Emerson,
Lake & Palmer
This is a direct excerpt from UNCLE JOE'S RECORD GUIDE - PROGRESSIVE ROCK, Copyright (c) 1989 by J. Benson Unlimited. All rights reserved. Printed in the USA. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic means including information storage and retrieval systems without permission in writing from the publisher, except by a reviewer who may quote brief passages in a review.
Emerson, Lake & Palmer was formed in Spring 1970 by guitarist/bassist/vocalist Greg Lake (of King Crimson), keyboard whiz Keith Emerson (of the Nice) and drummer Carl Palmer (previously with Arthur Brown and Atomic Rooster). Initially, Emerson and Lake had considered working with Jimi Hendrix's drummer, Mitch Mitchell, but they found Palmer's performance style more complimentary to their objectives and his career outlook more amenable to their plans. The trio composed most of the material for their first three albums as they rehearsed throughout the spring of 1970.
Before their debut album was finished, ELP performed their rocking adaptation of Mussorgsky's Pictures At An Exhibition at the giant Isle Of Wight Festival in August 1970. After that show, they were hailed as the first progressive rock super-group. On the heels of their debut release, ELP played their first U.S. concert in May 1971 at the famous Fillmore East and performed at Carnegie Hall a short time later - an extremely auspicious beginning. As the initial touring continued, audiences were dazzled everywhere the band played.
Emerson, Lake & Palmer were an immediate commercial and artistic success. However, as time passed, their inspiration for original music was replaced by pomposity and showcasing of instrumental virtuosity. Because the road was a good place for a three-piece band to make a lot of money, they toured constantly. That schedule did little to encourage innovation. The critics that had initially loved ELP turned on them with a vengeance when the group didn't seem to progress as much as anticipated.
The pressures of too much touring eventually resulted in a well-deserved hiatus. When their 1977 comeback resulted in little of the trio's previous innovation, the end was obviously near. One of the most successful of the early progressive rock bands exited its career in a manner exactly the opposite of its brilliant entrance.
ELP Birth Dates
Greg Lake - 11/10/48
Carl Palmer - 3/20/50
Emerson, Lake & Palmer
Emerson, Lake & Palmer
1st LP, released 12/70. ELP was an English super-group formed by keyboard whiz Keith Emerson (a classically trained pianist with jazz interests, and founding member of the Nice), vocalist/guitarist/bassist Greg Lake (a founding member of King Crimson) and drummer Carl Palmer (then of Atomic Rooster and later of Asia). The expressed goal was to expand upon the classically oriented, keyboard-dominated rock of the Nice without resorting to the use of strings or a mellotron (like the Moody Blues).
ELP wrote a lot of music as they rehearsed in April and May 1970. In June, they entered the studio with engineer Eddie Offord (who would soon go to work with Yes). Greg Lake handled production. Before this album was finished, ELP performed Mussorgsky's Pictures At An Exhibition at the 1970 Isle Of Wight Festival, which also featured the Moody Blues, the Doors, the Who and Jimi Hendrix. At that appearance, the British rock critics were astounded at ELP's brilliant musical execution and their ability to mesmerize a rock & roll audience for such a long duration.
By the time this million-selling album peaked at #1 in England and #18 in America , Emerson was 26 years old, Lake 22 and Palmer 20. Less than one year into their partnership, ELP was the toast of music critics everywhere.
The sound quality of the Emerson, Lake & Palmer album was state-of-the-art in 1971, and for many years this album was used to demonstrate stereo systems. When you realize that synthesizers in the early seventies could play only one note at a time (and no chords at all), the immense sound of this three piece band was really quite astounding.
