ELP Digest 02 November 2009 Volume 19: Issue 2 The "Not the first, not the last, not the least" Edition incorporating the Keith Emerson Birthday edition and the ELP Digest Anniversary edition Today's Topics: Breaking News, Rumors, Etc. - a comment (December 23, 2008) Reader Commentary - ELP everywhere (December 4, 2008) - new KE band album (December 5, 2008) - The Sound debate (December 17, 2008) - Deluxe "Pictures" Edition 2CD Set (December 22, 2008) Questions (and Answers!) - ELP Digest - Live "Trilogy" & "Endless Enigma" (December 11, 2008) - synthesizer ringtone (December 23, 2008) ELP-related products, tribute bands, promoters (The ELP Digest does not endorse, etc.) - ELP Tribute Project BSS European Tour is here! (December 12, 2008) - ELP for church organ (December 14, 2008) - Aquatarkus Tribute Band (December 14, 2008) =========================== Prelude =========================== My apologies for the ELP Digest's long absence. If many or all of you thought that we had permanently gone 'off the grid', I would fully understand. It's been a hectic year - even more hectic than my usual excuses would convey. There were times when I thought I was poised to send out a Digest and something would happen to get me to hold off 'just a few days'. Then, that time would pass and nothing would come of the hoped-for announcement (e.g., announcing a Keith Emerson Band tour that got cancelled due to problems with Keith's arm/wrist). And, for a time, I thought I was just about ready to convert the ELP Digest to a 'blog format' so I could update the blog and get you the info in closer to real time. And then work or family would take precedence. So, on this 18th birthday (I think) of the first issue of the ELP Digest, I will make an early New Year's Resolution and re-commit to updating the method and manner in which I get the ELP news and commentary out to you. Thanks for your patience and understanding. On with the "old" show - and I hope to have the next batch of newer information out in time for Greg's birthday edition next week. - John - P.S. For those of who remember back to last edition of the ELP Digest (in January), that announcement of ELP mention on the BBC, we learned that the BBC player for that content only worked in the UK. I didn't know that at the time and hope that the content becomes available to those of us who aren't in the UK to see it sometime. ------------------------------ Latest News from the Official ELP sites in case you haven't kept up on your own during the year: Keith Emerson: http://www.keithemerson.com/News/whatsnew.html Greg Lake: http://www.greglake.com Carl Palmer: http://www.carlpalmer.com/ And there seems to be an effort to re-launch the official ELP site at: http://www.emersonlakepalmer.com Enjoy! =========================== Breaking News, Rumors, Etc. =========================== From: James Kolar [jwk123123@yahoo.com] Sent: Tuesday, December 23, 2008 10:50 AM To: elp-digest-request@reluctant.com Subject: a comment Can you please check your sources about a rumored ELP and YES tour? Please go here....this is from Henry Potts website: In a Dec article, Squire said he would like to do a world tour with this line-up in 2009. A 2009 tour with Asia opening (with Howe playing both sets) or even with Asia and ELP (with Palmer playing two sets) is under discussion. A joint tour by all three was first rumoured in early Nov. After shows in early Dec, Squire was reported to have said that plans were being ironed out for a tour with ELP, while White reportedly talked about Asia opening for Yes. http://www.yesfans.com/showthread.php?t=48601 Thanks, Jim [ Editor's Note: As it turned out, Asia did do a tour with Yes earlier in 2009. Saw them near Boston and it was a great show. In May or so, the Keith Emerson Band tour got cancelled due to an arm/wrist problem for Keith. So, we'll never know if an ELP/Yes/Asia tour would have happened. Keith's injury also slowed up promotion for his new album (The Keith Emerson Band featuring Marc Bonilla). Let's hope that we'll see Keith out and able to play a full set in the near future so we can see what may come of these rumors in 2010! - John - ] --------------------------------------------- =========================== Reader Commentary =========================== From: Burke, Edward Sent: Thursday, December 04, 2008 12:09 PM To: elp-digest-request Subject: ELP everywhere An old "Cheers" clip with reference to the law firm of ELP... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rxlIYukmlVw Also, did anyone else but me notice during the Nov 23rd "24:REDEMPTION" prequel what three letters appeared on the underside of the US Army helicopter at the US Embassy in Africa? "ELP" in bold white letters! Check your DVR during the second hour of the show! --------------------------------------------- From: alastair cox Sent: Friday, December 05, 2008 1:35 PM To: elp-digest Subject: new KE band album Got this when it came out and havent stopped playing it. Was put off at first by the fact that the band is really KE and Marc B plus session men who are different on the dvd and the album. The dvd is a little bit of a let down too, the interviews and stuff are good but the concert features once again ( groan!"! ) ELP covers and comes across as a tribute band in a small club. Back to the album. I remember going off ELP around the BSS time and seeing Love Beach in a store and thinking...hmm that looks cr*p. I only bought it many years later, still isnt very good. I also recall seeing To the Power of 3 in HMV and thought that they all looked like a New Romantic Band ( actually a good album, just that the time was wrong and Mr E was as out of fashion as a sausage at a Bar Mitza) Then waited many years for them to reform only to be horrified at the sluggish travesty that was Black Moon, even the cover looked like Phil Collins Live album. Maybe a tour and then bowing out would have been better than seeing Keith play sloppily due to his op ( I got used to him playing the amazing album stuff even faster live....wowie ) and was not prepared to see him make mistakes. I also think the kit he played on was blurry sounding and mushy. well at least he got rid of that awful Yamaha..urrgh. The 90s etc seemd blighted with besty ofs and sub standard albums. I loved the film stuff especially Taxi ride from Inferno, but Changing States and off the shelf were too mediocre to stand. They went straight to a second hand store. I thought that the future as an Emo fan was bleak. Now KE returns with a storming album and maybe even he conceeds that he needed a strong guitarist after all, something I wouldnt have believed after cheering when O List left the Nice. Loads of aggressive riffing abounds and some new songs ( hurrah) and I dont miss Greg at all. This is what he should have done a long time ago, but maybe now the time is right.Is there any truth in the rumour that Nice live at the Fillmore tapes exist? Please can we have them? --------------------------------------------- From: R Wilkins Sent: Wednesday, December 17, 2008 9:39 AM To: elp-digest Subject: The Sound debate I've been putting this off for so long but eventually I had to write in and maybe stimulate debate. When the Nice reformed there were various grumblings about how at some concerts the Keyboards, most notably the Hammond) were not distinct enough in the mix etc. I had to agree with a lot of the comments and have ruminated since. The problem for my ears appears to be part of a larger malaise which is that of equipment. Most of the classic and best ELP material, including live work was done on specific equipment, C3, L100 and moogs etc. When not played on that equipment, dare I say with the same amplification, the sound is going to be different and for me generally inferior. Does anyone prefer any of the new live versions of Hoedown to the original or the WBMFTTSTNE version ( or the myriad versions on the Bootleg series)? Is it the playing or is it the sound? I would argue, and I'm happy top be shot down, that it is the sound. I have heard grumbles about Keith's right hand playing of late, especially something like Hoedown, but I am convinced that with the right sound we would all be having a good time. The same can be said of many of the 'Prog Rock' bands who use updated equipment to play their older material on. Though I hate to say it Yes often appear to stick to a more representative sound and consequently their live work does sound very good. Sound wise my cut off point was Works which featured the Yamaha GX-1 and since then the sounds have become much more manufactured for want of a better description. Finally, I need to state that this in not Keith bashing or stick in the mud philistinism. I have waited thirty years to evaluate the technology being used by keyboard player and after deliberation, find it wanting. I love the fact that