Reaction to Emerson, Lake, and Palmer: Trilogy (Side 1) | including The Endless Enigma & Hoedown

[@SpaceOdditiesLive]

I would definitely agree with all those who say this is ELP's best album. I bought it the week it was released and I've never stopped listening to it. It never gets old, and I'm still hearing things in it I've never noticed before. Thank you so much for this reaction Doug. It's been wonderful to share this listening experience with you, and thank you for your musical commentary. I really have great respect for your musical knowledge and long may you continue to bring us music from that magical era from the early 70s. It was a fantastic time to be a teenager who was so interested in music. Seemingly every week brought out a new album that people are still listening to today. Sadly I don't think we will ever see that raging inferno of creativity again, those golden years. When "Trilogy" came out, I had been learning piano for 6 years. I used to tell myself that one day I would be as great as Emerson or Wakeman. Obviously I was totally wrong, but you have to have aspirations! More than 50 years later, I am still playing piano, still writing music but I realised long ago that I'm just not a great musician. But it's the journey that counts. Thanks again Doug and all the best. I'm really looking forward to sharing side two with you.

[@markhenrynoll5601]

I turned 20 in 1971. I was Blessed to listen to great prog in my 20's ELP was on of my favorite bands of that decade 70-80. I'm still a prog fan at 73. Thanks Doug I enjoyed listening to size 1 with you.

[@Joe-lb8qn]

Once purged of Benny the bouncer, Brain Salad Surgery wins it.

[@emmbee1906]

"From the Beginning" is one of those songs that always seemed to go by way too quickly - maybe because there are only two verses/choruses and those are fairly brief. It clocks in at about 4:15, I think, but it's so beautifully haunting that I always wish there was more to it.

[@merlin5476]

@emmbee From the beginning is an amazing tune & Greg's voice is like silk. I had this track played at my brothers funeral & always brings a tear when i hear it, just like the other day when it was played on Radio Caroline. 🎵

[@ZENmud]

When we built the stage in 1978 in Boulder, I was assigned the last "crew" gig, the evening before the show (actually for the Beach Boys in May): two of us meticulously swept the stage, and laid out the Persian rugs. Then we popped "Pictures at an Exhibition" in the stage crew's working stereo... ran far up into the South Stands, sat up and blazed two joints, then listened ~ in a 55,000 seat stadium with 2 humans ~ baked in Boulder. 🎉😂👻🦇👻😁🎉

[@Liz.Green789]

That is a perfect side. Truly excellent music. From the Beginning has become my favorite song. Greg Lake's voice has the highest place in my favorite voices. It reaches my heart the deepest. This was a great listen. Can we play From the Beginning another 10 times, please? I usually play it about that many times, if not more.

[@fatlahbazooka]

Greg Lake said that Trilogy was his favourite ELP album and I would agree with him. Excellent from start to finish. Looking forward to you doing all of side 2!

[@yes_head]

I've also read interviews where they acknowledged that while 'Trilogy' was one of their studio highlights, it ended up being tough to translate to the stage, which is why "Hoedown" is really the only song from it that remained in set lists on later tours.

[@toddfrank3344]

Trilogy is their best album.

[@yes_head]

I agree. I still hold up the entire "Karn Evil 9" suite as their best piece of work, but as an ELP *album* this one satisfies like no other.

[@thecoolestguy6721]

Even though I consider Tarkus as their magnum opus and the pinnacle of rock music, Trilogy is the best work as an album they’ve ever done. Everything just fits together, and The Endless Enigma suite & Trilogy, the title track, are masterpieces.

[@nockianlifter661]

I eventually reached the same conclusion.

[@toddfrank3344]

@@yes_head I didn't care as much for the 2nd and 3rd impressions, but 1st impression is a tour de force.

[@toddfrank3344]

@@thecoolestguy6721 Yup.

[@douglaskrug4806]

Great review from Doug as always. Still recall the days while in college listening to ELP on stereo player in room and cassette in vehicle. Truly one of the supergroups of all time. Thanks again!

