The Album Years: TRILOGY by ELP | I really don't agree...

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[@scottmcgregor4829]

I agree with Keith Emerson with his assessment of ELP. When he said "what many people call pretentious, I call ambitious."

[@1borat5]

Gentle giant. Jethro tull genesis King Crimson. Emerson lake palmer. . Yes Camel. Caravan. Egg. Beggar's opera. Van Der graaf generator.. soft machine Wishbone ash. Time. Indexi

[@lawrencejhutchinson]

In 1975, Andy, I was invited to have tea at Greg Lake's parents'house and they told me how Greg and Robert rehearsed the songs for the Crimson King album around the table we were sitting at. They were lovely people, so I'm glad to hear you stand up for their beloved son and his bandmates!

[@TheProgCorner]

Trilogy is awesome!!!!

[@christophernoble289]

Besides Love Beach, Trilogy is my favorite ELP album.

[@Hartlor_Tayley]

You should react to Andy’s reaction to their reaction like a trans Atlantic infinity mirror.

[@philliplloyd1518]

ELP is fucking awesome, they are underrated at this point, with everybody saying they have aged badly, have jokie songs and represent all that critics hate about prog. What critics hate about prog, is what I love about prog, the jokie songs are like deserts pre or after a big meal(song) and I don't think that they have aged badly.

[@johnreuter4916]

Humor is essential to the Prog sensibility. Prog itself is sorta the musical equivalent of an inside joke. You either get it or you don't.

[@glennthompson1173]

I loved this. ELP is the epitome of myself, a "Common Man". I believe you hit the nail on the head when you said these bourgeois critics are the real pompous ones, not ELP.

[@gwangi64]

One of the things that made ELP - along with Yes - special for me was that unlike a lot of other prog bands they could really rock out and rival the likes of Zeppelin and Purple for heavyness and ferocity. I love the way they combine that with the classical and other musical influences they had. Some of Wilson's criticisms are pretty cliched and inaccurate like saying "Ten minute Moog solos, that's ELP isn't it." Can't think of an ELP studio album with a two-minute Moog solo let alone a ten-minute one. It's also weird how ELP are crticised for being pompous and taking themselves too seriously while also accused of ruining their albums with the comedy songs.

[@Zorbatrog]

I absolutely LOVE this video! Watched it with a giant grin of pleasure on my face. I'm sixty-four years old and I studied visual arts at a famous University in California 1978-1983. I loved ELP and Tolkien until I got there and "learned" that I wasn't supposed to like stuff like "that" anymore. But years and years later in middle-age I wanted to listen to and read things I loved as a young guy and I found out that no matter what anybody said, I STILL LOVED BOTH TOLKIEN and ELP! You are right, ELP were working class, totally the essence of rock and roll and showmanship (and what is wrong with that?) even when they were doing classical stuff and they took "the piss out of" THEMSELVES. And think about about it: Black Sabbath and Deep Purple and a lot of other bands played at the California Jam, and ELP was the top of bill. They were absolutely massive at the time. For good reason!

[@eduardofanghanel3625]

I've said it before, I'm sure Steven Wilson dislikes ELP, because the day Keith passed away Steven played in Mexico City and he didn't mention him at all, even though Keith was Dave Kilminster's friend. As an hommage I wore my Brain Salad Surgery t-shirt and when Nick Beggs saw it (I was front row) he gave me a nod and touched his heart. I found it extremely unpolite from Wilson to totally ignore the death of one of Prog Rock's greatest icons ever. Had it been Bowie or another one of his musical idols he would have made a big fuss about it.

[@gavriilnick4225]

wilson is a asshole acting out hate towards ELP.....THEY MADE U JACKWIPE

[@mteufel472]

Wilson's Ego has grown exponentially

[@benjamingoldstein6298]

Andy, your analysis of art snobbery and classism was brilliant. You have a true way with words and ideas.

