1978 Electric Light Orchestra Backing Track Scandal Debunked
The Electric Light Orchestra band has had this folklore story hanging over their heads for years. The story begins in August 1978, when a prominent Detroit concert promotion firm accused the Band of using taped enhancements during a pair of stadium concerts.
ELO had performed Aug. 12-13 at the Pontiac Silverdome and was subsequently sued by a production company. The promoter claimed ELO had used backing tapes during the shows and had, in fact, “confiscated” the allegedly used tapes.
Those tapes never surfaced in evidence, but the matter was allegedly settled out of court.
ELO’s Out Of The Blue Tour On Tape?
It depends on how you look at it. In a nutshell, yes, the band was playing live on both nights and was not lip-syncing.
Yes, there were backing tapes used on the ’78 tour, but it helps to understand the reasons why everyone felt this was necessary:
- Due to the stage design, long and undesired reverb was created, so tapes helped keep everyone in time for the more complicated tracks—mainly those from Out Of The Blue. Around the same time, major bands such as Queen were using pre-recorded elements to help their sound, and they didn’t have “spaceships” to contend with.
- Playing under such ample lighting caused the strings to go out of tune, so any especially bad points could be hidden by raising the volume of the tape in the mix being fed out to the audience.
- A lot of what people think of as tapes on the ’78 tour were actually off-stage contributions from front-of-house sound mixer Jake Commander, who also provided additional background vocal, guitar, synthesizer, and even vocoder parts, all from behind the now-deceased Richard Tandy’s keyboard.
- Much of the miming controversy stems from a lawsuit in the US that involved a promoter looking to make money back after it failed to advertise a show. properly
The Show Was Fantastic
The first of two shows, August 12th & 13th. My ticket was for Saturday, Aug 12. Electric Light Orchestra, Heart, and a 3rd band I had never heard of Trickster. It is not the same as the hairband Trixter of the late 80s.
The ticket I bought was only $10 dollars and was about halfway back on the left side. I remember the sound bounced around a bit, but overall, Heart was amazing, and ELO? Even if backing tracks were used, I couldn’t care less; it sounded pretty good to me.
Over And Out ( The Final Tour)
“A brilliant catalog returns to U.S. stages and gives the strings-starved people what they want,” Variety article of the group’s previous tour in 2018. “The ELO catalog speaks for itself… and it was a glorious thing to behold… in a 19-song set that reprised the closest thing to truly Beatle-level pop the 1970s had to offer.”
Screamin's Favorite 8-Tracks
Electric Light Orchestra - A New World Order
A New World Record is the sixth studio album by Electric Light Orchestra. It was released in October 1976. A great tune is the song, “Do Ya”. A song left over from Jeff Lynn’s former band The Move. Radio favorites, “Living Thing”, “Telephone Line”, and “Tightrope”. Album widely received by music critics.
8 Track of ELO
Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band - LIVE BULLET
Bob Seger * Track
How could you go wrong with, “Live Bullet”? The 8-Track squeezes 2 8-Tracks onto one 8-Track! Non-stop music with all the favorites from Cobo Hall.
" The Beatles " - REVOLVER
The Beatles Revolver 8 Track
One of many Beatles 8-Tracks in my collection. This happens to be one of my best ones and gets played the most. The cotton pressure pads need to be replaced sometime soon. Many of the 8-Tracks need a bit of TLC after so many years of play.
The FACES - A Nod is as good as a wink ... to a blind horse...
The Faces 8 Track
A Nod’s as Good as a Wink… To a Blind Horse is the 3rd album by the Faces and the band’s second album of 1971. With lead singer Rod Stewart’s recent solo success, it was their most successful album worldwide, peaking at No. 6 in the US, and reaching No. 2 in the UK. Great tunes from start to finish.
VAN HALEN - Women and Children First
Van Halen 8 Track
The most amazing thing about this 8-Track is the price. Cost me only $1.99. Anyone anywhere will tell you that’s a bargain. 1980 was a great year for Eddie Van Halen. Harder edge to the music and style. The only downfall of this 8-Track is the song, “Fools.” The song is stuck in between tracks 1 & 2. As you listen the song fades out then the 8-Track channel switches the song and continues as it fades back to normal. Still love it and a great find.