Keith is touring again and that he has new material available, which I bought as soon as it came out (as I have with everything ELP have ever done), but it sounds like so many other bands. I am ashamed to say that I have a crappy Yamaha portable keyboard which has a horrid demo song on it to show the customer how great it is. Unfortunately it sounds just like a lot of Keith's new album (primarily the guitar by the way). It may be a dream but how about trying a rehearsal with a Hammond C3 and L100 a mini moog and modular moog. Powered by a couple of leslies and some Hiwatt 100s. Play the same stuff and see what it sounds like! (don't get me started on the drums) Debate at will - if you read this Keith I hope I have not offended you. It is not my intention. RW --------------------------------------------- From: jesse mcglown Sent: Monday, December 22, 2008 11:20 AM To: elp-digest@reluctant.com Subject: Deluxe "Pictures" Edition 2CD Set Hi everyone, I was hesitant to jump in on this purchase (the new 2CD release of Pictures at an Exhibition ). Not only the exorbitant price (import; $32.95 through Amazon ), but that the last several CD packages from the ELP camp have been more or less the same old portrait with a new frame (I mean, how many greatest hits collections do we need? ). Meanwhile, killer concert performances from 1977 remain unavailable as even a legal download from Wolfgang's Vault... if you're reading, ELP Powers-That-Be, both the Wheeling and Memphis Works concert recordings would make awesome 2CD sets. Ah, well. Another topic for Another Time. Back to the Deluxe Edition of Pictures: I found a used version for ten dollars less, and had a pleasant surprise: disc two of this deluxe 2CD package is all from the Lyceum show, and is newly remixed from the original multi-track tapes. In true stereo!! As virtually all of us know, the performance of 12/9/70 is a "diamond in the rough", both in terms of recording quality and ELP's performance, especially compared to the pristine Newcastle version. But there's always been a certain charm ( for me, anyway ) in the raw Lyceum concert... the bum notes, the constant AC hum on the recording all add to the "rogue" aspect of E, L & P when they were still hungry. A technical note or two: in the ELP paperback biography of a few years back, Greg Lake had made reference to his disappointment with the original Lyceum recording, citing "spillage on every track" of instruments bleeding over onto adjacent tracks ( severely limiting mixdown flexibility ), also mentioning that the engineer had let the first tape run out during the performance. There is indeed a point during the Baba Yaga segment where there is no glaring edit or missing portion, but the stereo separation goes to monaural...presumably they had no recourse but to crossfade to the mono audio track from the videotape to cover the missing portion of the number while the engineer was threading a fresh multi-track tape to finish the show. It is very well done, and if you're not under headphones you might not even notice the transition...it only lasts for half a minute, then the stereo separation is back. Those endowed with perfect pitch will also notice that the AC hum prevalent througout the Lyceum show is A-flat ( 50 cycles in Europe and England ), whereas over here in the States it would manifest itself as B-flat ( 60 cycles ). Take A Pebble from the Lyceum performance is the only missing number on this CD, probably for the CD time limitation. Disc one contains the classic Pictures version originally released as an album. Interestingly, the remainder of this CD contains the version of Pictures done at the Isle of Wight set. I would've thought they might have found the Newcastle versions of The Barbarain, Knife-Edge, Rondo, etc...but since they didn't bother to remix the Newcastle performance of Pictures, I suppose no effort was made to find those multi-track tapes. All speculation, sure, but this deluxe edition makes for some interesting comparisons between versions of this epic undertaking by The Boys. =========================== Questions (and Answers!) =========================== From: Bill Sautter Sent: Thursday, December 11, 2008 8:36 PM To: John Arnold Subject: ELP Digest - Live "Trilogy" & "Endless Enigma" Does anyone have a [good quality] live recording of ELP doing "Trilogy" and/or "The Endless Enigma"? I have lots of rare ELP material, but have never seen or