Can you name a band that is worse than Electric Light Orchestra in the entire history of recorded music?

Message Bookmarked

Bookmark Removed

personally, after watching VH1 classic here and there for the last couple weeks, I really cannot think of anything that is worse than ELO. I mean they are not even good in a cheesy REO/Journey sort of way, they are just plain bad.

Discuss...

― mt, Saturday, 22 December 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

for your consideration: Type O Negative.

― daria gray, Saturday, 22 December 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

their only good song was their sell-out disco hit. just like kiss and blondie.

― marek, Saturday, 22 December 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

.38 Special? Night Ranger? ELO is pretty bad. Let me think on this.

― Nude Spock, Saturday, 22 December 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Attila, Billy Joel's first band.

― todd burns, Saturday, 22 December 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

"Don't bring me down" "Evil Woman" "Mr. Blue Sky" are all great songs. Great songs, I repeat. Your opinion is unruly and unthoughtfully biased. For Shame.

― Gage-O, Saturday, 22 December 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

um..ocean colour scene or the seahorses..take your pick. and throw in toploader for good measure.

― nelly, Saturday, 22 December 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Creed

― Damian, Saturday, 22 December 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Witness: Starland Vocal Band.

― JM, Saturday, 22 December 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I can think of lots of bands. Among Beatle devotees, I think they're far better than, say, Oasis or Klaatu. And have a much more characterful, individual sound.

I love ELO. I even love the damn double album. They ARE a shallow pop band, for sure. Despite the grandiose production and the occasional classical music conceits, there's not much doing under the surface. But I think they got hooks. Lots of 'em. Big silly hooks and goofy lyrics that sound good when a fun evening is winding down.

Not to mention that the band was co-founded by one of my all-time favorite pop eccentrics, Roy Wood. So even if I didn't like anything they did after he left, his presence on the first album would be enough to lend a little bit of shine to the band's name. For me.

― Oliver, Saturday, 22 December 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Type O Negative??? Damn your eyes, Daria! I'll have satisfaction from you at Hign Noon!

― Kodanshi, Saturday, 22 December 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Or possibly even high noon...

― Kodanshi, Saturday, 22 December 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I like ELO too. And Blondie's freaking classic.

― Sean, Sunday, 23 December 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Styx.

― Lord Custos, Sunday, 23 December 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

The Bee Gees

― J Sutcliffe, Sunday, 23 December 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

ELO were pretty classy in the cheesy pop stakes... even if they were a little (!?) pretentious...

There are heaps worse... Bay City Rollers, Tigertailz, Shawoddywoddy, Dr Hook, Stryper, numberous boy bands... the list goes on....

― Peri Komo, Sunday, 23 December 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

hey stryper rocked, man.

― chaki, Sunday, 23 December 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Black Box.

― the pinefox, Sunday, 23 December 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

ELO split up many years ago. How can you still be upset by them? That would be like saying 'I hate Phil Collins.' Which I do, but his screech hasn't been all over the media for many years. My current focus of hate is centred on The Stereophonics. That voice, those lame tunes. Pernicious.

― Daniel, Sunday, 23 December 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Yes, I'd have to second The Stereophonics. Pernicious indeed. Suede are another of my pet hates, though I'd have to acknowledge they've done one or two half decent records.

― Johnathan, Sunday, 23 December 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

The Eagles. Despite some catchy radio hits. Hatred if only for Don freaking Henley

― karmik guy, Sunday, 23 December 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Pinefox has been taking the wrong pills again - Black Box were wonderful.

― Tim, Sunday, 23 December 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I agree with whoever mentioned the Eagles, one of the few bands where the depth of craft just makes them even more reprehensible. ELO is fine.

― dave q, Sunday, 23 December 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

The BEE GEES? Man, have you ever got up and shook yo ass to "Night Fever?" It's gold. Pure gold. Seriously, play that tune really loud in your room and boogie, and see if you don't feel the power.

― Gage-o, Sunday, 23 December 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

The Bee Gees
Saturday Night Fever is one of the best soundtracks evah.

― helenfordsdale, Sunday, 23 December 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

'Boys of Summer' is heavenly - didn't we hear it at the ILE Xmas Awards bash? I think I remember Edna and me enthusing about it to each other.

― the pinefox, Sunday, 23 December 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Boys of Summer did get played at the ILE awards, and it did sound fantastic.

― RickyT, Sunday, 23 December 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

The BeeGees rocked WAY before "Saturday Night Fever." "I Just Gotta Get a Message to You"? "I Started a Joke"? "Lonely Days"? Classics!

I too like ELO. I wouldn't rush out if they came to my town (and yes, they toured last year), but I've nothing against them.

Maybe ELO aren't going to save the world, but I'd sure as shit rather listen to them than, say, the Outfield (possibly the worst band ever.)

― Alex in NYC, Sunday, 23 December 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

the Manic Street Preeachers, easy.

― , Sunday, 23 December 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Queen

― yermanstheman, Sunday, 23 December 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Deep Blue Something, maybe?

― Tim, Sunday, 23 December 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Queen???!?!?!?!?

BLASPHEMY! Queen were absolutely fucking brilliant, so fi upon thee!

― Alex in NYC, Sunday, 23 December 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

i'd have to say anything related to phil collins. i hate that guy.

― chris lea, Sunday, 23 December 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Mannheim Steamroller?

