ELP Digest Monday, 8 Jun 1992 Volume 2 : Issue 13 The `feel the gas blowing in my face' edition Today's Topics: An ELP fan history bootlegs, early ELP experience, sheet music. Black Moon details ELP Nostalgia ELP East Coast tour schedule... Black Moon Video Re: La Chiesa Re: Black Moon Video CANADIAN ELP RELEASE DATE PUSHED BACK!! (fwd) Boston Globe _Black Moon_ review ELP appearance on WBCN (Boston) this Thursday night... Latest ELP press release (video and tour dates)... ------------------------------------------------------------ From: ECKMAN@DOBSON.LARC.NASA.GOV Subject: An ELP fan history To follow onto the thread started by Brian Podesta on when people first became interested in ELP, here's my brief story. My older brother got me interested in progresssive rock around 1969. I recall being very impressed with 'In the Court of the Crimson King'. It follows that both my brother and I were ELP fans from the first release, though I didn't see them until their Works Volume 1 tour in June (or July?) 1977 (in Philadelphia). Sadly, that was about a week or so after they dropped the orchestra for most of the remaining shows. Philadelphia was apparently not considered an important enough venue! I also caught them again in February 1978, about a month prior to the end of their last tour. I received the 'Black Moon' CD single earlier this week. Thanks, Damien DeSimone for the posting in an earlier ELP Digest regarding EQS Music. This company got the disc into the mail the following morning and it was in my hands a couple of days later. I'm impressed by the song, though my preference is strongly for the album version of the track. As others have said, it's definitely not like earlier ELP music. It has a very modern, almost hard rock sound. I'm looking forward to seeing the video on 'In Concert' tomorrow (May 29). Given the reviews that I've been reading, I think that we're all in for a very pleasing album. I hope to see them on the tour, though it looks like they will get no closer to me than Columbia, Maryland. It will be a bit of a drive, but I trust that it will be more than worthwhile! Rich Eckman NASA Langley Research Center Hampton, VA ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 28 May 92 16:16:20 pdt From: Jim Smith To: J.Arnold@bull.com Subject: bootlegs, early ELP experience, sheet music. Dan Barrett writes: > I recently heard the bootleg ELP disc "Live in Anaheim 1975." >Just for your information, about half the material on this disc comes >from the SAME concert as the triple-live "Welcome Back My Friends..." >album. The playing is easily identifiable, especially the timing >mistakes in "Karn Evil 9." The mix is slightly different, though. This sounds like it may be the same disc as the bootleg "Smashing The Piano." What is the track listing? >[ Readers??? Care to tell us when you became an ELP fan? Feel free to > start/continue a thread of conversation so we can learn more > about you and your interest in ELP... - John - ] I have been playing keyboards since I was very young. I was playing in bands at the age of 13, but when my brother let me hear "Emerson, Lake and Palmer" in late 1971, I had never heard anything like it! When "Trilogy" came out, I was playing in a band with my older brother and cousin, and my cousin took me to see ELP in concert. He thought he could get us backstage to meet Keith Emerson, and he did! We just walked up to the loading dock at the San Francisco Civic Auditorium, hopped up, and took a few steps in, and there was Keith Emerson on the stage! My cousin said, "Mister Emerson? My cousin here is a big fan of yours." and I said "You're the tops!" (My cousin will never let me live that down.. :->) and Keith invited me up onstage to see his keyboard setup and watch him warm up. He was reading a Schubert piece at the piano. After a little while, he asked me if I had any requests. I said "Lachesis, from The Three Fates?" and he said that he didn't remember that, and continued playing for a minute. Then he said, "Do you mean this?" and cut into it. I was floored. After looking at the Moog and C3, I was asked to leave the stage, because the band was going to do their sound check. But my cousin and my brother and I sat down in the front-row seats while ELP ran through "The Sheriff" several times. They didn't play it that night, but I have a bootleg ("Celestial Doggie" or "The 1972 Ameican [sic] tour") of ELP playing the following week in Long Beach, CA, and Keith announces that this is their first live performance of The Sheriff. So, not only did I meet Keith, but I got to hear them perform The Sheriff before they had done it in concert. I was warped for life. :-> bseymour writes: >A question: If/when you talk to the publicist please ask if a music >book will be forthcoming. The piano solo Close to Home is awesome. On the 5/25 Rockline, Emerson hinted that there would probably be some music released from Black Moon. ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 29 May 92 12:25:21 PDT From: Mark.McCarron-Fraser@Corp.Sun.COM (Mark McCarron-Fraser) Subject: ELP ELP Comrades - Can you say *Way Cool*! I've been listening to some of BLACK MOON - I only have six tracks - and I can say that it sounds extremely cool. For those of you who live in the SF Bay Area, KOME plays it on Sundays between 9:00 pm and Midnight, but you probably already know that. Also, I've been calling KSJO every day to request it. Let's all call our local radio stations with requests! ***RUMORED TOUR DATES*** Cal Expo, Sacramento, Sept. 1 Concord (CA) Pavillion, Sept. 2 *** *** Review (IMHO). Note that I don't have the songs in order, nor the correct times. This was taped off the radio. Farewell to Arms ~6:00 Sounds like a cross between "Officer and a Gentleman" and "Lay Down Your Guns". Lyrics are similar to "Lay Down Your Guns". Very cool. Better Days ~5:15 Sounds like "Touch & Go". Similar, but more coherent lyrics. About homeless folk. Multi-tracked voices on the chorus. Great clavinet, organ, & synth sounds. Burning Bridges ~4:40 Sounds like _old_ Genesis mixed with ELPowell or maybe a little reminisent of 3. This is the Mancina written tune. Excellent lyrics, about the Middle East. Great tune. Black Moon ~7:00 Cool spacey beginning, quasi "We Will Rock You" bass/drums part later. Synth boogie over military snares at the end. Everyday I see a new crowd coming there's one more hole in space Everytime I walk across the street I feel the gas blowing in my face We never learn even when deserts burn Our politicians lie They won't do nothing 'till we reach High Noon Black Moon Romeo & Juliette ~3:30 Keith in excellent form. Very heavy and Russian sounding. Sadly too short. Though on Rockline Carl gave the impression that this was a longer piece. ?Look for an extended concert version? Paper Blood ~N/A Heavy Rock 'n Roll. Stinging sarcastic lyrics, harmonica, and Maximum organ at the end. Contains the only lyrical clunker I've noticed so far. Overall I like it. In places it's a little too much like ELPowell (which I liked, but I want to see them stretch a little). The lyrics are quite good. I disagree with some of the other review comments about Greg's bass playing, but the sound quality on my tape isn't as good as a CD. [BTW I never listen to the Scorpians, so I can't say if Farewell To Arms is like their song or not. But I can say that you too should avoid listening to ear damaging trash like the scorps. It'll improve your ability to appreciate fine music.] (Yeah I know, not too humble right? Tough.) How long have I been an ELP fan? and Have I seen them? I became a fan in 1971 with the release of the first album. I saw them in February 1974 at the San Francisco Civic. This is the notorius concert where Keith almost blew off his thumb-nail. Greg also played an extra guitar solo at the end of "Battlefield" to make up for Keith's injury. And I saw them in April 1974 at California Jam - the show with the flying piano. Then I saw them on August 4, 1977 at the Cow Palace (SF). In a radio interview the next day Greg said that after the show they all agreed that this was one the ten best performances they had ever done. And lastly I saw them on August 6, 1977 at the Oakland Arena. This was the worst I've ever seen them, and it was as good as a hot Jethro Tull show (Taking nothing away from Tull, whom I have seen many times.) I also saw ELPowell at the Henry Kaiser hall (Oakland) in 1986. That was a fine show, but not ELPalmer. And I saw 3 at the Caberet in San Jose. Meeting Keith and Carl before the show greatly enhanced the experience. That was killer, but not ELP. In my experience only UK and Mike Oldfield come close to the raw power and energy of an ELP show. In brief, all concerts may be judged by how closely they approach the quality of an ELP show. Did you know that fan is short for FANATIC? So long - - Mark mark.mccarron-fraser@Corp.Sun.COM ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 29 May 92 18:21:42 MST From: hoyme@SRC.Honeywell.com (Ken Hoyme) Subject: ELP Nostalgia > Also, do you know what the audience is on the Digest? Specifically, > it would be interesting to know what people have been exposed to > E/L/P the longest: For instance, if you have seen ELPalmer, when > where, etc... My first show was 1/29/78 in Springfield MA. > >[ Readers??? Care to tell us when you became an ELP fan? Feel free to > start/continue a thread of conversation so we can learn more > about you and your interest in ELP... - John - ] This question got me to thinking back. Some comments from folks about how young they were the last time ELP toured made me feel old. But here goes. My first recollections of ELP was when I was in Junior High and Lucky Man first hit the