Richard Tandy
Encyclopedia
Richard Tandy is best known as the keyboard player in the rock band, Electric Light Orchestra
("ELO"). His palette of keyboards (including Mini Moog, clavinet
, mellotron
, and piano
) was an important ingredient in the group's sound, notably on the albums A New World Record
, Out of the Blue
, Discovery
, and Time
.
, where he first met future bandmate Bev Bevan
, Tandy would later be reunited with Bevan in 1968 when he played the harpsichord
on The Move
's number one chart-topper "Blackberry Way
". Later, in 1972, Tandy was the bass player in the first live line-up of ELO, then switching to keyboards when Jeff Lynne
decided that their live sound needed improvement. Tandy was often seen on stage playing the stereotypical 1970s prog-rock stack of keyboards, with bass pedals
under his feet. As well as ELO, he has collaborated musically with Jeff Lynne on many projects, among them songs for the Electric Dreams
soundtrack, Lynne's solo album Armchair Theatre
and Lynne produced Dave Edmunds
"Information
". Tandy's playing has been loosely compared to that of Tony Banks
, by some with the patch engineering quality of Tomita
. Before joining ELO Tandy played with the groups The Uglys and Balls. In 1986 Tandy formed the Tandy Morgan Band featuring Dave Morgan and Martin Smith, both of whom had worked with ELO in live concerts.
Tandy is featured on all ELO albums with the exception of the first. He was also credited as co/arranger on the album Eldorado
onwards. He is generally regarded as important as Jeff Lynne
and Louis Clark
when it came to the final sound of the band on recordings. Some of the ideas for the ELO album titles thought up by Richard Tandy were A New World Record
, Out of the Blue
, and Discovery
.
Electric Light Orchestra
Electric Light Orchestra were a British rock group from Birmingham who released eleven studio albums between 1971 and 1986 and another album in 2001. ELO were formed to accommodate Roy Wood and Jeff Lynne's desire to create modern rock and pop songs with classical overtones...
("ELO"). His palette of keyboards (including Mini Moog, clavinet
Clavinet
A Clavinet is an electrically amplified keyboard instrument manufactured by the Hohner company. It is essentially an electronically amplified clavichord, analogous to an electric guitar. Its distinctive bright staccato sound has appeared particularly in funk, disco, rock, and reggae songs.Various...
, mellotron
Mellotron
The Mellotron is an electro-mechanical, polyphonic tape replay keyboard originally developed and built in Birmingham, England in the early 1960s. It superseded the Chamberlin Music Master, which was the world's first sample-playback keyboard intended for music...
, and piano
Piano
The piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
) was an important ingredient in the group's sound, notably on the albums A New World Record
A New World Record
A New World Record is the sixth studio album by Electric Light Orchestra, released in 1976.-Overview:The second album to be recorded at Musicland Studios in Munich, the LP proved to be the band's long awaited breakthrough in the UK: after seeing their previous three studio recordings fail to chart...
, Out of the Blue
Out of the Blue (Electric Light Orchestra album)
The 30th Anniversary Edition was released on February, 20th 2007 with three bonus tracks.-Personnel:ELO*Jeff Lynne – lead vocals, backing vocals, guitar, keyboards, percussion*Bev Bevan – drums, percussion, backing vocals, fire extinguisher on "Mr...
, Discovery
Discovery (Electric Light Orchestra album)
Discovery is a 1979 album by Electric Light Orchestra.-History:Discovery was the band's first No. 1 album in the UK, entering the chart at that position and staying there for five weeks...
, and Time
Time (Electric Light Orchestra album)
Time is a concept album by Electric Light Orchestra released in 1981 through Jet Records. The album tells the story, through its songs and lyrics, about a man from the 1980's finding himself in the year 2095 and trying to come to terms with being unable to return and adjusting to his new...
.
History
A former pupil of Moseley SchoolMoseley School
Moseley School: A Language College is a large comprehensive school in the Moseley area of Birmingham, England. It has a predominantly male, Muslim student population...
, where he first met future bandmate Bev Bevan
Bev Bevan
Bev Bevan is an English rock musician, who was the drummer and one of the original members of The Move and Electric Light Orchestra...
, Tandy would later be reunited with Bevan in 1968 when he played the harpsichord
Harpsichord
A harpsichord is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It produces sound by plucking a string when a key is pressed.In the narrow sense, "harpsichord" designates only the large wing-shaped instruments in which the strings are perpendicular to the keyboard...
on The Move
The Move
The Move, from Birmingham, England, were one of the leading British rock bands of the 1960s. They scored nine Top 20 UK singles in five years, but were among the most popular British bands not to find any success in the United States....
's number one chart-topper "Blackberry Way
Blackberry Way
"Blackberry Way" is a single by The Move.Written by Roy Wood and produced by Jimmy Miller, "Blackberry Way" was a bleak counterpoint to the sunny psychedelia of earlier recordings. It nevertheless became the band's most successful single reaching #1 on the UK singles chart. Richard Tandy who would...
