ELP top 3???

I believe that saying that if you don't like a determined band you're not open minded, is a terrible approach. We're not pop fans that like an album only because of the name of the band.

We have different tastes, and people don't have to like everything any prog band released. I read many ELP fans saying Triumvirat is crap (with this exact word) and I don't believe they are close minded, maybe harsh and offensive with Triumvirat fans but they're entitled to their taste.

I consider ELP a great band until a determined point in their evolution (As I consider Genesis my favorite band only until Wind & Wuthering), and this doesn't make me close minded.

People in this same page who applaud this post, use this forum to criticize Genesis repeteadly, so according to them if you don't like ELP you're close minded, but if you hae Genesis it's ok. This is at least contradictory.

I like all of their stuff (well almost all) but here are a large percentage of people who bash them because they are not consistently throwing neo classical compositions in your face, and take breaks with songs like jeremy bender, and the sheriff.

This is not my problem with ELP, I like almost everything theydid up to Brain Salad Surgery, including Jeremy Bender, The Sheriff and most of Lake's ballads up to that point.

My problem with ELP starts with Works I, IMO a less than average album, with only one good side (Palmer's) and an acceptable side 4  (too long and repetitive but not bad).

Everything goes downhill from this point, Works II is less than imaginative containing material rejected from previous albums, Love Beach is the cheasiest album ever released, Black Moon is pretty decent, but In The Hot Seat sucks and Re-Works (Brain Salad Perjury is CRAP.

Just read this song list and tell me if they weren't trying to fill their pockets with the money of the poor fans and selling a fifth class material?:

9. Re-Works One [Fanfare 2002-Extended Golden Jubilation Mix] (7:26)
Track Listing - Disc 3
14. Fanfare 2002 [Digger's Mix] (9:43)
15. Fanfare 2002 [Earth Loop Mix] (8:42)
16. Fanfare 2002 [Public Order Mix] (6:28)
17. Fanfare 2002 [the Pilgrim Mix] (8:28)
18. Fanfare 2002 [X-Ert's Esoteria Mix] (3:57)}

Six different dance versions of Fanfare for the Common Man...And ELP fans ask why some people don't like the band

Even still you turn me on is hated by some....I dont think as those tunes as filler, really they are making the band not so 1 dimensional

Nope, until BSS they were very versatile, the soft Lake sound blended perfectly with the late Romantic/Early Modern Clasical influence present in Emo and Palmer.

But after that, well...I can live without any later release.

Iván

Jethro Tull put out consistently good albums all through th seventies, Yes had at least four great albums and a bunch of really good albums, Genesis had seven great albums (one of which was a double), and all of King Crimson's albums are good (though I don't think any of them reached the calibre of Yes or Genesis in their prime). >>>

The legacy of Yes cannot be overstated. Those three early albums are classical.  The Yes Album, still my favorite.  The followup, with those four mega pieces, defined the genre.  That's all it did. CTTE, not one of my favorites, but I recognize it as one of the classics of the genre because I know it has affected do many people. 

Honestly, I have not listened to Relayer in 30 years, but will pick it up because it is so highly talked about and listed on this site.  Then there's Going for the One.  another 5 star album.

They are so popular and were huge in the 1970s although never reaching mega-stardom; but they were huge because they were great. Do not take that away from them.

hahahah not a fan of the quote pyramids are you..

The Yes Album is still my favorite, not only Yes album, but album period and hundreds...maybe thousands of listens over the years has done nothing to change that.  I also feel the same way as you about CttE, actually find the similar in tone TFTO more interesting of an album, thus amoung my top favorites.  What do you think of Drama?   Another album I'm looking forward to reviewing...

I'm not too experienced in prog yet, but I feel, after listening to Karn Evil 9 in its entirety for the first time a few days ago and then repeating that experience about 20 times, that Emerson was a master composer. Just based off those 4 tracks, it is obvious to me. There wan't a single part where I was not completely into the music. I quite enjoyed the other tracks as well, though I had heard them on a best of CD already (with the exception of Benny the Bouncer).

