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The Move


old rock & roller

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Howdy, this is my first post here. I've been a huge fan of The Move, and the band's leader Roy Wood, since the 60's. Very big in the UK but just a cult following here in the US. Just wondering if anyone in this discussion forum has ever heard of them. As a point of interest, they morphed into The Electric Light Orch. who, of course, became a hit machine in the 70's. Wood left after their 1st LP & went on to major success, again just in the UK, with Wizzard & a solo career. Made whole albums all by himself, playing all the instruments. Currently leads an 11 pc. big band in the UK called Roy Wood's Army featuring an all female horn section. Unfortunately very little recording activity in recent years. A musical genius but fate has done it's best to make sure no one finds out.

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Hi, old rocknroller! Welcome to songfacts! I love The Move, it´s an incredible band, or should I say, the result of the incredible mind of Roy Wood. Yesterday I posted something about them in the thread "Calling all ELO fans". For me, Roy Wood is a little like the equivalent of Syd Barret, only Wood got to win over his inner monsters and was active all this time... Jeff Lynne replaced Carl Wayne in 1970, and they became ELO soon after.

My favourite Move song is "Blackberry way", though they have lots of jewels. The combination of Wood and Lynne gave good results... though it lasted only one album. Guess Roy Wood deserves more fame.

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Hi Edna,

Thanks for the reply. Nice to know there are a few folks out there who know about Roy Wood & The Move. Actually, Roy & Jeff Lynne made 3 albums together, if you include the first Electric Light Orch. album: with The Move "Looking On" (1970), "Message From The Country" (1971) and ELO's "No Answer" (late 1971). The 1st ELO album was actually recorded in between sessions for the 2 Move albums. In fact, ELO's first single, "10538 Overture", started out as an aborted Move single "B" side written by Jeff. Roy started overdubbing cello parts and it became the lead off track on the 1st album. It was intended to take up where The Beatles "I Am The Walrus" left off. Some of The Move's best songs, mostly written by Roy, are very Beatle-esque in style. In fact, the one you mentioned, "Black Berry Way", has been called the best Beatles song the Beatles never did. And it was The Move's only #1 hit in the the UK (1968), though they haad many top 10 hits over there. The only Move single to chart here in the US was their original version of "Do Ya"(1972, peaked at # 96), which was a major hit for ELO a few years later. I always liked the Move's version much better, though.

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There´s another awesome song by Roy Wood (there are so many, indeed...) and it´s "Look through the eyes of a Fool". It seems as if it´s been produced by Phil Spector... I also liked very much "The Lemon Tree", though this one was more famous. I don´t have any Move records (I had two albums back in the 60s-70s...) but I guess I should buy one and discover the wonderfull tunes inside.

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Yeah, "..Fool.." is a great, catchy tune from Roy's 2nd solo LP "Mustard" (literally solo, played & sang everything)and it is very Spector-ish. So was a lot of the Wizzard stuff. That song can be found on a cool CD compilation issued last year on the Sanctuary label titled "Roy Wood: Outstanding Performer" which focuses on his later material, spanning the years 1974-1987. The sound quality is amazing, really nicely done. Highly recommended to anyone here who may be curious about him as a result of this dicussion. It should be pretty easy to find. A lot of his & The Move's records & CD's are tough to find these days. But well worth the search as the music is great. Some of his more experimental stuff, such as "Wizzard's Brew" and a few tracks on the 1st ELO album, is a aquired taste as it's a bit "out there". If you have eclectic tastes in music, it's very enjoyable.

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Good info, or&r, I have been looking for this song for years... somehow I never found it... I´ll try to get me this compilation you talk about, there are afew little very good record shops in Madrid with people with our music taste!

I was looking tonight in the web, there is plenty of information about Roy Wood, Wizzard and mainly Jeff Lynne, but I´m particulary interested in Roy Wood... he is really underrated!

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Edna (and anyone else interested)

As we speak, there is an attempt being made to assemble a definative 2 CD anthology of Roy Wood's post-Move recorded output that will hopefully include EMI material. But perhaps not as there have been some problems recently with obtaining rights to use that material. Two years ago The Move's "Message From The Country" album and Roy Wood's solo album "Boulders" were both slated to be reissued on CD with previously unreleased bonus material but the projects have stalled indefinately. There was a previous attempt at a 2 CD R.W. anthology a few years ago titled "Exotic Mixture". I believe it still in print. "Look Thru The Eyes Of A Fool" is on that one as well if you can't find "Outstanding Performer". It is an interesting collection of singles, non-LP "B" sides & album cuts but in many instances the master tapes were not used. Hence the the need for a definative collection using the best tapes that can be found. With any luck it will be available later this year. By the way , Roy has a web site: www.roywood.co.uk. Also check out: www.themoveonline.com.

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That´s good news! Hope we can have that double cd soon... there´s really few people who know and like the Move... I tried to find some records but I just made one shop with no results... all I have is a compilation of songs on a tape, from the radio (lucky enough we have one dj who loves Roy Wood and his work...)... I´ll have some free time next week and I´ll keep on searching, I know there are Move cds coz I saw a couple of them last year.

It´s great to read your posts, old rock and roller!

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