Emerson, Lake & Palmer: 1970 -78

“ELP: Still … you turn me on”

Emerson, Lake & Palmer: 1970 -1978

Dr. Rox Remember When? for WDGY Radio

Article #92: Oct 2018

By: RLSchwindfen: MrZerr0 

So my grandma Marge passed away in Jan of this year (2018), while I was at her funeral in Phoenix, I was thinking of my best memories of her. One was in Dec ’78 I was at her house, she was in the kitchen making Xmas cookies, I was sitting in the living-room in her favorite chair, it was about 4:30- 5 pm, I was watching the lights on the Xmas tree, Grandma always had the radio on KMNS (I believe it was) and ‘ELP’ s “Lucky Man” came on, now I had heard this song before, but that day it really moved me. I always liked that one. This later prompted me to start playing this song in my pick-up band “The Lay-abouts” in ‘93. This article is a companion to my “PsychoGello Radio Show” Episode #60 (Sep 2018) w/ DJ Evangeline on “Emerson, Lake & Palmer”  

 

> In The Beginning: 1970 <

   The band was formed in London by 3 members, from 3 other British bands; Keith Emerson (Keith Noel Emerson: 2 Nov 1944: London – 11 Mar 2016; Santa Monica, CA.)He was the keyboardist in the band ‘The Nice’ from 1967 – 1970 for 4 albums. Greg Lake (Gregory Stewart Lake: 10 Nov 1947: London – 7 Dec 2016) the Vocalist & Bassist in the band ‘King Crimson’ 1968 – 1970 for 2 albums.  Carl Palmer (Carl Frederick Kendall Palmer Birmingham 20 Mar 1950) the Drummer in the band ‘Atomic Rooster’ 1969 -1970 for 1 album. Lake & Emerson met on tour in ’69 playing in San Francisco, they found Palmer through a series of auditions. Their 1st gig was ion 23 Aug 1970 followed by their 2nd gig not a week later on 29 Aug 1970 at the legendary “Isle Of Wight Festival”. The band’s 1st album ‘Emerson, Lake & Palmer’ was released in January 1971 and rose to #18 on Billboard Charts, with the single “Lucky Man b/w Knife- Edge” which hit #48 on the Billboard Charts in May 1971, the “A-side” was the 1st song Lake had written as a child.

> Infinite Space: 1971 – 1972 <

   The band release their 2nd album ‘Tarkus’ in  June 1971, it rises to #9 on Billboard Charts, they release 2 singles from the LP “Stones Of Years b/w Time And Place” & “Hoedown” the band almost dissolved over the recording of this album, as Lake was not too thrilled over Emerson’s (entire Side 1) composition. Their 3rd album was recorded and intended to be the 2nd but Atlantic records dissuaded them.

Their 3rd album ‘Pictures At An Exhibition’ a live concert LP recorded in Mar 1971, but released in November 1971 rises to #10 on Charts, the 45 Single form this album is “Nutrocker b/w Great Gates Of Kiev” which makes it to #70 in Apr 1972.

The band’s 4th LP ‘Trilogy’ is released in July 1972, Lake’s personal favorite of their catalog, hits #8 on Charts, with their highest charting 45 single “From the Beginning b/w Livng Sin” a  #39 hit on the charts in Oct 1972.

> Karn Evil 9: 1973 -1974 <

   Now at the zenith of their popularity their 5th album ‘Brain Salad Surgery’ is released in November 1973 on the band’s own label Manticore Records this LP rises to #11 on the Charts. The cover art is by:H.R. Giger (Alien fame) and probably one of the most memorable covers of all time, with a non-typical gatefold jacket that contained a poster. This is their 1st to be on Vinyl, 8-Track & Cassette, to promote the forth coming album a  Promo Flexi-Disc of the song “Brain Salad Surgery” and excerpts of several others is released (very rare as I have never seen one) the strange thing is the title song is not on the album?  The 45 single released for this LP is “Jerusalem b/w When the Apple Blossoms Bloom in the Windmills of Your Mind I’ll Be Your Valentine” the B-Side is also a Non-LP track. ELP plays a concert here in town on: (here is the setlist).

1 Dec 1973  Sat. in Bloomington, MN. @ the Met Center.

Hoedown
Jerusalem
Toccata
Tarkus
Benny the Bouncer
Take a Pebble
Still… You Turn Me On
Lucky Man

Emerson Piano Solo
Karn Evil 9
Pictures at an Exhibition

The band was so popular they were the headliner of the legendary ”California Jam” in  April 1974 at  the Ontario Speedway, the show was broadcast on  on ABC TV, 10 songs were performed. The trend in those days was after a very successful tour a band would release a live album from that tour, the idea being that most of the people who attended their concerts would but the “Live” album from that tour, it worked,  the band release their 6th album; ‘Welcome Back My Friends’ in August 1974 it rises to #4 on the Billboard Charts, their highest charting LP, and a “Triple Album” on top of that, not many artists ever released a 3 LP set in those days, after the tour The band went on hiatus from Aug ’74 to sometime in 1976. While on hiatus Greg Lake releases the solos 45 single “I Believe In Father Christmas b/w Humbug” in Nov 1975 it misses the “Christmas #1” coming in at #2 in the UK this is the original alternate version which was re-recorded and released later on.

> Honourable Company: 1977 -1979 <

  After a 3 year break the band release their 7th album the double LP ’Works Vol.1′ March 1977 with one side per member: Emerson Side 1, Lake Side 2, Palmer Side 3 & the group on side 4 (the Monkees were to do this same concept in 1968-69) 2 singles are released from this album; “Fanfare For The Common Man B/w Brain Salad Surgery” & then “C’est la Vie b/w Jeremy Bender” it climbs to #12 on the charts. Later in the year their 8th LP is released ‘Works Vol 2’ in November 1977 and hits #37 on the Charts, probably because of the inclusion of the re-recording of “I Believe In Father Christmas” this is more of a leftovers, compilation album as many tracks were recorded earlier, again 2 singles are released for this LP the 1st one “Tiger In A Spotlight b/w So Far To Fall” & the 2nd “Maple leaf Rag b/w Watching Over You”. The band makes a rare TV appearance on the “Midnight Special” on 13 Jan 1978.

In ’78 the band owe their contract an album, so the 9th album ‘Love Beach’ is released in November 1978, this album gets over looked if for nothing else, other than the cover, it’s actually a really good album, again 2 singles are released; “All I Want Is You b/w Tiger In  A Spotlight” & following with“Canario b/w All I Want Is You” once again the band appear on TV to promote their new LP on the show “Top Of The Pops” on 23 Nov 1978. Their 10th album is their 3rd “Live” album from the ’77 Tour ‘In Concert’ is released in November 1979, with the 45 single

“Peter Gunn b/w Tiger In A Spotlight”. The band’s final album until the reunion is ’Best Of’ released in 1980, this is worth having for some edited versions of previously released songs.

I did see ELP in Ames, Iowa at C.Y. Stephens auditorium in Feb 1993 on the reunion tour for the new CD “Black Moon, released in June 1992 I was so impressed, Emerson was a sight to behold, I did, later see Greg Lake w/ Ringo Starr at the MN State Fair on 23 Aug 2001. In closing I do really like this band, admittedly more for the Greg Lake material, but the rest is worth a listen to, 3 fabulous musical minds melded together to create some outstanding music.

Be sure to check out my weekly radio show on WDGY 740am & Streaming & FM: 92.1, 103.7, 107.1, Sunday’s 10:30am. Hear back show on www.MrZeroS.Com – Podcast key.

 

Until the next time from beyond the stars …. Mr. Zerr0

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