What bothers me most is that when conversations turn to the greatest drummers of all time, Carl Palmer rarely gets a mention. I believe he's at least close to the best percussionist ever.
He's a great talent, but if a criticism can be leveled at him, it might be that his playing lacks touch or finesse. Everything seems to be dialed all the way up.
Great to hear a younger person touting the musical genius of ELP. This is a good video, Lucas, thanks for posting it. I first saw ELP on the Trilogy Tour in 1972, then Brain Salad Surgery tour, and many times after that. In 1977, I spent the day interviewing Carl on the Works Tour (after they dropped the orchestra) and then got to interview Carl again in 2016. These three men were incredible and you’re right- ELP deserves to be remembered and respected.
@@homomorphic There's an awful lot of overlooked greats out there many of which where lost to time when commercial radio went from AOR format to classic rock. One of my kids attended a very prestigious art school and I doubt they covered anything musically that came from popular culture, she got that exposure from her dad! One time I put on King Crimson's "21st Century Schizoid Man" to give her a taste of some of the virtuosity of their work, she grabbed her String Bass and played it after hearing it only once commenting "That's not really a hard song"
Brain Salad Surgery kiddiez that's wha' did it for this kid! It was Huxley, Orwell, Arthur C. Clarke and Asimov all wrapped up in one brilliantly crafted progressive rock masterpiece! Then came "Fanfare", Keith's interpretation of the Aaron Copeland masterpiece. They were harder, more aggressive and talented than any of the so called "Prog-Rock" bands of the day.
I think I bought that album with my babysitting money in '72 when I was 13 or 14 . I didn't know anybody who had ever heard of them until a year or two later . They've always been one of my favorite bands and I've tried to turn people on to them and not just younger people . Makes me sick they still haven't been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame ... should have been done years ago ... and yet they have the nerve to induct the likes of the Bangles ... ? How horrible . I hear the reason for the snub is because Jann Wenner of Rolling Stone cannot stand progressive rock ... .. what a shallow and stupid man .
I am old enough, and a LUCKY MAN enough, to have seen ELP multiple times when I was a young duffer. And I can tell you that I STILL absolutely LOVE this band. It was so sad, to see Keith Emerson and Greg Lake disappear from this earth. These guys truly were GIANTS in Rock music. Fortunately we do indeed still have Carl Palmer. And, to HELL with what the critics thought of them. Their fans loved them, and many still do. I am truly pleased to see young people, like yourself, who still appreciate them. God bless ya laddie!!!
I've always loved ELP. My Mum loved "Fanfare For The Common Man", I was fortunate to have parents with good taste bringing music like this into our house. Greg Lake wrote some beautiful songs too, that one "I believe in Father Christmas", such wonderful lyrics and what an unforgettable arrangement with the hook and chorus. "In the Beginning" another classic, I love playing that one on my guitar. Yeah, thank you for reminding us all how great ELP were. May Keith Emerson and Greg Lake rest in peace.
I know every note of Tarkus and loved Pictures At an Exibition (by Mussorgsky, first time I heard The Gates of Kiev) so I got the original piano and (Ravel orchestrated) orchestral suits, a real service by ELP to the world. Unfortunately, their Fanfare For the Common Man by Aron Copeland pales in comparison to the original, (jumped the shark) Without massed low and high brass and tympani it's dullsville. If you like music to give you the shivers, it's Copeland's Fanfare and Orff's Carmina Burana (which was perhaps too popular for them to cover. th-cam.com/video/c3gisO7ZFT4/w-d-xo.html
I just discovered their Pictures myself (recommended today by a friend who heard it when new). There's some incredible footage of live concerts in California. Death is Life??? Nut Rocker (ie Nutcracker) is good too.
I, too, enjoy a young person discover, recognize and appreciate the Genius of Emerson, Lake and Palmer. I’m seeing more young people doing this on TH-cam- it’s great to watch them truly enjoy their exploration into the 60’s , 70’s 80’s. I was born in the 50’s
I'm 65 yrs old and love ELP, I recently turned my son on to them. They are now one of his favorites. I always thought they were under appreciated. Truly unique talents producing great music. I put them with Yes, Moody Blues, Rick Wakeman, Procol Harum as completely unique music for the day. They took people by surprise.
Great to hear you talk about ELP. But critics almost universally hated them before they tried to do pop songs. There was only one album they recorded, Love Beach, that could be considered a transition to pop. (Gentle Giant, another great band, went through the same thing because of pressure from their managers and the record company) When Punk came along, a lot of progressive rock was consigned to the dust bin by trendy magazines. They made two errors. in 1975-1977, they stopped touring. in 1977, Works came out, which sold very well. But they toured with a very costly symphony orchestra. In 1978, their second major mistake was Love Beach, the pop album. The critics always hated them and were calling them pompous and pretentious on their first appearances and first album. The lack of touring and move away from Progressive rock in radio programming hurt them further. When I saw Emerson and Lake play in 2011, the theater was packed. People from 2 states over came to see them. Radio programming decisions are based around several factors, including branding. I rarely hear Roundabout on classic rock stations, but I hear Owner of A Lonely Heart a great deal.
If you were near Landover, MD, we saw the same concert and my ears had the same reaction. So I had viewed them as a headphones band up to that point. Did they kill album sales by being so loud on tour?
I saw them at the Omni in Atlanta back when the Brain Salad Surgery album came out, I've always thought that ELP was one of the greatest bands ever. When I saw Greg Lake playing and singing "Still You Turn Me On", I was awe struck. I believe this song and "From the Beginning" are nothing short of amazing. It's said that Greg wrote "Lucky Man" when he was 12 years old. I fell for Greg Lake when he made the "In the Court of the Crimson King" album. I'm pretty sure there are more fans than you would ever imagine, thank you for reminding people that they are missed and still loved by millions. Oh, and don't forget Greg's Christmas song "I believe in Father Christmas" will make sure that Greg Lake lives forever, because it gets air play every Christmas. I will remember Greg Lake until my last breath, amazing person. RIP Greg.
I'm 66 years old and was in my late teens when I first heard ELP. At that time I thought they were the greatest band ever. I still believe that they are. Their music was one of a kind. Awesome, just awesome.
Hi Lucas, I will echo others in saying how refreshing it is to hear a child of the 90s speak out for ELP. As a Brit some 40 years your senior, I was fortunate to have seen The Nice in concert, and to have seen ELP's first 2 tours - they ran out of material at the end of the first tour, and resorted to playing King Crimson and Nice songs, plus an incredible version of 'Nutrocker'. Sad to see both Keith and Greg have now gone, but apparently Carl is planning to your a virtual ELP concert this year.
Boy was I a “Lucky Man” when my friend brought the first ELP album over Xmas break 1971. The next morning I bought both ELP and Tarkus. These albums were the promise of Rock and Roll -- what it should have become. Both should be regarded as landmarks. Keep up the good work.
I owned ELP’s 8 track tape of Brain Salad Surgery as a 70’s teenager. I think what attracted me to their music was their futuristic style which emphasized keyboard synthesizer and haunting vocals. You could tell that these guys were highly trained and talented musicians and used music as their art form. They were brilliant.
Good Show!!!! I certainly hope you join the ELP appreciation Site, I'm the american reviewer, Please come on board, you belong in our family. Lucas you are our people. I'm blessed to grow up in the era of being able, through many many blissful actions and was able to see them 22 times. It was 22 times in my life that I was blown away and knew it was the best band ever no matter what anybody thought. So come join answer the damned questions and Welcome Back My friend To the Show That Never Ends!!!!!
They had lots of incredible tracks. Take a Pebble, Still you turn ne on, C' est LA Vie, Fanfare for a Common Man, Trilogy and the ones you mentioned. So many more too.
The fact that Emerson, Lake & Palmer were as popular as they were (in their heyday in the 70's) is truly remarkable. (and just to be clear, I am a ‘foam at the mouth’ lifelong ELP fan) Think of it this way; how many people drink beer, versus how many people drink fine Cognac ? Bands such as Led Zeppelin made music that is comparable to beer (and I am not tossing shade here, I love Zep !) The music of ELP however, is on an entirely different plane of existence, it is the Cognac of rock music. Most rock music is guitar based, and rhythm and blues based. The music of ELP was keyboard centric, and based on European classical music. You just can’t get much more distance between two extremes, as regular rock music vs the music of ELP. I personally believe that ELP were a once in a lifetime (history?) phenomenon. Their combination of virtuoso level talent and technical ability, their stunningly unique music and their interpretations of classical music, combined with their (way) over the top live performances, made ELP a force of nature. They were also noteworthy for the many pioneering breakthroughs they contributed to popular music as well. ELP fans are a rare breed, we are the Cognac lovers. We might be sorely outnumbered by the beer drinkers, but we will NEVER give up what we truly believe is the best damn band to ever walk the Earth. For those of us who had the ridiculous good fortune to see ELP live, we shall always count our blessings. And of course, we have all of the video and audio recordings of our heroes as well. LONG LIVE ELP !!!
Thank you for your truthful and informative comments of one favorite Rock bands of all times. Saw them perform at the Mar y Sol Rock Fest in Puerto Rico back in 1972.
This was a very well-researched and presented musical history lesson! I grew up listening to ELP. so I really appreciate the work you put into preparing and performing this video. Keep them coming!
ELP was and is still my favorite group, there really was nothing else like them. Incredibly he's right, no one plays their music anymore, and they were the best.
Good to hear you discovered ELP and their ENIGMATIC MUSIC. ELP is for Complex and Deep thinkers so welcome to the club. Seen them live 5 times since 73 and I met Dr.Robert Moog who gave Keith the minimoog on lucky man, Lucky Man was the first song to feature a synth and it blew the world away. Im 64 and been a fan my whole life. ELP wasnt in the Rock Hall of Fame because they are Classical based,,,,crazy though. A big shout out to all the other ELP fans out there, we are an elite club.