[@Rickengeezer]

Obviously Steven Wilson needs to remix _Love Beach_ to add more chest hair.

[@HalJikaKick]

In 1976 I was 6 and my father brought this album home. Blew my mind.

[@stuartfishman1044]

I still maintain that there's room in this world for both the primal and the complex, so long as both are offering music that's compelling, alive, meaningful. This means I can embrace the work of ELP and the Ramones, or anything else in between. That's what my musical evolution has brought me to. It's a good place.

[@srimaddukuri]

Love this band. Tremendous respect for 3 guys with skills at a completely different level in rock.

[@unepomme1375]

You are my favourite chanel at this point, food for thoughts and for the ears every single time i make a detour here.

[@Three-Chord-Trick]

When people talk about Progressive Rock LPs, it's funny no one ever mentions Pictures at an Exhibition.

[@LittleRedRobin-84]

It's the album that brought me into Progressive Rock!

[@gavriilnick4225]

@@LittleRedRobin-84 YUP...Me too and it is a beaut

[@bennyscomin]

Having bought it when it came out, I had come to think of PAAE as a very early 70's example of punk, albeit, with keyboards and primitive synthesizers instead of gtrs., taking the piss out of "proper" popular music with sheer balls, talent, and a knack for knowing how to.................an exhilarating live album from the real prog game changers......ELfuckingP!!!

[@magicruss1]

In the beginning is a beautiful track

[@stringrip]

"whatever was done is done...."

[@davidberge5851]

From the Beginning 😊

[@johndrx165]

First concert 1974 ELP on their Brain Salad Surgery tour. Amazing and still holds up as my best concert ever! Trilogy is my favorite album. Put it on and crank it up. Gives you chills.

[@preservedmoose]

I think an interesting comparison is the three huge trucks that they had to transport all of their gear seen as overkill and excess yet Phil Collins had eleven on his tour - no one complained.

[@thomasbeck2934]

Welcome Back My Friends is one of my favorite live albums of all time. FYI I’m 67 so I’ve heard them since they were originally released.

[@clust11]

Trilogy is my favorite ELP album

[@perromanchado]

Mine also! ♥

[@davidfox657]

Me too. Sublime.

[@motherlesschild102]

Andy- here is my vote for the worst song on Trilogy- Abaddon's Bolero. Maybe it's because I'm not a big bolero fan.

[@mikewest1542]

@@motherlesschild102it goes on and on but tbh it’s better now than it was then !

[@frankhoulihanfh4972]

Me three. ❤

[@kennethnash6809]

Oddly enough , I'm enjoying you talking about what they were talking about more than what they were talking about .

[@steliosposeidon6871]

I like some but not all ELP, I much prefer the Nice, tbh. Now, there’s a band that was rather important in the scheme of all things becoming Progressive….could be worth doing an episode on them sometime, please Andy (if you haven’t done so already)?

[@AudioAtmos]

I have absolutely no clue where all this consternation over the best music of the 20th century if not “ever” is rooted. ELP is genius music and I love it! I was 7 years old when Trilogy came out and still remember clearly the first time I heard it when my older brother was thrusting it from his great 70’s Hi Fi system. It was one of the many albums and musicianship (all mentioned here) that planted the seeds for me to become a musician and my lifelong passion for music. I owe it everything.

[@jerrypotente872]

TIM IZ RIGHT, I LOVE THEIR HUMOUROUS BITS, AND FOR ME-TARKUS IZ THEIR MASTERPIECE!!!!!!!

[@rite-note1702]

I had just turned 13yrs old when I purchased Trilogy in the summer of 72. I admit there were parts of the album I immediately loved and some not so much. The thing is as I played the album over the coming years my feelings had changed, the parts that didn't resonate with me at first' I grew to love. I know this was due to the diversity and depth of the album, and quite possibly my growing musical tastes, and why I still enjoy listening to it today. When I play Porcupine Tree's lp In Absentia (for example) the songs I enjoyed on first listen I still enjoy today and the songs I did not care for, I still don't. I do enjoy In Absentia it is just that as time went on my feeling for this record never changed. I was fortunate to see ELP in the seventies here in Toronto and they still remain one of my favourite performers I saw live. Keep up the good work!

