Emerson, Lake & Palmer
One the most prominent supergroups of the early '70s, ELP comprised Keith Emerson(b. 1 November 1944, Todmorden, Lancashire, England; keyboards), Greg Lake (b. 10 November 1948, Bournemouth, Dorset, England; vocals/bass) and Carl Palmer (b. 20 March 1951, Birmingham, England; drums/percussion).Formerly, the super trio were respectively members of the Nice, King Crimsonand Atomic Rooster. After making their debut at the Guildhall, Plymouth, they appeared at the much publicized 1970 Isle of Wight Festival. That same year, they were signed to Island Recordsand completed their self-titled debut album. The work displayed their desire to fuse classical music influences with rock in determinedly flourishing style. Early the following year, at Newcastle's City Hall they introduced their arrangement of Mussorgsky's PICTURES AT AN EXHIBITION. The concept album TARKUSFOLLOWED some months later and revealed their overreaching love of musical drama to the full. The theme of the work was obscure but the mechanical armadillo, visualized on the sleeve, proved a powerful and endearing image. Extensive tours and albums followed over the next three years including TRILOGY, BRAIN SALAD SURGERY and an extravagant triple live album. Having set up their own label and established themselves as a top-grossing live act, the members branched out into various solo ventures, reuniting for part of WORKS. This double album included their memorably dramatic reading of Aaron Copland's Fanfare For The Common Man which took them close to the top of the British singles charts. With solo outings becoming increasingly distracting, the group released one final studio album, LOVE BEACH, before embarking on a farewell world tour. With changes in the music industry wrought by punk and new wave groups, it was probably an opportune moment to draw a veil over their career. It was not until 1986 that a serious reformation was attempted but Carl Palmer (then in the highly successful Asia) would not be drawn. Instead, Emerson and Lake teamed up with hit drummer Cozy Powell. The collaboration produced one chart album EMERSON, LAKE AND POWELL, which included the pomp of Holst among the many classical influences. When Powell quit, Palmer regrouped with his colleagues for a projected album in 1987, but the sessions proved unfruitful. Instead, Emerson recruited Hush drummer Robert Berry for TO THE POWER OF THREE, which sold poorly. Indications are strong that the early '90s will see the appearance of the original three, together again.