Classics from the past are balanced with seeds of the new era as the band explodes across the stage, showering fragments of musical diversity in all directions. So raise your spirits and join with them in a celebration of rock at its most excellent.

Away from the spotlight, which chases him ducking and weaving across the boards, Mik has always been a shy and modest character. So much so that he had to be persuaded into taking the audition for ELO back in 1973!

Born and bred a Yorkshireman, Mik studied at Leeds College of Music and first appeared professionally at the age of fourteen, in a classical role with the city's orchestra. After session work on early seventies cult rock albums by Andy Roberts and Joe Soap, Mik became a member of ELO in 1973, introducing his exceptional sparkling skills to the band's developing sound. Mik's soaring strings sweetened most of that band's albums, while his Blue Violin solos became a highlight of all live shows, exposing a rock audience to tantalizing trips through classical tunes infiltrated by his own stunningly complex improvisations. In 1979, Mik formed, during his "off time", a band called Violinski. They toured the UK releasing two albums and enjoying an enormous hit with one of pop's great instrumental singles "Clog Dance", furthering Mik's reputation as a fine exponent of violin virtuosity. 

A couple of years after Mik had taken part in ELO's final live shows in 1986, he and Kelly Groucutt called up some basic influences of their former band to put together a new ensemble, OrKestra. The band gave Mik another platform upon which to shine, where his compositional work could flourish. Two superbly crafted albums, a European hit single and successful tours of the UK and USA were all part of OrKestra's worthy career.

When the new band began, Mik's presence, particularly for the live shows was unquestionable. In all the spectacle of his stage performances, Mik's song writing skills could be in danger of being overshadowed. However, they are there for all to hear on the band's four albums while his ear for inventive tunes and intertwining counter-melodies are captured forever in the magical moments of every band in which he has been involved.

Louis Clark was the man behind the majestic ELO string arrangements throughout their most prosperous years of 1974 through 1986. He has also enjoyed enormous success in a separate career, selling millions of recordings of the "Hooked On Classics" series, with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. A most talented and skillful arranger, Louis has been much in demand all over the world working with Artists ranging from Ozzy Osbourne to Roy Orbison and scoring orchestral arrangements of music by Abba, The Beatles, Queen and Phil Collins. His work crosses all musical boundaries and he is equally at ease with the classics as with M.O.R., pop and the heavier side of rock. Through this, Louis has opened up many areas to audiences who may otherwise spent a lifetime stranded on a musical desert island!

An honorary Brummie, although actually raised in Shropshire, Lou had an early interest in music, taking lessons as a child. However, his imagination was ultimately captured by The Beatles and as a teenager, Louis joined the Birmingham-based Raymond Froggatt Band as bass player, recording two albums and ten singles in the late sixties. During this time, the band's need for a string arranger led Lou to learn the art literally "by the book". As his interest in this aspect of music developed, he enrolled at the Leeds College of Music, in a course studying arrangement and composition along with flute and keyboards. His studies completed, Lou returned to Birmingham and while working, once again, with Raymond Froggatt he met Jeff Lynne. Jeff and the members of ELO were experimenting with ideas for their next album and invited contributions from Louis, who went on to co-arrange the score and conduct a full orchestra on the 1974 album, "Eldorado".

Throughout the seventies, Louis Clark was never listed as touring member of ELO, but this changed in 1981 when he joined up for live touring work on string synthesizer. It was around the same time that his remarkable run of classical/pop album successes began and he has since traveled far and wide conducting live concerts of this material.

When the new band was formed, there could be only one choice for orchestral arranger on the album and for a string synthesizer player at concerts. Who else could be invited to conduct the magnificent Moscow Symphony Orchestra on the band's first tour? Louis Clark, of course!

His involvement with the last four albums, underlines his immeasurable contributions to the band. Louis' string arrangements blend seamlessly with the other members songs, adding a rare dynamism, while his own orchestral compositions are dramatically atmospheric. Now famed for his statuesque approach to live keyboard work "Sir" Lou's visual persona has not yet challenged the colorful and crucial manner in which he impressed his character upon the band's sound!

Kelly Groucutt was a mainstay of ELO from 1974 through 1983 helping to provide the distinctive layers of vocal harmony on albums from "Face The Music" to "Secret Messages" He was an obvious choice on bass guitar and as one of the two primary lead vocalists when the band took their inaugural show on the road.