[@jms1086]

Context often makes a big difference in how an album hits people. When the album came out, it was very original and cutting edge for its time, and yet had broad appeal. This band influenced countless musicians that came afterwards.

[@kratino]

"Something of value in the kitsch." Holy shit, Andy. This is my favorite video of yours. Deep, deep thought and analysis in the middle of unapologetic defense of ELP. I never considered the classism. Steven Wilson sounds like such an insufferable snob.

[@magicruss1]

Wow,if anybody`s going to take ELP`s trilogy cover seriously and say it`s egoistic,what about Deep Purple in rock,it`s not to be taken seriously

[@bobsbigboy_]

why so far in the future Andy!!! Trilogy is an absolute masterpiece!!!!!

[@roydemarais]

Giger's painting for Brain Salad Surgery is my screensaver.

[@IzunaSlap]

"Living Sin" is underrated musically, its just the lyrics that are a bit wack. "Hooked you up with Coca Cola coming! Nice and slippery!" What the f, lol. "The Sheriff" is perhaps their best joke/novelty track and I like the plot twist the the Sheriff is the villain and the hero replaces him after shooting him. "Abaddon's Bolero" is a slow burn and can only be appreciated by folks with patience, but patience is rewarded with a triumphant buildup. The title track is easily a top 10 ELP song for me, and "Hoedown", "From the Beginning" and the "Endless Enigma" suite (if you count the whole thing as one big song) all must be in the top 15-20 ELP songs. Trilogy is a 9/10 album. Only thing missing is something as big and ambitious as Tarkus' title track or "Karn Evil 9", though Trilogy's title track might be seen as a miniature, bite-sized Tarkus-like tune. By the way, if Pink Floyd can get away with "Seamus", then ELP should be allowed to get away with stuff like "Are You Ready Eddy". I'm tired of people pretending ELP was the only major prog band who included jokey throwaway stuff on their albums. I'll take "Benny The Bouncer" over Yes' boring waste of time "Can and Brahms" any day of the week.

[@piktormusic2538]

Yes, “Living Sin” seems to have been overlooked as a musically interesting piece. I can’t remember ever seeing anyone cover it. I’d like to hear someone like Brian Charette or maybe John Novello do something with it instrumentally. As for the song’s lyrics, they seem relatively tame compared to some of the nonsense that we have been subjected to in recent years. Is there anything poetic about a song called “Wet Vagina”?

[@kratino]

Coca-Cola cunnning.

[@Loskov-my3xw]

plus, the short ELP comedy songs were usually also vehicles for some really well executed, playful rock n roll/ragtime/barrelhouse piano playing. Easy to dig that stuff if you love piano.

[@aymericleroy8500]

Not only is this one of the best overall assessments of ELP I've seen or read, this may well be - unexpectedly for me - your best video so far. Some very deep and perceptive points are made... And, as with ELP, some welcome 'comedy relief' bits thrown in for good measure.

[@mrkitewine7700]

I think Andy is lining himself up for a guest spot on the next Steven Wilson album. I watched this whilst listening to Brain Salad Surgery (one of the greatest album covers).

[@mikewest1542]

Well said Andy , ELP were not middle class not like Floyd and especially Genesis who went to Charterhouse .

[@spellman007]

“Bach is the beginning and end of all music.” “Bach is thus a terminal point. Nothing comes from him; everything merely leads to him.” “O you happy sons of the North who have been reared at the bosom of Bach, how I envy you.”

[@antfirmin]

There’s a side 2 to Tarkus? Who knew?

