Band Feature: Emerson, Lake and Palmer

Author: Dean Tainio

Why I (Don't) Love ELP by Dean Tainio

Responsible for the most miserable Christmas hit ever (yes, despite competition from last year's 'Mad World') that was fortunately kept from the Number One spot by Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody in 1975, ELP aka Emerson Lake and Palmer were the loudest, biggest-sounding three piece band ever - yes, even louder than The Jam. Trouble was, rather too much of their output consisted of 'classical' tunes adapted for rock instruments, which made the music a lot louder but not better. All fine musicians to a man, but let's face it, who cares about this dated style of music nowadays? That's right, no-one in their right mind. So please don't bother. They had already made their money, back in the dark days before punk pulled the money-carpet from underneath them.

However, if you're still curious and must explore their back catalogue, whatever you do avoid their 'Works Vol. 1' and 'Works Vol.2' albums - they really are dire. Volume 2 has such tracks on it as "When The Apple Blossoms Bloom In The Windmills Of Your Mind I'll Be Your Valentine" as well as the aforementioned Christmas single stuck in the middle of side 2: "I Believe in Father Christmas" - I know the title sounds happy, but trust me, it isn't. My old friend James used to like them - he was an alcoholic at the time. He also liked Captain Beefheart. Says it all really. I guess if I'm brutally honest I thought their 'Fanfare For The Common Man' - originally a 'hit' in 1942 by US composer Aaron Copland - was cool, but basically only because it was easier to play on the piano than 'Airport' by The Motors.