Trevor Francis meets Jeff Lynne
(taken from the Daily Express newspaper in 1976).

Soccer and the world of pop music often go hand in hand. Football stars are rarely far from their favourite Lp, while Elton John and company are anxious to lend their expertise to the game they love. England striker Trevor Francis is a close friend of Jeff Lynne, leader of the Electric Light Orchestra; Jeff has one of Trevor’s international shirts while the player was given of of ELO’s gold discs as a souvenir. In the Nottingham Forest star’s recently published book “Trevor Francis - anatomy of a million pound player” by Rob Hughes with Trevor Francis (World’s Work) there is a fascinating chapter which includes a conversation between the two friends. Here are extracts:

Trevor Francis: Had you had ambitions to play football yourself?

Jeff Lynne: “No. I was never interested in playing, except at school.”

TF: “Were you in the school team?”

JL: “ I used to play after school. It’s a funny thing that all footballers would like to make a record, and all members of groups always want to play football. I don’t know why it is.”

TF: “ I don’t want to make a record, but I love music. It’s my hobby. Jeff said he would teach me the guitar but I’m not too good at learning. It’s like coaching at football, I just can’t be bothered with it. I think it would be the same with music. If for instance I could get hold of a guitar and play it, I’d love to do that, but I’m sure it would take such a long time for me to learn.”

JL: “Well that’s always the thing. Everybody say’s “Oh, I’m sure I could do that” and like you say Trev, you obviously don’t want to learn because if you did, you would.”

TF: “It’s the same with tennis, I could be better at that if I wanted to, but I’m happy now just to go out and have a knock-around, go out on a court and enjoy it, I don’t want to have lessons. It’s like driving. I never wanted to pass my test. But it’s the same with all games for me.”

NEITHER OF YOU IS FINANCIALLY INSECURE, BUT DOES THE INSECURITY OF BEING RATED AS GOOD AS YOUR LAST GAME OR LAST COMPOSITION HELP YOU UNDERSTAND EACH OTHER?

JL: “ I think so, it’s almost like that. We are both in artistic professions. Trevor has his thing where he can’t sleep after a match, he keeps reliving the moves. That’s the difference. With us, when we’re finished playing, we’re always in a position where there’s a bar and we can have a laugh and unwind afterwards, whereas Trevor’s profession doesn’t allow him to do that. But there is the same sort of feeling whether you’re going out there to play football or up on stage..you’re playing before people.”

TF: “ Actually there was one time when I did go up on stage with Jeff and shared the feeling of singing - or trying to - in front of 40 or 50 people. It was a New Year’s Eve party the year Alberto Tarantini came over. There were four members of the group over at Jeff’s house and we set up the amplifiers after 12 o’clock. I can remember there was Alberto, myself, Keith Bertschin, Garry Pendrey, Malcolm Page from Birmingham and John Richards from Wolves. Anyway, I was on wine that night and I think Jasper Carrott must have slipped something in my drink! The group started with “Auld Lang Syne”, then Alberto requested “Telephone Line”, which was the only ELO number they did all night. Then, with me sharing lead vocal with Jeff, we did “Get Back” by The Beatles. It seemed to go down well, but I still haven’t received a contract from them, so they couldn’t have been that impressed.”

JL: “It’s just that we never had time to put one in the post, Trev. But it’s funny, you mentioning Alberto being at that party. Do you remember when he left we had another little party and gave him the album “Discovery”? He must have been doing his stuff because it’s just become the No.1 is Argentina.”

PART OF TREVOR’S VALUE IS THE ABILITY TO IMPROVISE - CAN YOU ACTUALLY DO THINGS OFF THE CUFF DURING A SHOW?

JL: “You can only do subtle things, really. You’ve got to stay within the framework of the piece because there are seven of us and the others are still playing it exactly the same. So the only way you can do it is within the same chord structure, just improvise through that.”

TF: “In football, even though I like to do unusual things, I still can’t be too individual. If I’m told to play on the right, I’ve got to stay there or else it affects the balance of the team. And obviously, I have always had to be sensible about it and play as a member of the team.”

JL: “That’s true, but the great thing thing about Trev is he’s always striving to be better. One thing you sense with him that you sense with very few players - it’s like a sigh of relief when he gets the ball, you sense something’s going to happen. You can’t predict - it might be something totally outrageous or a fabulous pass...but it’s rare he actually fluffs it.”

TF: “Sometimes it’s luck, you know. Sometimes you don’t plan and it works out.”

JL: “You see, at Birmingham a couple of yearago, you’d suddenly see Trevor shoot off on one of those runs. He had a spell of doing them...you’d see him surrounded by defenders near the corner flag and he’d somehow manage to keep the ball. Then he’d either cross it or have a shot. That was what used to draw gasps.”

THOSE DAYS MIGHT BE OVER - AT FOREST HE’S IN A MORE DISCIPLINED SET-UP.

JL: “Exactly. At Birmingham, Trevor was at one point a one-man team.”

TF: “Obviously if players want the ball, and if they are good and they get into positions to receive it, then you pass it to them. But it depends which area I’m in - if I get the ball in an attacking area and there’s space, I always do expect myself to attempt something. I suppose I put pressure on myself to create things, but you don’t feel it like I do, do you?”

JL: “Not that sort of pressure, no basically because I’ve got a passion for recording.”

TF: “You have to keep churning out great stuff all the time, but you don’t feel any effect. Once an album’s done, all you want is to get back and do another.”

JL: “You used to be a lot worse. It doesn’t get to you so much now, you shrug a lot of it off.”

TF: “That’s right. I can’t put my finger on it, but I’ve changed somewhat since I’ve been at Forest. I think I’ve hardened.”