[@PerryPapanier]

Andy, your 100% right about ELP about being a showmanship experience. It was my first concert I ever went to n still remember Keith Emerson playing the piano while it was spinning around above the stage. And like I mentioned in the source video your reacting to, doesn't Steven run around on stage on a rug barefoot? But im also a big SW fan n saw him live a few times.

[@markperry9427]

👏👏👏👏. I said do it as only you can and you did, well done. As I said to you before, after Dark Side of the Moon and Tubular Bells, the Tankadillo on Tarkus is the next most iconic image of the 70's. I was 17 when I bought Tarkus in 1977, the first album I bought by them, bought because of the imagery of the cover. If you think of ELP you think of the Tankadillo. If Steven Wilson wants Keith Emerson's love sausage on his wall, he's welcome to it 😂😂😂

[@bennyscomin]

"Are You Ready Eddy?" always takes a beating from know-it-all fans.......the backstory to it is what makes it so fu%#Ing brilliant. Recorded live , the studio they were working in had a cleaning lady who brought down for them the remaining sandwiches on offer there, poking her head in just as they were finishing the song up to say "all they got left is ham or cheese", causing Lake to lose his shit and repeat what she said through some very genuine laughter...........and that's the take they kept! This barreling, super-tight, off-the-cuff straightforward rock song was the perfect way to end such an album, their humility there for all to hear. Rather endearing, unlike those 2 pontificating blowhards......and if "Pirates" is the worst piece of music Wilson has ever heard, then for all his own accolades, he should talk less, listen more before displaying his own pretentiousness.....as an aside, it was Emerson who jump started my own appreciation and hunger for brilliant classical composers...............

[@kratino]

"'am or cheese?" is Carl.

[@kevinmyles6369]

Like this video a lot, Andy. Good stuff 🙂😃👍🏻👍🏻

[@andrewlaitres9080]

I saw a clip of Wilson talking about Tangerine Dream's "Zeit" album and he lifted a quote from Julian Cope's book on Krautrock like it was his own thought. (After hearing Zeit the room where you sit will never be the same again" or something like that) I thought it was very telling ;-)

[@VladimirBarriere]

Trilogy is my favorite ELP album and one of the best (prog) rock albums. Just one exhilarating song after another. Masterpiece.

[@yes_head]

I agree that Steven Wilson's Achilles Heel is his hyper-awareness of standards of 'coolness' in popular music, which then gets in the way of him making something without those filters. It wasn't an issue so much early on, but IMO over the last few albums he's sort of lost his way because he's spending too much time going "But I can't do this because then prog fans will like it, and at my age I have to show my indie bona fides." 'Trilogy' is also my favorite ELP album, although I'd rank "Karn Evil 9" their best overall composition and performance (all hail Keith Emerson). My number two ELP album is 'Pictures at an Exhibition', just because it's so relentlessly ferocious (except for Greg's exquisite performance on "The Sage".) Probably the number two best composition is "Tarkus". I don't mind the cartoon songs, although one or two of them are annoyingly disposable. Tim and Steven mainly hang the 'pretentious prog band' label on ELP based on 'Works', which followed all the great stuff they'd done before. I do agree there's a big step down on that album. I don't mind Emerson's concerto and "Fanfare for the Common Man", but I could do without the rest of it. So to me the correct way to put it is "ELP were a great band (up until 'Works'.)"

[@kafkaspen]

Steven doesn’t like to repeat himself that’s true and overall as much as I didn’t like The Future Bites I did like the Harmony Codex. Both not as good as Hand Cannot Erase but very few albums are.

[@ianmc8671]

When Ridley Scott saw the Brain Salad Surgery album cover he hired the artist and created Alien so Alien wouldn't have been Alien without ELP.