heard of a live version of either track. Regards, Bill --------------------------------------------- From: David Belson Sent: Tuesday, December 23, 2008 12:51 PM To: elp-digest-request Subject: synthesizer ringtone To whom it may concern; This comes to ask if there is a ringtone available for my cell phone that has the synthesizer sequence that you hear at the end of the “Welcome Back My Friends” live album? Hope to hear from you soon. Dave [ Editor's Note: If you have a phone that can assign a ringtone to an MP3 file on the phone, there are tools that you can use to rip that sequence to MP3 and edit it to size. (Many phones limit ringtones to 30 seconds or less.) ] =========================== ELP-related products, tribute bands, promoters (The ELP Digest does not endorse, etc.) =========================== From: Mauro Aimetti Sent: Friday, December 12, 2008 10:02 AM To: John Arnold Subject: Re: ELP Tribute Project BSS European Tour is here! Hi John, We got a very successful BSS European Tour! Here it goes some clips in High quality!! Let me know your thoughts!! Cheers, Mauro Video in Alta definizione tratti dal Tour Europeo Novembre 2008: Mauro let me vidoetape the whole concert at Z7 in Pratteln (close to Basle) Switzerland. Here is the first bit - Trilogy: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bp8xksXInvs and Karn Evil 9, 2nd Impression: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=86QWOnvwPcc and Karn Evil 9, 1st Impression, 2nd part: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ayz4kQXgrl0 as you see it was a real great concert. I have uploaded it as high quality, but you have to choose that button if you have the needed bandwith. --------------------------------------------- From: Sergio Lombardi Sent: Sunday, December 14, 2008 5:09 PM To: elp-digest Subject: ELP for church organ The Italian maestro Marco Lo Muscio, a church organ and classical piano player, has been performing world wide for years his adaptations of Keith Emerson scores for church organ. Promenade, The Three Fates http://it.youtube.com/watch?v=ZK3nS31SMyo and Fanfare have long become part of his repertoire. After releasing a cd being an officially authorized tribute to Steve Hackett's works "New Horizons", he will release soon a new one on Emerson and ELP music, authorized by Keith. In the meantime, he's going to launch one more cd with his own compositions "Dark and Light", deeply influenced by Keith Emerson. A sample here: http://it.youtube.com/watch?v=tsKCYxUKU7I The multimedia section of his website www.marcolomuscio.com is rich of several video (including those from Youtube). Sergio Lombardi --------------------------------------------- From: Sergio Lombardi Sent: Sunday, December 14, 2008 7:09 PM To: elp-digest Subject: Aquatarkus Tribute Band After some 15 years, the Aquatarkus, ELP tribute band, have returned to stage on Oct. 30th. Their first gig in Rome, Italy has been astonishing: faithful renditions of great ELP songs. Setlist: Promenade; Knife-edge; Hoedown; Endless Enigma pt.1/Fugue/Endless Enigma pt. 2; From the Beginning; Profondo Rosso (Goblin); 21st Century Schizoid Man (K.Crimson); Take A Pebble/The Sage/Lucky Man/Inferno (main theme - Emerson) /Take A Pebble (finale); Jeremy Bender/The Sheriff; Tarkus. Encore: Fanfare/America/Rondo/The Great Gates of Kiev (finale). Website: www.myspace.com/aquatarkus featuring tracks from their performance. Sergio Lombardi =========================== Digest subscription, mailing address, and administrative stuff to: elp-digest-request@reluctant.com ELP-related info that you want to put in the digest to: elp-digest@reluctant.com Back issues are available from the ELP Digest web site: URL: http://www.brain-salad.com/ or http://www.elp-digest.com Note: The opinions, information, etc. contained in this digest are those of the original message sender listed in each message. They are not necessarily those of the mailing list/digest administrator or those of any institution through whose computers/networks this mail flows. Unless otherwise noted, the individual authors of each entry in the Digest are the copyright holders of that entry. Please respect that copyright and act accordingly. I especially ask that you not redistribute the ELP Digest in whole or in part without acknowledging the original source of the digest and each author. Thanks! End of ELP Digest [Volume 19, Issue 2] **************************************