ELO Part II were a band formed by
Electric Light Orchestra drummer and co-founder
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 drumm ...
. The band also included former ELO bassist and vocalist
Kelly Groucutt
Kelly Groucutt (born Michael William Groucutt; 8 September 1945 – 19 February 2009) was an English musician, best known as the bassist and occasional vocalist for the rock band Electric Light Orchestra (ELO) between 1974 and 1982.
Early care ...
, and violinist
Mik Kaminski
Michael Kaminski (born 2 September 1951) is an English musician. He is best known for playing violin in the rock band Electric Light Orchestra (ELO) between 1973 and 1979 and touring from 1981 to 1986, as well as being a member of Electric Ligh ...
for most of its career, along with conductor
Louis Clark
Louis Clark (27 February 1947 – 13 February 2021) was an English music arranger and keyboard player.
He trained at Leeds College of Music. He is best known for his work with Electric Light Orchestra and '' Hooked on Classics''. Clark started ...
who toured as a guest with ELO in its later years.
After Bevan left the band in late 1999, he sold his half of the rights to the Electric Light Orchestra name back to
Jeff Lynne
Jeffrey Lynne (born 30 December 1947) is an English musician, singer-songwriter, and record producer. He is best known as the co-founder of the rock band Electric Light Orchestra (ELO), which was formed in 1970. As a songwriter, he has cont ...
, and the band changed its name to
The Orchestra.
History
Formation
In 1988 drummer
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 drumm ...
approached
Jeff Lynne
Jeffrey Lynne (born 30 December 1947) is an English musician, singer-songwriter, and record producer. He is best known as the co-founder of the rock band Electric Light Orchestra (ELO), which was formed in 1970. As a songwriter, he has cont ...
, wanting to record another
ELO album.
Lynne declined to participate, so Bevan signaled that he intended to continue the band without him.
Lynne, however, objected over use of the ELO name, and the final agreement reached between the two resulted in ELO officially disbanding and Bevan forming a new band in 1989 called Electric Light Orchestra Part Two.
Another term of the agreement was that Lynne would get a percentage of ELO Part II's record royalties.
Original ELO co-founder
Roy Wood
Roy Wood (born 8 November 1946) is an English musician and singer-songwriter. He was particularly successful in the 1960s and 1970s as member and co-founder of the Move, Electric Light Orchestra and Wizzard. As a songwriter, he contributed a ...
was approached about joining the band, but declined. Bevan recruited longtime ELO string conductor and co-arranger
Louis Clark
Louis Clark (27 February 1947 – 13 February 2021) was an English music arranger and keyboard player.
He trained at Leeds College of Music. He is best known for his work with Electric Light Orchestra and '' Hooked on Classics''. Clark started ...
into his new band, but not as an official member (Clark was never an official member of the original ELO either.) The first line-up comprised Bevan, plus three musicians completely unrelated to ELO:
Eric Troyer
Eric Lee Troyer (born 10 April 1949) is an American keyboardist, singer, songwriter, and occasional guitarist, best known as a member of ELO Part II and its successor The Orchestra. Troyer was a founding member of ELO Part II, having been rec ...
(keyboards and vocals),
Peter Haycock
Peter John Haycock (4 March 1951 – 30 October 2013) was an English musician and film score composer. He began his career as lead guitarist, vocalist, and founding member of the Climax Blues Band.
Early life and career
Haycock was born in Staf ...
(guitar and vocals) and Neil Lockwood (guitar and vocals).
John Payne had also been recruited as a member early on but dropped out, eventually to join
Asia
Asia (, ) is one of the world's most notable geographical regions, which is either considered a continent in its own right or a subcontinent of Eurasia, which shares the continental landmass of Afro-Eurasia with Africa. Asia covers an are ...
in 1991, and
Jim Steinman
James Richard Steinman (November 1, 1947 – April 19, 2021) was an American composer, lyricist and record producer. He also worked as an arranger, pianist, and singer. His work included songs in the adult contemporary, rock, dance, pop, mus ...
was also in the frame at the beginning as producer before himself leaving the project but suggesting his friend Troyer as a possible member.
Debut album
ELO Part Two released a
self-titled album in 1991 which featured former ELO violinist
Mik Kaminski
Michael Kaminski (born 2 September 1951) is an English musician. He is best known for playing violin in the rock band Electric Light Orchestra (ELO) between 1973 and 1979 and touring from 1981 to 1986, as well as being a member of Electric Ligh ...
on one track. The album was intended to hark back to ELO's classic sound of the mid-to-late 1970s, but compared to the original ELO being under the creative control initially of both Wood and Lynne and then Lynne after Wood's departure, ELO Part II were more democratic in terms of songwriting and lead vocals.