The video is mostly very well researched but Carl's tenure with the Crazy World was at best fleeting and it was with Atomic Rooster that his burgeoning talent was picked up on the Prog radar. For me the flaws that led to the demise of ELP were manifest from the outset i.e. the debut album has three tracks which are clearly not group material (the Three Fates, Tank and Lucky Man) Fast forward 7 years to Works Volume 1 where you have three solo sides of a double vinyl album dedicated to each member to appease three voracious egos. I adore ELP and they are my favourite Prog Rock band by some distance but they represent all that is wonderful and truly regrettable about a whole genre. With regards your description of their staying power to remaining popular being unsuccessful, EVERY 1st Gen Prog band in the late 70's was trying to write shorter and more accessible radio friendly songs. (see Genesis who were brilliant at this) Love it or loathe it, Punk and New Wave had changed the entire musical landscape by '77 and the Prog audience had simply dispersed and were listening to other types of music. For ELP's lineage to make any sense, you need to check out Emerson's prior band the Nice first and then explore ELP's discography.
While bands like Yes could get just as out there as ELP in the 70's they were able to reinvent themselves with 90125 and a big single. Even King Crimson found themselves in more of an accessible version with Adrian Belew in the 80's, ELP just become increasingly less appealing towards the end of their 70's run only to return with one of the worst albums ever "Black Moon" in the 90's.
@@TMINE100 I agree with this in as far as the execrable 'Love Beach' is concerned but I really like both the Works volumes, ELPowell and Black Moon (there's not a bad track on the album). That said, 'In the Hot Seat' was clearly from a throne that needed flushing thereafter.
In 78, at the height of punk, Rush released 'Hemispheres', which stands as a model of prog rock, and was very well received. It did, however, turn out to be their last of the genre and they continued recording and touring, writing shorter, modern influenced songs until 2015. New prog probably wouldn't survive today - there's just too many distractions.
Keith Emerson said they never should have recorded Works. I tend to agree. There's a lot of ambition that falls flat on those records. I love their first four albums, with Tarkus being my favorite. After that it was downhill. That said, their live shows of that end period were still great. I've heard all of their reunion albums, and they're kinda "meh" for me. Great band, great talent.
Thank you Lucas! I’ve loved ELP since the 70s, not only for their off-the-charts musicianship and amazing songs, but also that they had so much passion that came across on record and in concert. You’re right, critics always hated them, and when they tried to go Pop with the Love Beach album, it was a total disaster, and then even the fans (including me) turned on them. But I will always love the earlier albums, and there are lots of great performances on TH-cam to discover. I’m now re-acquiring those albums on vinyl and enjoying re-creating the “sit in a room and just listen to the music” experience again, a long lost art after decades of earbuds and listening on the go. Cheers!
I enjoyed ELP's music starting with the first album and in 1974 foundmyself working as a mike and cable wrangler for a sound company hired to provide for concerts in Virginia, New York and Ohio. Musical genius aside, their chemistry on stage and their collegiality with the monitor and front of house mixers was refreshing and professional despite reports of huge egos. I worked a season of concerts in Ohio in the mid-nineties and worked on rigging two shows with ELP and Jethro Tull...again, ELP were the most humble and gracious performers to work with...Intense in performance, but wholly down to earth before, afterward, and backstage.
I´m a prof. musician, firstly a classical pianist and secondly a keyboardist. As such I always valued ELP and especially Keith Emerson a lot. His abilities in improvising - especially with The Nice - is still unmatched. Furthermore he was THE pioneer in bringing the synthesizer into a band. He wasn´t really a great classical pianist, but he composed prog stuff like Tarkus that was and still is the pinnacle of prog. So why are they forgotten? I guess the first reason is that young folks listen to classical music less and less. That was different in the 70s and that´s an important factor as classical music is an important part of ELP: Another reason: Folks don´t like ambitious music anymore where they have to listen to. They want music where they can dance to. And they can´t imagine a band without an electric guitar. Rhythm became the main element of rock , not harmonies and melodies and improvisations are totally out of fashion. Same goes for instrumental pieces and ELP had a lot of them. So, all in all it´s a queston of musical education and being open to music and willing to really listen to it.
As a teenager of the late 70s and early 80s, this prog rock band was one of my main stays to be able to do standby position to my most classical musical leaning parents parents. So to be honest for me, Emerson Lake and Palmer was somewhat of a gateway drug to some of the more avant-garde.
@@scottmcneely1927 that depends on your experiences. When I was a kid I’d listen to the soundtracks for Final Fantasy games. I heard Tarkus and it blew my mind.
As a 59 year old piano player that loved ELP when they came out, I have to hand it to you. You nailed it. They were amazing and as we all said, they sold out! We didn’t like the watered down sell out. We loved the first stuff. You’re insightful, especially for not being there.
Brain Salad Surgery is my favorite album of all-time. What a refreshing video to stumble across, a 30ish young man with the appreciation this band deserves. ELP spans the template of my life. Thank you.
Thank you for bringing them back into the music conversations. I perform 2 ELP tunes on acoustic, and people recognize them, but mostly older. It's great to see a young musician appreciate them. They were a phenomenal band. Their " time signatures " playing live were ridiculous. Prog rock brilliant musicians.
Big ELP fan here, having seen them six times. Agree with your appraisal that they faded when they went toward more popish sounds. One of the other reasons they were big back in the 70’s was the quality of their live performances. It’s one thing to hear great musicianship on a record but another to see them pull that off live. In addition, they went for some showmanship, best exemplified by Emerson’s antics with his keyboards (dragging them across the stage, jumping on them, playing from behind, stabbing the keys with daggers, etc.). There’s not a lot of videos of their performances on TH-cam, but there are some and worth checking out if you are curious.
Our family loved music and my Dad loved classical music but embraced The Beatles when they came along taking me to buy their singles. But when I discovered ELP had formed and played Pictures album my Dad embraced them saying" These guys can play some great classical" The greatest concert that I ever saw was their stint at Empire Pool Wembley in 1974. I was fortunate enough to see their last ever concert at the High Voltage Festival in 2010. I can offer no better praise for them that they changed the music landscape as much as the Beatles did. The two greatest bands ever. As for the Critics what do they know! Keep up the good work Lucas.
I was lucky enough to see them twice. Jaw dropping shows in large arenas back in the 70's. I agree with your assessment and Tarkus is what I listen to the most. Lake was a underrated bass player and I don't know why. Maybe his voice overshadowed his guitar chops since it was so good. Well done.
I saw them just once in 79. But I knew the moment I walked in and saw two walls of JBL speakers, that this concert was going to be phenomenal. It certainly was!
I was born in 62, and it was my all time favorite band growing up. Brain Salad Surgery and Tarkus are phoenoms. I am glad the younger generations are appreciating them.
They were a fantastic band and wrote some excellent, very complex, music that my (slightly autistic) mind seems to be very comfortable with. Its what happens when very talented and creative people are free to chose what they do. Thanks for helping to keep their memory alive.
Lucas well done. I was fortunate to see ELP in Portland Oregon in 1977. My first concert ever of anyone and they still have the bar that all others are measured by. They were that good. All three would be on stage, just slamming it. You would be swept away with it all and suddenly you would realize two of them had slipped off stage and you were listening to just one. They would do amazing solo's. All three of them would do this during the concert. When I heard of the passing of Keith Emerson I was truly saddened. Then when I heard of Greg Lake's passing, well the rain felt a little colder that day. I remember when all three did a televised special of the band and it was fantastic. For Carl Palmers portion it showed what he liked doing at times and they filmed him running in the dessert until truly tired while still in the dessert in the open him sitting down to his snare drumm and he just completely goes to unimaginable new places playing just that one drum. Watching him it was like he had his entire kit. Amazing. My favorite album was " Welcome back my friends " A live multi album of essentially all their best hits. Thanks for doing this video and helping go back to the "way back machine " of memories. It's raining, I think I'll put on some ELP, think I'll start with Take a Pebble. Have a great day.
Greg Lake had an amazing voice. Warm, expressive, operatic, a rare baritone among all the tenor screamers in Rock bands. He unfortunately had a penchant for kitsch, so many of his ballads are a little saccharine. After ELP, he recorded a self titled kick ass rock album with the help of Gary Moore that had some absolute bangers on it.
I saw them in concert in ‘77 and they were better live than on their studio LP’s! Lucas, you’re reassuring to me that great music will continue to be appreciated by future generations after the musicians are gone… ELP was as great as you’ve ever heard, and then some! RIP Keith and Greg, Godspeed Carl!
I was born in 55 and caught ELP right on the chin, so to speak, right when my West Cooast experience and taste were perfectly prepared for the incredible musicianship, composition, and performance they showed in every note, chord, and fill. I was a Lucky Man indeed.
You might also hear I Believe in Father Christmas on the radio in December. This song incorporates the music from Prokofiev's Troika continuing the classical influences in ELP music.
Yes ELP blew us away back then . As a grown adult in the 21 Century found out that Greg Lake wrote Lucky Man as a Kid . What can I say ? Some of us were just snubbed in life .
It was "sofisticated" music for people who were musicians and understood music and what ELP was trying to do, creating something complex. Cest La Vie! Such is life, and a good example of one of their songs. The Tripple Live album was their best. I have two copies, one open, one still sealed.
My dear friend I grew up with this music along with the likes of Yes. Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple, Jimi Hendrix ect..ect. Emerson Lake and Palmer in the early seventies is the sort of music I remember going back to my early childhood. My elder brothers and sisters had those L.Ps , ELP self titled,Tarkus, Pictures at an Exhibition (my favourite), Trilogy and Brain Salad Surgery. All of them in my view absolute masterpieces and like you I think they deserve higher praise and recognition.
One of my favorite bands of all time. Their music was widely divergent from most of what else was happening musically, so I never understood why they got all the hate they did. It's almost like the critics wanted less variety in music. You can't judge bands with widely divergent styles with the same yardstick.
