Does ELO belong in the archives?

HeirToRuin wrote: I actually bought the essential ELO collection recently.  I remember them from my early childhood days since my uncle was a huge Olivia Newton John fan (mainly Xanadu). Anyway, after going through that disc, there weren't very many songs I would call prog.  It was more straightforward arena rock to me mainly geared for commercial purposes.

Most "essential" collections are far more interested in marketability than being a good overview of the band.  Are any songs on this collection from ELO's first album?

Once you let in bands like Deep Purple, Asia, Queen, Styx, Ambrosia, Alan Parsons Project, and even Supertramp into the Archives, you've opened the door for other similar acts. ELO clearly falls into this group. Their first three are easily symphonic prog, the next two are a mix of symphonic prog and art rock. From there on it's mostly pop rock with some prog tendencies on a few songs. I don't see much difference between this amount of prog in ELO's career and the amount in the above mentioned bands.

Furthermore, ELO made it into the GEPR and is listed in Jerry Lucky's discography in The Progressive Rock Files, updated ed. issued in 2000.

To me, ELO's entry is a no brainer.

sigod wrote: AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!

I feel your pain.

ELO are on "The Best Prog Album In The World Ever..." so they must be prog. Mind you, so are Deep Purple and Roxy Music and I don't consider them prog overall. Queen aren't on it tho'. I guess there are problems with bands like these who have done some prog stuff (e.g. Deep Purple Concerto) but I think you have to take an overall picture.

ivan_2068 wrote: ELO is a mainstream band that plays with Orchestra instruments, maybe their first two albums could be prog, but after the disater of Discovery (Very Disco) and Xanadu with Olivia Newton John I have no doubts that they are not prog'. Some great albums including A Neew World Record but not prog Either. Iván

Maybe for the first time in my belonging to this forum I have to agree with Ivàn
Discovery and Xanadu, despite featuring a bunch of catchy songs, are definitely CHEESY!

Of course they deserve to be in the Archive!!!Come on you guys!Just listen to their first four albums,not just their first couple,wich of course were prog.Another one of those bands whose victim of their success.Just because they became famous and had hits does'nt mean they're not prog.ELO,Queen,Supertramp,Deep Purple,Golden Earring ect...ALL PROG!Those should be include with selected discography,pointing to their prog albums,other sites and books do it why not PA?

meurglysIII wrote: They have some pretty good catchy songs, but they are not prog IMO

Well, not to be unfair, I believe they arre more than just catchy, but I agree not mainly progressive.

Iván

ELO is a mainstream band that plays with Orchestra instruments, maybe their first two albums could be prog, but after the disater of Discovery (Very Disco) and Xanadu with Olivia Newton John I have no doubts that they are not prog'.

Some great albums including A Neew World Record but not prog Either.

Iván

Oh yeah, I definitely feel that Fire on High is full of prog elements, I'm not real aware of a lot of their other work though so I can't really say if they belong on this site or not, maybe though. Anyone have any ideas?

Losendos wrote:      elo yes queen no

ELO, YES.......QUEEN, YES...and for the final time YES!!!!!!!!!!!!