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Magnificent Excess: The Story of ELP
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richardh View Drop Down
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    Posted: August 25 2024 at 10:49
Apparently it's a 'Happy 50th' to Welcome Back My Friends To The Show That Never Ends..
The album that summed up all the sheer brilliance, hubris and near out of control 'w**kery' of ELP in one very nice package. It even gets name checked on the show Loudermilk showing it's well embedded in popular culture. I remember taking the vinyl package to school around about 1977 but I just wasn't brave enough to put it on the common room record deck. 
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Originally posted by David_D David_D wrote:


As I guess it's well-known by this point of time, 
true dinosaurs are not of big interest of mine. Big smile

Hi,

There are some things, in the arts, that are a once in a lifetime thing. You will never get another chance to see it, and RW redoing The Wall, completely distilled to nothing but a boring show, in the end, The original WALL was probably the last of the big must see things, but when you saw the film, the concert was no longer necessary and the film seemed better all around.

It was the same in the 60's. You were not going to get a 2nd chance to see Nureyev, and also later to see Misha and you had to grab your chance when it was there. The only bad thing is that you had to travel to the big city to catch these things ... because they would never be in a smaller place where the ability to even break even simply was not there.

A very sad, and disappointing comment by David_D ... and kinda denying an artist his/her work that deserves better respect, than being thought of as inconsequential and bad as so many in this commercial generation look at music from 60/50 years ago. It's OK to not like something, but it is very ___________ to say something like that.


Edited by moshkito - August 24 2024 at 12:14
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Originally posted by richardh richardh wrote:

Carl Palmer states that ELP's artistic peak was Brain Salad Surgery and that with that they were done. He is right.


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richardh View Drop Down
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^Yep very interesting, I think they all sum it up well in that interview. IMO that album did untold damage to their legacy and resulted in so much negativity that they were severely downgraded from the legendary band they were in their heyday to a postscript that represented all that went wrong with the decade and prog in particular. Carl Palmer states that ELP's artistic peak was Brain Salad Surgery and that with that they were done. He is right.
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Emerson, Lake & Palmer on Love Beach

Greg Lake's take on the Love Beach cover photo :- "The cover was a departure for ELP, with a photograph of us smiling with bright-white teeth, chest hair on show and a background of a palm tree and clear skies. It was a shock to most of the fans after the likes of the H.R. Giger cover for Brain Salad Surgery. The cover said commercial MOR, not ELP. We looked like the Bee Gees on holiday." LOL
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Originally posted by Psychedelic Paul Psychedelic Paul wrote:

To truly appreciate the awesome power of ELP, The Only Way is to take it From the Beginning again in 1970, long before they got sand in their shorts on Love Beach. Oh well, C'est La Vie. Smile


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^ Another classic performance. Thumbs Up

To truly appreciate the awesome power of ELP, The Only Way is to take it From the Beginning again in 1970, long before they got sand in their shorts on Love Beach. Oh well, C'est La Vie. Smile
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but this ELP as we know and love them
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Originally posted by Floydoid Floydoid wrote:

IMO ELP made splendid (studio + live) albums up to BSS, and even the Ummagumma-esque Works vol.1 was just about palatable... but then the wheels fell off.

They were still a hot live band even in 1978. I have the 2 CD set of them playing Wheeling, West Virginia and highly recommend it. So much better than the Works tour in all honest truth although Montreal 1977 was a great event. When they got back to the studio in 1978 they should have taken that energy and put it into a great album. The demos for Love Beach were promising espcially Canario and Memoir's but they were too intent on pushing a radio style album. That said I've always maintained that with decent production it could have been something. The album cover is now legendary for all the wrong reasons but to be fair they were good looking boys (for a prog band) so it wasn't totally an insane idea! I saw them play Top Of The Pops in 1978 (alongside the likes of Sarah Brightman and Hot Gossip) and it was all very surreal. They even had the Yamaha GX1 wheeled into the studio although Palmer's kit was very pared down if I remember right. 


