Roy Wood on why he left ELO in 1972

Roy Wood co-founded ELO (Electric Light Orchestra) but left the band soon after their debut album. His departure wasn’t just about “musical differences"-there was much more to the story!
In a recent interview, Roy explained in his own words what happened. He talked about the band's tour in Italy and what occurred when they returned to the UK.
Roy Wood's Official website: www.roywood.co...
For all things Roy Wood, I'd recommend the "Cherry Blossom Clinic" page on Facebook: www.facebook.c...
Full interview: open.spotify.c...
#roywood #elo #electriclightorchestra #jefflynne #wizzard #themove

[@cybervision_1]

we are all blessed that ELO survived after the Don Arden era

[@maxwellfan55]

Two of the most innovative British musicians, performers and songwriters.

[@tonywright8294]

One only

[@user-qy2yw5ed3d]

Roy and Jeff, two legends but Don Arden urrrgh! He`s Sharon Osbournes dad - a classic case of the apple doesn`t fall far from the tree.

[@barbarakirk3064]

If that's David Arden, his son, in the office picture standing next to him, I can't help thinking he resembles Ricky Tomlinson when he played Barry Grant in Brookside!

[@PeteBurns-xv2fz]

Bobby grant...and he really does 😂

[@MrCherryJuice]

Sharon (and Ozzy) even walked out on her father, only going to see him when he was on his death bed.

[@leroysimon5692]

👏🏾👏🏾👍🏾

[@snoosnoo7054]

Roy and Jeff - two geniuses and the very best of blokes, as ever stuck with the very lowest form of life as a manager. I wonder what Brum's Lennon & McCartney could have achieved together.

[@MrAronRobinson]

Well said, my thoughts completely. Since they were both imaginative, great musicians AND got along very well it would’ve made so much more sense in the long run to keep them together, and ELO would’ve been the Birmingham’s own Bostin’ Beatles.

[@MrMjp58]

Very enlightening and very sad. They were both incredibly talented, but together they might have achieved even more, if that was possible.

[@danmoss2080]

Roy is a total legend

[@user-mf1xc3zb2t]

He's the man. 😂

[@chrisjohnson3590]

Proper, proper musician, songwriter and legend of British music history.

[@liamoconnor9487]

I met Roy a few times, over the years. A really down to earth guy...no airs to him, at all. I remember going into the Eagle, on Hill Street, for a pint, one night and seeing Roy, sitting on his own, in the corner, having a quiet drink....and he was number one in the charts, at the time. I can't imagine too many top artists being that 'normal'.

[@bigblue1972]

he always came across as a right nice bloke Roy ,great musician,,,

[@longjonwhite]

At last the story can be told! Thank God for this video, I’ve been losing sleep over this question for over 5 decades now.

[@kasperkjrsgaard1447]

Well, off to bed then. You must be tired 😉

[@plasticweapon]

love roy's work with the move.

[@davidmacgregor5193]

Rick Price was in a Birmingham band called Mongrel when Roy recruited him into Wizzard, other Mongrel members who joined Wizzard were Keith Smart on Drums and Charlie Grima on Drums and Percussion. Three other ELO guys left with Roy to form Wizzard, they were, Bill Hunt on keyboards, Hugh McDowell and Trevor Smith on Cello. The Wizzard lineup was completed by Mike Burney on Alto and Baritone Saxophones and Nick Pentelow on Tenor Saxophone, they both came from The Daltons. R.I.P. Mike Burney, Hugh McDowell and Rick Price.

[@apollomemories7399]

Why did I think Charlie Grima had been in Resurrection and not Mongrel?

[@davidmacgregor5193]

@@apollomemories7399 You were right, Charlie was also the drummer in the Birmingham progressive rock band The Ghost, when vocalist / guitarist Shirley Kent left The Ghost, the remaining members changed their name to Resurrection. When Charlie left Resurrection, he joined Mongrel.

[@grahamrock3942]

Roy, thank you so,so much for being YOU...inspirational from the early days, ALL your Songs, however interpreted, will stand the "Test of Time". I will never forget those close encounters at 'La Dolcé Vita' in Smallbrook Queensway and certainly not when I had the privilege of shaking your hand standing on the Forecourt of Davenports Brewery OFF LICENCE, in Bath Row. Wonderful, wonderful times...thank you again...stay safe, Friend G.A.R.