Kelly, born Michael, is from Coseley in the West Midlands. He began his career as a singer in the early sixties and graduated through several bands including the highly acclaimed vocal harmony, comedy group Sight and Sound. His musical influences are rooted in the rock n' roll of the fifties and pop of the early sixties with particular fondness of the great vocalists of the time such as Roy Orbison, The Everly Brothers, Johnny Ray and inevitably, The Beatles. He was invited to join ELO in 1974. Even on record, Kelly's warmth and presence radiate, while his vocal agility onstage has proved both magnificent and indispensable.

Kelly found another outlet for his talents by releasing a self-titled solo album in 1982 with help from Bev Bevan, Louis Clark, Mik Kaminski and Richard Tandy. He also performed in OrKestra with Mik Kaminski. Enormously successful as a live band, OrKestra toured Britain and America, recording two well-received albums and several songs for film soundtracks, while the single, "Fly Away" was a Top Five Hit in Europe.

Kelly is now a key figure in the new band's song writing team, inspiring new material while having an understanding of the ELO songs. As lead vocalist on many of these numbers, he is able to express their melodies and meanings through his own strong personality, yet never intruded upon their delicate structure. A man who always has time and a word for everyone, his sense of fun and powers of communication shine both on and offstage whilst his effervescent character brings a genuine enthusiasm and joy which is infectious to band and audience alike.

Eric Troyer is one of ELO Part II's founding members, initially meeting Bev Bevan in April 1989. Eric's immediate influence on the band's sound can be heard on their 1991 album upon which he sang lead and harmony vocals and is responsible for writing several tracks, "Honest Men" becoming the band's single release off that album. His contribution to all four albums, is also of great significance as a performer, solo writer and on collaborations with fellow band members.

Eric, a native of Elkhart, Indiana, USA, enjoyed a childhood rich in musical variety, embracing folk, classical, religious, Broadway shows and rock n' roll and developed a particular love of British groups of the Sixties. Following his college days in Indiana and California, Eric traveled east to New York City where he gravitated towards the music business and eventually earned a reputation as one of the most sought-after session musicians around. A friendship with leading producer, Jim Steinman led to prodigious amounts of work, not only on the latter's own recordings, but also on many of the world's biggest-selling singles and albums. Eric's talents are illustrated on records by John Lennon, Bonnie Tyler, James Taylor, Carly Simon, Julian Lennon, Sisters of Mercy, Billy Joel and Celine Dion (the first voice heard on Billy's No. 1 single, "Uptown Girl" is none other than Eric!). Meat Loaf has featured Eric on albums including chart topper, "Bat Out Of Hell II - Back Into Hell", whilst also using his vocal skills on tour. Eric can also be heard on Celine Dion's latest hit "Its All Coming Back To Me Now".

An interest in history and current affair shines through on Eric's solo CD "Model Citizen", where his intelligent lyrics are deep and incisive but also reveal a man who is certainly not without a sharp sense of humor. Ideas for his songs come from current and historical events or inspiration can even be found in snippets of conversation.

Eric's concern for his fellow man was clearly illustrated by his song writing involvement in memory of twelve school children killed in a road accident. Eric recorded the song with the classmates as part of a healing process and to raise money for the school's music department.

All this and Eric still finds the energy to be a full time member of the band, making records and touring the world. Emerging from his shadowy bank of keyboards, Eric now leaps into the spotlight playing his "walkabout" instrument, thus enabling him to join the band's fine front line of musicians.

Parthenon Huxley is a former member of ELO Part II and was born in Louisiana and began writing and performing at age ten, entirely self taught. Parthenon, or "Hux" was signed by Columbia Records in 1998. Parthenon co-produced his debut, "Sunny Nights", with Grammy Award winning producer David Kahne. A classic pop album, "Sunny Nights" was hailed as " a monumental debut" by Rolling Stone magazine.

Two later CDs inspired the same sort of praise from critics and fans. The first, entitled "Deluxe" and recorded this under the moniker P. Hux. "Deluxe" was voted 1995 Album of the Year by fans and writers in Audities Magazine. The second album, recorded with his other band VeG, was recently dubbed "wonderful stuff" by Mojo Magazine, which noted Parthenon's "gold dust voice and blazing guitar."