[@betseyr.9081]

Their best album IMO, no filler on this gem! Greg is so underrated as a vocalist and acoustic guitarist, RIP. Keith was only given a run for the money from Rick Wakeman on keyboards back in the day and in my book, Keith wins, RIP! Bless Carl for remembering his bandmates with the wonderful show he tours with now, hope to catch it if it comes around to FL, he’s a wonderful drummer! This band brought classical music to a generation who had no idea these guys were classically trained, we just knew it sounded wonderful… took all their talent for granted as a teen… Don’t anymore though!

[@Robert-wn2cw]

If I ever had to listen to only five albums for the rest of my life. This would be one of them! Never tire of listening to this great album Cheers Doug. Great watch as always.

[@Tarkus_]

Always great to see you get back to ELP, especially from this classic period! Such a great album, and I'm glad that you pointed out how great that five-album run was. Some people leave out "Pictures," but I think it belongs, even though it's not a traditional album. Looking forward to side 2!

[@Tarkus7]

Nothing to add, except thanks. Having someone to share this music with makes my day.

[@afersol00]

Pure talent that will transcend time

[@alinmantua]

Doug, I was fortunate to see ELP about 15 times and really the best live band I've ever seen. If you can, try to find Hoedown done live...you won't believe how fast Keith played it live...hell I can't move my fingers that fast...let along play cords

[@RC-gf8cs]

Great i saw bout 10 or.so

[@charlesf2804]

I am subscribing, after having watched more than a few of Doug's videos. This was a fun watch. And since I don't seem to be willing to turn on my stereo of late, this is a way to experience music I'm familiar with but haven't heard for a while.

[@Young_Jim]

My favourite ELP album 👍 cheers Doug

[@manualboyca]

mine too

[@Tonyblack261]

This was the first ELP album I ever heard. I was instantly hooked!

[@russejones]

RIP Greg, what a beautiful voice!!

[@charleswagner2984]

Rest in peace Keith.

[@richarddobson815]

52 years on, I still love this music. Perhaps even more than I did then. I'm glad you enjoyed Hoedown, Doug.

[@richardthresh3587]

In 1974, an older sibling gave me a copy of Trilogy - I was 11. That album defined my taste in music for the next 5 years. 50 years on, I still love it.

[@JonDalladay]

Almost exactly the same happened to me!

[@gbuz]

Trilogy was my very first music purchase. An 8-track tape that maybe lasted me a few months before the mechanics wore out. I was 9 years old and heavily influenced by my brother's music taste.

[@ZENmud]

When 8:46 I hear Greg singing like this, it reminds me of a wedding I attended at the Charterhouse School Chapel, with its huge organ (2008)... vast acoustics in its relatively narrow Hall.

[@carolwyers2159]

Trilogy is also my favourite ELP album. Every time I listen to the Sheriff, I am amazed at how Greg managed to get the lyrics rhyme like they do, without them sounding naff and forced. My hero!

[@KMeyn]

Music from a bygone time and age when an album, and song, told a coherent story. Those aren't many who (still) masters and executes this artform. The world has no time for musical trilogies. And peoples attention span have less. Progressive music par excellence. Remember I hearing Trilogy shortly after it came out, must have been early fall of 1972. It blew me away then, and it has repeatedly blown me away several times since. Thanks for sharing and your analysis. You had me want to dive into everything Keith contributed to, from The Nice and through the ELP era. Going to be an Emerson Lake & Palmer weekend :)

[@zebo-the-fat]

Gregs voice at it's finest

Did you hear the piano on the three fates first album - amazing.

[@RachelFlowersMusic]

Agreed. That’s when he had that voice!!!!!!! 34:46

[@zebo-the-fat]

@@RachelFlowersMusic mmm... the other two are not bad either! 🎶

[@guitarchannel5676]

'Endless Enigma' is just fantastic.