[@railwaystationmaster]

Always regarded Roy not only a Wizard but also an honest man so this merely confirms that , it's also probably fair to say that E.L.O. although inventive with Roy , were able to expand their seismic reach beyond the stratosphere after he left . Although in the end the albums did start to sound much same as each predecessor , ELO 2 being my particular favourite , although lacking the commercial success of what was to come.

[@daverigby23]

Nasty piece of work, Don Arden. That's putting it very mildly

[@jimking3288]

His daughter is worse !!

[@andywilliams8636]

Roy has a wonderful talent, my first memory of his music was hearing Fire Brigade on the radio, marvellous.

[@garyolshan4177]

The Move one of the most underappreciated bands in rock history. Shazam is a masterpiece

[@GreenmanXIV]

Don Arden, what a piece of work he was.

[@iansteel5569]

Love Roy, The first record I ever bought was 'Califonia Man' by the move! Check out that tune!

[@apollomemories7399]

with 'Do Ya' on the b-side. Top record.

[@tommaguzzi1723]

That's probably the 2nd or 3rd 45 I ever bought with my paper round money. It had Green and yellow label if I remember correctly.

[@mrbluesky10538]

Hi yes it's what Roy told me in the pub in Glasgow before his gig at the kings 2017 and really nice guy wayted 50 years to meet then again same year at the pavilion. Best year

[@michaelmamp9096]

I loved Roy's work on Annie Haslam's solo album ANNIE IN WONDERLAND...a truly beautiful album!!

[@MrCherryJuice]

Roy and Annie were a romantic item for a while.

[@geoff6942]

It gutted me when Roy left ELO. The concerto, (sorry overture 10538) is a masterpiece. In my dreams I would like to think Jeff and Roy still visit each other, (genius to genius).

[@janetjordan9462]

Wizzard really had great songs so in hindsight it was meant to be. 🎸💕🎶

[@classicrockfan8034]

ELO became so much better after Roy left. Roy gave a big thank you to Jeff for being inducted into the Rock Hall Of Fame. Roy said: " Jeff wrote all the hits". To this day Roy and Jeff are good friends.

[@johnatkinson7126]

And yet jeff lynne couldn't thank roy wood for inviting him to join him at the move then elo after all elo was roy Woods idea lynne was just a founder member along with bev bevan

[@tracyjordan6738]

god bless you roy

[@eamonmcdermott4032]

Don Arden was a complete gash and his daughter hasn't fallen far from the tree.

[@dixgun]

Didn’t know it was because of the potential to earn twice as much with a split. Thanks for this. 🙏

[@impalaman9707]

Its a common thread throughout rock history: People leave bands before they become popular. Some for the financial miscalculation of thinking that they will be more successful in another field altogether (dentistry, for example). Some look back with regret at the success they could have had as the worst decision they ever made in their life, and others don't have any regrets at all. Personally---I feel sorry for ALL those guys!

[@discerntheevidence4273]

"ELO recorded the same song for 20years and made lots of money" 10538 Overture, King of the Universe, Boy Blue, Can’t Get It Out of My head, Eldorado Overture, Dreaming of 4000, Day breaker, Strange Magic, Fire on High, Poker, Mission, Shang-ri-la, Mr Blue Sky, Sweet is the Night, Big Wheels, Concerto for a Rainy Day, 21St Century Man, Bluebird is Dead, Bluebird, Just for Love, All My Life, Alone in the Universe, From out of Nowhere. Just a glimpse of some of the Classic ELO songs from history, certainly not the same songs all unique in their own way. As George Harrison quoted they made some of the best music of the 70s. John Lennon called them Son of Beatles doing things they never did. You can’t beat ELO.

[@ladytron4220]

All great songs!!

[@caryheuchert]

I’ve always wished ELO and Wizzard could have done a one-off album together, or at least a concert.

[@chrisjohnson3590]

That would’ve been immense.