Both P. Hux and VeG are notorious for sizzling live shows. VeG's performance at the most recent North By Northwest Conference in Portland, Oregon inspired one writer to say he was "blindsided by brilliance." Another called Parthenon a "pop visionary."

While Parthenon is known as an excellent singer and guitarist, he may be best known for his talents as a producer and collaborator. To date, he has penned four Top-20 hits. The first, "Hello Cruel World" appeared on "A Man Called E", the debut CD from the current frontman of eels. Parthenon's most recent hit, "Wake Me Up ( When The World's Worth Waking Up For)" was featured on the debut CD by Kyle VIncent.

Gordon is a former member of ELO Part II and is the newest member of the new band. He has toured the world with some of the greates names in Rock & Roll. His dynamic style of drumming was brought to the band's attention by Parthenon Huxley who immediately felt that the other band members would "see" the sound they had been looking for. An immediate friendship grew between Gordon and the other members and the die had been cast. Having already visited a number of places with the band, the old ELO Part II fans and fans of the new band have warmly embraced his role as the drumming backbone of the band.

The group has journeyed far to reach their current position. After much experimentation, they have settled on a sleek six piece band, augmented in the studio (and more and more on stage) by a full orchestra - almost half of the dates are with a full orchestra! The band's democratic approach allows each member equal contribution in all areas whilst inspiring creative freedom to reveal their far reaching talents. Lead vocals are shared by the three singers with backing vocal contributed by the drummer and collaborations in song writing have produced the band's best material to date. As the band has blossomed, so too, have the individual musicians - but it has been a long story.......

In 1988, Bev Bevan, one of ELO's earliest members, felt the time was right to start a new band. In contacting Jeff Lynne, Jeff was very clear that he was finished with touring and wished ELO to be something to be put to rest, and had no interest in being involved with a new group. New Yorker Eric Troyer became involved after impressing Bev with his song writing and vocal talents. It took some time to assemble the new band, which included the "face" ELO Part II, Mik Kaminski (The Man With The Blue Violin) and concert master and sound "designer" Louis Clark, before the band could record and release their first album in the spring of 1991. Produced by Jeff Glixman, the album was a mixture of old and new, with echoes of Louis' big string sound whilst also revealing a rockier, more guitar-dominated feel. This was the NEW sound, the sound of ELO Part II - a mix of the old and the new. 

In respect of live work, our Russian friends helped the band make history. At a time when the eyes of the world were focused upon East-West relations, the band embraced the new state of "Glasnost" and, following a visit to Russia by Bev Bevan and Lou Clark, arrangements were made for the Moscow Symphony Orchestra to accompany the band on their maiden tour of Britain. Working closely with the MSO leader, Konstantin Krimets, the band created a show which, as well as having their rock songs backed by an eighty piece orchestra, also featured the MSO in their own right, performing popular classics. This was the first time a western rock band has taken a full orchestra on tour with them and that, along with a newly spaceship stage set (so as to differentiate the "look" for the new ELO Part II format), laser lights and back projections combined to make a most thrilling and innovative show, in Britain's largest arenas. 

The following year, everyone decided to take the band further afield to tour the world. By now having broken all management ties with the past, the band visited Europe and America before returning to Britain to play a selection of theater-sized-venues - an immensely popular decision amongst the fans. A further change of personnel saw the streamlining of the band to a six piece, introducing Phil Bates on guitar and vocals. In this form, the band successfully toured Germany, America, Britain, Scandinavia, Australia, South East Asia, South America, Central America, South Africa and Poland, where they gathered much experience playing together with spirit and cohesion. Their triumph on the live circuit paved the way for a new record contract and they have since completed their recording (recorded "live" with the SYDNEY SYMPHONY) entitled "ONE NIGHT". This album captured the energy and finesse of their stage performances, promoted their individual talents and realized their true direction as an orchestral rock band. Bates departed in 1998 and had been replaced by the guitar wizardry of Parthenon Huxley and Bev Bevan's decision to retire in 1999 has led to the introduction of one master, Gordon Townsend, filing the shoes of another - magnificanely we might add!