So nice to hear someone young appreciate what these 3 guys did. Seeing ELP live was where it was at. They were the first to have Quadraphonic sound in an indoor arena. If you were sober going into the arena, you were high coming out.. "Welcome back my friends, to the show that never ends We're so glad you could attend, come inside, come inside There behind a glass stands a real blade of grass Be careful as you pass. Move along, move along Come inside, the show's about to start! Guaranteed to blow your head apart Rest assured you'll get your money's worth Greatest show in Heaven, Hell or Earth! You've got to see the show. It's a dynamo! You've got to see the show. It's rock and roll! Oh ~Karn Evil 9.
Yeah, have noticed that even on the "best prog ever" lists, ELP has started dropping positions the last couple years, when previously they almost always had an album or two in the top 10. Don't know if it's because Emerson and Lake passed or what, but I also expect the number of hardcore, older ELP fans are dropping in numbers too. And so it goes.
Their nickname given them by members of Yes kinda of cemented the perspective you described so well. They became Henderson, Snake and Charmer to many who didn't give them a fare listen. Thank you Lucas for re-introducing one of the greatest bands ever.
That friendly rivalry between Yes and ELP was hilarious. The guys in ELP had a nickname for Yes too: "Maybe". Fun fact: Greg Lake and Chris Squire shared a flat at one point. Absolutely monstrous talent, both of them.
@@christophermerrill9443 Don‘t forget that Carl Palmer was in the original lineup of Asia, along with Steve Howe and Geoff Downes of Yes and King Crimson‘s John Wetton.
Hey Lucas, lovely to see how passionate you are about ELP & the resurgence in interest among your generation. I was a teenager in the 70's so I can remember what it felt like. As we know these guys were virtuosos & highly adventurous prog pioneers. Keith singlehandedly pioneered the modular Moog synth live & played the Hammond like no one else before or since. Like Yes & Genesis, their output in the first 4 years of the 70's was immense, but their intensity literally burnt them out. By the end of the Brain Salad Surgery tour (my favorite ELP album as well) they were spent. 3 years later when they re-charged IMO they did a fabulous job with Works vol 1 & the tour but their best days as a dynamic trio had passed. The commercial pressures of the 80's/90's affected most surviving prog bands. With the changing musical landscape & with the exception of Love Beach which is largely unrepresentative of their talents that they were forced to do I think they did a fine job with Emerson, Lake & Powell & Black Moon & the accompanying tours but that was about it. Personally I am so grateful for their musical career, I don't think it could have been any different. Best of luck with yours.
...when I think of ELP, and how they kinda got forgotten a bit, I always feel, that they are so genius... they are still ahead of the time, and they will be dug out again in the future and praised... I predict that the Hall of Fame will eventually catch up with them... I was introduced to them in 1973 (being 17 then), purchasing their live-triple album 'Welcome back my friends...' and it still is an absolute pearl in my collection of music... (to me it covers most of their remarkable stuff, except for 'Pictures at an Exhibition') but it needs your full and utter attention, when listening, to really appreciate the brilliance and depth of their works... good on you, Lucas, finding them and promoting them - I'm so happy to see the younger generation discovering them...
Outstanding description of the life and times of ELP. I’m old enough to have seen them in concert twice and I still have the original LP’s. A very well put together band with a spellbinding performance.
Nice to hear you're listening to great music.Absolutly loved the killer jams these guys got into live.Keith Emerson used to tweak things in the back of his Hammond and just make it scream..I remember reading an article in the Toronto Star back in the 70's talking about how they couldn't identify some of the electronic gadgets Keith Emerson was playing the night before.I always looked forward to the next album they were going to put out ,when I was in highschool back in the 70's.Thanks so much for remembering one of rocks most legendary bands!! band!
I WAS there when ELP started releasing albums and I ADORED them. For the most part. Some of the jazz/classical stuff went over my head (I was young). But holy heck, Greg's voice was astounding, Keith's keyboard was magic, and Carl's drumming was unmatched, and I forget how much Peter Sinfield wrote but c'mon, the lyrics were psychedelic sometimes beyond comprehension, "We've got thrills and shocks, supersonic fighting c*cks?" What else sounded like THAT? And yes, Briain Salad Surgery was their magnum opus, but there was SO much more ...
It is great to know that younger people are able to enjoy and appreciate the music created by these three exceptional musicians. I’m 65 and consider myself very fortunate indeed to have seen ELP in the 70s and again when they did the Black Moon tour in the 90s. I’m also pleased that both of my kids (29 and 24) are happy to delve into my vinyl collection and pull out Tarkus, Pictures or BSS and play through the whole album. Expressing an opinion as to who might be the GOAT can be a dangerous thing! But IMHO, Emerson, at his peak, was probably the best keyboard exponent, influencing many who followed him. There’s a wonderful TH-cam of him and the great Oscar Peterson duetting (with Carl Palmer in the background) worth looking at. Keep going, young man, and the music of ELP will be in safe hands👍
Seeing them live was one of the most memorable performances I ever witnessed. Just as good live as on the albums. One of the very few bands that you can listen to their albums in full. Each one was formidable in their own right but together they were magical. Hopefully this video will motivate younger people to search out their music.
First time I saw ELP was when they reunited as Emerson, Lake & Powell in New Orleans (incredible band). Afterwards they reunited with Carl Palmer and I saw them sandwiched between Deep Purple & Dream Theatre (great show around 1999 in L.A.) and co-headline with Jethro Tull (so-so show in San Francisco). Their one big hit “Lucky Man” wasn’t really indicative to what they were all about. It was also hard for the general populace to rock out to classical unless they saw them live. They were a LIVE phenomenon but when you don’t have songs in regular rotation people tend to forget. Thanks for this video. It’s inspiring to see youngsters “find it and get it”.
ELP is in the wheel house of my youthful era of music. LOVED them then and love them still. I have recommended ELP songs to a number of the folks here on you tube who make "reaction videos" to music. You are exactly right about the how and why ELP is all but completely unknown. I feel the same way about The Alan Parsons Project. Of course Pink Floyd is wildly popular today but another band that seems to relatively unknown today is Steely Dan. Only older people like myself know much about these bands.
You hit the nail on the head… I have been a fan since the 70’s and while they were not as popular as Zeppelin, Stones or who ever… no one can dismiss their musical talent… seen them twice back in the day and feel honored to have been a part of their legacy!
By the way, in his book "Lucky Man" Greg Lake says that when Emerson said to him that they either get an orchestra to play with them or ELP was Over, he felt bad, since it meant to him to loose the power that came with the trío (kinda like Rush or Red era King Crimson) and honestly it shows, since Works, even though it has some high lights, its very weak and Works II is almost unlistenable for me.
Appreciate your video! Don't dismiss them completely as they did sell 48 million records. But the main issues were self-inflicted. Keith and Greg locked horns many times as they disagreed on the direction of the music as Keith wanted to keep expanding the "out there" music while Greg tried to reign him in to come up with more commercial friendly songs. Keith got upset that Greg was doing all the production work but supposedly Keith wasn't stepping up to help. Then there was the "orchestra tour" that pretty much bankrupted them. All that aside, all their music is in constant rotation on my electronic devices but being "experienced" 🙄 I have the LP's, the cassettes, did have the 8-tracks, the CDs and DVDs! I saw them in Fort Worth in '77 and in Dallas on the "Black Moon" tour so I will always have that memory. I recommend Greg Lake's "Lucky Man" book that was published after his passing. Well worth the read.
I saw both the Brain Salad Surgery and the Works tours!! I still listen to the 3 record live Welcome Back!! Great studio music but thier live music is perfection.
I don't think people truly understand how insanely talented every member was as musicians. Being able to recreate, note for not, the entirety of Pictures at an Exhibition with non orchestra instruments is absolutely ridiculous. Keith Emerson is widely regarded as one of the best keyboardists of all time, as well as Carl Palmer for drummers and percussionists. I can only think that they weren't as famous as the beatles or zeppelin or the doors because the world wasn't ready to hear the complex arrangements. Like, the beatles, the who, and the doors were basically pop rock, while zeppelin was more hard rock/blues, but none were remotely complex. My dad got me into ELP and Palmer has GREATLY influenced my drumming, and i'm still flabbergasted at how he was able to play Trilogy at that speed. 32nd single strokes on the hi-hat for about two minutes, and then the mayhem for the remainder of the song. Just fantastic and will never be replicated again.
I really didn’t know them well until I got to see them live on a multi-band bill when they reunited in the 90s. It remains one of the most important shows I’ve ever seen. Good for you spreading the word, kid 👍
I remember at school ELP,Yes,Genesis,etc constantly talked about.Then punk came and after about six weeks no one spoke of them.Must have been a huge blow to them.
I was there from the very start.....I was 15 in 1970 and ELP...King Crimson...and Genesis were everything to me...I saw all of these bands by the end of 1970, along with Led Zepplin at that time. I was a drummer and Carl Palmer along with Steve Gadd, Lenny White and Phil Collins were God's to me......and, yes ELP never got the attention the others got. I do miss them....!!!! Mostly, though Greg Lake is missed the most....He may have had the best rock voice out of all the bands...It's sad to think he's gone....
I have been a fan of ELP since a friend introduced me to them in 1973. I have owned recording of their albums on vinyl, cassette, c ds and 8-tracks. I have three of their albums on vinyl still. The absolute best band in history. I know that cause I've lived a lot of history. You are correct my young friend- ELP rules. You don't find a lot of true musicians like these 3 guys were.
My first exposure to prog in 1972 in 8th grade...Their first album was such a monumental album to hit the airwaves and Phonographs...We were just starting to understand Stereo sound...I became and remain a drummer because of Carl and Tank...
Good on you Lucas, very well presented. At 68, I grew up with this music in Oz, they were the "Cool" band to listen to, sailing on a 40' yacht off the coast of Eastern Australia, sipping on Scotch and cruising to that music when I was 22, ah the memories. Thanks mate, you did well.