charts (1971?). I was very aware of the emerging synthesizer technology (my dad owned the Switched on Bach albums and was building an electronic organ for his hobby) and was very in to keyboards, since I was taking classical organ lessons at the time. I began to collect their albums while I was in High School. I remember them coming through on tour in 1974, but was unable to attend. (Brain Salad Surgery Tour, I believe). I nearly wore out my copy of the 3-album set from that tour, kicking myself for not figuring out a way to get there. My one and only ELP concert was June 5, 1977 at the St. Paul Civic Center in Minnesota. I can remember the date vividly, since it was the first date that I had with the woman I later married. Must have been a good start! (It was my sophomore year in college.) This was the Works I Tour with the 65 piece orchestra -- each individually miked and mixed. *Very* sophisticated mixing panel in mid-arena. I remember that they scheduled Keith Emerson's Piano Concerto right after intermission -- the grand piano raising hydraulically from the floor of the stage. The audience was the typical young rock crowd which had little exposure to classical music. It was fascinating to watch the cround gradually quiet down and start really paying attention to the music. They loved it!! Neat experience. I seem to recall that tour going bust a few weeks later since the expense of traveling with the whole orchestra got too much. I also recall a Time magazine article about that tour -- particularly the expense of it. Does anyone recall if that is true? I am really hoping they hit Minnesota on their tour this Summer. After 15 years, you can be sure that my wife and I will be there! "I'll be there! I'll be there!! I will be there!!!" Ken Hoyme Honeywell Systems and Research Center (612)782-7354 3660 Technology Dr., Minneapolis, MN 55418 Internet: hoyme@src.honeywell.com ------------------------------ Date: Fri, 29 May 92 21:36:31 -0400 From: barrett@astro.cs.umass.edu (Daniel Barrett) Subject: ELP East Coast tour schedule... New news on the Hartford CT concert (Bushnell Auditorium on August 4): the box office confirmed it, and tickets go on sale June 27. Dan //////////////////////////////////////\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ | Dan Barrett -- Dept of Computer Science, Lederle Graduate Research Center | | University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA 01003 -- barrett@cs.umass.edu | \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\///////////////////////////////////// ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 1 Jun 92 13:56:26 EDT From: Brian=Podesta%COMPUTER%UMASS@BANYAN.UMMED.EDU Subject: Black Moon Video The 5/29/92 "In Concert" show depicted a large amount of time to ELP, focusing on interviews with Greg, Carl, and Keith. At the the end of the show, the entire Black_Moon video was shown. The Black_Moon video is shot at an outdoor location, and you can see the images of the Gulf War displayed, mainly due to the presence of fires in between band members. I didn't see much to talk about here though. It does appear the video was made a few months ago - if you compared Greg's haircut versus the In Concert interview segments as a tool to track time. The interviews were interesting. I think Greg needs to lay off the chips and beer. Much of the old footage I remember seeing during the "Midnight Concert" shows hosted by Wolfman Jack in the '70s. Quite interesting was a brief '92 studio shot of "Fanfare". Greg is correct in saying the "...power in ELP still exists...". The other highlight was a glimps of Emerson's revolving piano, and his story about when he slammed his nose into the piano when the stage crew stopped the rotating platform abruptly. "...I kept on playing with a bloody nose!". Concert dates were shown - there appears to be a total of 9 shows thus far, all in the Northeast. You wonder if they're testing the waters to see who will turn up, then decide if more dates are necessary. Last note, I had picked up the 6/92 issue of Keyboard magazine - I found it intersting trying to read the "Eruption" notes while the music was playing in my head. If you can read sheet music, take a peek at this. ------------------------------ Date: Mon, 1 Jun 92 12:58:50 pdt From: Jim Smith Subject: Re: La Chiesa Hi, I asked Ranjit Padmanabhan about the recent Japanese release of "La Chiesa" on CD by Keith Emerson, and he tells me that this is in fact the soundtrack from "The Church," with 4 out of 10 tracks by Emerson. So it is not a new album. - Jim smithj@hpsad.sad.hp.com ------------------------------ Subject: Re: Black Moon Video Date: Mon, 01 Jun 92 16:58:46 -0400 From: arnold Brian: Since you started talking about the new video, I thought this would be a good place to add my impressions. Overall, I thought it was a very good