(((O))) Review: Emerson, Lake & Powell – The Complete Collection

At the turning point of the 1980s, the progressive rock genre had taken a long direct target from the rock critics, the punk scene, and the way the labels were trying to get away from the dreaded four-letter “P” word. But all was not lost as they thought the genre was done and dusted. They were wrong.

By this time frame, Emerson, Lake and Palmer were very much the people’s band during their golden years in the 1970s. They embarked on big tours and releasing classic after classic; from their sole self-titled debut album in 1970 to their magnum opus Brain Salad Surgery in 1973. But then in the late ‘70s everything took a massive detour.

At the time they were promoting Works from 1977 to 1978, they were on the brink of bankruptcy. The original idea was to take a 64-piece orchestra. Yes, you heard right, a 64-piece orchestra on the road with them in the States. But due to the expensive costs and the situation with the union was derailed.

However, they did use the Orchestra in New York’s Madison Square Garden and Montreal’s Olympic Stadium and was featured in the live album released in 1979, Emerson, Lake and Palmer In Concert. Plus, they were the band the so-called rock critics loved to hate. And that famous phrase, “How do you spell pretentious? E.L.P.” Yes, they were the easy target for them. Including John Peel who saw their debut performance at the Isle of Wight in 1970 and considered them “A waste of electricity”.

When they released their seventh studio album, Love Beach which was considered in the 20 maddest prog albums from the fall issue of Classic Rock Magazine back in 2006 as they described it in their last sentence; “More than the efforts of Rotten and Strummer, Love Beach was the thing that killed prog in the 70s. ‘Nuff said”. And believe me, it was almost the final nail in the coffin that put the prog genre in pandora’s box.

Let’s not forget during that time frame in the late ‘70s, Genesis became a trio after the departure of Peter Gabriel in 1975 after completing their Lamb Lies Down on Broadway tour, followed by Hackett after the Wind & Wuthering tour in 1977. They achieved success between And Then There Were Three, Duke, and Abacab while the Floyd despite the difficulties they had, unleashed their massive rock opera The Wall and the last album to feature Roger Waters in 1983 with The Final Cut. So, all was not lost.

By this time, as the ‘80s were starting to unfold, as ELP were taking a long break, Carl Palmer formed the short-lived group PM who released their only debut album “1:PM” in 1980 on the Ariola label. But then in 1981, he had teamed up with King Crimson’s John Wetton, Yes’ Steve Howe and Geoff Downes to form Asia. And the rest as they say, is history.

Meanwhile, Keith Emerson would not only release his first solo album (Honky, 1981), he would later do film scores. Ranging from Dario Argento’s Giallo classic Inferno (1980), Nighthawks (1981), Harmagedon: Genma Wars (1983), and Lucio Fulci’s Murderock (1984). Elsewhere, Greg Lake formed his own band featuring Thin Lizzy guitarist Gary Moore and Alex Harvey alumni drummer Ted McKenna, releasing two studio albums between 1981 (Greg Lake) and 1983 (Manoeuvers).

In 1984, both Keith and Greg had decided to reform the trio. But Carl was having the time of his life with Asia after unleashing two studio albums and achieving success. So, for the duo, they decided to find the drummer to fill Carl’s place. They went through auditions to fill Carl’s shoes. One of them was Cozy Powell.

Powell had already made a name for himself with The Jeff Beck Group, Ritchie Blackmore’s Rainbow, Bedlam, Whitesnake, and The Michael Schenker Group. For Powell to join up with fellow comrades Keith Emerson and Greg Lake, it seemed like a crazy idea, but it worked. That and this 3-CD set from the Spirit of Unicorn label, tackles the band’s only album with Cozy in the line-up.

Now, for me, I was always skeptical about this, because I was more of the ELP realm during my time in high school, and I just ignored this one at the time. Looking back on it, I was jumping to conclusions during my younger years.

For me, to delve into the band’s only studio album which was originally released on May 26th, 1986 on the Polydor label, showcases how much this album was so far ahead of its time. Yes, there’s the epic symphonic boundaries Emerson and Lake were known for, but there’s also the new wave aspects, followed by the hard rock atmospheres that Cozy had given the ammunition it needed.

Take for example, the opening fanfare of ‘The Score’ which gives is nod to Copeland’s ‘Fanfare for the Common Man’ with its edgier hard rock and new wave form to bring the future upon us. It just hits you in the stomach with a hardcore punch thanks to Emerson’s blare of the keyboards, setting up for the battle to begin.