[@alv4794]

You nailed it! ELP were a great band and they were popular which kind of turns the musical snobs off. They were not a critics band. Not that Steven Wilson is a snob but here he may be taking himself a bit too seriously. He really sounds like an old music critic from Creem magazine or something. ELP were not a perfect band but they really made some fantastic records that we really loved in the 1970's. And that art school snobbery you talk about I actually went through in the 70's in art school! I love I high art as well as what they call low art which is actually is entertainment for the masses.

[@gavriilnick4225]

wilson is a snob...with his nose up his but

[@johncrocker-nh7ey]

I don't know about all of this I think we have to be careful not to overthink things like art or music I'm a simple man I can tell you I just like it I enjoy ELP just as much as I like Rory Gallagher or The Clash and the Talking Heads I don't need to overthink it

[@carlomatthews6676]

Loved the noble savage allusion: Elitism and classists draw on 'underling' art to throw credibility on themselves. Heck, I've done that for decades!! Truly insightful observations, Andy, and somewhat disappointing that Steven should parrot the standard and cliched line on prog.

[@VultureClone]

I'm glad i'm not the onlny one who loves the Tarkus album cover. What is there not to love!? It's pleasing to look at.

[@jdmresearch]

I’m not sure where they got this idea that the band had internal conflicts because of their egos. Sure, perhaps there were some, but the same occurred in Yes, Genesis and King Crimson. In fact, ELP was the only one of the “Big 4” prog rock bands to have the same line up between 1970 and 1977.

[@magicruss1]

Agree absolutely,why can`t rock musicians play long tracks in the style of classical,with movements etc.music like all art should be free,rules should only be self imposed rules for a purpose that the artist has for his/her reasons

[@eggboy-uk]

Trilogy is definitely their best album for me, followed by Pictures at an Exhibition. Tarkus and Brain Salad are ok in bits. They were talented young guys having fun playing all sorts, producing some great stuff on the way. It doesn't really matter what forms of music they drew on, they fused them well.

[@shanebullock5005]

The problem may come from blind ears. Tull,Genesis,Gentle Giant,Floyd,Zappa and many more bands had their funny tracks but nobody questions them. If you actually went to an ELP concert and experience those fun tracks all tied together and how they joined up, well then you’d be awestruck. Tull sings about sperm in the gutter and fly button feeling,Gabriel doesn’t even sing properly on 2 tracks of Foxtrot ands sound aweful, Gentle Giant are pulling your leg, Alice Cooper loves the dead and Zappa could be arrested. But that’s it… roll up to be entertained not bored.

[@jerrypotente872]

Also, Andy you so beautifully express an opinion I have held for over 30 years. Why do serious music critics, dismiss or talk derisively about progressive rock, which is the peoples classical as valid as Bach Debussy or Schoenberg in their own time keep up the good work mate and will keep listening. I meant to say that progressive rock is the peoples success successful and sometimes commercial classical music of the 20th century amen.

[@davidsimon2096]

So many people seem to tie themselves in knots trying to describe why they don't like ELP. One minute they are complaining they are too elitist, then they are too populist, then they take themselves too seriously, then they don't take themselves seriously enough and write silly songs and on and on. The reason so many people -especially critics- just don't get ELP is they don't understand that their core modus operandi was to ENTERTAIN and as far as I'm concerned they did it brilliantly. And by the way- what is wrong with the Tarkus cover? I love that iconic image!

[@patrickselden5747]

Loads of fascinating stuff in this one, Andy - ta very muchly... ☝️😎

[@jackcamp6149]

You're always good at making me think about things...Great video and great points

[@antitheist2000]

Wilson hasn't got over adding the "unknown ballad" on the Tarkus remixed album which wasn't actually by ELP 😂

[@mikewest1542]

Wasn’t it Spontaneous Combustion who Greg Lake produced ( what a name ) good old Steve 😅😅😅

[@antitheist2000]

@@mikewest1542 yep 😊

[@artboy57]

Good one Andy! It's easy to forget that this music was made at a specific time in history, in England, by young, talented and often classically trained kids. For other kids. And when I say kids I mean boys from 15 to 25 with not yet fully developed brains. I was 15 when Trilogy came out and my undeveloped brain was thrilled by all things prog and still is. And bless Greg Lake, I always thought his bits on the albums were dull, but it brought in the ladies!