video. It's better than the Touch and Go video (from ELPowell) and may just get some non-ELP fans to watch it. Visually interesting without too many gimmicks. >>> The Black_Moon video is shot at an outdoor location, and you can >>> see the images of the Gulf War displayed, mainly due to the >>> presence of fires in between band members. I didn't see much to >>> talk about here though. According to their discussion of the video on Rockline, the video was filmed in a marble quarry in Italy. Rumor (or PR) has it that Michaelangelo (not the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle) used some marble from this quarry in some of his statues. The dug out quarry with the occasional fire-on-the-water effect does a good job of matching the song's imagery to the visuals. Of interest to me: Keith had the GX-1 (from Fanfare and Pirates days) back out though many of the lines were `played' on a MIDI keyboard sitting on top of it. (Got to admit, the GX-1 looks great!). Carl seemed to be `playing' his part standing up. With the sunglasses, I thought he looked a bit like a cross between Bill Bruford and Tony Kaye on the last Yes tour. Oh yes, the video also starts with the instrumental and piano run that's NOT included in the single edit (at least not the single edit that they've been playing around here). >>> It does appear the video was made a few >>> months ago - if you compared Greg's haircut versus the In Concert >>> interview segments as a tool to track time. My guess is that the video is actually NEWER than the interview segment that was shown a few months ago. I think they've been tuning their `image' (read: hair, etc.) for the tour and PR stuff they've been doing in Europe and are about to start in the US. Personally, I think the shorter hair Greg Lake looks better than the longer hair look during the interview segment. Not that it matters. Re: the concert dates. A full country-wide tour has been preliminarily scheduled. I should be getting an itinerary from the PR folks this week. - John - ------------------------------ From: Andy Moore Subject: CANADIAN ELP RELEASE DATE PUSHED BACK!! (fwd) Date: Fri, 5 Jun 92 12:53:26 EDT In case no one else has heard/seen this... Forwarded message: }Article: 733 of alt.music.progressive }From: wcsanil@superior.carleton.ca (Anil Prasad) }Newsgroups: alt.music.progressive }Subject: CANADIAN ELP RELEASE DATE PUSHED BACK!! }Date: 5 Jun 92 04:28:15 GMT } }All you Canadian ELP fans better sit down. } }Polyscam Canada has pushed the release date of the new ELP CD }to the week of May [I assume he meant June -ATM] 22nd!!! In other }words, it'll hit your stores around the 24th or 25th!! } }Only 6 weeks behind Europe and 2 1/2 behind the states!! :-( } }Gotta love polyscam. (Who haven't released the new FIsh CD yet, }even though it's been on their release sheets for *MONTHS*). } }Anil Prasad }wcsanil@ccs.carleton.ca If the US release slips, I'll *swim* the Atlantic to get my copy of "Black Moon"... :-) ______________________________________________________________________________ Andy "We are the music makers, and we are the dreamers of the dreams..." Moore -- Willy Wonka, "Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory" andy@ian.stx.com ------------------------------ From: marshall@emavp04.webo.dg.com (Marshall Wood) Subject: Boston Globe _Black Moon_ review Date: Fri, 5 Jun 92 9:20:11 EDT Spotted this in the newspaper this morning. [ Reproduced without permission from the _Boston Globe_, June 5, 1992 ] ELP is back: More poignant - and pointed by Steve Morse Classical rock, which first emerged in the early '70s, is enjoying a revival. The music was nullified by the punk movement of the '70s and the dance-pop trend of the '80s, but it has returned. The group Genesis is doing boffo business on tour, while digging out some of their classically influenced songs. British veterans Procol Harum are also back on the road. And the latest pioneer to resurface is Emerson, Lake & Palmer, whose new album "Black Moon" is a surprising blast of fresh air. ELP, as they're called, have been a fast-seller at Great Woods this summer for their July 29 show - and their new album, due out Tuesday, should only boost that momentum. It's been 13 years since Keith Emerson, Greg Lake and Carl Palmer last worked as a trio, winding down from such all- time FM-radio hits as "From the Beginning" and "Lucky Man." Some of their Boston Garden shows were legendary during the '70s - and what's so impressive is that, unlike so many rock reunions, they've returned reinvigorated, with the music being the focus. Emerson's stentorian, synth-and-organ chords, Palmer's multirhythmic beat and Lake's eloquent, folkish voice are in great form on "Black Moon," which sports a spectacular audio mix and an unexpected dose of social consciousness. The title track, for instance, rails at