Keith Emerson of Emerson, Lake and Palmer dies at 71

[rooster59]

Keith Emerson of Emerson, Lake and Palmer dies at 71

ROBERT JABLON, Associated Press


LOS ANGELES (AP) — Keith Emerson, founder and keyboardist of the progressive-rock band Emerson, Lake and Palmer, has died, his longtime partner announced Friday. He was 71.

Mari Kawaguchi said she found Emerson dead at around 1:30 a.m. at their condominium in the coastal suburb of Santa Monica, California but he could have died Thursday evening or night. She declined to disclose the cause of his death.

"Keith was a gentle soul whose love for music and passion for his performance as a keyboard player will remain unmatched for many years to come," his former bandmate, drummer Carl Palmer, said in a statement. "He was a pioneer and an innovator whose musical genius touched all of us in the worlds of rock, classical and jazz. I will always remember his warm smile, good sense of humor, compelling showmanship and dedication to his musical craft. I am very lucky to have known him and to have made the music we did together."

Kawaguchi said Emerson was able to compose without any instrument.

"He was just natural. The music was always in his head, always," she said. "Even when he was sleeping, you know, I could tell he was always thinking about music. Sometimes he would wake up and compose music. And it was all so, so beautiful."

Emerson, Palmer and vocalist/guitarist Greg Lake were giants of progressive rock in the 1970s, recording six platinum-selling albums. They and other hit groups such as Pink Floyd, the Moody Blues and Genesis stepped away from rock's emphasis on short songs with dance beats, instead creating albums with ornate pieces full of complicated rhythms, intricate chords and time signature changes. The orchestrations drew on classical and jazz styles and sometimes wedded traditional rock instruments with full orchestras.

Emerson, Lake and Palmer's 1973 album "Brain Salad Surgery" included a nearly 30-minute composition called "Karn Evil 9" that featured a Moog synthesizer and the eerie, carnival-like lyric: "Welcome back my friends, to the show that never ends."

A musical prodigy, Emerson was born in Todmorden, Yorkshire in England. By his late teens, he was playing in blues and jazz clubs in London. He helped form one of the first progressive rock groups, the Nice, before hooking up with Lake and Palmer in 1970 and debuting with them at the Isle of Wight Festival, shows that also featured Jimi Hendrix and the Who.

Although it filled stadiums, ELP also was ridiculed as the embodiment of the pomposity and self-indulgence that rock supposedly stood against. When the punk movement took off in the mid-'70s, the band was a special target, openly loathed by the Sex Pistols' Johnny Rotten among others.

Years later, Rotten (then calling himself John Lydon) and Emerson became friends, Lydon told News of the World in 2007.

"He's a great bloke," Lydon said. "I've told Keith in no uncertain terms that what put me off his band were those 20-minute organ solos and that film of their convoy of trucks crossing America."

ELP broke up in 1979, reunited in 1991, later disbanded again and reunited one last time for a 2010 tour.

Throughout, Emerson continued to compose and perform, sometimes solo and other times with various musicians, including Lake.

Despite his influence, Emerson never considered himself a rock or pop icon and his true musical devotion lay elsewhere.

"At home, he either listened to either classical or jazz. We never listened to rock," Kawaguchi said.

"He hated being called rock star or prog-rock star...he wanted to be known as composer," she said. "He never succumbed to being commercially successful. He had no interest. He always said: 'I'm not a rock star. I've never been a rock star. All I want is to play music.'"

Emerson had been composing and working with internationally known symphonies, including two in Germany and Japan, and was about to embark on a short tour in Japan starting on April 14 with his band, Kawaguchi said. His work included a classical piano concerto.

"All these people from the classical world were playing his music," she said. "When he was young, he was using classical music for rock and now the wheel has turned and now the classical world is using his compositions."

-- (c) Associated Press 2016-03-12

[keemapoot]

Wow, another larger-than-life rock icon passes. Who didn't love ELP?

[Ulysses G.]

Wow, another larger-than-life rock icon passes. Who didn't love ELP?

They were not a long term obsession, but I really liked them for a few years. RIP Keith.

[worgeordie]

Remember him more when he was in The Nice, America was outstanding.

Those were the days,my friend. RIP

regards Worgeordie

[i claudius]

The papers say he shot himself in the head .

[Ulysses G.]

The papers say he shot himself in the head .

Maybe he had cancer or some painful disease. I would probably do the same thing, but an overdose of opiates would be easier.

[klauskunkel]

A fanfare for Keith Emerson

[khun custard]

RIP Keith, another father of Prog Rock has departed.