Emerson lake and palmer are the greatest band ever keith emerson is the best rock musician ever hammond b3 grand piano moog synthesizer rock jazz classical blues saloon ethnic blues folk ribbon controller hammond l100 spinning piano playing bach unorthodox composer Greg lake great singer lyricist bass acoustic guitar electric guitar song writer producer carl palmer greatest drummer of all time
There is only ONE GOAT, and it’s not a band, nor any single musician you might name, you might get lucky with your first guess, but I doubt it. You are entitled to say “my favorite band ever”, but not “the greatest band ever”. Far too many great bands from 1955 till the mid 1980’s. After 1990 for sure you can’t be sure it’s talent, or electronics that make a recording/performance. No that’s not my opinion, that’s a fact that is provable.
The critics hated them when they were progressive. Prog was crushed by punk, and everyone went pop to survive. Their pop was never even pure pop. The fact is, they could and did do anything and everything. Even in the loathed Love Beach, they have a long, gorgeous piece called Memoirs of an Officer and a Gentleman that was totally unsuitable for radio play.
Biggest flaw of "Love Beach" for me was mostly the title and the album cover photo - it was like the bastard love child of the Bee Gees & Barry Manilow. Had they gone with a cover that was more typical for them - and a less cheesy sounding title - that record would be better thought of today.
I have seen ELP in concert 4 times. The first concert I ever went too was when the toured in support of Brain Salad Surgery. Saw them at the Philadelphia Spectrum. What a performance they put on!
There are a variety of ways in which I’d try to describe them to a new listener, but for a fair portion of their songs, I’ve always thought “person in medieval times returns from LSD trip with beautiful new sounds.” And then you have their deeply moving folksy acoustic ballads. And their theatrical scores that seem out of an emotionally-moving film of years gone... all of which, in my opinion, still can fall under a medieval LSD trip. Man, what an incredible group.
Thanks for informing the younger crowd out there and reminding us olders of a great trio. If you got to hear them back then you were a Lucky Man, a little Brain Salad Surgery following going to See the Show provided you were “careful as you passed a real blade of grass” as “move along, move along.” Go, get their recordings.
To me, Lucas the best album that ELP put out is “Pictures at an Exibition” from Ravel/ Mussorgsky. I found out about this wonderful piece of music because of them back in the ‘70s. Just for you to know I’m seventy something and I still have all those vinyl records…
Thanks for the memories. I am a child of the 70s and your posting here prompted me to return to ELP and I was surprised how well my memory kicked in on so many pieces and I followed them just as when I was a youngster. I remember once when my dad was driving me somewhere and Lucky Man was playing, he thought the synthesizer break at the end was a siren so he slowed down and started to pull over.
Hey Lucas , Greg Lake also wrote one of the greatest Christmas songs ever and I'm sure most people have heard it but no idea that it was the L in ELP...have you seen this? th-cam.com/video/U6-PAKOt7sM/w-d-xo.html
@@michaelcraig9449 because they know the song....it gets airplay every Christmas but likely don't know who the artist is. Its a song I think more well known than the artist that created it. Or if they know its Greg Lake they don't make the connection to ELP.
@@Siloguy Here in the UK, I would say Greg Lake is known by older people (maybe 50-ish or so) as both the singer of *I Believe in Fr Christmas* _and_ a member of ELP. It is widely played on radio stations from mid-November onwards.
As to why no one talks about ELP anymore, I remember reading an interview with Emerson around 1992 were he noted that listeners weren’t impressed by keyboard virtuosos anymore because the dominance of MIDI technology had made the sound of endless arpeggios commonplace and nothing was “unplayable” anymore. I think what dooms them with modern audiences is that the arrangements tend to be built from the keyboards, down; rock (then and now) is centered in the rhythm section. Especially in a live setting, L & P were always audibly rushing to keep up with E. They couldn’t catch a groove with a net.
Well said. Yeah the complete dominance of dance grooves in today’s pop music plus ever decreasing education and exposure to classical music makes ELP seem from an entirely different and garish universe today.
“The Barbarian” is probably the only time I’ve heard a rock cover of a classical piece (Bartok’s Allegro Barbaro) that sounded better than the original. My favorite ELP composition has to be Karn Evil 9, followed by Tarkus. And I really dug the 3rd movement of Emerson’s Piano Concerto, even if Mrs. Arbel would call it a Copland/Herrmann/Bernstein pastiche.
The first professional band I saw, aged 15, was The Nice in 1968, which was quite an introduction to a live performance of non-pop music. That was at the Redcar Jazz Club in the north east of England. In the early 1970’s I saw ELP in Newcastle, about 1973, also in England. Keith Emerson was quite a showman, but also a superb keyboard player.
Life long ELP fan. I think it helps if one likes classical music. ELP were too great, too complex and too epic for the masses. Simple as that. For example, pieces like Tarkus (one of their greatest works) timeless lyrics. Intricate and meticulous music construction and movement. One of my all time favorite pieces of music. Full stop. But it's 20 minutes long. Few have the patience to stay with that and watch it develop. Thank you for bringing awareness to one of rock and roll's greatest bands to a new generation.
I never got into their studio albums, but for some reason I got their three disc live album released in 1974, I guess I wanted a sampling of all their stuff without buying all their albums, turns out although the recording quality is not superb but perfectly acceptable, I still really enjoy playing these albums, the music has passed the test of time, and I would recommend checking out this live album, if you can even get it, seems like nothing is selling anymore so nothing is available, at least on CD or LP.
Way back in 74 I was at ELP's 1st stop for a concert in Atlanta, GA at the Omni. They had the 1st and to the best of my knowledge the only quadraphonic PA system ever used (and used quite effetely). They also had this huge MOOG synthesizer along with a octave plus drum set and at the back was a huge screen with the art work from the Brain Salad Surgery album cover..... it was absolutely amazing and mind blowing concert. Sooooo much talent on that stage. I'll still have a Great Britain deep vinyl pressing of that album. It broke my heart when the 2 passed away..... every year I always play Greg's song "I believe in Father Christmas".
@ Doyle! I was at that concert too! Superb concert...one of my all time favorites. My ears are still ringing from it too :) I just consider myself very fortunate that I was able to see this group, LIVE, and I wish they were still around because even though they's all be in their 70's, they'd still be able to blow the roof off of any venue they'd play!
You're right, and it is sad that the band won't be remembered because they were so awesome! Back in the day I bought their first album solely because I liked "Lucky Man". I hated the album at first because the music was complex and seemed too weird, but it grew on me big time. I became a huge fan and bought all their albums after that.
In the early 90s I was in a chat room in IRC and some dude had a handle of “Emerson”. So naturally I asked him where was Lake and Palmer, and he answered “huh?” It totally went over his head even after I explained the reference. I didn’t understand how he could not know the band.
I agree with every single word that came out of your mouth! ELP is my 2nd favorite prog-rock band of all time. Second only to Yes. I’m thrilled to hear someone as young as you are (I’m 67) speak so highly of ELP. I had the pleasure of seeing them in concert twice. In 1974, and again in 1977. Both concerts were absolutely mind blowing! RIP Keith, and Greg.
Good job, Lucas! It's great to see someone from a younger generation realizing the genius of ELP. I was very fortunate to grow up with their music, music I have enjoyed for decades. Hopefully younger people will be awakened to the extreme talents of this unique trio.
![장동혁 “이재명 피선거권 박탈, 판사가 미치지 않고서야..뒤집어질 판결 했겠나, 끝”[여의도초대석]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/Z9FkaiPGPzQ/mqdefault.jpg)
What bothers me most is that when conversations turn to the greatest drummers of all time, Carl Palmer rarely gets a mention. I believe he's at least close to the best percussionist ever.
Saw him live last month as part of his EP legacy act. Was fantastic
the best I've heard
On the same level as Neil Peart..
He's a great talent, but if a criticism can be leveled at him, it might be that his playing lacks touch or finesse. Everything seems to be dialed all the way up.
He's gotta be top ten at least!
Great to hear a younger person touting the musical genius of ELP. This is a good video, Lucas, thanks for posting it. I first saw ELP on the Trilogy Tour in 1972, then Brain Salad Surgery tour, and many times after that. In 1977, I spent the day interviewing Carl on the Works Tour (after they dropped the orchestra) and then got to interview Carl again in 2016. These three men were incredible and you’re right- ELP deserves to be remembered and respected.
I mean I expect anyone who claims to be a musician to know all the greats from Bach to Cobain, it doesn't matter how old they are.
Saw Carl on the Royal Afair Tour. Followed ELP from the beginning. Saw them many times over the years.
@@homomorphic There's an awful lot of overlooked greats out there many of which where lost to time when commercial radio went from AOR format to classic rock. One of my kids attended a very prestigious art school and I doubt they covered anything musically that came from popular culture, she got that exposure from her dad! One time I put on King Crimson's "21st Century Schizoid Man" to give her a taste of some of the virtuosity of their work, she grabbed her String Bass and played it after hearing it only once commenting "That's not really a hard song"
Brain Salad Surgery kiddiez that's wha' did it for this kid! It was Huxley, Orwell, Arthur C. Clarke and Asimov all wrapped up in one brilliantly crafted progressive rock masterpiece! Then came "Fanfare", Keith's interpretation of the Aaron Copeland masterpiece. They were harder, more aggressive and talented than any of the so called "Prog-Rock" bands of the day.
I think I bought that album with my babysitting money in '72 when I was 13 or 14 .
I didn't know anybody who had ever heard of them until a year or two later .
They've always been one of my favorite bands and I've tried to turn people on to them and not just younger people .
Makes me sick they still haven't been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame ... should have been done years ago ... and yet they have the nerve to induct the likes of the Bangles ... ? How horrible .
I hear the reason for the snub is because Jann Wenner of Rolling Stone cannot stand progressive rock ...
.. what a shallow and stupid man .
They were epic, one of the most original sounds in history.
Oh dear, I must have missed the point, I thought they were crap.
I am old enough, and a LUCKY MAN enough, to have seen ELP multiple times when I was a young duffer. And I can tell you that I STILL absolutely LOVE this band. It was so sad, to see Keith Emerson and Greg Lake disappear from this earth. These guys truly were GIANTS in Rock music. Fortunately we do indeed still have Carl Palmer. And, to HELL with what the critics thought of them. Their fans loved them, and many still do. I am truly pleased to see young people, like yourself, who still appreciate them. God bless ya laddie!!!