[@morbidmanatee5550]

It's all about MAGA :)

[@MrMjp58]

Finally, I’ve got to view a review of The Endless Enigma. Thanks Doug. Brilliant as always.

[@MJ1]

The bass note at the end of Fugue (right before the bells) is the deepest pure low note I have ever heard in any record. My audiophile buddies always went euphoric when it played. Anyone else notice that?

[@rorystorm4284]

I usually don't like it when reactors talk too much during the music, but somehow I don't mind much when Doug comments. Probably because he's a pro and his comments are truly insightful. Thx, Doug.

[@keitmo]

Perhaps oddly, this album was my introduction to Copeland's Hoedown. A few years I was thrilled when my high school orchestra had a chance to play this. Such a fantastic piece!

[@TripleBerg]

I’m sure you have seen ELP’s live performance of Fanfare for the Common Man at the Olympic Stadium in Montreal. Worth watching.

[@mjsdc8072]

Pictures adaptation from ELP was my introduction to classical music. I then took an intro course to classical in HS and brought in the album. The instructor loved it and played it for the class.

[@kcreeves199]

ELP's version of Hoedown is one of my all-time favorite songs. Helps get me in a happy mood.

[@Amenphoto]

"Pictures At An Exhibition" was the first album of theirs that I bought back in 1972, Trilogy was the second. Saw them at the Long Beach (CA) Arena in 1973, then saw them 4 times on their "Brain Salad Surgery" tour, including when they headlined the California Jam at the Ontario (CA) Motor Speedway on April 6th, 1974, before a crowd of 200,000 people. Thanks for featuring this, it's been many years since I last heard it.

[@r2x262]

I was fortunate enough to see these gentlemen in concert 3x.... I was introduced to them through the album Tarkus and immediately became their number one fan. Unless you see these guys perform live you can't fully understand what they bought to the musical table. I saw them twice in Madison square garden if I'm not mistaken were they performed Brain Salad S as well as talk as I also saw them at the beacon theater which was a little bit more intimate and they delivered. Yes was another group that came remotely close to these guys but they had a bigger lineup. So them in concert a few times too by the way. This was a unique, magical and powerful display of musicality. I consider myself very fortunate to have lived through these times. Thank you for going into the archives for this not too many people would do that.

[@snuppssynthchannel]

Keith's keyboard parts are the golden standard in progressive music in my opinion. While i think their magnum opus is Brain Salad Surgery, Trilogy is immensely more well produced and crisp sounding, production wise, its also arguably their most consistent album. Also always loved Keith's Hammond sound on this and Tarkus the most.

[@ursgeiser6570]

If someone talks about their favorite album, for many people 3-4 fantastic songs are enough. For me it can also have (almost) no skip songs; I want to listen to an album without interruption. I'm just old. That was the purpose of an album back then, but today it has lost its meaning and is commercially uninteresting. Musically, Jerusalem is a very cheap opener; Still Turn... would be very catchy; I'm missing a musically interesting middle section. Benny The Bouncer is also such a short fart. Karn Evil should have been shortened by around 4 minutes so it would have fit on one page. The short songs on Tarkus don't all convince me either. Therefore, I classify both with an A, but the debut, Pictures (first heard in school as a comparison with Mussorgsky) and Trilogy with an S. I don't have a favorite album or, depending on my mood, what and how I want to listen to it (e.g. consciously or while driving, jogging, ...). Have fun with all kinds of good music!!!✌

[@pompeomagno5916]

Greg Lake's voice has truly left its mark on rock history, along with Jon Anderson's.

[@quantestronzate]

Great band! Definitely for connoisseurs! Ciao from Italy

[@BIGDUCKHUNTFAN]

Absolutely delighted to see my favourite album get a surprise review

[@sallocurto1571]

Thanks Doug, for validating a band that many of us loved. They also took and still take their share of criticism. It’s so great to see you appreciating this music the way many of us did back in the early 70’s.