― Dare, Sunday, 23 December 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Chris, no! Manheim Steamroller are so over the top that they move from aggressive new age (?) into brilliant comedy! Interpretive dance (and/or liquor) helps, of course.

― sage, Monday, 24 December 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I really like ELO, especially the first couple records and some of the live stuff. I'm still completely amazed that the highest selling album of all time has Don Henley drumming on it.

― Kris, Monday, 24 December 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Uriah Heep, maybe, who are so bad I was obsessed with them for two years as a teenager. (Mick Box, the guitarist, has by far the worst name in the history of rock & roll--or the best, depending.) And hey- -can't forget the Jon Spencer Blues Explosion?

― M. Matos, Monday, 24 December 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

yeah-- jon spencer was the special guest at a yo la tengo show last weekend & it was pretty painful.

since VH1 classic promted the ELO question-- what's their deal anyway? do they have an in-house staff that takes old footage of live stuff and edits it together with those dated psychodelic effects? most of those were not "videos" prior to VH1 classic, right? a bunch seem to have the same style.

― sage, Monday, 24 December 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I'll have to admit from the outset that I have a bunch of their albums which I occasionally like to listen to, but Grand Funk Railroad have to have been the most miserable band in existence. I mean, heavy metal without any riffs! I can see why they got so popular, they were the ultimate underdogs, deficient in every department.

― dave q, Monday, 24 December 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Molly Hatchett.

― Mark, Monday, 24 December 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

ELO, Bee Gees, Queen....these names should have NEVER been uttered under this thread. For shame, for shame. You ever listen to Def Leppard? Think about it. Long and hard.

― Gage-o, Monday, 24 December 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

the bee gees are the best band mentioned here thus far, by far.

― marek, Monday, 24 December 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Suckiest? Easy cheesy. Here they come: "OPUS" :))))

― Ci Celikyay, Monday, 24 December 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Slint. And about 99% of the bands that have ever existed. ELO are fab. Don't bring me down, Bruce

― Arthur, Monday, 24 December 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

That's something I was always wondering about -- who the fuck was Bruce?

― Ned Raggett, Monday, 24 December 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I like the name Mick Box. Though I think the best worst name in rock is Butch Trucks. He was the drummer in the Allman Brothers Band.

― Oliver Kneale, Tuesday, 25 December 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Surely there are loads of bands far worse than ELO? Any sub green day kiddiepunkers, for starters, or perhaps northern uproar. Most "Big Beat" ensembles? ELO were just innocuous.

― Norman Phay, Tuesday, 25 December 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

U2. ELO are good.

― dan, Wednesday, 26 December 2001 01:00 (twenty-four years ago)

ten years pass...

ELO are good.

indeed they are

― mark e, Saturday, 26 May 2012 23:55 (thirteen years ago)

The past is a foreign country indeed.

― Scary Move 4 (dog latin), Sunday, 27 May 2012 01:05 (thirteen years ago)

Some (read: many) of the responses ITT are so indicative of their time. I certainly don't hear ELO as cheesy pop, not really all that pretentious either. I hear a well-crafted progtastic take on the Beatles with some swell harmonies an a charmingly naive approach to lyricism. Still, attitudes to ELO (along with outright hatred of Phil Collins and the Bee Gees, would've worked differently on ilm 11 years ago.

― Scary Move 4 (dog latin), Sunday, 27 May 2012 01:10 (thirteen years ago)

what was wrong with ILM people in the early 00s? Did hippies molest them or something?

― Hauntingly Unemployed American (President Keyes), Sunday, 27 May 2012 02:54 (thirteen years ago)

it sometimes seems that all threads from "10 years ago" begin with some ridiculous bit of crack-brained nonsense, usually put forth with vigorous insistence, and that for 20 or 30 posts people sort of mumble along, trying to get up the gumption to point out how horribly rong the whole thing was to begin with.

― spextor vs bextor (contenderizer), Sunday, 27 May 2012 06:11 (thirteen years ago)

seven months pass...

lol old-school ILM

― 機電工程署署長luriqua在2016年和內特 - 銀的預測山體滑坡，這是我的理解 (Eisbaer), Wednesday, 23 January 2013 11:15 (thirteen years ago)

what was wrong with ILM people in the early 00s? Did hippies molest them or something?

― Hauntingly Unemployed American (President Keyes), Saturday, May 26, 2012 10:54 PM (7 months ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

indeed

― 機電工程署署長luriqua在2016年和內特 - 銀的預測山體滑坡，這是我的理解 (Eisbaer), Wednesday, 23 January 2013 11:15 (thirteen years ago)

ha.

this gets revived as i am listening to the extra tracks on the balance of power ..

love this band.

― mark e, Wednesday, 23 January 2013 11:29 (thirteen years ago)

two months pass...

you can form in your head a satirical idea of what a jeff lynne cover of charles aznavour's 'she' would sound like, and you would be 100% accurate in every single respect

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jpU1AgVtgVM

― Let's Make Laugh II (Autumn Almanac), Tuesday, 9 April 2013 13:24 (twelve years ago)

lol @ the early days of ILM

― cacao nibs (Eric H.), Tuesday, 9 April 2013 13:29 (twelve years ago)

Well it was from a time before Mr Blue Sky got that big resurgance (I think).

― MarkoP, Tuesday, 9 April 2013 14:26 (twelve years ago)

You must be logged in to post. Please either login here, or if you are not registered, you may register here.