In the spring of 1972, the Electric Light Orchestra returned to Air Studios, London, England, to begin work on the band’s second album, titled “The Lost Planet“. But Roy Wood had become disillusioned with the group and soon left to form "Wizzard". Shortly after, another member, Bill Hunt left ELO by "Wizzard" too.
After short time of reflection, ELO returned with Jeff Lynne's at the head of the band, dumpeding the 'Lost Planet' idea, at the same time that he began to looking for replacement musicians, he think about a new concept for the album.
So he asked ex-Move vocalist Carl Wayne to come in and sing on some tracks, and although they were perfectly fine recordings they weren't right for the album, so Jeff Lynne took over vocal duties himself.
The new project started in May and the sessions were extended until October, the result, now called ELO 2 would be very, very different to the original idea of creating a conceptual album. ELO 2 was released in February 1973 by Harvest.
ELO 2 It´s the least commercial-sounding album the band released, although it reached the British Top 40 album chart and contains the band's longest track, a anti-war song "Kuiama", but not in this reconstruction. Here´s a new mix.
But this album did not achieve the expected success due to the chain of errors, such as not including the song "showdown", or placing the long version of "Roll Over Beethoven" or not editing "From The Sun To The World", or to sequence the songs according to the number of minutes per side and not in the correct order to how the disc was cut.:
Side A:
1. From the Sun to the World (Boogie No 1)
2. Mama...
3. Roll over Beethoven.
Side B:
1. Kuiama
2. In Old England Town (Boogie No 2)
I have divided the album into two suites chaining the songs with "link tracks", almost all of them are integrated at the beginning or at the end of the main songs, but for the listener I indicate them in the setlist. always following the original order as reference but without copying it, seeking the best cohesion in this reconstructution.
Side A: (The Lost Planet Suite 1) (21:05)
1. From The Sun To The World.(Part I).(4:21)
(Intermezzo)
2. Momma... (A.k.a: Mama...).(6:57)
(Link Track#1)
3. Roll Over Beethoven.(Edit).(4:44)
4. Showdown.(Early version).(4:15)
5. Roll Over Beethoven.(Coda).(0:44)
Side B: (The Lost Planet Suite 2) (21:27)
1. In Old England Town.(Alt.mix).(5:26)
2. Everyone ´s Born To Die.(Remix).(3:38)
(Link Track #2)
2. Kuiama.(Part I & III).(9:40)
(Link Track #3)
4. In Old England Town.(Reprise).(2:42)
Seen the result with the original lp, I think that here Jeff Lynne was worng, when leaving the project of "The Lost Planet", transforming it ,at the time of sequence it in ELO 2 because this work has always been a transitional album, in comparison with "The Lost Planet Suite", almost a masterpiece. Only hear it and compare.
The original cover for ELO 2 was design by Hypnosis. But in this new reconstruction, I have used photos taken during the mission to the moon of Apollo 17 and some photomontage. Initial Idea taken from the blogger AEC “Albums back from the dead”, and its cover for the same album, which looks really good at the same time as simple.Bit.ly/ELOlpnt that's why it's very good.But now, enjoy with this new reconstruction of what could have been and was not, one of the best records from ELO: The Lost Planet.
Please, turn off the light and hear this reconstruction with headphones, lie on the the bed, close your eyes, relax, and will have a good trip to the lost planet. But do not forget to come back!.