[@tomedmonson501]

I love that record, and your reaction. About how “Hoedown” was so faithful to the original, I remember reading somewhere (can’t find it) that Aaron Copeland was a little disappointed that they didn’t inject more of themselves into their version. I still love it. I distinctly remember hearing “From the Beginning,” “The Sheriff,” and “Hoedown” on FM radio back in the 70s. I’m not sure that could happen today.

[@bjrnaredavidsen7372]

Actually, AFAIK the piece Copeland´s reacted to was Fanfare For The Common Man, because Keith didn´t play the long impro section :D

[@Galahad-hk4bb]

I consider myself lucky to have seen both Aaron Copland & ELP❤Good Times !!! Thanks Doug for your Prog enthusiasm !!! RIP❤Keith & Greg❤️ ❤️You are sorely missed❤

[@snuppssynthchannel]

That piano solo on the sheriff is immensely difficult. Also, on the notes it says that its to be played "As fast as possible" :P

[@stoppropaganda2573]

Thanks Doug for my weekly dose of ELP! RIP Keith and Greg! And the band plays on ...

[@chrisnicol1644]

Thank you, Doug... I used to listen to ELP back in the 1970's, but lost touch... I just might start collecting them again....

[@neiladam2832]

I see a copy of Romantic Warrior on your wall Doug. Please please do a long listen to that soon! An all time classic x 😊👍

[@Doug.Helvering]

I have! It’s on my Patreon!

[@charleswagner2984]

​@@Doug.HelveringDo you know that the same lineup on Romantic Warrior are on TWO other Return To Forever albums? And they both are absolutely as outstanding as Romantic Warrior. So much so that I can't tell which one I like more than the others. When you're in the mood for fusion, you can't go wrong with any of the six sides of those three albums with Al D, Stanley C, Chick C, and Lenny W.

[@willicat44]

@@charleswagner2984 Return to Forever capped the natural progression of my musicality after graduating from the influences of the day. Starting with the Beatles as a child, I discovered Jethro Tull, ELP, Zappa and then Jazz fusion peaked in late '70's.

[@R01120]

As a kid in high school, their first album was totally mind blowing. Then came Tarkus, which blew my mind again. Then came Trilogy. It was a musical high point in my life. This and Close to the Edge by Yes.

[@mikekane9881]

I’m happy that you’re keeping this music alive in your own way. I love it too, although many don’t. Emerson was a great player and composer and I’m very sorry he’s gone, he and Greg Lake.

[@jd-gw4gr]

Thanks!

[@Doug.Helvering]

You’re welcome!!

[@Doug.Helvering]

Thank you so much for your support!

[@ZENmud]

1974, 1977 (both in Denver); 1978 in Fort Collins (CO). I was 17, then 20/21. Concerts like this changed my life temporarily ~ i helped build the stage for the Rolling Stones that summer, in Boulder.

[@RachelFlowersMusic]

It’s funny you were ready for The Sheriff before hearing From The Beginning. (Haha) My second favorite E L P album. 23:41 24:13

[@nikelodeon6852]

@@RachelFlowersMusic You are an amazing keyboardist and I wish I was half as good with my complete eyesight 👏🤘

[@briangrant9380]

I was fortunate to see them twice and still remember both gigs clearly . Thanks Doug for helping me understand Keith more with his style and key changes such a talent , sadly missed .

[@Stephen_M.]

I'm a HUGE ELP fan! Love this LP. Working on learning "From The Beginning" on the acoustic guitar now. Greg was a fast picker!! Was lucky enough to see them twice!

[@herbharcourt1007]

Rip Keith and Greg......May the Angels show u rest and peace

[@Bryman1970]

I first discovered this album when I was 16 (I'm 54 now). Still one of if not my favorite of theirs. Amazing musicians. RIP Keith & Greg

[@custom55]

My favorite ELP album.