I saw The Nice in Sheffield in 1968 or 9! Never saw ELP though...
Critics suck. Why are they critics? They wanted to be musicians but did not have the discipline to sit alone and practice for many years.
@@michaelcraig9449 Definitely no. Some are born as musicians and other as critics. What is the problem?
Saw them in Atlanta twice.
June 1975 at the Yale bowl new haven Ct.CT. awesome show
I've always loved ELP. My Mum loved "Fanfare For The Common Man", I was fortunate to have parents with good taste bringing music like this into our house. Greg Lake wrote some beautiful songs too, that one "I believe in Father Christmas", such wonderful lyrics and what an unforgettable arrangement with the hook and chorus. "In the Beginning" another classic, I love playing that one on my guitar. Yeah, thank you for reminding us all how great ELP were. May Keith Emerson and Greg Lake rest in peace.
I know every note of Tarkus and loved Pictures At an Exibition (by Mussorgsky, first time I heard The Gates of Kiev) so I got the original piano and (Ravel orchestrated) orchestral suits, a real service by ELP to the world. Unfortunately, their Fanfare For the Common Man by Aron Copeland pales in comparison to the original, (jumped the shark) Without massed low and high brass and tympani it's dullsville. If you like music to give you the shivers, it's Copeland's Fanfare and Orff's Carmina Burana (which was perhaps too popular for them to cover. th-cam.com/video/c3gisO7ZFT4/w-d-xo.html
I just discovered their Pictures myself (recommended today by a friend who heard it when new). There's some incredible footage of live concerts in California. Death is Life??? Nut Rocker (ie Nutcracker) is good too.
I, too, enjoy a young person discover, recognize and appreciate the Genius of Emerson, Lake and Palmer. I’m seeing more young people doing this on TH-cam- it’s great to watch them truly enjoy their exploration into the 60’s , 70’s 80’s. I was born in the 50’s
I'm 65 yrs old and love ELP, I recently turned my son on to them. They are now one of his favorites. I always thought they were under appreciated. Truly unique talents producing great music. I put them with Yes, Moody Blues, Rick Wakeman, Procol Harum as completely unique music for the day. They took people by surprise.
Good man Grizz
I dont believe i have procol harum in my collection. Any album suggestions?
@@AunCollective A Salty Dog and Shine On Brightly are great albums.
Great to hear you talk about ELP.
But critics almost universally hated them before they tried to do pop songs. There was only one album they recorded, Love Beach, that could be considered a transition to pop. (Gentle Giant, another great band, went through the same thing because of pressure from their managers and the record company)
When Punk came along, a lot of progressive rock was consigned to the dust bin by trendy magazines.
They made two errors. in 1975-1977, they stopped touring. in 1977, Works came out, which sold very well. But they toured with a very costly symphony orchestra. In 1978, their second major mistake was Love Beach, the pop album.
The critics always hated them and were calling them pompous and pretentious on their first appearances and first album. The lack of touring and move away from Progressive rock in radio programming hurt them further.
When I saw Emerson and Lake play in 2011, the theater was packed. People from 2 states over came to see them. Radio programming decisions are based around several factors, including branding. I rarely hear Roundabout on classic rock stations, but I hear Owner of A Lonely Heart a great deal.
Add the Who ("Who's Next album) to that list.
Saw them live in 74 or 75 touring the Brain Salad Surgery album. It took 3 days for my ears to stop ringing. What a show. What a show.
Concert
Brain Salad Surgery is still my preferred ELP album
Then comes Tarkus
It was guaranteed to blow your head apart!
If you were near Landover, MD, we saw the same concert and my ears had the same reaction. So I had viewed them as a headphones band up to that point. Did they kill album sales by being so loud on tour?
Roll up, Roll up, See the Showwwwwwwww!!!
I saw them at the Omni in Atlanta back when the Brain Salad Surgery album came out, I've always thought that ELP was one of the greatest bands ever. When I saw Greg Lake playing and singing "Still You Turn Me On", I was awe struck. I believe this song and "From the Beginning" are nothing short of amazing. It's said that Greg wrote "Lucky Man" when he was 12 years old. I fell for Greg Lake when he made the "In the Court of the Crimson King" album. I'm pretty sure there are more fans than you would ever imagine, thank you for reminding people that they are missed and still loved by millions. Oh, and don't forget Greg's Christmas song "I believe in Father Christmas" will make sure that Greg Lake lives forever, because it gets air play every Christmas. I will remember Greg Lake until my last breath, amazing person. RIP Greg.
I’m one of those Greg Lake fans. He was a gifted genius.
I was there too!
And Greg Lake had one of the most unique and beautiful singing voices ever, period.
I'm 66 years old and was in my late teens when I first heard ELP. At that time I thought they were the greatest band ever. I still believe that they are. Their music was one of a kind. Awesome, just awesome.
Me too!
The use of the synthesizer by them is incredible.
👍
Hi Lucas, I will echo others in saying how refreshing it is to hear a child of the 90s speak out for ELP. As a Brit some 40 years your senior, I was fortunate to have seen The Nice in concert, and to have seen ELP's first 2 tours - they ran out of material at the end of the first tour, and resorted to playing King Crimson and Nice songs, plus an incredible version of 'Nutrocker'. Sad to see both Keith and Greg have now gone, but apparently Carl is planning to your a virtual ELP concert this year.
Would love to see his version.
Boy was I a “Lucky Man” when my friend brought the first ELP album over Xmas break 1971. The next morning I bought both ELP and Tarkus. These albums were the promise of Rock and Roll -- what it should have become. Both should be regarded as landmarks.
Keep up the good work.
I owned ELP’s 8 track tape of Brain Salad Surgery as a 70’s teenager. I think what attracted me to their music was their futuristic style which emphasized keyboard synthesizer and haunting vocals. You could tell that these guys were highly trained and talented musicians and used music as their art form. They were brilliant.
how did 3 guys make all that sound? They even did it live!
Good Show!!!! I certainly hope you join the ELP appreciation Site, I'm the american reviewer, Please come on board, you belong in our family. Lucas you are our people. I'm blessed to grow up in the era of being able, through many many blissful actions and was able to see them 22 times. It was 22 times in my life that I was blown away and knew it was the best band ever no matter what anybody thought. So come join answer the damned questions and Welcome Back My friend To the Show That Never Ends!!!!!
They had lots of incredible tracks. Take a Pebble, Still you turn ne on, C' est LA Vie, Fanfare for a Common Man, Trilogy and the ones you mentioned. So many more too.
Born in 2002 I wish more people recognized the greatness of ELP. Great video!!!
Good taste!
The fact that Emerson, Lake & Palmer were as popular as they were (in their heyday in the 70's) is truly remarkable.
(and just to be clear, I am a ‘foam at the mouth’ lifelong ELP fan)
Think of it this way; how many people drink beer, versus how many people drink fine Cognac ?
Bands such as Led Zeppelin made music that is comparable to beer (and I am not tossing shade here, I love Zep !)
The music of ELP however, is on an entirely different plane of existence, it is the Cognac of rock music.
Most rock music is guitar based, and rhythm and blues based.
The music of ELP was keyboard centric, and based on European classical music.
You just can’t get much more distance between two extremes, as regular rock music vs the music of ELP.
I personally believe that ELP were a once in a lifetime (history?) phenomenon. Their combination of virtuoso level talent and technical ability, their stunningly unique music and their interpretations of classical music, combined with their (way) over the top live performances, made ELP a force of nature. They were also noteworthy for the many pioneering breakthroughs they contributed to popular music as well.
ELP fans are a rare breed, we are the Cognac lovers. We might be sorely outnumbered by the beer drinkers, but we will NEVER give up what we truly believe is the best damn band to ever walk the Earth.
For those of us who had the ridiculous good fortune to see ELP live, we shall always count our blessings.
And of course, we have all of the video and audio recordings of our heroes as well.
LONG LIVE ELP !!!
Thank you for your truthful and informative comments of one favorite Rock bands of all times. Saw them perform at the Mar y Sol Rock Fest in Puerto Rico back in 1972.
This was a very well-researched and presented musical history lesson! I grew up listening to ELP. so I really appreciate the work you put into preparing and performing this video. Keep them coming!
Glad you enjoyed it!
You've loved ELP for a very long time. Pretty cool how big of an impact it had on your musical journey
ELP was and is still my favorite group, there really was nothing else like them. Incredibly he's right, no one plays their music anymore, and they were the best.
Yes they do! Check out Rachel Flowers the blind multi instrument player! She is the greatest!
@@michaelcraig9449 Rachel is amazing and had a professional relationship with Keith, who gave her one of his Moog synthesizers.
Lots of TH-cam reviewers are listening to them. Palmer is touring with concert footage of Greg and Keith and his two virtuoso string players.
Good to hear you discovered ELP and their ENIGMATIC MUSIC. ELP is for Complex and Deep thinkers so welcome to the club. Seen them live 5 times since 73 and I met Dr.Robert Moog who gave Keith the minimoog on lucky man, Lucky Man was the first song to feature a synth and it blew the world away. Im 64 and been a fan my whole life. ELP wasnt in the Rock Hall of Fame because they are Classical based,,,,crazy though. A big shout out to all the other ELP fans out there, we are an elite club.
The video is mostly very well researched but Carl's tenure with the Crazy World was at best fleeting and it was with Atomic Rooster that his burgeoning talent was picked up on the Prog radar. For me the flaws that led to the demise of ELP were manifest from the outset i.e. the debut album has three tracks which are clearly not group material (the Three Fates, Tank and Lucky Man) Fast forward 7 years to Works Volume 1 where you have three solo sides of a double vinyl album dedicated to each member to appease three voracious egos. I adore ELP and they are my favourite Prog Rock band by some distance but they represent all that is wonderful and truly regrettable about a whole genre. With regards your description of their staying power to remaining popular being unsuccessful, EVERY 1st Gen Prog band in the late 70's was trying to write shorter and more accessible radio friendly songs. (see Genesis who were brilliant at this) Love it or loathe it, Punk and New Wave had changed the entire musical landscape by '77 and the Prog audience had simply dispersed and were listening to other types of music. For ELP's lineage to make any sense, you need to check out Emerson's prior band the Nice first and then explore ELP's discography.
