Posted on 02/16/2021 6:47:53 PM PST by nickcarraway
Louis Clark, the string arranger and conductor who enriched Electric Light Orchestra's music in the '70s and '80s, reportedly died Saturday, Feb. 12, at the age of 73.
The musician's wife, Gloria, announced the news on Facebook. Though a cause of death has not been revealed, Clark had apparently been "ill for many months."
"He passed very peacefully surrounded by love," she wrote. "This morning he watched premier league soccer and listened to the Beatles, two things he loved. This afternoon I told him I loved him, he said I love you too, and we kissed. He was gone five minutes later. We love this man forever and always."
Clark, born Feb. 27, 1947 in Kempston, England, studied orchestration at Leeds College of Music. He first collaborated with ELO on their 1974 LP, Eldorado, conducting the orchestra and collaborating with singer-songwriter Jeff Lynne and keyboardist Richard Tandy on the arrangements.
He continued with the progressive pop band across multiple albums, including 1975's Face the Music, 1976's A New World Record, 1977's Out of the Blue, 1979's Discovery and the soundtrack to the 1980 Olivia Newton-John film Xanadu.
Clark was prolific outside of that group, working with Ozzy Osbourne (1981's Diary of a Madman, 1983's Bark at the Moon), Asia, Air Supply, America, Roy Orbison, City Boy and Renaissance, among others. In 1981, he and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra released the first installment of their Hooked on Classics series, featuring beat-heavy reworking of famous classical pieces.
Since 2000, Clark had worked with ELO offshoot band the Orchestra alongside former ELO violinist Mik Kaminski.
That pretty much DEFINED E.L.O. The orchestrations.
I really never appreciated their music when I was young. Love it now that I am middle-aged. Not sure why. R.I.P.
A favorite band. Big reason I took band and orchestra. Love their music.
Thanks so much.
Rock In Perpetuity.
No longer a “Living Thing”. RIP.
I’ve enjoyed most of ELO’s studio work, starting with
“Can’t Get It Out Of My Head” in the mid 70’s.
I was sure that I was hearing John Lennon.
It wasn’t just the London accented voice, either.
ELO followed many of the same song structures Lennon did late in his solo career. Think Mind Games, Jealous Guy, #9 Dream and Woman. Simple melodies supported by soft storms of drifting harmonies.
A good musician can analyze a style and figure out how to duplicate it, then add their own twist on that equation.
We’d blast “Face The Music” in the locker room to psych up before football games.
Great memories.
RIP
Here is a fairly recent live rendition of Evil Woman. The quality of their live performances was always stellar. Jeff Lynde wrote the songs and IS ELO ... but listen to these live string arrangements that Clark put together.
These days it’s always possible bands will supplement with backing tracks but given the number of performers on stage I’d say this is real live.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j7cyiWpX_HU
May Louis Clark RIP. Sorry to see him pass.
RIP.
Thanks man, That really made my night :)
R.I.P.
I work with a lot of young people, and for some reason they play a lot of ELO. That's cool with me.
ANOTHER great musician gone. Dang!
Rip, Mr. Clark.
I’m not sure why, but I was always partial to “Do Ya”. Maybe because it was one of the 1st songs I ever heard once I put together a decent stereo? Intriguing lyrics painting various images, too.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YneZqmOAOJw
"He passed very peacefully surrounded by love. This morning he watched Premier League soccer and listened to The Beatles, two things he loved. This afternoon I told him I loved him, he said I love you too, and we kissed. He was gone five minutes later. We love this man forever and always. He was a good man, loved by many and will be greatly missed by all. We want to thank family, friends and fans who have always loved and supported him."
And his Wikipedia page:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louis_Clark
Great songs including “All Over the World”, “Evil Woman”, “Don’t Bring me Down” and “Hold Me Tight”.
Today’s groups can’t hold a candle to ELO.
RIP Mr. Clark. Your music will live on!
‘Here Is the News’...Louis Clark has passed.
Possibly the comparison to what passes for pop music these days, and nostalgia for youth.
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