politicians, acid rain, and the Gulf War: "The black moon is rising/How long will it be?" sings Lake, whose voice has deepened through the years, but still exudes an uncanny innocence. More socially conscious themes emerge in "Paper Blood" ("The measure of success is how much you can charge it on American Express") and the utopian peace anthem, "Farewell to Arms," which induces chills. ELP's success was predicated on their mix of classical suites and Lake's sincere acoustic folk melodies. The new album maintains that tradition in several instrumentals arranged by Emerson (including Prokofiev's "Romeo and Juliet"), along with a couple of acoustic gems from Lake, ending with "Footprints in the Snow," a sublimely fragile love song. It adds up to a tour de force that gives classical rock a proud status once again. [ end ] ---------------------------------------------------------- Wow, I can't remember the last time I've seen such a positive review of a progressive rock album! I don't know if that's a good sign or not... --MWood ------------------------------ Subject: ELP appearance on WBCN (Boston) this Thursday night... Date: Mon, 08 Jun 92 09:35:19 -0400 From: arnold According to several promotional announcements that have been made on WBCN (Boston, Mass.) since last week, ELP will be appearing (and playing!) live in their studios on Thursday night, June 11 at 9:00 pm. Also in addition to the good review of `Black Moon' that appeared in Friday's (June 5, 1992) Boston Globe (see other article), ELP was mentioned in the Boston Herald (along with an old picture of Keith) saying that ELP's `Black Moon' was the #1 requested song on WBCN last week (and it was the #2 requested song the week before). And I only called about 3 times (honest!). - John - ------------------------------ Subject: Latest ELP press release (video and tour dates)... Date: Mon, 08 Jun 92 10:14:36 -0400 From: arnold Here's the latest Press Release I received in the mail. I have included it here in its entirety. Note that I just got this and it includes some stuff that has already happened. (I guess I'm not at the top of their mailing list.) "EMERSON, LAKE & PALMER NEW ALBUM NEW MUSIC VIDEO, NEW WORLD TOUR FOR "BLACK MOON" SUPERGROUP KICKS-OFF 33 CITY N. AMERICAN TOUR IN JULY The legendary rock group Emerson, Lake & Palmer will release BLACK MOON, their first new album in 14 years this June on Victory Music/PLG. The title track will be released as the first single on May 25 in conjunction with a satellite-live special to be braodcast in the U.S. via ROCKLINE (Global Satellite Network) on the same day. BLACK MOON will also bring ELP back to the concert arena with a highly-anticipated world tour that kicks off in North America July 24 in Philadelphia. In April, ELP filmed a video for "Black Moon" using an extraordinary new development in video production called a mini-chopper that has never before been used in the making of a rock video. Filmed in a spectacular marble quarry on a mountain in Carrara, Italy, the mini-chopper operates as a remote-controlled helicopter fitted with a video camera that is able to swoop in and out of tight spaces, focusing on objects only a few feet away. Using the remote control, "Black Moon" director Bill Butt (the KLF) watched breathtaking images on the base screen as the lens flashed over the top of a mountain and through flames. Aubrey Powell, known for his work with The Rolling Stones, The Who, Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, and many others produced the unprecedented video which makes its primiere on "ABC's In Concert" on Friday, May 29. Tour dates are as follows: July 24 Philadelphia, PA Mann Music Center 25 Wantaugh, NY Jones Beach 26 Holmdel, NJ Garden State Arts Center 28 Columbia, MD Merriweather Post Pavilion 29 Mansfield, MA Great Woods 31 Stanhope, NJ Waterloo Village August 1 Syracuse, NY Empire Center 2 Albany, NY Palace Theater 4 Hartford, CT Bushnell 5 Quebec L'Agora 7 Montreal Montreal Forum 8 Rochester, NY Finger Lakes P.A.C. 9 Toronto, Canada Kingswood Amphitheater 11 Cleveland, OH Nautica 12 Detroit, MI Pine Knob Amphitheater 13 Cincinnati, OH Riverbend Amphitheater 15 St. Louis, MO Riverport 16 Chicago, IL The World 17 Indianapolis, IN Deer Creek 18 Atlanta, GA Chastain Park 20 Dallas, TX Starplex Amphitheater 21 Houston, TX Woodlands 22 San Antonio, TX Sunken Garden Theater 24 Phoenix, AZ Desert Sky Pavilion 26 San Diego, CA Open Air Theater 28 Los Angeles, CA Universal Amphitheater 29 Irvine, CA Bren Center 30 Las Vegas, NV Thomas Mack Center Sept. 1 Sacramento, CA Cal Expo Center 2 San Francisco, CA Concord Pavilion 4 Portland, OR Schnitzer Auditorium 5 George, WA Summer Music Theater 6 Vancouver, BC Orpheum Theater 12 Japanese Tour begins... " ------------------------------ End of ELP Digest [Volume 2 Issue 13] *************************************