[@marcanglin7127]

Wonderful album by great musicians !!! 'From the Beginning" is SO great !!! "Hoedown" was a "must learn" for us Hammond players back in the day, and, while I merely learned the main riffs and chords to the song, I had a longtime friend, Dennis "Torpedo" Toerpe (RIP) who would play the entire song with various bands. An absolute workout for the hands and wrists !!! (especially my right wrist). The stuff of legend !!!

[@TheB3Nut]

Dennis was one of a kind...only dude I ever knew who put a working cigarette lighter in his B-3! Such a kind, helpful, and funny guy, we miss him a lot in the Hammond tech community. Only got to meet him IRL a couple times when I was in Tampa...breakfast at Waffle House was one for the books. What a great dude.

[@billcoonley319]

Trilogy was the first ELP album I ever purchased, and still remains in my top three.

[@briannicklas109]

Absolutely criminal that they are not in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Greg Lake's autobiography "Lucky Man" is a very good read.

[@christopherrosing4473]

One of my favorites! Thanks Doug!

[@rogerhennie8939]

Remember when real musicians ruled the charts.

[@aziel9141]

This was in the charts?

[@rogerhennie8939]

@ of course not the singles charts. Prog bands did not care for hit singles. But they made it very well in the album charts.

[@rogerhennie8939]

@ the Trilogy album reached no 2 im the UK charts and no 5 in USA. And Top 5 in lots of other countries.

[@Frankincensedjb123]

One ELP concert I went to, there was a guy behind me who kept yelling "Endless Enigma" after every song they played. About seven songs in, ELP finally played it. I was never so happy to hear "Endless Enigma" in my life.

[@TONE11111]

"7" is the ultimate 'endless' number.

[@benjdm]

I went to see Carl Palmer playing the music of ELP with his band this year. Unexpectedly, the music and thinking about Keith Emerson and Greg Lake just wrecked me. I was crying so hard by the end.

[@kratino]

Carl plays bongos along with Greg singing "From the Beginning." That's when I totally lost it when I saw this show.

[@marklockey4434]

When critics accuse ELP of being “ soulless and without feeling “ they need to check out Endless Enigma…such a beautiful piece of music. My favourite ELP album, along with their debut LP.

[@kratino]

That is one of the most baffling comments ever. Pure nonsense.

[@bobsbigboy_]

@@kratino wtf are you on about

[@kratino]

@@bobsbigboy_ The comments of the critics.

[@davidschecter5247]

Best ELP album in terms of consistency and imagination.

[@mushroomcloud222]

Thanks, Doug for, well, not just the content, but a coincidence. Had these songs dubbed on a cassette some 25-30 years ago, knew it was ELP, but going occasionally through their records, never could identify them... until now, and memories hit hard. :)

[@jeremyowens3319]

WAIT, WHAT?!?!?! ELP did all those five albums in three years?!?!?!?!? I got exposed specifically to Brain Salad Surgery and Trilogy young. I always had fun sharing this exact Hoedown track with string teachers and conductors (I played violin). But I never realized that tight window on so much great music. Holy Moley.

[@scottmcgregor4829]

RacheF flowers was at the Keith Emerson tribute concert and dida wonderful tribute to Keith's piano performance with full Orchestra. It is a very moving tribute, itswortha watch on yout.

[@paulbarnes21]

Trilogy was my introduction to ELP, and it's a very long time since I've listened to this album one whole side at a time, so it was great to listen along with you and have your reaction and your technical observations, Doug!

[@RichardKroboth]

That article you mentioned about ELP becoming a super group is spot on. With Emerson from the Nice, Lake from King Crimson, and Powell from Atomic Rooster, what a fantastic collaboration. BTW Pictures, Trilogy and Brain Salad are my 3 favorite ELP albums.

[@Nik163]

I must admit, it has been a very long time since I have listened to Trilogy in a long time. Probably about 8 years. Since hearing it when it first came out, it was a necessary album to own when at school. Think I paid £2.25 for it. Still sounds as fresh to listen to as from day one. Greg's vocals were what makes it memorable. Great album.

