ELO Part II
| Company type | Rock band |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Predecessor | Electric Light Orchestra |
| Founded | 1989 |
| Founder | Bev Bevan |
| Defunct | 2000 |
| Fate | Renamed as The Orchestra after Bev Bevan's departure and sale of rights to Jeff Lynne |
| Successor | The Orchestra |
| Headquarters | Birmingham , England, United Kingdom |
Area served | International |
Key people | Bev Bevan, Eric Troyer, Kelly Groucutt, Mik Kaminski, Louis Clark |
| Products | Studio albums, live albums, compilation albums, singles, music videos |
| Website | http://www.elodiscovery.com |
The Electric Light Orchestra (ELO) Part II was a British-American rock ensemble established in 1989 by Electric Light Orchestra drummer and founding member Bev Bevan. The group featured former ELO bassist and vocalist Kelly Groucutt, violinist Mik Kaminski, and conductor Louis Clark, who was responsible for orchestral arrangements and had toured with the original band. Cellist Hugh McDowell briefly joined the lineup in 1991. Throughout its existence, the band saw various frontmen, with singer-songwriter and keyboardist Eric Troyer remaining the only consistent member alongside Bevan.
Following Bevan’s exit in late 1999, he sold his half of the rights to the Electric Light Orchestra name back to Jeff Lynne, which resulted in the band adopting a new identity as The Orchestra.
Formation
In 1988, drummer Bev Bevan approached Jeff Lynne to discuss recording a new Electric Light Orchestra album, but Lynne declined. Consequently, Bevan decided to proceed without him. Due to Lynne’s objections regarding the use of the ELO name, an arrangement was made: ELO officially dissolved, and Bevan established Electric Light Orchestra Part Two in 1989. Lynne retained a share of the record royalties from ELO Part II.
Bevan invited longtime ELO string conductor and co-arranger Louis Clark to participate, although Clark never became an official member. The original lineup included Bevan alongside American musician and songwriter Eric Troyer (keyboards, guitar, vocals), English guitarist and songwriter Pete Haycock (formerly of the Climax Blues Band), and Welsh multi-instrumentalist Neil Lockwood (guitar, keyboards, bass, vocals). Early recruit John Payne departed before recording commenced to join Asia.
Debut album
In 1991, ELO Part Two released their debut album titled Electric Light Orchestra Part Two, which featured former ELO violinist Mik Kaminski on one track.
The subsequent tour included performances accompanied by the 80-piece Moscow Symphony Orchestra (MSO), conducted by Konstantin Krimets, receiving positive acclaim in the UK. The group selected the MSO to fuse a Western rock band with an Eastern orchestra. Approximately two-thirds of the setlist consisted of Jeff Lynne’s compositions. The tour’s stage design, created by Tom McPhillips, showcased the iconic ELO spaceship. A concert recorded in Birmingham was released as the live album Performing ELO's Greatest Hits Live Featuring The Moscow Symphony Orchestra. During live shows, Kaminski, former ELO cellist Hugh McDowell, and bassist/vocalist Kelly Groucutt performed alongside Troyer, Haycock, and Lockwood. Initially introduced as guests from their band OrKestra, Kaminski and Groucutt became full-time members of Part II by 1993; McDowell’s involvement was short-lived. A planned US tour launch at Radio City Music Hall was canceled due to excessive expenses.
The band continued touring throughout Germany and the UK in 1992, with Louis Clark stepping in on keyboards to replace the absent orchestra. In 1993, Haycock and Lockwood departed and were succeeded by guitarist/vocalist Phil Bates, formerly of Trickster, who had opened for ELO’s 1978 tour. That year, ELO Part Two embarked on a global tour encompassing the USA and Eastern Europe.
Moment of Truth
By 1994, Electric Light Orchestra Part II had evolved into a six-member group, including four individuals connected to the original ELO. They unveiled their second studio album, Moment of Truth. While Groucutt and Clark provided several compositions and orchestral segments respectively, the primary songwriting responsibilities were undertaken by Troyer and Bates. Despite aspirations that the album and its lead single "One More Tomorrow" would revive their presence in the American market, commercial success was limited. The band continued to perform live over the following years, sometimes incorporating local orchestras during tours as a cost-saving strategy.
