The artist Jeff Lynne always wanted to collaborate with: “It’s just the time”
Collaboration is essential to the artistic process. Sure, the idea for a film or a song may start with one person, but the realisation of that idea can often be far greater when they opt to get other people involved. Bouncing ideas off a couple of trusted collaborators or finding a producer suited to the vision for the song can enhance its execution massively. Though he is now the only consistent member of Electric Light Orchestra, even Jeff Lynne knows this.
Lynne is a talented songwriter in his own right, but he has almost always preferred working in bands. He started out in a group called the Idle Race before joining Brummie rockers the Move and, eventually, co-founding the iconic Electric Light Orchestra in 1970. This project would catapult Lynne to global success in the years that followed.
From the truly iconic ‘Mr. Blue Sky’ to the disco-infused ‘Last Train to London’, ELO put out hit after hit, and Lynne was the driving force behind all of them. He was the sole songwriter and producer for all of these songs, but he needed his bandmates to take up their instruments in the studio and on stage to execute them successfully.
Lynne is now the only remaining member of ELO, but he has amassed an impressive list of collaborators in his solo career, too. His debut solo album, 1990’s Armchair Theatre, even featured Beatles guitarist George Harrison, while his producer credits include records for Ringo Starr, Brian Wilson, and Tom Petty. He’s worked with the Beatles and the Beach Boys, but there’s still one name that Lynne is yet to cross off his list: Bob Seger.
During a conversation with Q Magazine, he named the rocker as one of the artists he’d most like to work with and suggested that the feeling might be mutual. “It’s just the time element,” he commented, “that’s the trouble.”
“I know he’d like to work with me and I’d like to work with him,” Lynne asserted, “because he’s got a great voice and does great songs. Maybe I’ll be able to help him out on his next album.”
The ELO vocalist went on to admit that most of the musicians he’s “really enthusiastic about are dead. It’s terrible.” He shared his dreams of working with Roy Orbison and Del Shannon again, who passed away in 1988 and 1990, respectively. “But there’s newer ones I’d like to work with and try and make them sound better,” Lynne concluded, “without mentioning any names.”
It seems like Lynne might be out of luck trying to tie Seger down for a collaboration, too. The singer played a farewell tour back in 2019, treating audiences to hits from across his career one last time. Since then, he only played a one-off performance last year and hasn’t released a studio record since 2017.
Fortunately, Lynne’s list of collaborative credits certainly doesn’t lack names. From his place in the original lineup of The Traveling Wilburys, alongside the likes of Bob Dylan and Harrison, to his ever-increasing list of production credits, Lynne has reaped the rewards of creative collaboration for decades.
Maybe, if Seger does happen to return his desire for a collaboration, he will come out of retirement one more time and complete Lynne’s list.