[@oststadtseuche]

thank you very much bringing me back to this music. joy overwhelms me to feel the music again.

[@kratino]

A million thumbs up. My favorite ELP album. "From the Beginning" is my funeral song.

[@pikadasgalaxias306]

Greg Lake gave me a guitar pick after a gig in 97. I have it here with me. I never used it. Maybe because I can't play the guitar.

[@NJ-zi9lr]

So what? I've got a sachet of sugar Steve Malkmus didn't use in a cafe. My mate kept the spoon.

[@pikadasgalaxias306]

@@NJ-zi9lr Never heard of him.

[@NJ-zi9lr]

@@pikadasgalaxias306 Oh well that's okay then

[@VolodyaVolodenka1981]

absolutely brilliant, greg's fav album as well

[@omenatollo]

great reaction! One of my favorite ELP-album.

[@jonforti7691]

Doug, I always enjoy your knowledge & review & of all these great classic albums!

[@johnblosser5554]

ELP's "Hoedown" was my introduction to Prog, my 7th grade music teacher played it for us to compare it with an orchestral version in 1975. I bought the album at a garage sale the following spring, the first album I ever owned. LOVELOVELOVE the whole album!

[@orlandofernandez9548]

Gracias, Doug. Felicitaciones por esta gran elección. Saludos desde Argentina.

[@vicprovost2561]

Incredible album, this side totally freaked us out the first time we played it, do some primo weed back not long after its release, we were just blown away. Genius level music, it overwhelms many modern listeners. This was not normal music even back then, now it comes from a different universe. I can't wait for side 2. Saw them do this stuff live back in the 70s, utterly stunning. Enjoy! 🔥🎵🎹🎤🎸🎶🔥

[@fredericstevens086]

This was not normal music even back then, now it comes from a different universe. Well put and true.

[@bobcorbin3294]

My sister saw this tour at Overton park in Memphis in 1972 she must have had some of that primo too because she said they were seeing little cowboys dancing across the stage😁😁😁

[@vicprovost2561]

@@bobcorbin3294 Saw them 3 times in the 70s, the best was in a packed Yale Bowl, we thought the stadium was going to fly into the cosmos at one point, unreal shows!

[@vicprovost2561]

@@bobcorbin3294 Saw them 3 times in the 70s, the best was in a packed Yale Bowl, we thought the stadium was going to fly into the cosmos at one point, unreal shows!

[@bobcorbin3294]

@@vicprovost2561 I was fortunate enough to see them with the orchestra here in Nashville in 1977. We talked to some of the orchestra after the show they were bummed that they were being let go but they knew it was for financial reasons and understood. They were college kids just like us.

[@ronayotte3571]

When ELP played at The Music Hall in Boston to support the Brain Salad Surgery tour, they opened the show with Hoedown... I saw them three times... awesome!

[@bluehotel1967]

Great album and T-Shirt Doug! Loved the Beat show! Oh, ELP not bad either!

[@sselt]

I saw them during the Brain Salad Surgery tour, but they performed this and all the other Trilogy songs too. Much of the Welcome Back My Friends live album was filmed on subsequent nights. I still love all these songs 51 years later.

[@donpark8316]

It really is nice to see someone highlight ELP. There are 3 bands that I feel were original and kind of like the bastard children of rock music. ELP, Yes and Jethro Tull. I have been lucky to have seen ELP (with Cozy Powell on drums) and Yes with Trevor Rabin on guitar. I was also very fortunate to see Steve Howe play in a small club in Houston when he was in a band called GTR. All are stellar musicians but Steve Howe left me with my mind blown.

[@pcart2785]

Everyone has their favourite album, when it comes to ELP, this one is mine. They just seemed to be in such a great groove on this one.

[@sebszab76]

My favourite ELP album, the title song being one of the band's greatest piece of music.