Off to play the big Hoe-down in the sky with Aaron Copeland

[Somtamnication]

RIP. Incredible what ELP, Asia, Yes and others did in their heyday.

[Somtamnication]

BBC is reporting that it was a self inflicted gun shot. http://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-35787187

[Tywais]

BBC is reporting that it was a self inflicted gun shot. http://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-35787187

Apparently he was in depression and suffering from a degenerative nerve problem effecting his hand(s).

Emerson, Lake and Palmer keyboardist Carl Palmer has died at the age of 71 due to what authorities are describing as a gunshot wound to the head, and Carl Palmer commented on the tragedy.

[quandow]

I've read reports he had diverticulitis and only had the use of eight fingers. Very tough call to use such an irreversible act. RIP. :-(

[Tywais]

I really loved this song.

[grumpyoldman]

Dang, seems we're losing a lot of good rockers recently.

RIP

[geriatrickid]

Wow, another larger-than-life rock icon passes. Who didn't love ELP?

I didn't.

[keemapoot]

Wow, another larger-than-life rock icon passes. Who didn't love ELP?

I didn't.

Well then, you probably didn't like progressive art, symphonic and progressive rock bands like Yes either.

[pmugghc]

I loved "Pictures at an Exhibition"! A very talented man, RIP.

[bendejo]

Remember him more when he was in The Nice, America was outstanding.

Those were the days,my friend. RIP

regards Worgeordie

Saw them at Fillmore East in 1969 open for Ten Years After. Drums, bass and Hammond organ. I thought Jerry Lee Lewis was the wizard of rock n roll piano, but Keith and his Hammond took it to another dimension. America and Brubeck's Rhondo just blew me away, and I liked them better than TYA. Never really took to ELP, too much singing, I rather hear instruments.

[simon43]

They were one of my favorite bands in the 70's when I was a teenager. Went to see them live somewhere (maybe MK Bowl). Had all their albums and still have some of their vinyl here in Phuket, (now all I need is a record player)

RIP

[johnmell]

Best gig I ever saw, the Odeon in Lincoln, England , about 1970. Emerson Lake and Palmer had just started and I can remember like yesterday the great keyboard work of Keith Emerson.

[northernphil]

I really loved this song.

Wow , just listened to it after a few years I guess. I bought this album along with Brain Salad Surgery and Tarkus out to Thailand with me but had no record player , they no longer exist here . I got a relation to bring one out but the quality is better on the tube. I saw The Nice at Fairfield Halls Croydon in '69 when 5 Bridges Suite was being recorded. Too many musicians are going too soon.

[bannork]

The Nice were great,it was wonderful to be 13 when this came out, we used to listen to it on our first 'stereo systems' 30 pounds from a catalogue, mine was only 30 watts and then my friend got one for 50 watts,lucky s.d, hell of a sound in our tiny rooms in prison,sorry I meant boarding school.

[bouph12]

Some people don't realise just how popular E.L.P. were - this concert with them headlining (ahead of the likes of The Eagles and Black Sabbath) sold 250,000 tickets, which was a record paid attendance at the time.

My very considerate wife has gone out to visit friends, leaving me with the tubes in the amp warming up, the Glenmorangie in my system warming me up and my favourite Keith Emerson tracks queued up on the music streamer.

R.I.P. Mr Emerson and thank you.

[geriatrickid]

Wow, another larger-than-life rock icon passes. Who didn't love ELP?

I didn't.

Well then, you probably didn't like progressive art, symphonic and progressive rock bands like Yes either.

Correct. I understand that the people of that period would take various drugs and then listen to the cacophony.

This may explain why it was popular.

The standard practice of my generation was to immediately change the radio station whenever Yes, Deep Purple, ELP etc. made an appearance.

[keemapoot]

Wow, another larger-than-life rock icon passes. Who didn't love ELP?

I didn't.

Well then, you probably didn't like progressive art, symphonic and progressive rock bands like Yes either.

Correct. I understand that the people of that period would take various drugs and then listen to the cacophony.

This may explain why it was popular.

The standard practice of my generation was to immediately change the radio station whenever Yes, Deep Purple, ELP etc. made an appearance.

In addition to drugs, the reason progressive rock was popular with thinking people was that it beautifully and creatively fused classically-trained musicians and music with rock, as exemplified in the Moody Blues, and brilliant bands like Yes. I can understand why you didn't like this music.

[khun custard]

The standard practice of my generation was to immediately change the radio station whenever Yes, Deep Purple, ELP etc. made an appearance.