A live recording made in Sydney with the Australian Rock Orchestra in March 1995 was issued in Germany in 1996 as a double album titled One Night Live in Australia. This release later appeared in the United States under the name One Night - Live in Australia. Ownership of the master tapes changed hands, leading to multiple remixes, remasters, and re-releases under various titles.
Later career and transition to The Orchestra
Phil Bates remained part of the ensemble until January 1999, when American guitarist and vocalist Parthenon Huxley took his place. That same year, Huxley collaborated on writing "Over London Skies," which originated from preliminary lyrics by Bevan. Though performed live soon after its creation, the track did not see an official release until 2001.
In November 1999, Bevan retired at age 55, marking his final performance at Atlantic City's Sands Hotel. Early in 2000, a press statement confirmed the dissolution of ELO Part II. Since Bevan had sold the rights to the ELO name back to Jeff Lynne, the band lost authorization to continue using the ELO Part II moniker.
The remaining musicians recruited drummer Gordon Townsend and proceeded under the new name The Orchestra, which remains active in touring.
Members
- Bev Bevan – drums, percussion, backing vocals (1989–1999; ELO member 1970–1986)
- Louis Clark – orchestral keyboards, string arrangement, conductor (1989–2000; ELO associate 1974–1980, 1983; touring musician 1981–1982, 1986; died 2021)
- Eric Troyer – keyboards, guitar, vocals (1989–2000)
- Pete Haycock – guitar, vocals (1989–1993; died 2013), bass (1989–1991)
- Neil Lockwood – guitar, keyboards (1991, 1992–1993; died 2025), bass (1991), vocals (1989–1993)
- Mik Kaminski – violin (1991, 1992–2000; ELO member 1973–1979; touring musician 1982, 1986)
- Kelly Groucutt – bass, vocals (1991, 1992–2000; died 2009; ELO member 1974–1983)
- Hugh McDowell – cello (1991; died 2018; ELO member 1972, 1973–1979)
- Phil Bates – guitar, vocals (1993–1999)
- Parthenon Huxley – guitar, vocals (1999–2000)
Studio albums
| Title | Album details | Peak chart positions | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK | NLD | SWI | ||
| Electric Light Orchestra Part Two |
|
34 | 39 | 22 |
| Moment of Truth |
|
— | — | — |
Compilation albums
| Title | Album information |
|---|---|
| Anthology – 20 Years And Counting...with Electric Light Orchestra Part II & The Orchestra (2 CDs) |
|
Live albums
| Title | Album information |
|---|---|
| Performing ELO's Greatest Hits Live (with The Moscow Symphony Orchestra) |
|
| One Night – Live in Australia (2 CDs) |
|
Singles
| Year | Title | Album | Chart rankings | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UK | NLD | |||
| 1991 | "Honest Men" | Electric Light Orchestra Part Two | 60 | 36 |
| "Thousand Eyes" | 113 | – | ||
| "For the Love of a Woman" | – | – | ||
| 1994 | "Power of a Million Lights" | Moment of Truth | – | – |
| "Breakin' Down the Walls" | – | – | ||
| 1996 | "One More Tomorrow" | – | – | |
Music videos
| Year | Video title | Director | Album |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1991 | "Honest Men" | Unknown | Electric Light Orchestra Part Two |
| 1994 | "Power of a Million Lights" | Paul Spencer | Moment of Truth |
| "Breakin' Down the Walls" | Unknown |
Videos
- Performing ELO's Greatest Hits Live Featuring The Moscow Symphony Orchestra (VHS), 1992
- Electric Light Orchestra – Part II – One Night Live in Australia '95 (DVD), 1995
- Access All Areas (DVD/VHS), 1997: Directed and produced by George Reed; features interviews, live shows, music videos, and backstage content.
External links
- http://www.elodiscovery.com Information portal on ELO & Jeff Lynne