Emerson, Lake and Palmer: The Show That Never Ends

This is the first every biography of Progressive rock supergroup Emerson, Lake & Palmer-one of the most successful acts of the 70s who, in terms of sound artistic vision and concept, operated on a scale for in excess of all rivals. Featuring The Nice's keyboard virtuoso Keith Emerson, King Crimson's Greg Lake on lead vocals and ball and Stomic Rooster's drummer Carl Palmer, ELP enjoyed a huge profile from the start. Their 1970 debut album Emerson, Lake and Palmer mixed new compositions with reinterpresations fo classical themes such as Bartok and Janacek, while Emerson's "Lucky Man" Moog solo represented one of the first recorded instances of the synthesiser in rock. After bestselling albums Tarkus, Pictures at an Exhibition and Trilogy brought the synthesiser to a wider audience, the band's recorded sound reached its apogee with 1973's high-concept album Brain Salad Surgery, which boasted artwork by Swiss Surrealist H.R. Giger. Live, the band was a phenomenon, tearing up European classical music and turing Copland inside out through a giant quadrophonic PA, in front of packed audiences, whiile a shirtless Emerson hammered knives into his keyboard. The rise of punk changed everything, and ELP split in the late 70s. However, by the 90s they were back with the classic Black Moon and a world tour that culminated in three triumphant shows at London's Royal Albert Hall. George Foster, Martyn Hanson, and Frank Askew are acknowledged experts on ELP and after five years of research, they have produced a gripping and fascinating document of one of the great rock bands of the 70s. George Forrester also provides a erudite study of the band's complex and challenging music.