[@lylesmith9547]

This is my favorite album from them.

[@philluanastiemke6770]

Love the new outro. Yes, Trilogy is a masterpiece. It blew me away when I bought it in the 70s and still does. Speaking of the 70s, you need to check out some Gino Vannelli. I recommend The War Suite from The Gist Of The Gemini, 1976.

[@jimgrant4348]

Hoe down reminds me of the TV commercials from the 70's or 80's 'BEEF, IT'S WHATS FOR DINNER' and beef dinner. Great music.

[@enejka]

Este álbum , es una joya entre las 5 primeras joyas de ELP........siempre los escucho y aplaudo ....grabación genial de 1972, SIGLO PASADO...¡¡¡¡¡¡¡ GENIOS ...GRACIAS POR RECORDARLOS DOUG...¡¡¡

[@paulehney4581]

Playing the entire side will give you a whole new perspective on the music.

[@nikolajkrarup-os9gn]

ELP is one of my favorite bands. Probably Nr one. Tarkus. Trilogy and Brain salad surgery are all masterpieces. I have listened to them thousands of times. I never ever get tired of hearing them.

[@dougthornton6884]

So glad to see you enjoy this LP so much. This was the favorite band of my teen childhood.... Rock on Dougie.....

[@stewarttiley9683]

I’m a big Mahavishnu, Yes, Genesis, Rush and DT fan and always neglected King C and ELP. Now I’m researching them and am totally blown away and realize what I’ve been missing! I was always turned off by ELP’s alleged over the top “ridiculous “ compositions, but I now really enjoy their imagination, inventiveness and incredible chops! I saw Palmer live with his amazing trio and it was superb!

[@andrewhaines3259]

One could be jealous of the fact you are listening to ELP fresh and enjoying the journey new. I remember listening to Brain Salad Surgery back in the early eighties and thinking, wow, that's just amazing. Then buying the rest of their records down the years. Sadly, the only album I've never really got into is Pictures. I must have another go! Oh, avoid Love Beach, not great!

[@cassmcmlix]

I bought a mini moog in 1978. The instructions included a sound setting chart using the Mini Moog interface. One sound setting was "From the Beginning" and the other was "Aqua Tarkus" Both called for the 2nd oscillator to be tuned to the fifth.

[@RiquezaEmGotas]

Excellent reaction to one their best albums and particularly my favorite ELP album;

[@philf4086]

ELP - another of the great 3 piece bands in rock history. Absolutely fantastic! And there is nothing better than KE on a keyboard, any keyboard.

[@logicdictates4me]

Got to watch ELP 3 times.That was in 1974 in California. Was standing feet away near the stage at one concert. This was "Brain Salad Surgery" tours. Will never forget those days.

[@davidwolf4677]

Back in 1974, saw ELP in a 15,000 seat arena, with Keith literally wresting his Hammond organ on stage. At that time, I didn’t know Aaron Copland from Leonard Bernstein, but the encore was “Hoedown”, and it was ROCKING with those 15,000 long-haired kids on their feet, cheering and clapping along like it was “Freebird”..

[@richardfurness7556]

Perhaps the most entertaining 20 minutes of music the band ever put together.

[@user-yg7ps4gh1x]

They were what my parents called “top shelf.”

[@daveruddiman8871]

Hi Doug - loving your work. Every heard "Eruption" by Focus?

[@rogerhennie8939]

Or Focus 3? Or Hamburger Concerto.?

[@simonal1989]

He reacted to it already

[@Relayer6a]

According to an interview I read with Keith the fugue is the only thing he had ever sat down and wrote out (to that point). He said, "It's kind of hard to improvise a fugue." Keith got the honky-tonk piano sound by double tracking a grand piano with a phase shifter (possibly a roto-vibe considering when it was done) on the second piano.

[@gregjones861]

A life changing album for me. At age 15, the headphones were my ticket into this astonishing place. Thank you forever Keith, Greg and Carl.