". Later, in 1972, Tandy was the bass player in the first live line-up of ELO, then switching to keyboards when Jeff Lynne
Jeff Lynne
Jeffrey "Jeff" Lynne is an English songwriter, composer, arranger, singer, multi-instrumentalist, and record producer who gained fame as the leader and sole constant member of Electric Light Orchestra and was a co-founder and member of The Traveling Wilburys together with George Harrison, Bob...
decided that their live sound needed improvement. Tandy was often seen on stage playing the stereotypical 1970s prog-rock stack of keyboards, with bass pedals
Bass pedals
Bass pedals are an electronic musical instrument with foot-operated pedal keyboard with a range of one or more octaves. The earliest bass pedals from the 1970s consisted of a pedalboard and analog synthesizer tone generation circuitry packaged together as a unit...
under his feet. As well as ELO, he has collaborated musically with Jeff Lynne on many projects, among them songs for the Electric Dreams
Electric Dreams (soundtrack)
Electric Dreams is a soundtrack album from the film Electric Dreams, released in 1984Several popular rock and New Wave musicians of the 1980s contributed original music to the film's soundtrack. It was available throughout Europe but remained unreleased on compact disc in the U.S. until September...
soundtrack, Lynne's solo album Armchair Theatre
Armchair Theatre (Jeff Lynne album)
Armchair Theatre is the first solo album by Jeff Lynne, released in 1990.- History :"Every little Thing" and "Lift Me Up" were released as singles. The album also features two classic cover versions "September Song" and "Stormy Weather" the latter recorded as a tribute to his late mother...
and Lynne produced Dave Edmunds
Dave Edmunds
David 'Dave' Edmunds is a Welsh singer, guitarist and record producer. Although he is primarily associated with Pub rock and New Wave, and had numerous hits in the 1970s and early 1980s, his natural leaning has always been towards 1950s style rock and roll.-Early bands:As a teenager Edmunds first...
"Information
Information
Information in its most restricted technical sense is a message or collection of messages that consists of an ordered sequence of symbols, or it is the meaning that can be interpreted from such a message or collection of messages. Information can be recorded or transmitted. It can be recorded as...
". Tandy's playing has been loosely compared to that of Tony Banks
Tony Banks (musician)
This article is about the musician. For other people named Tony Banks, see Tony BanksAnthony George "Tony" Banks is a British composer, and multi-instrumentalist, who performs as a keyboardist and a guitarist...
, by some with the patch engineering quality of Tomita
Isao Tomita
, often known simply as Tomita, is a Japanese music composer, regarded as one of the pioneers of electronic music and space music, and as one of the most famous producers of analog synthesizer arrangements...
. Before joining ELO Tandy played with the groups The Uglys and Balls. In 1986 Tandy formed the Tandy Morgan Band featuring Dave Morgan and Martin Smith, both of whom had worked with ELO in live concerts.
Tandy is featured on all ELO albums with the exception of the first. He was also credited as co/arranger on the album Eldorado
Eldorado (Electric Light Orchestra album)
Eldorado - A Symphony By The Electric Light Orchestra is the fourth studio album by the Electric Light Orchestra, released in 1974.-Concept:...
onwards. He is generally regarded as important as Jeff Lynne
Jeff Lynne
Jeffrey "Jeff" Lynne is an English songwriter, composer, arranger, singer, multi-instrumentalist, and record producer who gained fame as the leader and sole constant member of Electric Light Orchestra and was a co-founder and member of The Traveling Wilburys together with George Harrison, Bob...
and Louis Clark
Louis Clark
Louis Clark is a British musical arranger and keyboard player.He trained at Leeds College of Music. He was the conductor of the orchestra and choir hired to back Electric Light Orchestra's sound, introduced on their album Eldorado in 1974...
when it came to the final sound of the band on recordings. Some of the ideas for the ELO album titles thought up by Richard Tandy were A New World Record
A New World Record
A New World Record is the sixth studio album by Electric Light Orchestra, released in 1976.-Overview:The second album to be recorded at Musicland Studios in Munich, the LP proved to be the band's long awaited breakthrough in the UK: after seeing their previous three studio recordings fail to chart...
, Out of the Blue
Out of the Blue (Electric Light Orchestra album)
The 30th Anniversary Edition was released on February, 20th 2007 with three bonus tracks.-Personnel:ELO*Jeff Lynne – lead vocals, backing vocals, guitar, keyboards, percussion*Bev Bevan – drums, percussion, backing vocals, fire extinguisher on "Mr...
, and Discovery
Discovery (Electric Light Orchestra album)
Discovery is a 1979 album by Electric Light Orchestra.-History:Discovery was the band's first No. 1 album in the UK, entering the chart at that position and staying there for five weeks...
.