The rock legend behind festive classic I Wish It Could be Christmas Every Day has given fans an early gift by revealing he’s working on his first new album in 14 years.

Former Wizzard front-man Roy Wood, 78, has delved into his archives and discovered unreleased material he deems worthy of a new LP.

He admitted that he became ‘lazy’ and  started to ‘neglect’ his music career, but that is about to change.

In an interview with The Sun, Roy said: ‘I was going through some tracks and I managed to find at least eight tracks that are all unfinished and never been heard.

‘And I’m going to get down and get them finished and get a new album. You know, I think it’s probably about time.

The rock legend behind festive classic I Wish It Could be Christmas Every Day has given fans an early gift by revealing he’s working on his first new album in 14 years

Former Wizzard front-man Roy Wood, 78, has delved into his archives and discovered unreleased material he deems worthy of a new LP

‘It’s about time I wasn’t quite so lazy and did it.

‘I’ve sort of neglected the music a bit.’

Wood rose to fame in the 1970s and 80s, when he performed with the Electric Light Orchestra and The Move. 

Wood formed the Move in 1965, and had hits including Flowers in the Rain, while the Move were still together, Roy, along with his band colleagues Jeff Lynne and Bev Bevan, founded Electric Light Orchestra (ELO), which was later to gain major commercial success.

In August 1973, Roy donned a bobble hat and gloves ready to get into the mood to sing I Wish It Could Be Christmas Every Day. 

Wood’s Xmas song from 1973 is estimated to make Wood around £180,000 each year in royalties and has charted in the UK top 50 every year since 2007.

Last year, Wham! officially bagged the Christmas Number One тιтle.

He admitted that he became ‘lazy’ and started to ‘neglect’ his music career, but that is about to change

but it was a close race to the top between The Pogues Fairytale Of New York and a cover of Wizard’s I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday.

Roy’s last release was the 2011 record, Music Book, a double album put out on EMI. 

Altogether, he had more than 20 singles in the UK Singles Charts, including three UK No. 1 hits. 

Roy was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2017 as a member of Electric Light Orchestra.