EMERSON LAKE & PALMER

Let me begin by saying that I don't like the pieces that the group plays, and I don't like the over-the-top way it's approached. Yet I have to give this 5 stars, it's essential for the very purposes of why prog archives exist at all. The musicianship is excellent too, and warrants our full attention and respect.

But I have to take issue with the biography listed here when it says that this was a new format in group lineup - you are joking. The whole concept of such a band was born in The Nice itself, which, as well attested, was born out of 1-2-3 (Clouds), who were the first Rock organ trio. So let's give ELP full credit for their achievements, but it doesn't do them any favours to embellish their claim to history with stuff that doesn't belong on their shoulders, they have enough unfair flak coming their way from the disgruntled tomato-throwers of the disc collecting world.

Let's just be glad ELP existed, for along with King Crimson and Yes, they put this show on the road. Of course it went too far, and disappeared up its own jacksy. That's the nature of improvisation and experimentation. I used to see Keith at the Speakeasy, jamming happily a la Jimmy Smith, having a whale of a time, but making music of no good purpose, like most musicians when they're allowed to jam without thought or construction - They have great fun, we watch the spectacle, but as long we don't listen to the music too closely, it's ok, just kids playing games.

The fame and success of ELP let them do just that, and they got disconnected to us. But they did a great job just the same.