[@winstonschwarz1636]

I fecking love Pirates!

[@theeniwetoksymphonyorchest7580]

“Pretentious”, “Bombastic”, “Indulgent” - all words used to describe prog in the ‘70’s. It’s a bit like complaining that Led Zep & Deep Purple are a bit loud. The sheer preposterousness of ELP is the whole point and the joy.

[@Hartlor_Tayley]

“Embracing bad taste” Andy that was key. Thanks for the interesting commentary.

[@masonvankraayenburg]

You tell em Andy! Trilogy is top 5 Prog records of all time. People give me looks when telling them I prefer it to Close to the Edge. Steve just doesn’t have that stanky prog DNA hehe. To answer the question, is it pretentious and are we missing something? No, I think it’s pretentious to deny certain types of expression based on ones own preconceived notions. We’re just appreciating art.

[@davidsouthall965]

The Sheriff is awesome. Love it.

[@JeffCooper10538]

Brilliant reaction. I hope your pal Tim has “the stomach for a broadside”. PS. Works Vol. 1 was a key gateway to prog album for me as a thirteen year old lad. Love it!

[@KanakarisGeorge]

Keith Emerson, the king.

[@deansusec8745]

I really didn't think you would understand it like this, Andy. Good for you! They arent the best, but they have a very special place in prog history.

[@ronmurvihill5317]

Keith Emerson's artistry can be compartmentalized into 5 fairly distinct areas: pop song accompanist, honky-tonk pianist, classical interpreter, showman, and [the one that makes him my hero] composer. His compositional work is not always great, but his artistic voice is unmistakably unique.

[@harrynewiss4630]

I love ELP but I do think the albums tend to be a bit uneven. The one I like the most, and listen to the most, is Pictures at an Exhibition in part because of its completeness as a work. I also love the crazy fierce nature of some of the playing.

[@TractorCountdown]

Being childlike is the best thing, when ideas pop into your head from out of left field, and you're laughing, not necessarily cos they're funny, but because you can't believe their audacity, so you got for it, not worrying about what your elders and betters might think. That's what I love about creating stuff, whether it's music or writing. If Steven Wilson were to do what you suggest, Andy, I reckon that would be the way.

[@gregorygreene1940]

I have to admit I find ELP and Yes to be a lot more similar then most people. Brilliant earlier careers but their later albums are not as interesting to me. Even to this day I'm far more likely to listen to ELP's debut or Tarkus then anything else of theirs, and I'm far more likely to listen to The Yes Album or Fragile over anything else. The interesting thing is that all 4 were released in the US in 1971. Meddle, Who's Next, and Inner Mounting Flame released in that year as well. 1971 was a good year, for me at least.

[@stefanogatti2992]

Don't know if ELP should be taken out from the "prog box" including bands like Genesis or Yes, just to be put in another box mixed with the likes of AC/DC. I think Andy's clever analysis of ELP showmanship and rock attitude, in opposition with the sophisticated intellectualism oriented prog, is illuminating in order to explain the trio huge success during the early '70. But is it sufficient to justify the reason why in current millennium should one listen to their music? Probably the reason is that their first six albums (and I would add the ELPowell record) - despite some odd lyrics popping up from time to time, and despite the greatness or weakness of the covers design - are incredibly brilliant from a musical point of view. The hypnotic power and the visionary genius of songs like Knife Edge, Tarkus, Endless Enigma, Karn Evil 9, The Miracle and many other, are still unsurpassed

[@johnelwen4435]

Greg Lake had his Persian rug to avoid being electrocuted. The earthing of stage equipment in those days was very hit and miss. It was common for artists to get shocks from microphones and guitar strings. There had even been deaths. The rug insulated him.