The first tour featured the band performing live with the 80-piece
Moscow Symphony Orchestra
The Moscow Symphony Orchestra is a non-state-supported Russian symphony orchestra, founded in 1989 by the sisters Ellen and Marina Levine. The musicians include graduates from such institutions as Moscow, Kiev, and Saint Petersburg Conservatory ...
(MSO) conducted by Konstantin Krimets,
and was well received in the UK. The band chose MSO so they could have a western band playing with an eastern orchestra.
Approximately two-thirds of the songs performed were ELO hits. The tour's set was designed by Tom McPhillips and included the ELO spaceship.
The show in ELO's home town of Birmingham was captured on video and on the live album with the long-winded title ''Performing ELO's Greatest Hits Live Featuring The Moscow Symphony Orchestra''. Kaminski, former ELO cellist
Hugh McDowell
Hugh Alexander McDowell (31 July 1953 – 6 November 2018)[ELO and ...](_blank)
, and former ELO bassist
Kelly Groucutt
Kelly Groucutt (born Michael William Groucutt; 8 September 1945 – 19 February 2009) was an English musician, best known as the bassist and occasional vocalist for the rock band Electric Light Orchestra (ELO) between 1974 and 1982.
Early care ...
were part of the live band, with Groucutt sharing lead and backing vocals with Troyer, Haycock and Lockwood. Kaminski, McDowell and Groucutt were initially appearing as guest artists from a band they had formed called
OrKestra, itself a vehicle to exploit their past association with ELO, but eventually dissolved it and joined ELO Part Two full-time by 1993. McDowell's tenure with the band was short. ELO Part II and MSO planned to kick off their tour in the USA at
Radio City Music Hall. But the tour was cancelled as costs became prohibitive.
The band continued to tour Germany and the UK in 1992 with Louis Clark playing keyboards to emulate the strings of the absent orchestra. In 1993 Haycock and Lockwood left the band, and were replaced by guitarist/vocalist
Phil Bates
Philip Bates (born 30 March 1953) is an English musician who has been a member of many notable bands, including Trickster and Quill, and was the lead guitarist, songwriter and joint lead vocalist for ELO Part II from 1993 through to 1999 and the ...
, who had been in the band
Trickster
In mythology and the study of folklore and religion, a trickster is a character in a story ( god, goddess, spirit, human or anthropomorphisation) who exhibits a great degree of intellect or secret knowledge and uses it to play tricks or otherwi ...
, one of the opening acts for ELO's 1978 world tour. A world tour was undertaken by ELO Part Two in 1993, including dates in the USA and Eastern Europe.
Moment of Truth
Now a six-piece band with a slightly altered name, Electric Light Orchestra Part II recorded a second studio album, ''
Moment of Truth'', which was released in 1994. The success of the album and the single "One More Tomorrow" were determining factors if the band would re-establish themselves in the US.
The album was not a commercial success. The band continued its tour schedule over the following years, sometimes augmenting the core band with a backing orchestra. On these rare occasions they hired local orchestras at each venue to cut down costs.
Another live album with the Australian Rock Orchestra was recorded in Sydney, Australia in March 1995
and was released the following year in Germany as a double album ''
One Night One Night or 1 Night may refer to:
Film
* ''One Night'' (2002 film), a film produced by Winchester Films
* ''One Night'' (2005 film), an Iranian film directed by Niki Karimi
* ''One Night'' (2007 film), a film featuring Christian Campbell and ...
'', and the year after that in the USA as a single album ''One Night - Live in Australia''. The band sold the master tapes of this album and it has since been remixed, remastered, and re-released several times under different titles.
Later career and transition to The Orchestra
Phil Bates remained with the band until January 1999 and was replaced by
Parthenon Huxley
Parthenon Huxley (born January 19, 1956) is an American musician, singer, songwriter and producer who is known for his solo albums and for his involvement in ELO Part II and The Orchestra, both of which are latter-day offshoots of the 1970s-80s ...
(guitar, vocals).
In November 1999 Bevan played his last show with the band at the Sands Hotel in Atlantic City and issued a press release in early 2000 indicating that ELO Part II had split. Due to Bev Bevan selling his rights to the ELO name to Jeff Lynne the band could not continue under the name ELO Part II.
[
The remaining members, however, recruited drummer Gordon Townsend and decided to continue as The Orchestra who continue to tour up to the present day.
]
Personnel
Members
*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 drumm ...
