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A Look At The Two Spinoff Versions Of Emerson Lake & Palmer presents the lineup variations that occurred in the band Emerson Lake & Palmer. Unlike many rock bands that go through significant lineup changes throughout their careers, Emerson Lake & Palmer was a constant lineup that consisted of the power trio of Keith Emerson on keyboards, Greg Lake on guitar and bass, and Carl Palmer on drums. The group released seven studio albums between 1970 and 1978. These albums included Emerson, Lake & Palmer (1970), Tarkus (1971), Trilogy (1972), Brain Salad Surgery (1973), Works Volume 1 (1977), Works Volume 2 (1977), and Love Beach (1978).
In addition to the band’s seven studio albums, the group Emerson Lake & Palmer also released a series of very popular live albums that became highlights of their catalog. These include such notable albums as Pictures at an Exhibition released in 1971 and the classic three-record set Welcome Back My Friends… released in 1974.
Emerson Lake & Plamer went on hiatus at the end of the 1970s. Carl Palmer found himself behind the drums in another supergroup called Asia that included John Wetton of King Crimson, Geoff Downes of The Buggles, and Steve Howe of Yes. The decade of the 1980s would see two variations of the band Emerson Lake & Palmer. Those variations would include the band Emerson, Lake & Powell who released one album in 1985. The second variation would change the band name completely to 3. That band consisted of Carl Palmer, Keith Emerson, and Richard Berry. In the 1990s Emerson Lake & Palmer would reunite and release two new studio albums. ELP released Black Moon in 1992 and In The Hot Seat in 1994. Over the next two decades, there would be various tours and reunions but the In The Hot Seat albums would serve as the final Emerson Lake & Palmer album.
The end of the band Emerson Lake & Palmer culminated with the death of Keith Emerson in March 2016. Later that year in December of 2016, Greg Lake passed away leaving Carl Palmer as the sole survivor of the band Emerson Lake & Plamer. For the entire decade of the 1970s, Emerson Lake & Palmer was one of the most popular rock acts of the decade. When thinking back about the band’s legacy, the two variations of the group are hardly mentioned as the music ELP put out in the 70s defines completely what the band was all about. Nonetheless, the two spinoff versions of Emerson Lake & Plamer are still an interesting story that is part of the band’s history. Below is a deeper look at those two versions of the band.
Emerson Lake & Powell
The band Emerson Lake & Powell was formed in 1985. The desire to reunite the original band of Keith Emerson, Greg Lake and Carl Palmer was upended when Carl Palmer was in contract with the band Asia and unable to join the ELP reunion. Instead, the band hired rock veteran drummer Cozy Powell to replace Carl Palmer behind the drums. This new configuration of ELP resulted in the release of one studio album entitled Emerson Lake & Powell. The album was released in 1986.
While the album went a bit unnoticed by many fans. Those who did purchase the record found themselves in possession of a truly great progressive rock album. It remains an unheralded gem of 198os progressive rock. Emerson Lake & Powell toured to promote those albums and played many ELP classics in concert. Those tours have resulted in the release of multiple Emerson Lake & Powell live albums that many fans do not realize exist. Below is a listing of the Emerson Lake & Powell releases.
Emerson Lake & Powell
Released 1986.
The band’s only studio album was fueled by the single release “Touch and Go.”The song broke into the Billboard top 100 peaking at number sixty. The album also reached number twenty three on the Billboard Top 200 Albums Charts. Check out the scorching album opener “The Score.” The album sounds like vintage 1970s ELP
CD Track Listings:
1. The Score
2. Learning To Fly
3. The Miracle
4. Touch And Go
5. Love Blind
6. Step Aside
7. Lay Down Your Guns
8. Mars, The Bringer Of War
The album’s single “Touch and Go.” A progressive rock masterpiece for the 80s.
Other Emerson Lake & Powell releases.
Live in Concert
Released 2003
1 The Score
2 Touch & Go
3 Knife Edge
4 Pirates
5 From The Beginning
6 Lucky Man
7 Fanfare For The Common Man
8 Mars Bringer Of War / Drum Solo
9 Karn Evil 9 / America / Rondo
The Sprocket Sessions
Released 2003
1. The Score
2. Learning To Fly
3. The Miracle
4. Knife Edge
5. Tarkus
6. Pictures At An Exhibition
7. Lucky Man
8 Still…You Turn Me On
9 Love Blind
10 Mars, The Bringer of War
11 Touch and Go
12. Pirates
3
The band 3 consisted of Keth Emerson, Carl Palmer, and Richard Berry. The group released only one album. Many fans were unaware of this group because of the ambiguous name of the group. The band did perform live but stayed away from vintage Emerson Lake & Palmer material with the exception of some of the cover songs that ELP performed like “Hoedown.” The live shows also featured additional musicians including Paul Keller on guitar, Debra Parks on backing vocals and Jennifer Steele also on backing vocals. Keith Emerson and Richard Berry were set to reunite and record a follow-up album in 2015. However, Keith Emerson’s passing prevented the project from being completed, although Richard Berry did release the albums by himself based on the material he was working on with Keith Emerson
To The Power Of Three
Released 1986
1. Talkin’ Bout
2. Lover To Lover
3. Chains
4. Desde La Vida: (I) La Vista; (II) Frontera; (III) Sangre De Toro
5. Eight Miles High
6. Runaway
7. You Do Or You Don’t
8. On My Way Home
A very interesting video for many reasons.
3 Live Albums
Live Boston 88
Released 2015
1. Fanfare For The Common Man
2. Deste La Vita
3. Lover To Lover
4. Three Introductions
5. Hoedown
6. You Do Or You Don’t
7. Talkin’ Bout
Disc 2
1. Creole Dance
2. On My Way Home
3. Runaway
4. Standing In The Shadow Of Love
5. America – Rondo – Drum Solo
6. Eight Miles High – The Byrds
Live – Rockin’ The Ritz
Released 2017
1. Fanfare For The Common Man
2. Desde La Vida
3. Go Unlimited to listen to Lover To Lover
4. Band Introductions
5. Hoedown
6. You Do Or You Don’t
7. Talkin’ Bout
8. Dream Runner
9. Hoedown
10. Hoedown
11. You Do or You Don’t
12. You Do or You Don’t
13. Talkin’ ‘Bout
14. Talkin’ Bout
15. Dream Runner
Disc: 2
1. Creole Dance
2. On My Way Home
3. Runaway
4. Standing In the Shadow Of Love
5. America/Rondo/Fuge in D Minor BMV 565
6. Eight Miles High
7. Creole Dance
8. On My Way Home
9. Runaway
10. Standing in the Shadow of Love
11. America, Rondo, Carl Palmer Drum Solo, Fugue in D Minor BMV 565
12. Eight Miles High, Peter Gunn
A Look At The Two Spinoff Versions Of Emerson Lake & Palmer article published on Classic RockHistory.com© 2023
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