[@mikewest1542]

I think the full story is almost true , yes musicians even died so Greg decided to have a rubber mat , that looked rubbish so he bought a rather elaborate expensive Persian carpet !

[@AP-sd1fl]

Is Persian rug very good at preventing electric shocks?

[@johnelwen4435]

@@AP-sd1fl Yes. They are woven from wool which insulates electrical charges.

[@hansmagnusmalcolmsen9354]

Exactly! Great video! Tarkus has an excellent cover. I was 13 when I first heard the album (and Crimson, In The Court at the same time. Not literally at the same time, like simultaneously, but...) As for the music: Sgt. Pepper has When I'm 64 and A Day in The Life. Tarkus has Jeremy Bender and Tarkus. I love the mixture/eclecticism on certain albums. The dark and the humorous. Pirates is my favourite ELP song sometimes.

[@nicholaspetergagg7769]

very interesting topic , I can remember the time of the early seventies was a great clash of culture, bands reacted to the outdated norms that made a resurgence after the sixties freelove movement.Bad taste was used by many art forms to deliver a question about society, conformity and social norms.This era was about being big and putting on a fun show , Jimi Hendrix for example was a showman and considered bad taste at the time.I think some prog bands tried to get a dialog going about revolting into style using overblown ideas like a vaudeville or burlesque show and twisting it to mean something else.Sometimes someone can get bogged down in ideals of taste and forget to have a good time.I can do this especially with my post punk angry dark aesthetic of my youth as I was born early sixties and my generation had missed the optimistic culture of the sixties and general decline in the seventies.I should let this attitude go and embrace some music that was deemed uncool by my peers.rambling on over.

[@howardduck2851]

For a beautiful eye-opening second look at the music of Keith Emerson (especially for jazz fans who don’t get prog), check out this tribute concert by French pianist Thierry Eliez - kzbin.infojP1Ppob93dQ?si=XfNPv5ELeYs9wF7P - Eliez himself is a jaw dropping musician; and for so many who believe Keith Emerson only ever did re-hashings of other great composers’ stuff, this concert focuses exclusively on Emerson’s original material.

[@kratino]

"I have no particular axe to grind." That's so obviously not true.

[@merlinman7300]

Always been my favourite ELP album since the day of release!

[@kevincorrigan7893]

That's true that classical music couldn't deal with drums and electric guitar....except Glenn Branca!!

[@wjstephens4654]

Always great to hear Henry Cow , the most progressive, revolutionary band to play in the rock/ popular idiom mentioned. You should listen to Bach imo: one of the most beautiful, profound cultural treasures ever produced by humanity. It has given me moments of transcendent joy. Also great to hear your insightful mention of Duchamp, well done! You’re not just another pretty face.

[@brunosamppa]

There's a reason why Mr. Wilson abandoned ELP Remixes... He shouldn't have even accepted the job.

[@loucontino4804]

I saw ELP live way back in the '70's. I sat first row, dead-center... in back of Carl Palmer. Yeah, I had to watch the show from the back. If there was ever a chance for me to like Nut-Rocker that night killed it!

[@stevemacarthur9660]

Nice job, Captain Andy - per usual. I think part of Steven Wilson's "reticence" when it comes to ELP is that, if you accept that there are two primary "strains" of progressive rock - North American & European, other than Rush, Mr. Wilson doesn't seem to have much affection for the North American strain. And - and this was genius on your part, Captain Andy - it's the whole PT Barnum aspect - an American ethos, if you will, that seems to rub Mr. Wilson the wrong way (when it really shouldn't be rubbing him at all). I think it fits into his whole MO - I just chalk it up to people not liking everything I like (and I like a lot of North American prog - Kansas, Styx, Starcastle, Boston, et al) and figure it may be a question of when one tips one's toe into the musical stream (probably mixing way too many metaphors, but it's almost the weekend).