The structure is perfect, the progression of melody is perfect, the interplay between the instruments (especially keyboard and bass) is amazing, the vocals only serve to enhance the feeling even more (especially the last 4 lines of 3rd Impression).

Funnily enough, some parts reminded me of musicals, and many more were reminiscent of old video game soundtracks - I'm sure many composers shared influences with and were influenced by ELP.

Walri wrote: I'm not too experienced in prog yet, but I feel, after listening to Karn Evil 9 in its entirety for the first time a few days ago and then repeating that experience about 20 times, that Emerson was a master composer. Just based off those 4 tracks, it is obvious to me. There wan't a single part where I was not completely into the music. I quite enjoyed the other tracks as well, though I had heard them on a best of CD already (with the exception of Benny the Bouncer). The structure is perfect, the progression of melody is perfect, the interplay between the instruments (especially keyboard and bass) is amazing, the vocals only serve to enhance the feeling even more (especially the last 4 lines of 3rd Impression). Funnily enough, some parts reminded me of musicals, and many more were reminiscent of old video game soundtracks - I'm sure many composers shared influences with and were influenced by ELP.

Brain Salad Surgery is a masterpiece, all the way through it never loses my attention. Karn Evil 9 is a piece of music that will be remembered for a hundred years

  We don´t have to agree w/ the others ... and we can´t say that there are 17 bands batter than ELP .... rating an raking are all bullsh*ts

Right, i've tried to read down through every post on this thread but I have to reply NOW!!

If there is one thing I HATE when it comes to ELP (or prog itself) is that people call it 'Emotionless', that pisses me off more than I can put into words. Songs like From the Beginning, Trilogy, The Endless Enigma, even Karn Evil 9!! have a LOT of emotion in them, and when I listen to songs like those I can FEEL it, I mean Lake is an exceptional singer, and when he sings certain lines like 'Why do you think I believe what you say, few OF your words ever enter my head', that line actually sends shivers down my spine. It's not as if he's READING is he, he's SINGING!!!! I mean he's not melodramatic, he doesn't over do it, he seems very 'honest' when he sings. And the melodies are just so nice a lot of the time, I love his choirboy like voice, it's beautiful.

To me ELP have always felt like 'An always arguing family', but a FAMILY none the less, I think there is still a lot of love between the guys (Emerson actually said it, that's something) even if they were never in constant agreement.

ELP were one of the first prog bands I got into, the first time I heard Brain Salad Surgery I thought 'Did I just watch a film?!!', It was such a different world. ELP unfortunately did not last as long as other Prog giants, however I feel they gave us two 5 star masterpieces 'Trilogy' and 'Brain Salad Surgery', with three excellent albums before it. They were outrageous yet absolutely magnificent (especially live). It's a shame that the record companies are releasing so many crap boxsets and useless garbage under the ELP name. To me it's a crying shame that they have such a bad reputation, all fuelled by the 'everything must be standard' media. When I bought the Q special edition mag I cannot tell you how delighted I was to see Brain Salad Surgery' in five, I was so over the moon.

Kieth Emerson is as talented as they come and gave it one thousand percent in the early days, I love those lush sounding keyboards on Trilogy, he is one of the only keyboardists to have a sound recognisable within 10 seconds of hearing it. And Palmer, christ, what another major talent, i've never seen such a breathtaking drummer, watch him live, he just looks amazing playing some of those solo pieces.

ELP are in the 'Top 5' because, in their day, they had huge success, they were innovative and stunning, and even if they are not appreciated as much today as they were then, they still DESERVE to be in that 'Top 5'

I apologise for my post being so long, but this is a band that means a lot to me and I feel I should defend them, there are so many people who just slate them for no real reason. And i'll pretty much fight to the death in doing so.