Edited by richardh - December 23 2023 at 21:51
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By 'Discuss', what you meant was Disgusted...right? Big smile
Thank you for supporting independently produced music
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^Possibly the worst album cover by any artist in the Prog Archives.

Edited by Floydoid - December 22 2023 at 23:55
'We're going to need a bigger swear jar.'
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Originally posted by Floydoid Floydoid wrote:

IMO ELP made splendid (studio + live) albums up to BSS, and even the Ummagumma-esque Works vol.1 was just about palatable... but then the wheels fell off.

The wheels came off and got stuck in the sand when ELP became the Beach Gees.  Tongue
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IMO ELP made splendid (studio + live) albums up to BSS, and even the Ummagumma-esque Works vol.1 was just about palatable... but then the wheels fell off.
'We're going to need a bigger swear jar.'
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If Roger Dean had come up with a Grand Canyon-like dreamscape for the cover, I bet the Refugee album would've sold a heap more.....or at least would've been heard at the time instead of dug out of the dollar bins by Yesfans after Moraz's gig on Relayer.  The album deserved a better fate - it ain't groundbreaking but Moraz shines.....plus, I've always rooted for the Davjak portion of the Nice.  
I like to feel the suspense when you're certain you know I am there.....
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Originally posted by Psychedelic Paul Psychedelic Paul wrote:

Originally posted by richardh richardh wrote:

^ 5 stars for Refugee Thumbs Up

Someday, I may get around to listening to Refugee again, but in the meantime, here's a review I prepared earlier, in the tradition of Blue Peter.  Smile

Janet Ellis:- Here's one she made earlier - Sophie Ellis Bextor  Smile


REFUGEE were a short-lived Symphonic Prog threesome from London. You could be forgiven for thinking Phil Collins was a member of Refugee, because the man in the middle on their one and only self-titled album cover from 1974 bears a striking resemblance to the Genesis drummer. There's no mistaking Swiss keyboard player Patrick Moraz on the right of the album cover though. He was brought in as a last-minute replacement for Keith Emerson, who was otherwise engaged with the Prog- Rock supergroup Emerson, Lake & Palmer at the time. The other two members of Refugee besides Patrick Moraz were both ex-members of The Nice:- Lee Jackson on bass, electric cello, electric guitar, 12-string acoustic guitar and lead vocals, and Brian Davison on drums and percussion, where "percussion" meant virtually anything the versatile drummer could lay his hands on, including tympani, various gongs, Tibetan temple bells, African drums, kabassa (whatever that is!?) and broken glass! Patrick Moraz wasn't exactly slacking in the keyboards department either with this very impressive array of keyboard instruments at his disposal:- Mini- moog, AKS synthesiser, piano, electric piano, clavinet, organ, pipe organ, marimbaphone, alpine horn, electronic slinky, mellotron, and occasional vocals too! Patrick Moraz would of course go on to be a member of YES and a "days of future passed" member of The Moody Blues. Who could forget the famous music trial of the century!? The sole Refugee album was recorded in 1974 at ART Studios in Geneva in Patrick Moraz' native Switzerland, so he would have felt right at home there, whereas the two English members of the band, Lee Jackson and Brian Davison were temporary "refugees".

