Today, Keith Emerson Joined the Great Gig in the Sky at 71

[NateHevens]

http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/emerson-lake-palmer-keyboardist-keith-emerson-dies/

ELP is often one of the first bands fingered for the excesses of Progressive and Symphonic Rock in the 70's. Many consider them to be self-indulgent and boring, having forgotten that they were playing to an audience.

To me, ELP was a musician's band. I love their indulgence and their excesses. The complicated time signatures, the soaring musicality... they are special to me. I consider the Karn Evil 9 suite to be one of the greatest pieces of music in the world, and you may know it for the popularized phrase "welcome back my friends to the show that never ends".

Keith Emerson is my all-time favorite piano player. Sure there were better (Keith himself studied at the school of Oscar Peterson, a giant on piano in his own right), but Keith Emerson's frantic and theatrical playing will always stick with me. I would love to have a band with a keyboardist near his level.

I will miss you, Keith. Your playing is inspirational.

[YT]P19BpRijJD4[/YT]

 

[X-Woman]

I consider the Karn Evil 9 suite to be one of the greatest pieces of music in the world.....

I agree. And Brain Salad Surgery is my favorite album of all time. And ELP is my fave band of all time, too. I loved every stuffy, excessive, pretentious note. I loved the intelligence behind the music. Those people were incomparable. Nobody could play like Keith Emerson.

I heard it was a suicide. Makes it all the more tragic.

RIP, Keith.