Perhaps the radio never offer up to you in 3 min 5 sec (or what ever the airtime that was allowed) the real musical brilliance of these 70's bands. Go listen to; To Be Over from the 1974 Relayer album by Yes OR ELP's rendition of Aaron Copeland's Hoe Down -a symphony for the All American, rodeo ridin',red-neck!

I do sympathize with your Deep Purple comment, but look how many have happily spent their youth, staying out of trouble, living the dream, in search of those lost 3 "Smokey" cords!!

[bendejo]

The standard practice of my generation was to immediately change the radio station whenever Yes, Deep Purple, ELP etc. made an appearance.

Perhaps the radio never offer up to you in 3 min 5 sec (or what ever the airtime that was allowed) the real musical brilliance of these 70's bands. Go listen to; To Be Over from the 1974 Relayer album by Yes OR ELP's rendition of Aaron Copeland's Hoe Down -a symphony for the All American, rodeo ridin',red-neck!

I do sympathize with your Deep Purple comment, but look how many have happily spent their youth, staying out of trouble, living the dream, in search of those lost 3 "Smokey" cords!!

This post touches on something that happened about 50 years ago that I've never seen brought up: FM radio.

Before FM, commercial AM stations were strictly top 40 singles, dictated by certain music publications. The occasional exception would be low-wattage stations at schools (with a broadcast range of maybe a few miles) that played whatever they wanted. I bought my first FM radio in 1968 when I was 16, started hearing stuff I never would have otherwise. In the beginning it was like belonging to a secret club -- start talking with someone about the music on FM, and others would say "what the hell are guys talking about?" A lot of those bands that played Woodstock were never heard on AM radio, or were known for only one or two 'hits.' Back then I NEVER heard Jimi on AM. I remember one time my mother picked up one of my albums, looked at the cover and asked "how come I never heard this on the radio?"

Vanilla Fudge, anyone?

[Ulysses G.]

Wow, another larger-than-life rock icon passes. Who didn't love ELP?

I didn't.

Well then, you probably didn't like progressive art, symphonic and progressive rock bands like Yes either.

Correct. I understand that the people of that period would take various drugs and then listen to the cacophony.

This may explain why it was popular.

The standard practice of my generation was to immediately change the radio station whenever Yes, Deep Purple, ELP etc. made an appearance.

I'm guessing that you are a little younger than many of us and grew up during the punk/new wave era. I remember one of my younger girlfriends scoffing at "the Zep" as she called them. IMO, it was mostly about fashion. I loved a lot of new wave bands, but still appreciate Led Zeppelin to this day.

[geriatrickid]

I'm guessing that you are a little younger than many of us and grew up during the punk/new wave era. I remember one of my younger girlfriends scoffing at "the Zep" as she called them. IMO, it was mostly about fashion. I loved a lot of new wave bands, but still appreciate Led Zeppelin to this day.

"(ELP) was a "waste of time, talent and electricity" - DJ John Peel

You are correct sir. I recognize that Keith Emerson was no slouch and that he had musical abilities. And it is indeed unfortunate that Mr. Emerson was unable to enjoy his advanced age and instead had to end his suffering in the way he did. However, I just could not grasp what he was trying to achieve. I wasn't impressed and found ELP to be an over the top pretentious undertaking. Putting plush velvet chairs in the lobby of a common bawdy house doesn't make it upscale nor change the fact that it is a common bawdy house.

"overbearing sense of self-importance turned ELP from one of the 1970s' most exciting new groups into the definition of masturbatory excess and self-aggrandizement in only a few short years" - John Kelman

My reaction to ProgRock was similar to that of my father whenever the Lawrence Welk reruns came on: First, a comment of "oh crap, what is this sh*t" and then a dismissive, "bunch of old farts". I did have a running bet with my father, that aside from the rare appearance of tap dancer Arthur Duncan, one would not see any visible minorities. And that is where ELP, Yes, King Crimson et al had something in common with the Lawrence Welk crowd: It appealed to Caucasian males with certain demographics. An ELP world tour became "exotic" when it had a show in Puerto Rico or Brazil, the land of the gun shot to the head, whose popularity I now appreciate as "progressive rock" was the zika virus of its time and most likely caused brain damage.

I was a happy person, so I liked my music perky, happy and fun. My friends were similar. We didn't want to sit around in a big box cold stadium taking odd chemicals to make the show bearable, saying Groovy or Far Out to make the time pass. The world is made up of many people who all have their preferred tastes.

[Ulysses G.]

I kind of get that. I never needed drugs to appreciate ELP in their prime, but have to admit that Pink Floyd lost most of their appeal after I stopped taking psychedelics.