The title of the imperious 5-minute-long opening number "Papillon" can have several meanings:- Either a black butterfly; a symbolic breaking free of societal restraints and restrictions; or even a toy breed of dog with large butterfly-like ears! One thing's for sure though, the "Papillon" on this album is no delicate butterfly. No, this is an aggressive and impressive Pictures at an Exhibition-style display of powerful keyboard prog in the best tradition of Emerson, Lake & Palmer. There's no shortage of classically-inspired, lightning-speed keyboard runs to be heard from Patrick Moraz in this tremendous instrumental album opener, which also features a storming salvo of machine-gun-like drumming from Brian Davison. Yes, it looks like we could be in for quite a treat here with this gloriously pompous one-off album of unashamedly exhibitionistic Symphonic Prog. On the second song "Someday", We get to hear the emotionally-wrought (and some might say "over-blown") vocals of Lee Jackson for the first time, which also features another incredible keyboard performance from Patrick Moraz before he went on to join YES for their "Relayer" album in late 1974. "Someday" is one of those grand magisterial prog epics that gathers in pace and intensity as it progresses, so it could be described as the true definition of Progressive Rock. If "Papillon" represented a symbolic breaking-free, then "Someday" continues the theme of liberation with the powerful message contained within these lyrics:- "Someday, I'll go away, Pack my bag, Get on a plane, I'll fly up through my cloud, I'll smash right through, Right into the sun." ..... This is the kind of powerfully uplifting feel-good prog that'll leave you flying high on a wave of joyous and exhilarating emotion. If you haven't quite reached seventh prog heaven yet, then the third piece of music might help get you there, because next up is the awesome 17-minute-long, "Grand Canyon" suite, the first of two epic suites on the album. This magnificent five-part magnum opus is every bit as grandiose and spectacular as the song title implies. Be prepared to be stunned by this brilliant landscape of dazzling musical colours. The outstanding "Grand Canyon" suite represents the musical equivalent of the real Grand Canyon bathed in rich golden colours at sunset.

The title of the Side Two opener "Ritt Mickley" is a humorous reference to the strong Swiss accent of Patrick Moraz when he pronounces "rhythmically". It's another 6-minute-long demonstration of ELP-style keyboard prog at it's absolute best, so you can expect another dazzling display of keyboard histrionics from Mr Moraz & Co. The final piece of music on the album is the second of the two epic suites. It's a thunderous 18-minute-long masterpiece titled "Credo". The majestic music is divided into eight movements of stunning symphonic splendour and delight, which just HAS to be heard to be believed. This is incredible!

You can't fail to be over-awed by this stunning display of ELP-style keyboard prog. This outstanding one-off album has a treasured place in the hallowed halls of ProgArchives. Refugee might not be in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, but they truly deserve to be included with full honours and flags flying with this very impressive powerhouse debut!


Nice! Wink
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Originally posted by richardh richardh wrote:

^ 5 stars for Refugee Thumbs Up
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Originally posted by richardh richardh wrote:

^ 5 stars for Refugee Thumbs Up

Someday, I may get around to listening to Refugee again, but in the meantime, here's a review I prepared earlier, in the tradition of Blue Peter.  Smile

Janet Ellis:- Here's one she made earlier - Sophie Ellis Bextor  Smile


REFUGEE were a short-lived Symphonic Prog threesome from London. You could be forgiven for thinking Phil Collins was a member of Refugee, because the man in the middle on their one and only self-titled album cover from 1974 bears a striking resemblance to the Genesis drummer. There's no mistaking Swiss keyboard player Patrick Moraz on the right of the album cover though. He was brought in as a last-minute replacement for Keith Emerson, who was otherwise engaged with the Prog- Rock supergroup Emerson, Lake & Palmer at the time. The other two members of Refugee besides Patrick Moraz were both ex-members of The Nice:- Lee Jackson on bass, electric cello, electric guitar, 12-string acoustic guitar and lead vocals, and Brian Davison on drums and percussion, where "percussion" meant virtually anything the versatile drummer could lay his hands on, including tympani, various gongs, Tibetan temple bells, African drums, kabassa (whatever that is!?) and broken glass! Patrick Moraz wasn't exactly slacking in the keyboards department either with this very impressive array of keyboard instruments at his disposal:- Mini- moog, AKS synthesiser, piano, electric piano, clavinet, organ, pipe organ, marimbaphone, alpine horn, electronic slinky, mellotron, and occasional vocals too! Patrick Moraz would of course go on to be a member of YES and a "days of future passed" member of The Moody Blues. Who could forget the famous music trial of the century!? The sole Refugee album was recorded in 1974 at ART Studios in Geneva in Patrick Moraz' native Switzerland, so he would have felt right at home there, whereas the two English members of the band, Lee Jackson and Brian Davison were temporary "refugees".

