I'd agree with the statement on the website as to why they're included in there; because they were one of (or the very) first band to incorporate violins and cellos into their songs. Yes, they did include concept albums (Eldorado, and to a lesser extent Time) and they did mess around with time signatures early on, but it gradually decreased, and therefore imo they should be included as prog-related for their first four albums (up until Eldorado). Could be argued that Eldorado and some of the songs on it are more art rocky than prog rocky (Boy Blue, Nobody's Child etc.) but I'm just being pedantic now.
BTW: Just as I'm writing I'm watching the Out of the Blues/Discovery DVD, it's a pitty that the Out of the Blues show for Charity recording has such a terrible recording, it's also funny to see The Dukes of Gloucester talking with the band plus a fat and absolutely not funny Tony Curtis introducing ELO and trying to steal the show during the ELO chat with the Dukes of Gloucester |
Yeah, I've got that on DVD too and sadly, that's the only footage I have of ELO live (which by all accounts is a rare occurrance in itself). Hope they remaster it too, the recording is poor, especially the camera work on Rockaria.