[@patmckeane6588]

Rick price was a lovely bloke R I P

[@encoreunefois1X]

Decent songwriters indeed!

[@MrCherryJuice]

Yes, Roy with a fretless electric bass in the early 70s would have been unusual. But Bill Wyman with the Stones was playing one about a decade earlier. He removed the frets from his Framus and lacquered the fretboard to create a feel more akin to an upright bass. I believe he had previously played upright bass in jazz bands. Surprisingly Jack Bruce, another jazzer (and classically trained player) didn't do that in his early days. He played upright exceptionally well prior to switching to 6-string electric bass with the Graham Bond Organisation. He later played 4-string, it too fretted. It wasn't until later that he got into 4- and 5-string fretless. He was an absolute maestro on both. And though Pino Palladino is the default reference for fretless thanks to his early 80s success with Paul Young, it was Jaco Pastorious, most notably with Weather Report and then Joni Mitchell that inspired Pino and put the fretless electric on everyone's radar.

[@Johnno9989]

Personally, I found that ELO wasn't so much the same after Roy Wood - don't get me wrong, I don't hate any of ELO's material from since then. I just feel that Roy's era in the band was more artistic and a little bit less commercial. That being said, both the Move and Wizzard are as awesome as this guy is!

[@user-mf1xc3zb2t]

Well said.

[@classicrockfan8034]

ELO became so much better after Roy left. Roy gave a big thank you to Jeff for being inducted into the Rock Hall Of Fame. Roy said: " Jeff wrote all the hits".

[@classicrockfan8034]

@@johnatkinson7126 AH get your facts straight. Go listen to Roy Wood’s speech at the Rock Hall Of Fame’s ELO induction. You can’t make this shit up. He said Jeff Lynne’s is responsible for Wood’s induction. I will post you the link of his speech. Stop being a hater old grumpy man 😡

[@classicrockfan8034]

@@johnatkinson7126 Are you talking to yourself senile old man?

[@nollypra2752]

Nothing to do with Jeff lynne! Wood was only there for the first album. The only hit was a jeff lynne song! So as far as ELO was concerned, Roy Wood basically did bugger all!! ​@@johnatkinson7126

[@RA76951]

Watch interviews with the Small Faces, and how Arden was with them......

[@petersanderson1741]

Legend

[@donwershba2319]

Roy is a certified genius. If you doubt that, just listen to SHAZAM by THE MOVE. Truly one of the greatest albums of all time IMHO

[@misfit2022]

Don Arden - “the Al Capone of pop”

[@Peremptor]

Damn that sucks but hey he kicked ass solo but man Roy & Jeff... could have been truly legendary.

[@cliveclive54]

My fave line ever,"Oh Curly where's yur girly where's she gone?" 🙂

[@fs.pureblood]

If Roy hadn't left ELO there would be no wizzard. It worked out for the best.

[@brucetindal7399]

Don Arden. Real name Harry Levy. From the tribe. They all changed them back then.

[@stevesullivan4704]

All the wars and evil in the world not just the music business

[@Weenybean.]

@@stevesullivan4704 100%

[@lawrencefeldman7744]

Did they have space lasers,champ? Let's think about music.

[@WisdomKeeper11]

Roy is Jeff.

[@Mark-td5ux]

If the venues didn't pay up after an ELO concert Arden would beat the manager up.

[@paulshepherd1348]

Very interesting, I know that Don Arden was a factor in it, not a nice man. Makes you wonder what ELO would have sounded like with two major song writers... I think him an Jeff would have butted heads eventually though.

[@neonfroot]

Yep. Just like Paul and John.

[@paulshepherd1348]

@@neonfroot good comparison yes..

[@elodevi]

Thank you Tony ! Would like to have a translation. i will translate the transcription

[@expressoevangelism80]

I will always remember ‘Step into Christmas’ as one of my favourite seasonal songs. Thank you Roy.

[@allanstack7016]

Elton John 😮

[@avanti6058]

I think it was somewhat predictable as well. While ELO was a band, it was always controlled by Jeff. They were 2 very different types of geniuses and a lot of talent for one room.

[@sheldonlocke9584]

Wish I had my own words.