– drums, percussion, backing vocals (1989–2000; ELO member 1970–1986)
*Louis Clark
Louis Clark (27 February 1947 – 13 February 2021) was an English music arranger and keyboard player.
He trained at Leeds College of Music. He is best known for his work with Electric Light Orchestra and '' Hooked on Classics''. Clark started ...
– keyboards, orchestra arranger and conductor (1989–2000; ELO associate 1974-1980, 1983, Non-member touring musician 1981-1982, 1986; died 2021)
*Eric Troyer
Eric Lee Troyer (born 10 April 1949) is an American keyboardist, singer, songwriter, and occasional guitarist, best known as a member of ELO Part II and its successor The Orchestra. Troyer was a founding member of ELO Part II, having been rec ...
– keyboards, vocals, guitar (1989–2000)
*Pete Haycock
Peter John Haycock (4 March 1951 – 30 October 2013) was an English musician and film score composer. He began his career as lead guitarist, vocalist, and founding member of the Climax Blues Band.
Early life and career
Haycock was born in Staff ...
– guitar, bass guitar, vocals (1989–1993; died 2013)
*Neil Lockwood – guitar, vocals (1989–1993)
*Mik Kaminski
Michael Kaminski (born 2 September 1951) is an English musician. He is best known for playing violin in the rock band Electric Light Orchestra (ELO) between 1973 and 1979 and touring from 1981 to 1986, as well as being a member of Electric Ligh ...
– violin (1991, 1992–2000; ELO member 1973-1979, Non-member touring musician 1982, 1986)
*Kelly Groucutt
Kelly Groucutt (born Michael William Groucutt; 8 September 1945 – 19 February 2009) was an English musician, best known as the bassist and occasional vocalist for the rock band Electric Light Orchestra (ELO) between 1974 and 1982.
Early care ...
– bass guitar, vocals (1991, 1992–2000; ELO member 1975-1983; died 2009)
*Hugh McDowell
Hugh Alexander McDowell (31 July 1953 – 6 November 2018)[ELO and ...](_blank)
– cello (1991; ELO member 1972, 1973–1979; died 2018)
*Phil Bates
Philip Bates (born 30 March 1953) is an English musician who has been a member of many notable bands, including Trickster and Quill, and was the lead guitarist, songwriter and joint lead vocalist for ELO Part II from 1993 through to 1999 and the ...
– guitar, vocals (1993–1999)
*Parthenon Huxley
Parthenon Huxley (born January 19, 1956) is an American musician, singer, songwriter and producer who is known for his solo albums and for his involvement in ELO Part II and The Orchestra, both of which are latter-day offshoots of the 1970s-80s ...
– guitar, vocals (1999–2000)
Timeline
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id:viol value:drabgreen legend:Violin
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id:key value:purple legend:Keyboards
id:b value:blue legend:Bass
id:dr value:orange legend:Drums
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bar:Pete Haycock from:start till:01/07/1991 color:b width:7
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bar:Mik Kaminski from:01/05/1992 till:end color:viol
bar:Eric Troyer from:start till:end color:key
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bar:Louis Clark from:start till:end color:key
bar:Kelly Groucutt from:01/07/1991 till:01/10/1991 color:b
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bar:Kelly Groucutt from:01/05/1992 till:end color:b
bar:Kelly Groucutt from:01/05/1992 till:end color:voc width:3
bar:Bev Bevan from:start till:end color:dr
Discography
Studio albums
Compilation albums
Live albums
Singles
Music videos
Videos
*''Performing ELO's Greatest Hits Live Featuring The Moscow Symphony Orchestra'' (VHS), (1992)
*''Electric Light Orchestra - Part II - One Night Live in Australia '95'' (DVD), (1995)
*''Access All Areas'' (DVD/VHS), (1997) Produced and Directed by George Reed. Running time 58 minutes. Feature includes interviews with band members, live performances, music videos for "All Fall Down" and "Ain't Necessarily So" as well as behind the scenes footage.
References
External links
http://www.elodiscovery.com
ELO & Jeff Lynne information page
Under London Skies
- unofficial fanzine for The Orchestra, the band formerly known as ELO Part II.
ELO Fans.com
- discussion for fans of the Electric Light Orchestra, ELO Part II and The Orchestra.
{{DEFAULTSORT:Elo Part Ii
1989 establishments in England
2000 disestablishments in England
Electric Light Orchestra
Musical groups from Birmingham, West Midlands
Musical groups established in 1989
Musical groups disestablished in 2000
Scotti Brothers Records artists