Emerson, Lake and Palmer: 3 Hidden Gems

In 1970, Keith Emerson, Greg Lake, and Carl Palmer joined forces as ELP. Before the decade closed out, they released classic albums such as Emerson, Lake and Palmer, Tarkus, Pictures at an Exhibition, Trilogy, and Brain Salad Surgery.

Each member played at an advanced level; together, they created an array of eclectic songs. There are no “typical” ELP tracks because they never stopped experimenting. They weren’t fazed by critics who considered them pretentious. Their approach to making impactful music was daring, since it did not rely on what came before. Lake said, “If you want to accomplish extraordinary things, your approach and application should be extraordinary, otherwise what’s the point?”

Their ability to play precise, even delicate pieces, and then shift effortlessly to bombastic forays was exactly what their fans appreciated. Speaking of admirers, in November 2025, Spenwood Books published Welcome Back My Friends:  A People’s History of Emerson, Lake and Palmer, which chronicles the fan experience through written memories and photos. I interviewed the book’s editor, Bruce Pegg, about ELP’s musical legacy, their fans, and what he would consider hidden song gems.

VM:

What fan experiences, in your book, did you find most surprising? Also, how do you view ELP’s musical legacy?

BP:   

A couple of interesting things emerged as I was working on the book. The first was the sheer number of fans ELP inspired into becoming musicians. And not in a simple, “I bought a guitar and learned three chords because of them” way. I’m talking about serious musicians who sought out formal training and went on to play in a professional capacity after hearing the band. Similarly, ELP was the gateway drug for many rock fans who went on to discover, or deepen their love for, classical music.

The second was the continuing deep and genuine love for the band shown by their fans. A number of stories at the end of the book were sent in by people who weren’t even alive during the band’s heyday in the seventies. And that’s not simply due to Carl Palmer, who has done an incredible job keeping the music going long after its expiration date. Despite not getting the love that many of their contemporaries currently enjoy, ELP’s music continues to endure. Amazing when you think their last studio album is now over 30 years old, and their last live appearance was 15 years ago.

VM: What ELP songs would you consider hidden gems?

BP:

“Canario” (Love Beach, 1978)

I’ve always enjoyed revisiting albums that are universally panned by critics and fans alike, once the dust has settled on them, trying to find something of merit that others have seemingly overlooked. Case in point: this hidden gem from the widely hated Love Beach that takes the insistent synthesizer bass drone pulse from “Fanfare for the Common Man” and superimposes on it an irresistible baroque-flavored synthesizer melody. If you’re an ELP fan, what’s not to like about that?

“Man in the Long Black Coat” (In the Hot Seat, 1994)

When ELP covered material written by others, it was usually Emerson adaptations of classical music or boogie-woogie piano. So, this arrangement of Dylan’s enigmatic 1989 ballad sees them take an adventurous leap into somewhat unusual territory. The arrangement sounds a little dated now, with Emerson’s sequenced synth and Lake’s U2-like echo guitar lines mimicking the ubiquitous rock sound of the times. But it gives the song an appropriately moody vibe, matched by Lake’s somber vocals, where he eschews his usual soaring tenor and explores the very bottom end of his vocal range for a suitably Dylanesque growl. A hidden gem? Well, maybe not hidden. But different — in a good way — without doubt.

“Tank” (Works, Vol. 1, 1977)

Hot take: the version of “Tank” on Works Vol. 1 is superior to the version on Tarkus. Apples and oranges, for sure. This time around, Carl Palmer’s arrangement replaces Emerson’s spiky Clavinet keyboard intro with woodwind and brass, making the whole thing sound like a smooth big band on steroids. Then, after a tighter, more concise drum solo that lacks none of the power of its predecessor, it’s a punchier, funkier conclusion that, in true ELP style, puts the bomb in bombast. Well worth blowing the dust off your old vinyl copy and dropping the needle on that pristine side three for the first time in almost fifty years.

Author’s note: For anyone unfamiliar with ELP, a little background.

Emerson, Lake, and Palmer exploded at the beginning of the 1970s and became one of the most successful supergroups ever. Each member was an established musician before they combined forces. Right from the start, Keith Emerson (keyboards), Greg Lake (singer/guitarist), and Carl Palmer (percussionist) had chemistry. ELP achieved immediate success, and their music was taken seriously by fans and many (but not all) critics. Yet their speedy ascent to the top of the album charts polarized audiences.

ELP was in a class of its own, but at the close of the 70s, things went a bit sideways. After creating five groundbreaking progressive rock albums, they started to chase trends instead of setting them.

In the end, they were a true musical force. They could perform over-the-top orchestral pieces and then switch to bossa-nova jazz, folk ballads, and anything in between.

Both Keith Emerson and Greg Lake passed away in 2016.

-Vincent Maganzini

Photo: ELP, 1972 (public domain) via WikiMedia Commons