While bands like Yes could get just as out there as ELP in the 70's they were able to reinvent themselves with 90125 and a big single. Even King Crimson found themselves in more of an accessible version with Adrian Belew in the 80's, ELP just become increasingly less appealing towards the end of their 70's run only to return with one of the worst albums ever "Black Moon" in the 90's.
@@TMINE100 I agree with this in as far as the execrable 'Love Beach' is concerned but I really like both the Works volumes, ELPowell and Black Moon (there's not a bad track on the album). That said, 'In the Hot Seat' was clearly from a throne that needed flushing thereafter.
@@exitthelemming145 Regarding Black Moon having listened to it in full this week I would say there's not a good track either! LOL.
In 78, at the height of punk, Rush released 'Hemispheres', which stands as a model of prog rock, and was very well received. It did, however, turn out to be their last of the genre and they continued recording and touring, writing shorter, modern influenced songs until 2015. New prog probably wouldn't survive today - there's just too many distractions.
Keith Emerson said they never should have recorded Works. I tend to agree. There's a lot of ambition that falls flat on those records. I love their first four albums, with Tarkus being my favorite. After that it was downhill. That said, their live shows of that end period were still great. I've heard all of their reunion albums, and they're kinda "meh" for me. Great band, great talent.
Thank you Lucas! I’ve loved ELP since the 70s, not only for their off-the-charts musicianship and amazing songs, but also that they had so much passion that came across on record and in concert. You’re right, critics always hated them, and when they tried to go Pop with the Love Beach album, it was a total disaster, and then even the fans (including me) turned on them. But I will always love the earlier albums, and there are lots of great performances on TH-cam to discover. I’m now re-acquiring those albums on vinyl and enjoying re-creating the “sit in a room and just listen to the music” experience again, a long lost art after decades of earbuds and listening on the go. Cheers!
That's great to hear. Cheers!
We should also note that after ELP, Palmer teamed up with fellow '70's Prog Rocker Steve Howe from Yes to form, ' Asia ', in 1982.
I saw ELP at Isle of Wight 1970. Blown away. That apparently was their second gig. Been a fan for the past 50 years. Thank you!
Wow you're lucky to have seen that show!
I enjoyed ELP's music starting with the first album and in 1974 foundmyself working as a mike and cable wrangler for a sound company hired to provide for concerts in Virginia, New York and Ohio. Musical genius aside, their chemistry on stage and their collegiality with the monitor and front of house mixers was refreshing and professional despite reports of huge egos. I worked a season of concerts in Ohio in the mid-nineties and worked on rigging two shows with ELP and Jethro Tull...again, ELP were the most humble and gracious performers to work with...Intense in performance, but wholly down to earth before, afterward, and backstage.
I´m a prof. musician, firstly a classical pianist and secondly a keyboardist. As such I always valued ELP and especially Keith Emerson a lot. His abilities in improvising - especially with The Nice - is still unmatched. Furthermore he was THE pioneer in bringing the synthesizer into a band. He wasn´t really a great classical pianist, but he composed prog stuff like Tarkus that was and still is the pinnacle of prog.
So why are they forgotten? I guess the first reason is that young folks listen to classical music less and less. That was different in the 70s and that´s an important factor as classical music is an important part of ELP: Another reason: Folks don´t like ambitious music anymore where they have to listen to. They want music where they can dance to. And they can´t imagine a band without an electric guitar. Rhythm became the main element of rock , not harmonies and melodies and improvisations are totally out of fashion. Same goes for instrumental pieces and ELP had a lot of them.
So, all in all it´s a queston of musical education and being open to music and willing to really listen to it.
As a teenager of the late 70s and early 80s, this prog rock band was one of my main stays to be able to do standby position to my most classical musical leaning parents parents. So to be honest for me, Emerson Lake and Palmer was somewhat of a gateway drug to some of the more avant-garde.
Actually , The Moody Blues and ELO were the "gateway drugs". They were the most pop of the prog bands.
@@scottmcneely1927 that depends on your experiences. When I was a kid I’d listen to the soundtracks for Final Fantasy games. I heard Tarkus and it blew my mind.
Born in '55. Graduated HS in '73.
I LOVE ELP!!! They even wrote one of my favorite Christmas songs, 'Father Christmas'. Fantastic, thoughtful music!
As a 59 year old piano player that loved ELP when they came out, I have to hand it to you. You nailed it. They were amazing and as we all said, they sold out! We didn’t like the watered down sell out. We loved the first stuff. You’re insightful, especially for not being there.
ELP - still today one of my favorite bands! I grew up with their music.
Brain Salad Surgery is my favorite album of all-time. What a refreshing video to stumble across, a 30ish young man with the appreciation this band deserves. ELP spans the template of my life. Thank you.
Thank you for bringing them back into the music conversations.
I perform 2 ELP tunes on acoustic, and people recognize them, but mostly older.
It's great to see a young musician appreciate them.
They were a phenomenal band.
Their " time signatures " playing live were ridiculous.
Prog rock brilliant musicians.
My covers still get recognized live - th-cam.com/video/btOcWZ5apRc/w-d-xo.html
Big ELP fan here, having seen them six times. Agree with your appraisal that they faded when they went toward more popish sounds. One of the other reasons they were big back in the 70’s was the quality of their live performances. It’s one thing to hear great musicianship on a record but another to see them pull that off live. In addition, they went for some showmanship, best exemplified by Emerson’s antics with his keyboards (dragging them across the stage, jumping on them, playing from behind, stabbing the keys with daggers, etc.). There’s not a lot of videos of their performances on TH-cam, but there are some and worth checking out if you are curious.
Somersaulting the piano in mid-air.
Our family loved music and my Dad loved classical music but embraced The Beatles when they came along taking me to buy their singles. But when I discovered ELP had formed and played Pictures album my Dad embraced them saying" These guys can play some great classical" The greatest concert that I ever saw was their stint at Empire Pool Wembley in 1974. I was fortunate enough to see their last ever concert at the High Voltage Festival in 2010. I can offer no better praise for them that they changed the music landscape as much as the Beatles did. The two greatest bands ever. As for the Critics what do they know! Keep up the good work Lucas.
I was lucky enough to see them twice. Jaw dropping shows in large arenas back in the 70's. I agree with your assessment and Tarkus is what I listen to the most. Lake was a underrated bass player and I don't know why. Maybe his voice overshadowed his guitar chops since it was so good. Well done.
I saw them just once in 79. But I knew the moment I walked in and saw two walls of JBL speakers, that this concert was going to be phenomenal. It certainly was!
I was born in 62, and it was my all time favorite band growing up. Brain Salad Surgery and Tarkus are phoenoms. I am glad the younger generations are appreciating them.
They were a fantastic band and wrote some excellent, very complex, music that my (slightly autistic) mind seems to be very comfortable with. Its what happens when very talented and creative people are free to chose what they do. Thanks for helping to keep their memory alive.
Lucas well done. I was fortunate to see ELP in Portland Oregon in 1977. My first concert ever of anyone and they still have the bar that all others are measured by. They were that good. All three would be on stage, just slamming it. You would be swept away with it all and suddenly you would realize two of them had slipped off stage and you were listening to just one. They would do amazing solo's. All three of them would do this during the concert. When I heard of the passing of Keith Emerson I was truly saddened. Then when I heard of Greg Lake's passing, well the rain felt a little colder that day. I remember when all three did a televised special of the band and it was fantastic. For Carl Palmers portion it showed what he liked doing at times and they filmed him running in the dessert until truly tired while still in the dessert in the open him sitting down to his snare drumm and he just completely goes to unimaginable new places playing just that one drum. Watching him it was like he had his entire kit. Amazing. My favorite album was " Welcome back my friends " A live multi album of essentially all their best hits. Thanks for doing this video and helping go back to the "way back machine " of memories. It's raining, I think I'll put on some ELP, think I'll start with Take a Pebble. Have a great day.
I really appreciate it. Good starting track...Take a Pebble
Greg Lake had an amazing voice. Warm, expressive, operatic, a rare baritone among all the tenor screamers in Rock bands. He unfortunately had a penchant for kitsch, so many of his ballads are a little saccharine. After ELP, he recorded a self titled kick ass rock album with the help of Gary Moore that had some absolute bangers on it.
His work with King Crimson was excellent also, especially 21st Century Schizoid Man.
Greg actually recorded two solo albums after ELP broke up, and there are some great songs on both of those albums.
@@gannman2001 It Hurts! (I'm aware of that second album, I think it was called Maneuvers or something like that, I didn't love that one as much.)
I saw them in concert in ‘77 and they were better live than on their studio LP’s!
Lucas, you’re reassuring to me that great music will continue to be appreciated by future generations after the musicians are gone… ELP was as great as you’ve ever heard, and then some!
RIP Keith and Greg, Godspeed Carl!
77 would have been an awesome concert.
I was born in 55 and caught ELP right on the chin, so to speak, right when my West Cooast experience and taste were perfectly prepared for the incredible musicianship, composition, and performance they showed in every note, chord, and fill. I was a Lucky Man indeed.
Awesome time!
You might also hear I Believe in Father Christmas on the radio in December. This song incorporates the music from Prokofiev's Troika continuing the classical influences in ELP music.
I love how they incorporate that piece.
I saw them live many times, as they were my husband's favorite band. They were great!
Yes ELP blew us away back then . As a grown adult in the 21 Century found out that Greg Lake wrote Lucky Man as a Kid . What can I say ? Some of us were just snubbed in life .
It was "sofisticated" music for people who were musicians and understood music and what ELP was trying to do, creating something complex. Cest La Vie! Such is life, and a good example of one of their songs. The Tripple Live album was their best. I have two copies, one open, one still sealed.
My dear friend I grew up with this music along with the likes of Yes. Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple, Jimi Hendrix ect..ect.