The title of the imperious 5-minute-long opening number "Papillon" can have several meanings:- Either a black butterfly; a symbolic breaking free of societal restraints and restrictions; or even a toy breed of dog with large butterfly-like ears! One thing's for sure though, the "Papillon" on this album is no delicate butterfly. No, this is an aggressive and impressive Pictures at an Exhibition-style display of powerful keyboard prog in the best tradition of Emerson, Lake & Palmer. There's no shortage of classically-inspired, lightning-speed keyboard runs to be heard from Patrick Moraz in this tremendous instrumental album opener, which also features a storming salvo of machine-gun-like drumming from Brian Davison. Yes, it looks like we could be in for quite a treat here with this gloriously pompous one-off album of unashamedly exhibitionistic Symphonic Prog. On the second song "Someday", We get to hear the emotionally-wrought (and some might say "over-blown") vocals of Lee Jackson for the first time, which also features another incredible keyboard performance from Patrick Moraz before he went on to join YES for their "Relayer" album in late 1974. "Someday" is one of those grand magisterial prog epics that gathers in pace and intensity as it progresses, so it could be described as the true definition of Progressive Rock. If "Papillon" represented a symbolic breaking-free, then "Someday" continues the theme of liberation with the powerful message contained within these lyrics:- "Someday, I'll go away, Pack my bag, Get on a plane, I'll fly up through my cloud, I'll smash right through, Right into the sun." ..... This is the kind of powerfully uplifting feel-good prog that'll leave you flying high on a wave of joyous and exhilarating emotion. If you haven't quite reached seventh prog heaven yet, then the third piece of music might help get you there, because next up is the awesome 17-minute-long, "Grand Canyon" suite, the first of two epic suites on the album. This magnificent five-part magnum opus is every bit as grandiose and spectacular as the song title implies. Be prepared to be stunned by this brilliant landscape of dazzling musical colours. The outstanding "Grand Canyon" suite represents the musical equivalent of the real Grand Canyon bathed in rich golden colours at sunset.

The title of the Side Two opener "Ritt Mickley" is a humorous reference to the strong Swiss accent of Patrick Moraz when he pronounces "rhythmically". It's another 6-minute-long demonstration of ELP-style keyboard prog at it's absolute best, so you can expect another dazzling display of keyboard histrionics from Mr Moraz & Co. The final piece of music on the album is the second of the two epic suites. It's a thunderous 18-minute-long masterpiece titled "Credo". The majestic music is divided into eight movements of stunning symphonic splendour and delight, which just HAS to be heard to be believed. This is incredible!

You can't fail to be over-awed by this stunning display of ELP-style keyboard prog. This outstanding one-off album has a treasured place in the hallowed halls of ProgArchives. Refugee might not be in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, but they truly deserve to be included with full honours and flags flying with this very impressive powerhouse debut!



Edited by Psychedelic Paul - December 04 2023 at 11:05
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^ 5 stars for Refugee Thumbs Up
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THE NICE     Cindy just reminded me again of ELP, which was Nice, and this is the original power trio who really take the biscuit! The Nice were the early progenitors of Emerson, Lake & Palmer, and could lay claim to being the first Symphonic Prog band, although Justin Hayward & John Lodge might have something to say about that.  The Nice trio consisted of dagger-wielding keyboardist Keith Emerson, bassist and singer Lee Jackson, and drummer and Phil Collins lookalike, Brian 'Blinky' Davison. Lee Jackson later went onto even greater Heights by forming his own band, Every Which Way (which may or may not have inspired a Clint Eastwood movie), as well as forming Jackson Heights, and then lastly, Refugee in 1974 with drummer and Phil Collins lookalike, Brian Davison and Swiss keyboard wiz, Patrick Moraz. All in all then, a busy time was had by all, but it's Nice work if you can get it. Smile

 4 stars 1968: The Nice - The Thoughts of Emerlist Davjack - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bNE78JD7rl4
 4 stars 1968: The Nice - Ars Longa Vita Brevis - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tt99wLDaTVg
 3 stars 1971: The Nice - Elegy - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6OMJXasuBe0


 4 stars 1970: Brian Davison's Every Which Way - Every Which Way - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n9qFDNGdTdI



Edited by Psychedelic Paul - December 04 2023 at 05:26
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