Idle Race Back To The Story CD

Before making history together with the Move and then ELO, Roy Wood and Jeff Lynne both did time in the British psych-rock oddity the Idle Race. Though they were only in the band together briefly, the Race proved to be a testing ground for many of the ideas the two would bring to fruition--both together and separately--with their many subsequent projects. BACK TO THE STORY, originally released in 1996 and reissued over a decade later, collects the band's three studio albums, as well as alternate takes, demos, and rarities. It's a must-have for fans of Wood and Lynne, yet is also a key piece for those attempting to complete the vast and complicated puzzle that is British rock in the 1960s and '70s.

The Idle Race are a beloved band of British psychedelia collectors, because the music was rare, because the band was Jeff Lynne's first significant group, and because the music was, by and large, very good. There is a bit of a relative judgment there -- this is not music that stands among the very best of British pop-psych of the '60s, since it's not as innovative or consistent as the Beatles, Pink Floyd, the Move, or even Tomorrow, but it's certainly among the best of the second tier, as singles like "Impostors of Life's Magazine," "Big Chief Wooly Bosher," and "Girl at the Window" illustrate. Since this band itself is a collector's item, it only makes sense for collectors to seek out EMI Premier's 1996 collection Back to the Story, which was only available for a brief period (possibly a matter of months) the year of its release. This is the complete Idle Race, containing the three albums (Birthday Party, Idle Race, Time Is), the ten non-album tracks, three previously unreleased alternate versions and two songs from the Nightriders, Lynne's first band. This is a treasure trove for both British psych and ELO fanatics, and while the best of this is on See for Miles' The Best of Idle Race, the hardcore are going to seek this out. [Once an expensive piece of pre-everything Jeff Lynne kit, Back to the Story did show up in a much more affordable Zonophone edition in 2007.] ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine

British band The Nightriders were kicking around in the mid 1960's not going anywhere after numerous personnel changes. Guitarist Jeff Lynne joined the lineup in 1966 and the group name changed to The Idle Race. The music press took an instant like to the band, describing their style as schizophrenic pop with acid backdrop. Thanks to elevated credentials, the band often shared the stage with bands like The Who, The Small Faces, Pink Floyd, The Moody Blues, Status Quo, Tyrannosaurus Rex and more. The band had plenty of famous admirers, including Marc Bolan and The Beatles (Lynne would eventually work with George Harrison and later the remaining Beatle members on their "Anthology" series). Idle Race released 3 albums during their tenure: "The Birthday Party", "The Idle Race" and "Time Is". All three are compiled on this set along with numerous bonus tracks, a treasure trove for fans of mid 60's psychedelia and The Electric Light Orchestra.

The Idle Race: Jeff Lynne.

Arranger: Jeff Lynne.