Emerson Lake and Palmer in the early seventies is the sort of music I remember going back to my early childhood.
My elder brothers and sisters had those L.Ps , ELP self titled,Tarkus, Pictures at an Exhibition (my favourite), Trilogy and Brain Salad Surgery.
All of them in my view absolute masterpieces and like you I think they deserve higher praise and recognition.
One of my favorite bands of all time. Their music was widely divergent from most of what else was happening musically, so I never understood why they got all the hate they did. It's almost like the critics wanted less variety in music. You can't judge bands with widely divergent styles with the same yardstick.
So nice to hear someone young appreciate what these 3 guys did. Seeing ELP live was where it was at. They were the first to have Quadraphonic sound in an indoor arena. If you were sober going into the arena, you were high coming out..
"Welcome back my friends, to the show that never ends
We're so glad you could attend, come inside, come inside
There behind a glass stands a real blade of grass
Be careful as you pass. Move along, move along
Come inside, the show's about to start!
Guaranteed to blow your head apart
Rest assured you'll get your money's worth
Greatest show in Heaven, Hell or Earth!
You've got to see the show. It's a dynamo!
You've got to see the show. It's rock and roll! Oh
~Karn Evil 9.
Their music was a somehow natural music high.
Yeah, have noticed that even on the "best prog ever" lists, ELP has started dropping positions the last couple years, when previously they almost always had an album or two in the top 10. Don't know if it's because Emerson and Lake passed or what, but I also expect the number of hardcore, older ELP fans are dropping in numbers too. And so it goes.
Still, they turn me on. 😄
It's too bad! If you delete the weak stuff there's no one better even though I love Yes, Genesis...
Their nickname given them by members of Yes kinda of cemented the perspective you described so well. They became Henderson, Snake and Charmer to many who didn't give them a fare listen. Thank you Lucas for re-introducing one of the greatest bands ever.
That friendly rivalry between Yes and ELP was hilarious. The guys in ELP had a nickname for Yes too: "Maybe". Fun fact: Greg Lake and Chris Squire shared a flat at one point. Absolutely monstrous talent, both of them.
@@christophermerrill9443 Don‘t forget that Carl Palmer was in the original lineup of Asia, along with Steve Howe and Geoff Downes of Yes and King Crimson‘s John Wetton.
Hey Lucas, lovely to see how passionate you are about ELP & the resurgence in interest among your generation. I was a teenager in the 70's so I can remember what it felt like. As we know these guys were virtuosos & highly adventurous prog pioneers. Keith singlehandedly pioneered the modular Moog synth live & played the Hammond like no one else before or since. Like Yes & Genesis, their output in the first 4 years of the 70's was immense, but their intensity literally burnt them out. By the end of the Brain Salad Surgery tour (my favorite ELP album as well) they were spent. 3 years later when they re-charged IMO they did a fabulous job with Works vol 1 & the tour but their best days as a dynamic trio had passed. The commercial pressures of the 80's/90's affected most surviving prog bands. With the changing musical landscape & with the exception of Love Beach which is largely unrepresentative of their talents that they were forced to do I think they did a fine job with Emerson, Lake & Powell & Black Moon & the accompanying tours but that was about it. Personally I am so grateful for their musical career, I don't think it could have been any different. Best of luck with yours.
...when I think of ELP, and how they kinda got forgotten a bit, I always feel, that they are so genius... they are still ahead of the time, and they will be dug out again in the future and praised... I predict that the Hall of Fame will eventually catch up with them... I was introduced to them in 1973 (being 17 then), purchasing their live-triple album 'Welcome back my friends...' and it still is an absolute pearl in my collection of music... (to me it covers most of their remarkable stuff, except for 'Pictures at an Exhibition') but it needs your full and utter attention, when listening, to really appreciate the brilliance and depth of their works... good on you, Lucas, finding them and promoting them - I'm so happy to see the younger generation discovering them...
Thank you!
Outstanding description of the life and times of ELP. I’m old enough to have seen them in concert twice and I still have the original LP’s. A very well put together band with a spellbinding performance.
Nice to hear you're listening to great music.Absolutly loved the killer jams these guys got into live.Keith Emerson used to tweak things in the back of his Hammond and just make it scream..I remember reading an article in the Toronto Star back in the 70's talking about how they couldn't identify some of the electronic gadgets Keith Emerson was playing the night before.I always looked forward to the next album they were going to put out ,when I was in highschool back in the 70's.Thanks so much for remembering one of rocks most legendary bands!! band!
I WAS there when ELP started releasing albums and I ADORED them. For the most part. Some of the jazz/classical stuff went over my head (I was young). But holy heck, Greg's voice was astounding, Keith's keyboard was magic, and Carl's drumming was unmatched, and I forget how much Peter Sinfield wrote but c'mon, the lyrics were psychedelic sometimes beyond comprehension, "We've got thrills and shocks, supersonic fighting c*cks?" What else sounded like THAT? And yes, Briain Salad Surgery was their magnum opus, but there was SO much more ...
Let’s pause here to admire the contribution of co-lyricist Pete Sinfield, a band mate of Lake’s from Crimson.
Sinfield certainly brought some strange imagery to the lyrics.
It is great to know that younger people are able to enjoy and appreciate the music created by these three exceptional musicians. I’m 65 and consider myself very fortunate indeed to have seen ELP in the 70s and again when they did the Black Moon tour in the 90s. I’m also pleased that both of my kids (29 and 24) are happy to delve into my vinyl collection and pull out Tarkus, Pictures or BSS and play through the whole album. Expressing an opinion as to who might be the GOAT can be a dangerous thing! But IMHO, Emerson, at his peak, was probably the best keyboard exponent, influencing many who followed him. There’s a wonderful TH-cam of him and the great Oscar Peterson duetting (with Carl Palmer in the background) worth looking at. Keep going, young man, and the music of ELP will be in safe hands👍
Seeing them live was one of the most memorable performances I ever witnessed. Just as good live as on the albums. One of the very few bands that you can listen to their albums in full. Each one was formidable in their own right but together they were magical. Hopefully this video will motivate younger people to search out their music.
First time I saw ELP was when they reunited as Emerson, Lake & Powell in New Orleans (incredible band). Afterwards they reunited with Carl Palmer and I saw them sandwiched between Deep Purple & Dream Theatre (great show around 1999 in L.A.) and co-headline with Jethro Tull (so-so show in San Francisco). Their one big hit “Lucky Man” wasn’t really indicative to what they were all about. It was also hard for the general populace to rock out to classical unless they saw them live. They were a LIVE phenomenon but when you don’t have songs in regular rotation people tend to forget. Thanks for this video. It’s inspiring to see youngsters “find it and get it”.
ELP is in the wheel house of my youthful era of music. LOVED them then and love them still. I have recommended ELP songs to a number of the folks here on you tube who make "reaction videos" to music.
You are exactly right about the how and why ELP is all but completely unknown. I feel the same way about The Alan Parsons Project.
Of course Pink Floyd is wildly popular today but another band that seems to relatively unknown today is Steely Dan. Only older people like myself know much about these bands.
You hit the nail on the head… I have been a fan since the 70’s and while they were not as popular as Zeppelin, Stones or who ever… no one can dismiss their musical talent… seen them twice back in the day and feel honored to have been a part of their legacy!
Wish I could have seen them live!
By the way, in his book "Lucky Man" Greg Lake says that when Emerson said to him that they either get an orchestra to play with them or ELP was Over, he felt bad, since it meant to him to loose the power that came with the trío (kinda like Rush or Red era King Crimson) and honestly it shows, since Works, even though it has some high lights, its very weak and Works II is almost unlistenable for me.
ELP came along during my last year of high school. I bought that album and every album after that. They are still my favorite band of all time.
Heck yea!
Appreciate your video! Don't dismiss them completely as they did sell 48 million records. But the main issues were self-inflicted. Keith and Greg locked horns many times as they disagreed on the direction of the music as Keith wanted to keep expanding the "out there" music while Greg tried to reign him in to come up with more commercial friendly songs. Keith got upset that Greg was doing all the production work but supposedly Keith wasn't stepping up to help. Then there was the "orchestra tour" that pretty much bankrupted them. All that aside, all their music is in constant rotation on my electronic devices but being "experienced" 🙄 I have the LP's, the cassettes, did have the 8-tracks, the CDs and DVDs! I saw them in Fort Worth in '77 and in Dallas on the "Black Moon" tour so I will always have that memory. I recommend Greg Lake's "Lucky Man" book that was published after his passing. Well worth the read.
I have not read Greg Lakes book! I will!
I saw both the Brain Salad Surgery and the Works tours!! I still listen to the 3 record live Welcome Back!! Great studio music but thier live music is perfection.
I don't think people truly understand how insanely talented every member was as musicians. Being able to recreate, note for not, the entirety of Pictures at an Exhibition with non orchestra instruments is absolutely ridiculous. Keith Emerson is widely regarded as one of the best keyboardists of all time, as well as Carl Palmer for drummers and percussionists. I can only think that they weren't as famous as the beatles or zeppelin or the doors because the world wasn't ready to hear the complex arrangements. Like, the beatles, the who, and the doors were basically pop rock, while zeppelin was more hard rock/blues, but none were remotely complex. My dad got me into ELP and Palmer has GREATLY influenced my drumming, and i'm still flabbergasted at how he was able to play Trilogy at that speed. 32nd single strokes on the hi-hat for about two minutes, and then the mayhem for the remainder of the song. Just fantastic and will never be replicated again.
Trilogy is incredible musicianship.
I really didn’t know them well until I got to see them live on a multi-band bill when they reunited in the 90s. It remains one of the most important shows I’ve ever seen. Good for you spreading the word, kid 👍
That would have been fun to see! Thank you!
I remember at school ELP,Yes,Genesis,etc constantly talked about.Then punk came and after about six weeks no one spoke of them.Must have been a huge blow to them.
