Friday 9 December 2022

E Is For Emerson Lake And Palmer.

 Continuing  my A to Zed or Zee of some of my favourite Rock  bands.

Rather like the new film The Railway Children Return.   Keith Emerson's mother was a refugee in WW2 and they moved to Yorkshire.  Keith was born in Todmorden in 1944.  Sadly his birth place was later demolished.

Greg Lake was born in Poole, Dorset in 1947.  Carl Palmer was born in Handsworth,  Birmingham in 1950


They formed a three piece super group playing Classical, Progressive Rock and Jazz.  I can't think of another 3 piece band in Rock other than Rush who were so multi talented and entertaining.  Can you?

According to Professor Google I saw ELP at Manchester Apollo in October 1992.  It was an awesome concert.  Keith Emerson played like a famous Composer and he tortured an Hammond organ sticking SS daggers in it.  Regular readers will remember I wrote about Lemmy from Hawkwind and Motorhead supplying Keith with them.  When I did a blog about Greg Lakes book ' Lucky Man'. Remember?

The ELP Manchester concert was one of the best gigs I have ever been to.  Perhaps Kansas could only top that? 

Did anyone else get to see The Nice or ELP? They have got the be the best Prog band to come out of England with a name like a Solicitors practice.  

Keith and Greg are sadly no longer with us.  But there music lives on for evermore.  Carl Palmer is still touring with his band.  A friend told me that he once saw him play in his new band and Carl kept doing drum solos.  One wit in the audience shouted in betweenthe drum solos. : " Give the Bass player a chance".

The video is  'Knife Edge' from back in 1970 in Switzerland when people knew how to Rock and literally let their hair down.

I wonder what F will be my choice next week? I think they could be French and quite contemporary.   

15 comments:

  1. I think I told you before that I saw The Nice at Burton Constable Hall in 1969. They stepped in at the last minute to replace Thunderclap Newman who were one hit wonders. The Nice were amazing and I was right at the front. I still remember Intermezzo from The Karelia Suite and "America". Keith Emerson was a bloody genius on keyboards.

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  2. Thanks YP. I always enjoy reading about other people's concert tales. I have seen some great keyboard players like Steve Walsh of Kansas, Geddy Lee -Rush, Rick Wakeman -YES and Keith Emerson is up there with them all. He was like an Austrian Composer reincarnated into a Prog Rock keyboard player. He was a genius and keyboard wizard.

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  3. I quite enjoyed Fanfare for the Common Man but admit I am not familiar with much of their work.

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  4. Yes you mention a classic one of theirs JayCee. You would probably be surprised how many ELP tracks you know. I would say they are one of the best Prog Rock bands to come from England. Thanks.

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  5. It's a long time since I've heard ELP play. Brought back great memories. Still love their sound

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  6. Incredible band Linda. Classical, Prog and Jazz all in one concert.

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  7. Emerson was amazing. I never saw ELP though my partner saw them in 1971. I saw Palmer last year in a small venue and he still has it. You are probably aware he has a tour next year where he will be reunited with Lake and Emerson… https://www.carlpalmer.com/tourdates.php

    Greg Lake’s voice was wonderful when he was young. Are you familiar with Stillusion? Lake’s vocals on that are like a wave of water.

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  8. Hi Traveller. I read "Lucky Man" Greg Lake's autobiography and posted a blog about it on here. Great band and privileged to have seen them. I just watched Stillusion on You Tube. Thanks.

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  9. I posted about "Lucky Man" in May this year.

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  10. I was a great fan of Emerson Lake and Palmer and although I did not see them I did see Nice who used to play locally when I was a teenager. Their first album is still one of my most favourite albums ever. I look forward to the band on F.

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  11. Yes I thought you liked ELP Rachel. I would likecto seen Nice. Thanks.

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  12. Just looked up Pete Sinfield to see what he is up to and learnt that he has written for Celine Dion!

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  13. Gosh. He sounds like a Trevor Horn. He's penned lots of famous tracks for many different singers and bands. I saw him at Cropredy in August.

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  14. I thought I commented here! You sent me off on a wonderful explore of the group. I still love their music and I learned all sorts of new things. Thanks, Dave.

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  15. Glad you enjoyed ELP again Debby.

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