Move in 1966. The Move was known for being the boost to fame fo ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Cowbell (instrument)
The cowbell is an idiophone hand percussion instrument used in various styles of music, such as Latin and rock. It is named after the similar bell used by herdsmen to keep track of the whereabouts of cows. The instrument initially and traditionally has been metallic; however, contemporarily, some variants are made of synthetic materials. Origins While the cowbell is commonly found in musical contexts, its origin can be traced to freely roaming animals. In order to help identify the herd to which these animals belonged, herdsmen placed these bells around the animal's neck. As the animals moved about the bell would ring, thus making it easier to know of the animal's whereabouts. Though the bells were used on various types of animals, they are typically referred to as "cowbells" due to their extensive use with cattle. Tuned cowbells Tuned cowbells or ''Almglocken'' (their German name, ‘Alm’ meaning a mountain meadow, and ‘Glocken’ bells), sometimes known by the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Kelly Groucutt
Kelly Groucutt (born Michael William Groucutt; 8 September 1945 – 19 February 2009) was an English musician best known as the bassist and secondary vocalist for the rock band Electric Light Orchestra (ELO) between 1974 and 1982. Early career Groucutt was born in Coseley, West Midlands. He began his musical career at 15 as Rikki Storm of Rikki Storm and the Falcons. He sang with multiple outfits during the 1960s, picking up the guitar as he went along. Groucutt was also a member of a band called "Sight and Sound", and later with a band called "Barefoot". Electric Light Orchestra While playing with Barefoot in Birmingham, he was spotted by ELO's Jeff Lynne; and after Lynne, Bev Bevan and Richard Tandy had watched him play, he was invited to join ELO, to replace Mike de Albuquerque, who had recently left the band. Upon joining, he was asked to adopt a stage name because ELO had already had several members named Michael, Mike or Mik; he chose Kelly (a school nickname). ELO th ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Omnibus Press
Omnibus Press is a publisher of music-related books. It publishes around 30 new titles a year to add to a backlist of over 300 titles currently in print. History Omnibus Press was launched in 1972 as a general non-fiction publisher to complement the sheet music published and distributed by its parent company Music Sales Group. Music Sales had launched a separate company called Book Sales Ltd and the earliest Book Sales catalogue, issued in the early 70s, included compilations of underground comic strips, art and photography titles and one of the earliest books on the then newly discovered art of video. After former ''Melody Maker'' music journalist Chris Charlesworth joined as Omnibus editor in 1983, it was decided to concentrate exclusively on music books, and among its earliest acquisitions was Rock Family Trees by music archivist Pete Frame which remains in print and have been the basis of two BBC TV series. Over the succeeding decades Omnibus has published many biogra ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Do You Remember Walter?
"Do You Remember Walter?" (also spelled "Do You Remember Walter") is a song by the English rock band the Kinks from their sixth studio album, ''The Kinks Are the Village Green Preservation Society'' (1968). Written and sung by Ray Davies, the song was recorded in July1968. The song's narrator recalls experiences with a childhood friend and speculates on an imagined reunion with him in adulthood, only to suspect that the two would no longer have anything to talk about. The song was directly inspired by a similar experience of Davies. As one of several character studies to appear on ''Village Green'', the song is often characterised by commentators as central to the album's themes of nostalgia and loss. Retrospective commentators have described it as one of Davies's best compositions. Background and composition Ray Davies was inspired to compose "Do You Remember Walter" after running into an old friend and finding they didn't have anything to talk about. The friend directly ins ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Kinks
The Kinks were an English rock band formed in London in 1963 by brothers Ray Davies, Ray and Dave Davies, and Pete Quaife. They are regarded as one of the most influential rock bands of the 1960s. The band emerged during the height of British rhythm and blues and Merseybeat, and were briefly part of the British Invasion of the United States until their The Kinks' 1965 US tour#Ban, touring ban in 1965. Their third single, the Ray Davies-penned "You Really Got Me", became an international hit, topping the charts in the United Kingdom and reaching the Top 10 in the United States. The Kinks' music drew from a wide range of influences, including Rhythm and blues, American R&B and rock and roll initially, and later adopting British music hall, Folk music, folk, and country music, country. The band gained a reputation for reflecting English culture and lifestyle, fuelled by Ray Davies' observational and satirical lyricism, and made apparent in albums such as ''Face to Face (The Kinks ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Yesterday (Beatles Song)
"Yesterday" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles, written by Paul McCartney and credited to Lennon–McCartney. It was first released on the album ''Help!'' in August 1965, except in the United States, where it was issued as a single in September. The song reached number one on the US ''Billboard'' Hot 100 chart. It subsequently appeared on the UK EP '' Yesterday'' in March 1966 and made its US album debut on '' Yesterday and Today'', in June 1966. McCartney's vocal and acoustic guitar, together with a string quartet, was essentially the band's first solo performance. It remains popular today and, with 2,200 cover versions, is one of the most covered songs in the history of recorded music. "Yesterday" was voted the best song of the 20th century in a 1999 BBC Radio 2 poll of music experts and listeners and was also voted the No. 1 pop song of all time by MTV and ''Rolling Stone'' magazine the following year. In 1997, the song was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fam ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
A Day In The Life
"A Day in the Life" is a song by the English rock band the Beatles that was released as the final track of their 1967 album '' Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band''. Credited to Lennon–McCartney, the opening and closing sections of the song were mainly written by John Lennon, with Paul McCartney primarily contributing the song's middle section. All four Beatles shaped the final arrangement of the song. Lennon's lyrics were mainly inspired by contemporary newspaper articles, including a report on the death of Guinness heir Tara Browne. The recording includes two passages of orchestral glissandos that were partly improvised in the avant-garde style. In the song's middle segment, McCartney recalls his younger years, which included riding the bus, smoking, and going to class. Following the second crescendo, the song ends with one of the most famous chords in popular music history, played on several keyboards, that sustains for over forty seconds. A reputed drug reference i ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