I was there from the very start.....I was 15 in 1970 and ELP...King Crimson...and Genesis were everything to me...I saw all of these bands by the end of 1970, along with Led Zepplin at that time. I was a drummer and Carl Palmer along with Steve Gadd, Lenny White and Phil Collins were God's to me......and, yes ELP never got the attention the others got. I do miss them....!!!! Mostly, though Greg Lake is missed the most....He may have had the best rock voice out of all the bands...It's sad to think he's gone....
I have been a fan of ELP since a friend introduced me to them in 1973. I have owned recording of their albums on vinyl, cassette, c ds and 8-tracks. I have three of their albums on vinyl still. The absolute best band in history. I know that cause I've lived a lot of history. You are correct my young friend- ELP rules. You don't find a lot of true musicians like these 3 guys were.
Excellent explanation, Lucas. ELP were huge in the 70's but their music should be also listened to today.
My first exposure to prog in 1972 in 8th grade...Their first album was such a monumental album to hit the airwaves and Phonographs...We were just starting to understand Stereo sound...I became and remain a drummer because of Carl and Tank...
There was a band called, UK which was similar. Danger Money, was an album I owned, and loved it through difficult times. Give it a listen.
I feel very fortunate that I got to see them live at Madison Square Garden in the 70s. I agree they are a underrated band.
Good on you Lucas, very well presented. At 68, I grew up with this music in Oz, they were the "Cool" band to listen to, sailing on a 40' yacht off the coast of Eastern Australia, sipping on Scotch and cruising to that music when I was 22, ah the memories. Thanks mate, you did well.
Emerson lake and palmer are the greatest band ever keith emerson is the best rock musician ever hammond b3 grand piano moog synthesizer rock jazz classical blues saloon ethnic blues folk ribbon controller hammond l100 spinning piano playing bach unorthodox composer Greg lake great singer lyricist bass acoustic guitar electric guitar song writer producer carl palmer greatest drummer of all time
There is only ONE GOAT, and it’s not a band, nor any single musician you might name, you might get lucky with your first guess, but I doubt it.
You are entitled to say “my favorite band ever”, but not “the greatest band ever”. Far too many great bands from 1955 till the mid 1980’s. After 1990 for sure you can’t be sure it’s talent, or electronics that make a recording/performance.
No that’s not my opinion, that’s a fact that is provable.
thank you Lucas--i grew up with ELP. i need to take a step back and listen again for the first time. brilliant musicians!
The critics hated them when they were progressive. Prog was crushed by punk, and everyone went pop to survive. Their pop was never even pure pop. The fact is, they could and did do anything and everything. Even in the loathed Love Beach, they have a long, gorgeous piece called Memoirs of an Officer and a Gentleman that was totally unsuitable for radio play.
Biggest flaw of "Love Beach" for me was mostly the title and the album cover photo - it was like the bastard love child of the Bee Gees & Barry Manilow. Had they gone with a cover that was more typical for them - and a less cheesy sounding title - that record would be better thought of today.
@@billyz5088 Yes, it put me off buying it
The poppy tracks are a bit of fun!
I have seen ELP in concert 4 times. The first concert I ever went too was when the toured in support of Brain Salad Surgery. Saw them at the Philadelphia Spectrum. What a performance they put on!
You're lucky to have seen them.
There are a variety of ways in which I’d try to describe them to a new listener, but for a fair portion of their songs, I’ve always thought “person in medieval times returns from LSD trip with beautiful new sounds.”
And then you have their deeply moving folksy acoustic ballads. And their theatrical scores that seem out of an emotionally-moving film of years gone... all of which, in my opinion, still can fall under a medieval LSD trip. Man, what an incredible group.
Thanks for informing the younger crowd out there and reminding us olders of a great trio. If you got to hear them back then you were a Lucky Man, a little Brain Salad Surgery following going to See the Show provided you were “careful as you passed a real blade of grass” as “move along, move along.” Go, get their recordings.
Haha I see what you did there...
To me, Lucas the best album that ELP put out is “Pictures at an Exibition” from Ravel/ Mussorgsky.
I found out about this wonderful piece of music because of them back in the ‘70s.
Just for you to know I’m seventy something and I still have all those vinyl records…
My second fav to Trilogy. Pictures turned me on to classical music...
It was pretentious crap.
@@johnc5160 , well it is only ones opinion.
@@eneastavora1943 Of course.... just an opinion
@@johnc5160 So why are you watching videos about E.L.P. if you think it's pretencious crap?
Thanks for the memories. I am a child of the 70s and your posting here prompted me to return to ELP and I was surprised how well my memory kicked in on so many pieces and I followed them just as when I was a youngster. I remember once when my dad was driving me somewhere and Lucky Man was playing, he thought the synthesizer break at the end was a siren so he slowed down and started to pull over.
Hey Lucas , Greg Lake also wrote one of the greatest Christmas songs ever and I'm sure most people have heard it but no idea that it was the L in ELP...have you seen this?
th-cam.com/video/U6-PAKOt7sM/w-d-xo.html
Why would they NOT know who it is?
@@michaelcraig9449 because they know the song....it gets airplay every Christmas but likely don't know who the artist is. Its a song I think more well known than the artist that created it. Or if they know its Greg Lake they don't make the connection to ELP.
@@Siloguy Here in the UK, I would say Greg Lake is known by older people (maybe 50-ish or so) as both the singer of *I Believe in Fr Christmas* _and_ a member of ELP. It is widely played on radio stations from mid-November onwards.
@@sarac.3259 makes sense in the UK. ELP is probably better known there than in North America
As to why no one talks about ELP anymore, I remember reading an interview with Emerson around 1992 were he noted that listeners weren’t impressed by keyboard virtuosos anymore because the dominance of MIDI technology had made the sound of endless arpeggios commonplace and nothing was “unplayable” anymore. I think what dooms them with modern audiences is that the arrangements tend to be built from the keyboards, down; rock (then and now) is centered in the rhythm section. Especially in a live setting, L & P were always audibly rushing to keep up with E. They couldn’t catch a groove with a net.
Well said. Yeah the complete dominance of dance grooves in today’s pop music plus ever decreasing education and exposure to classical music makes ELP seem from an entirely different and garish universe today.
“The Barbarian” is probably the only time I’ve heard a rock cover of a classical piece (Bartok’s Allegro Barbaro) that sounded better than the original. My favorite ELP composition has to be Karn Evil 9, followed by Tarkus. And I really dug the 3rd movement of Emerson’s Piano Concerto, even if Mrs. Arbel would call it a Copland/Herrmann/Bernstein pastiche.
The first professional band I saw, aged 15, was The Nice in 1968, which was quite an introduction to a live performance of non-pop music. That was at the Redcar Jazz Club in the north east of England. In the early 1970’s I saw ELP in Newcastle, about 1973, also in England. Keith Emerson was quite a showman, but also a superb keyboard player.
Nice video. ELP doesn't get their due much anymore, which is unfortunate.
It does in my house, haha
Because they were shite!
I'm from South Africa and when I was a teenager (in the '70s), I had several of their LPs. Lucky Man was my favorite song! Thanks for the great video.
Well done. I’ll never understand how they haven’t made it to the RRHF.
The RRHF is a shitshow that is tediously late in inducing true genius.
Because Jann Wenner never liked them
@@DaveJacoby Didn’t know that. Thanks.
Life long ELP fan. I think it helps if one likes classical music. ELP were too great, too complex and too epic for the masses. Simple as that. For example, pieces like Tarkus (one of their greatest works) timeless lyrics. Intricate and meticulous music construction and movement. One of my all time favorite pieces of music. Full stop. But it's 20 minutes long. Few have the patience to stay with that and watch it develop. Thank you for bringing awareness to one of rock and roll's greatest bands to a new generation.
I never got into their studio albums, but for some reason I got their three disc live album released in 1974, I guess I wanted a sampling of all their stuff without buying all their albums, turns out although the recording quality is not superb but perfectly acceptable, I still really enjoy playing these albums, the music has passed the test of time, and I would recommend checking out this live album, if you can even get it, seems like nothing is selling anymore so nothing is available, at least on CD or LP.
Way back in 74 I was at ELP's 1st stop for a concert in Atlanta, GA at the Omni. They had the 1st and to the best of my knowledge the only quadraphonic PA system ever used (and used quite effetely). They also had this huge MOOG synthesizer along with a octave plus drum set and at the back was a huge screen with the art work from the Brain Salad Surgery album cover..... it was absolutely amazing and mind blowing concert. Sooooo much talent on that stage. I'll still have a Great Britain deep vinyl pressing of that album. It broke my heart when the 2 passed away..... every year I always play Greg's song "I believe in Father Christmas".
@ Doyle! I was at that concert too! Superb concert...one of my all time favorites. My ears are still ringing from it too :) I just consider myself very fortunate that I was able to see this group, LIVE, and I wish they were still around because even though they's all be in their 70's, they'd still be able to blow the roof off of any venue they'd play!
This was really interesting. Would love to see more of these videos!
You're right, and it is sad that the band won't be remembered because they were so awesome! Back in the day I bought their first album solely because I liked "Lucky Man". I hated the album at first because the music was complex and seemed too weird, but it grew on me big time. I became a huge fan and bought all their albums after that.
In the early 90s I was in a chat room in IRC and some dude had a handle of “Emerson”. So naturally I asked him where was Lake and Palmer, and he answered “huh?” It totally went over his head even after I explained the reference. I didn’t understand how he could not know the band.
I agree with every single word that came out of your mouth! ELP is my 2nd favorite prog-rock band of all time. Second only to Yes. I’m thrilled to hear someone as young as you are (I’m 67) speak so highly of ELP. I had the pleasure of seeing them in concert twice. In 1974, and again in 1977. Both concerts were absolutely mind blowing! RIP Keith, and Greg.
I kind of rediscovered EL&P about a year or two ago. Fantastic musicians and yes their later albums aren't as good as the earlier ones.
Good job, Lucas! It's great to see someone from a younger generation realizing the genius of ELP. I was very fortunate to grow up with their music, music I have enjoyed for decades. Hopefully younger people will be awakened to the extreme talents of this unique trio.
Thank you Rich!