[@annabargues8394]

Hi!! I have all the albums and I love Jeff Lynne!! I speak a little English but it's hard for me to understand... would someone be so kind as to give a brief summary...? Thanks a lot!!!!! ❤E.L.O.🎶🔝

[@RebeccaTurner-ny1xx]

Roy Wood left ELO in 1972. The reasons have been unclear. Roy Wood, who was the co-writer with Jeff of their early songs, says that it was their manager Don Arden who persuaded Roy to leave the band so that Don could earn more from two separate musical outfits. He says that Don Arden planted untrue gossip in Jeff Lynne's mind so that Jeff would want Roy to leave.

[@annabargues8394]

@@RebeccaTurner-ny1xx Muchas gracias!!!! Saludos desde Barcelona.

[@tony713elo]

@annabargues8394 the video can automatically translate. First, turn on the subtitles. Then click on the video settings, then click Subtitles (c), then click auto-translate, and then just choose what language you want.

[@annabargues8394]

@@tony713elo Ooohhh siiii!!!! 😅😂😂😂 I didn't know!!!! Thanks!!😊

[@garymacdonald7165]

Thank christ Roy left ELO or we wouldnt have heard all those magical Jeff Lynne screamers!

[@lhpl]

And maybe we would have had something even more magical. Nobody will know - it's just hypothetical. It doesn't really matter at all. Roy has made some great music too!

[@terryharrison5185]

Sharon Arden...🤑🤑🤑

[@venenareligioest410]

Arden was a criminal, a bully, a thug and a thief!

[@martinclail9290]

Arden ran Stan Polley close when they were looking for the worse bollocks involved with band management.

[@patrickkelly9178]

Don Arden probably one of the most evil and despicable people in the world of music. Sharon Osborne is no angel by any means but even she hated her father I do believe. I think Roy still lives on his farm down the A5.

[@mp3bbb]

At least two good bands came out of this.

[@stevesullivan4704]

Another 'Alan Klein' Effing dues!

[@dogpaw775]

neither Wood or Lynne would have achieved their objective's had they been encumbered by the other. equally as credible. the 'bread' heads can fret over the rest.

[@CotswoldCreative]

Do I see 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

[@koleberdinoch926]

So they never fell out. But he did storm off in a huff.

[@jiminycrint]

Don Arden was one of the worst of the 60’s rip off merchants who polluted the music industry at the time. It’s no surprise that he’s Sharon Osbornes Dad. Like father like daughter….

[@mickb44]

nice one roy of the offerings after you left elo, much prefer your stuff ,ELO recorded the same song for 20years and made lots of money

[@Paul-ci4gq]

What utter nonsese

[@mikecaldwell4442]

the incident of disrespect......intolerable if you are a artist.....untenable

[@tango22ah]

Is it me or is it like pulling teeth listening to Roy tell this story

[@MrMjp58]

He’s a magnificent writer/performer, but not the world’s greatest raconteur.

[@tango22ah]

@@MrMjp58 oh I love Roy but I was pulling my hair out.

[@Weenybean.]

He's getting on a bit y'know

[@ricko3k]

Arden was a twat, not that fond of his daughter.

[@lesleyadams4279]

Arden not a nice guy at all. I heard a very long time ago that he was a control freak

[@timkis64]

not too much good ever came from don arden, INCLUDING sharon osbourne.a true ripoff artist at heart.

[@garymitchell5899]

Like it's over 50 years ago get over it

[@marcushinton772]

No disrespect but it's over fifty years ago, get over it

[@heraldeventsandfilms5970]

Roy Wood is a far-right r.sole. a pal of Farage and although he is a fine musician, he's an r.sole as a person.

[@sicksquid3258]

Bampot.

[@apollomemories7399]

By that description you've given, he sounds like a really level headed and reasonable bloke. That must be why so many of us really like him. Oh, and you can do one.

[@heraldeventsandfilms5970]

@@apollomemories7399 Oh look, another of Farage's losers, an EDL see you enn tee. People like you don't matter.

[@sempereadem54eadem64]

Ah bless a 🤡

[@Weenybean.]

anothe hitler right? 🙄🙄