WELCOME BACK MY FRIENDS TO THE SHOW THAT NEVER ENDS

"Welcome back, my friends to the show that never ends, ladies and gentlemen" from 1974 is Emerson, Lake & Palmer's second live record, released two years after "Pictures at an Exhibition" another extraordinary live record. To me ELP in many ways was a live band and to listen to this long record with its long name in in many ways the best way to experience Emerson, Lake & Palmer. Nine songs and 109 minues of galant symphonic music is what the listeners should be prepared of when choosing this record. The cover picture is very stylistic and strikes its sign over the dark night.

I think ELP divides prog rock fans in two parts, those who love ELP and those who hate them. I think even this record would incense some people because of its high pretentions. ELP do not in any way excuse themselves and they look upon their music as a boundless art reaching for the skies. It is pompous and extravagant, just as much as it can be with three instrumentalists conquering the scene. They all do it great and the two real masterpieces "Tarkus" and "Karn Evil 9" are both played wonderfully and do really stand for musical glory. Well, the sound quality isn't perfect, but live recordining don't use to. Sometimes they don't even do just as extraordinary thrills as on the studio versions but this record is so vital, it's impossible for me to not love it. It's not so usual for me to listen to live record, but this listening was so cool because I got such a vivid picture of the prog scene of the early seventies when ELP were superheroes and prog really rocked.

On this record the band had reached their height in many ways. Now I am curious to explore their first Works' record. I don't think I will be disappointed.