ELP Underrated?

the fact that by 1976 they could barely be in the same room as each other didn't make for a collaborative writing relationship, but ultimately they were unable to navigate the choppy waters of the late 70's music scene with anything approaching the success of Yes, Genesis or Rush.

there are other bands who had the talent to become 80's household names, but could never write material that gelled with the 'new wave', such as Renaissance or Gentle Giant and who could also be described as 'Underrated' as a consequence...

Hi,

I see it differently.

If you compare the TIME and PLACE, to a lot of film, theater and literature, ELP was on par with a lot of folks ... that specific time span involved a lot of things that were, likely, overrated, and also over the top a bit, or as you say overstretched.

It's almost like saying that some of the shredding so many guitarists do in metal is not overrated and overstretched!!!!

But, you and I are not sitting here and saying that Marat/Sade was overstretched, or the version of Much Doggy Do About Nothing in a child's play park. Or a director doing films about a lot of artists, and always having moments that were over the top ... and crazy ... as Ken Russell did with so many of them, including other artists (like Rossetti) ... and of course, 2001 at the Cinerama Dome, and done in special theaters with massive sound in many big cities (joke used to be that small towns did not know sound, or music!) ... and then we end up saying that ELP is overstretched and overdone (it likely is for small town folks that have never seen anything like it!) ... and I do not think so ... seeing that bit in Montreal freezing and playing to no one in the audience, should let you know ... it wasn't exactly about the show ... but the way the music was done and shown ... and I suppose some think it is too much ... but then, I also saw some fat old smelly rich witches come out of the show EAST MEETS WEST with Yehudi Menuhin and Ravi Shankar (in Chicago) and state on their way out of the theater ... "how can anyone call that improvisation ... music!" ... (sometimes it feels like a PA fan 30 years earlier!!!)

Is ELP underrated? YEP

ELP is often criticized by folks for their bombastic stage presence and their overblown performances. Their endless brand of progressive rock didn't go down well with many people either. Though, ELP weren't boring. There were many, many, many bands which were boring and which got bogged down in endless noodling that went nowhere; peak ELP, seemed to have a direction.

Their debut album, Tarkus, songs off Trilogy are a testament to their greatness.

Personally I found Works a bit dull at the time. I liked the cheesy side of ELP and they had suddenly got very serious with the Piano Concerto et al. All these years later I like the album a lot (never going to love it I think) but the stain that stayed with them and can never be washed away is Love Beach. The genius band that helped changed the face of music had become invisible. Part of the issue that Emerson and Lake had stopped writing music together and that was when the creativity died. They could surely have put the bad publicity of Works behind them but the horrible decision that was Love Beach will always remain part of their legacy and that's a shame.

ELP albums are rated correctly with maybe the exception being BSS.

The first 4 studio albums are all around 4 (excellent addition to a prog collection). The triple album also has a similar rating. The rating system though on PA is very unsophiscated with no half marks allowed. Quite likely BSS would achieve a slightly higher rating if you didn't have to deduct a whole point for the risable BTB (that has always harmed it's standing here I believe). That's my main complaint but it's not a big one because ELP decided to include it and that's a mistake they have to own (when they toured the album it was the only track they didn't play so go figure). I believe a lot of stuff on PA only gets higher rated because the quality is more even and consistent , for instance Supertramps Crime Of The Century is a very enjoyable album but hardly ground breaking or innovative (ELP were those things IMO). 'Tramp were mainly good at soaking up influences and making things nice and tidy and the likes of Camel and a few others were also more in that mould as well. ELP were untidy and rather happier out in the world performing where they had less arguments and potential falling outs!

Considering the number of albums released every year I would like to see more modern albums rated higher and it actually annoys me a tad that so much of the top 100 is the last century. But you have the filters and can pick years (grouped if you want) and so that's cool. I think it's much better to consider PA as a resource to try and gets to grip with the much varied many headed beast that is 'prog rock' rather than some form of bible.

BTW over the years I've concluded that Gentle Giant fans are just as bad as ELP fans when it comes to being self entitled . Fact is ELP sold a shedload of albums and could stand on a stage and not look at out place next to the giants of rock music (Sabbath, LZ , Purple etc) . They could perform the sh*t out of it, sell out massive staduims and actually had personality. Beyond this they had one of the greatest musicians of the 20th century in Keith Emerson who had the talent to create Tarkus and Karn Evil 9. I only care about talent at the end of the day. ELP were all about talent and not about consistency or making good decisions. I'll take the former any day of the week and twice on Sundays.