Emerson, Lake & Palmer were one of the most successful, innovative and ground breaking British groups of the golden age of progressive rock. As well as creating spectacular āliveā shows that incorporated advanced technology and showmanship, they also recorded a cascade of powerful albums that sold in millions around the world. During 2016 and 2017 the bandās musical legacy will be celebrated by BMG with an important and comprehensive re-issue programme that will put the spotlight on ELPās nine studio albums as well as their āliveā recordings and compilations. The trioās remarkable style, combining original compositions with rock, jazz, folk and classical influences, was performed with passion and integrity by the founder members:
All these albums now serve as a fitting memorial to Keith Emerson, who died aged 71 on March 10th, 2016. When speaking about ELPās career and achievements for the re-issue project he said: āEmerson, Lake and Palmer are very proud to have brought this great music to a new generation of musicians and fans.ā
Their phenomenal mix of melodic songs, dynamic arrangements, brilliant musicianship and electrifying sound broadened the audience for progressive rock and guaranteed ELP massive international appeal, as they headlined stadium tours throughout the 1970s and 1990s and achieved sales of over 40 million albums. ELP also enjoyed two major hit singles with āLucky Manā and āFanfare For The Common Manā, and their 21 minute epic track āTarkusā is hailed as a milestone in prog rock history.
New and old generations of fans will now be able to enjoy ELPās music afresh, as their albums are released in a range of different formats, from CD and freshly cut vinyl LP to digital download, high definition digital and mastered for iTunes. Vinyl connoisseurs will be pleased that following a special request from Greg Lake, the LPs will be presented on 140 gm vinyl to ensure a superior high quality sound. LP inner bag features an explanation of this by Greg.
The groupās first three albums are scheduled for re-release on Friday, July, 29th.
All the CD version booklets will feature authoritative liner notes and interviews conducted in 2016 with Keith Emerson and Greg Lake, by legendary rock journalist Chris Welch.
The bandās debut album, Emerson, Lake & Palmer (1970) will be available as a 2 CD set with CD1 comprising the original album in its 2012 remastered edition. CD2 offers an Alternate Album in a 2012 Steven Wilson stereo mix, with bonus tracks. The LP version will be the original album, newly cut for the first time from 24 Bit/HD 2012 remasters. The Standard Digital Download will comprise the remastered 1970 album and an Alternate Album (2012 Stereo remix) with bonus tracks. The same contents will be available on MFiT and HD digital formats, all taken from the 2012 remasters.
Emerson, Lake & Palmer was first released after the groupās critically acclaimed debut show at the 1970 Isle of Wight Festival, when they performed to 600,000 people. Its dynamic original compositions and classical adaptations are brimful of Keith Emersonās superb piano and Moog synthesizer work, Greg Lakeās magnificent vocals, bass and acoustic guitar playing and Carl Palmerās lightning fast drumming.
Bartokās āThe Barbarianā, together with originals āTake A Pebbleā, āKnife Edgeā, and the three part suite āThe Three Fatesā are followed by āTankā and Greg Lakeās ballad āLucky Manā which was the bandās debut single and a huge UK and US hit. The Alternate album has 12 tracks peppered with bonus items notable an informal āRave Upā, a Carl Palmer āDrum Solo,ā and alternate versions of āTake A Pebbleā, āKnife Edgeā and āLucky Manā.
The bandās second album, Tarkus (1971) saw ELP take a new direction with yet more complex keyboard sounds. The title track took up the whole of side one of the original LP, and defined the bandās exultant, bombastic approach. āJeremy Benderā, āBitches Crystalā, āThe Only Way (Hymn)ā, āInfinite Space (Conclusion)ā, āA Time And A Placeā, and the rocking āAre You Ready Eddy?ā complete this #1 UK album that also shot to #9 in the US charts.
CD1 comprises the 1971 album remastered in 2012 by renowned rock remastering engineer Andy Pearce. CD2 is the Steven Wilson Stereo Mix of the 2012 remaster, with bonus tracks taken from the original recording sessions. They are āOh My Fatherā, āUnknown Balladā and an alternate take of āMassā from the extended piece Tarkus. The LP version is newly cut from the 2012 remaster, with original gatefold sleeve and artwork faithfully reproduced. The three Digital versions are also taken from the 2012 remasters.
ELPāS third album, Pictures At An Exhibition (1971) has been credited with inspiring many young musicians to embrace and study classical music. Based on the groupās enthusiastic interpretation of the famous work by Russian composer Modest Mussorgsky, it was a major hit and reached #3 in the UK and #10 in the US album charts. Pictures was recorded on March 21st, 1971 at Newcastle City Hall, where Emerson made use of the hallās thunderous pipe organ.
The LP and Disc 1 of the CD comprises an excellent new remaster of the Pictures album from the original master tapes. On the 2CD set, tracks on CD1 include āPromenadeā, āThe Gnomeā, āPromenadeā, āThe Sageā, āThe Old Castleā, āBlues Variationsā, another reprise of āPromenadeā, āThe Hut of Baba Yagaā, āThe Curse of Baba Yagaā, āThe Hut of Baba Yagaā, āThe Great Gates of Kievā and encore number āNut Rockerā a hit by B.Bumble & The Stingers. Bonus tracks are a medley of āPicturesā recorded āliveā at the Mar Y Sol Festival, Puerto Rico, on December 4th, 1972. Disc 2 has another live performance of the extended work, recorded at the Lyceum Ballroom, London, on December 9th, 1970, complemented by live performances of ELP favourites āThe Barbarianā, āKnife Edgeā, āRondoā and āNut Rockerā.
Accompanying these three albums is a special 3 CD and Download release Emerson, Lake & Palmer – The Anthology. Produced by Greg Lake, this superb, career-spanning set has 39 tracks from the years 1970 to 1998, the choice of material approved by all three band members. It is presented in special ācaseboundā book packaging with detailed, informative sleeve notes by Chris Welch, illustrated with rare band photographs.
The songs are selected from the albums Emerson, Lake & Palmer, Tarkus, Pictures At An Exhibition, Trilogy, Brain Salad Surgery, Welcome Back My Friends To the Show That Never Ends, āorks Volume 1, Works Volume 2, Works Live, Love Beach, Live At Nassau Coliseum ā78, Black Moon, In The Hot Seat, Live At The Royal Albert Hall 1993 and Then & Now.
Among the highlights are the bandās performance of Coplandās āHoedownā, and their version of āJerusalemā by William Blake and Hubert Parry. CD3 includes the stirring āFanfare For The Common Manā, Keith Emersonās hit rendition of the famed āHonky Tonk Train Bluesā, Greg Lakeās 1975 solo hit āI Believe In Father Christmasā and the groupās menacing interpretation of the TV theme Peter Gunn. āTiger In A Spotlightā is another live track, recorded at the groupās comeback show at the Royal Albert Hall.
Subsequent batches of important original ELP albums will be released by BMG later in 2016. They are Trilogy, (1972), Brain Salad Surgery (1973) and the unique triple live album Welcome Back My Friends To The Show That Never Ends (1974).