RICK WAKEMAN vs. KEITH EMERSON

ooops.  I combined two topics in one post.  sorry.

I just listened to Wakeman's "Six Wives" album today and I have to say that it beats the living sh*t out of anything Emerson has ever done! Great album. I suggest that if you don't have it, get it. And that settles the fight between these two once and for all!

^ that guy.

Dennis wrote: Points well taken dropForge. You are right, ELP had some losers too. I mean who could take "Love Beach" seriously although there were a couple of good tracks? Lets face it. Both musicians are well beyond their prime and their heydays are long gone. Maybe we should all just respect the fact that both Keith and Rick were/are pioneering prog-rock keyboardists that have greatly influenced the entire prog-rock genre? Both these guys get too much recognition. And yes, both are cashing in on the past. Emerson's recent reunion with The Nice was embarrassing.

Actually, Rick is not riding the coattails of his past accomplishments. He went back to Yes because they wanted him back (Yes needs Rick more than Rick needs Yes, assuming that's what you were getting at). Rick continues to compose and record NEW music. He releases something every year; he's got a brand new album of solo compositions, half composed, half improvised, on the organ at Lincoln Cathedral. I don't have it, as I just learned of it at http://www.rwcc.com/discog_album.asp. Rick still has a lot of music in him. I don't know what's in the water over at Isle Of Man, but I think America ought to start bottling it and importing it.

Dennis wrote: How about the other great pioneers of prog keyboards like Hugh Banton, Tony Banks,

VdGG's back together. Tony Banks hasn't gotten enough press? He's right in there with Rick and Keith.

Dennis wrote: Larry "Synergy" Fast (especially with Nektar)

Sorry, not a fan of Nektar. Very overrated group. Larry's Synergy albums are what I love. Accolades are afforded him, just not as often as the others. Then again, until recently, he was under the radar for quite some time. His Reconstructed Artifacts is an excellent revisiting of some classic Synergy tracks, rerecorded from scratch. Larry has new music coming, but it's in the slow cooker. We'll have to wait.

Dennis wrote: Vangelis

Now there's somebody whose best days are long behind him. He makes his money scoring films. He hasn't put out anything I've liked since the '80s.

Dennis wrote: Kerry Minnear

GG is talked about plenty.

Dennis wrote: Ian McDonald (for the Mellotron), or should it be Mike Pinder?

As in Moody Blues? I'm one of the guys who thinks the Moodies aren't prog.   Pinder doesn't interest me. For Mellotron, there's Banks and Wakeman (TFTO), followed by myriad other non-English prog groups.

Dennis wrote: There's probably a few more I'm forgetting at the moment. And yes, both Keith and Rick don't seem to have the chops as they used too. Both have become sloppy.

Keith, yes. Rick? Doubtful. He's kept up his technique. He even got faster as time went on. Pick up the DVD Live In Buenos Aires by Rick & The English Rock Ensemble (very affordable, DVD with bonus audio CD of a different concert). He plays like a madman. Even son Adam can't one-up Pops.

Dennis wrote: But I don't see any new symphonic prog-band keyboardists that have not been influenced by these two. An excellent example is the keyboarist for the Norwegian prog bands White Willow and Wobbler, Lars Fredrik Froisle. Both of the aforementioned pioneers have influenced him greatly.

Oh, yeah, it's obvious. Wobbler's still a good disc, even though I don't buy the "Torch Has Been Passed" tag. Other groups are just as good, but it's nice to have a band out of Sweden doing this since Par Lindh seems to be taking a breather.

If you like symph keys, I advise you to check out Motoi Sakuraba (look for the links I posted in the fantasy gamers/prog or whatever it is thread). For top-notch symphonic fusion, there's Kenso (also from Japan), if you're looking for something new and fresh that doesn't ape Wakeman/Emerson/Banks/Bardens/van der Linden (hey, have you heard Trace? two great mid-70s albums in Trace and Birds ...loads of keys, all instrumental!).

Edited by dropForge

nousommedusolei wrote: I'd say, if there was a fist fight between the two, Keith Emerson would probably win. That crazy playing probably built him some muscle. Or was that the question?

Rick towers over Keith. Even odds.

threefates wrote: I've got his 'Six Wives' and his 'Journey' albums... nothing on them compares to anything Emerson has done.

Pick up the remaster of Criminal Record  and get back to me. It's a landmark work, IMO. There's stuff on there Keith never would have cooked up. Rick's always been the more versatile of the two.

dropForge wrote: threefates wrote: I've got his 'Six Wives' and his 'Journey' albums... nothing on them compares to anything Emerson has done. Pick up the remaster of Criminal Record  and get back to me. It's a landmark work, IMO. There's stuff on there Keith never would have cooked up. Rick's always been the more versatile of the two.

Now I know your on meds... Someone sent me a copy of Criminal Record years ago.. Don't see what you think is so great or that Keith couldn't have done...

The one thing about Wakey that always amazed me was the stiffness in his music.  He even displays that in the way he moves when he plays.  He's definitely not the more versatile...

 

richardh wrote: As we're throwing names of prog keyboard players around ,then Par Lindh deserves a mention.

You didn't read my post up above closely enough.

I finally gonna give my vote: RICK WAKEMAN !!! I love the keys work of Emerson, but Rick is more melodic, and have "The Keys to Ascension"...

Very good observations from both dropForge and Dennis. Both of you are heads and shoulders above me when it comes to having heard the recordings of both of these keyboard genius's.

My $.02:

Wakeman started out as a sideman. Bowie's "Hunky Dory" (Life on Mars? is Rick) is the prime example I can think of at the moment. He turned down an offer to join the Spider's From Mars to join Yes (miracles do happen).

Even in Yes, Rick's contributions, writing-wise, were minimal. He embellished the compositions.

Now, Emerson, on the other hand, bore the burden of being the prime composer in ELP. And in that regard, outshined Rick.

Longevity-wise, Rick is the winner. The man is still putting out music with integrity where Keith hasn't done much of anything noteworthy in the last 10 years or so.

To conclude, Keith's compositional work, at his prime, outshined Rick's.

Staying relevent to the music community over the span of time Rick gets my nod.

Personally, I'd call it a draw.