They’re letting fans know, “Yes, we’re different this time, but we’ve come back with something bigger”. Not only that, but there are elements of ‘Karn Evil 9: 3rd Impression” that brings to mind. Powell is really going at it with his drum patterns, setting up the cannons to blast at any second for the Manticore lion to give his mighty roar to the listener.

It’s almost a continuation on what happened after the events of the Karn Evil 9 story, but with a futuristic vibe as the computers have taken over the entire Earth. You can just vision the scenery with the clashes, chaotic effects, thunderous beats between Keith and Cozy, and Lake becoming a god-like figure in this dystopian society we are living then, and living in now.

Continuing from their Brain Salad Surgery and Works timeline, the sing-along sail across the seas with ‘Learning to Fly’ (no, the one from A Momentary Lapse of Reason from the Gilmour-led era of Pink Floyd), Greg becomes the captain of the ship, leading his fellow troops into a new world that’s waiting for them while the danger becomes even more of a tightrope with its fantasy-like lyrical structures for ‘The Miracle’ to happen.

Then, everything turns bleak. ‘Touch and Go’ which peaked at number 60 on the Billboard charts on July 19th, 1986, is based on the English folk tune ‘Lovely Joan’ by Ralph Vaughan Williams. Emerson’s adaptation behind the composition, hits you hard.

It’s keyboard anthem that he creates, adds more fuel to the fire. What he does behind that track, he pushes you over the edge of the cliff, detailing the danger that surrounds your very eyes on what is to come. And the humour that adds into it, thanks to the 2010 action-packed comedy classic, MacGruber, based on the SNL sketch, parodying MacGyver, starring Will Forte, Kristen Wiig, Maya Rudolph, and Val Kilmer.

Funny enough for them to tackle Holst’s ‘Mars, The Bringer of War’, it did bring back memories for Greg Lake during his run with the first mark of King Crimson in which the band would close the piece during their 1969 tour, detailed from their 1997 Epitaph box set, and the Complete 1969 Recordings. From their breakthrough performance at Hyde Park, the Fillmore West, Plympton Jazz Festival, and the Chesterfield Jazz Club. So, there’s a bit of remembrance for Greg to tackle one of Holst’s masterpieces from the Planets suite.

The second disc which had been bootlegged before is entitled, The Sprocket Sessions in which they recorded rehearsals for their 1986 world tour to promote the album. Not only they go through most of the album’s material, but tackling ELP classics such as a 3-minute version of ‘Pictures of an Exhibition’ tackling ‘Promenade’ and ‘The Great Gates of Kiev’, a 10-minute eruption of ‘Tarkus’, ‘Knife-Edge’, and an incredible 13-minute take of ‘Pirates’ from the first volume of Works.

The third and final disc which was recorded for their North American tour at the time. Reading Jerry Ewing’s liner notes, detailing what was going on during that time frame, you can get an understanding of the tension between Greg and Cozy, who were at each other’s throat, and firing their own management due to an unspecified disagreement.

The recording during the North American tour is amazing however. Greg is in full-flight mode, same with Keith and Cozy’s unexpected drum work, which, yes, it’s a bit like a cannon blast when you go through the call-and-response on ‘Knife-Edge’. And then, Lake gives the band a break to go through an acoustic texture with a bit of a sing-along from the audience on ‘Lucky Man’, and the gentle stream throughout ‘From the Beginning’.

Following the battle-cry take on ‘Touch and Go’, Cozy takes centre stage throughout ‘Mars, The Bringer of War’. I almost heard some elements in which they tackle ‘Abaddon’s Bolero’ from the Trilogy album that comes to mind for a brief moment before Powell unleashes the thunder throughout his drum solo.

Again, Powell may not be Carl Palmer, but he does his very best to add in the effects which I believe it was either him or Keith to go through these video-game like sounds you would hear in the Arcade’s like  Q*Bert and Galaga, before Keith unleashes his church organ to bring terror throughout the entire show and closing it out with a medley between ‘Karn Evil 9: 1st Impression (Part 2)’, followed by a nod to Keith’s band The Nice. Tackling Leonard Bernstein’s ‘America’ and a brutal yet climatic end to Brubeck’s ‘Rondo’ in which Keith goes off-the-wall attacking his Hammond organ during his golden years.

It showed that he still has that energy. You can hear bits of Bach’s ‘Toccata and Fugue in D Minor’ into the mix as Greg and Cozy give him carte blanche during the final section of the tour. Yes, the group was short-lived, but it is time to give the band’s only album with Cozy Powell, a little bit of recognition it deserves.