[@frankpentangeli7945]

Trilogy is the only ELP album I really like. I also kind of enjoy Brain Salad Surgery, but that might be largely because of the iconic album cover.

[@LittleRedRobin-84]

Great video! Made me curious about your take on Yes' Tormato and Drama. X-D

[@guidoroemer81]

Good to see someone sticking up for ELP. I also think that it is wrong to judge early 70s music with an 80s standard. BTW that Steven Wilson is full of himself, isn't he? All these remixes of him are superfluous. Leave classics alone is my opinion.

[@PaulMcGarry-bo3jg]

Agree almost 100%. ELP and Emerson in particular were a gateway for working class kids like me to access classical and jazz. And I really enjoyed the light and shade of ELp albums, never knowing what might come next. I always wonder why they attack ELP for the soloing. Emerson always delivered wonderful solos, including the magnificent title track Moog solo on the album. Palmer played for the audience live, but what else is Wilson referring to? Listen to the Sheriff on this album, which has ba great melody, wonderful playing and is fun. Then only slight disagreement is in relation to calling the critics both postmodern AND Marxist. Surely one, or the other.

[@TheSearchingSongwriter-o1w]

This comment may mean little in this discussion. But in 1977 age 14, I was listening to ELP Welcome Back My Friends over and over again, even though I played guitar at the time, I was utterly bored with Led Zeppelin and Hendrix and Genesis and Queen by 1977. At that point I loved ELP. But, in Feb 1978 I heard Kate Bush and Kraftwerk. I never went back. Today I still listen to KB and Kraftwerk. I can’t remember the last time I listened to ELP..

[@Loskov-my3xw]

Who gives a fuck. When I heard Kraftwerk i'd already heard far more interesting, challenging West German proggy electronic bands. They were dull and stiff in comparison to Popol Vuh, Klaus Schulze, Tangerine Dream, Faust, Neu, Ash Ra Tempel and others, but big deal, it's an approach that has little to do with a band like ELP.

[@thenewhindemithians8629]

17:00 That's exactly what I thought at the time when I bought those solo albums back in 1976.

[@markcapofari8419]

Outside this submission saw an article in UKJazz News on Returning to Forever Frankfurt Big Band interpretation - worth a listen/ review

[@atlascomics3382]

Thank you for this Andy. ELP has been my favorite group since 1974, and I have heard these simplistic, dismissive critiques all my life. "They're so pretentious and over-serious - but what's really awful is when they ruin their albums with humor and whimsy." Even today when Prog is not quite so critically reviled as it was before about 5 or 10 years ago, ELP are still the whipping boys. Most of the ongoing criticism is simply a rote regurgitation of comments that have been repeated for the last 50 years. In this short video you have demonstrated that if you truly go beyond the accepted narrative and are willing to look with fresh eyes, there IS a way to see what ELP did in a positive light without having to qualify your "embarrassment" at liking something SO unhip. Thanks again - I love what you're doing.

[@damienfoyer]

Thank you for not putting "reaction' in the title, as the last one stuffed up my algorithm feed for a few days

[@syn707]

Extremely interesting video Andy..WoW! A side note here. Loved your Trio of Doom vid…of course, anything McLaughlin related floats my boat. Lately I’ve been revisiting John’s newer stuff, mainly, ‘ Black Light.’ At first I thought it was just….ok. But now that it’s been in my car for a couple of weeks I’ve come to really love it.

[@hansmagnusmalcolmsen9354]

Kids today: What's an album cover? What's album?

[@glerp10000000000]

Fanfare For The Common Man was the first single I ever bought. Trilogy was my first ELP album. I hated it. Apart from From The Beginning, which is still one of my all time favourite songs to this day. After a while, I got Hoedown. Then Trilogy the track. Then the whole record. I got Brain Salad Surgery. I hated it. Apart from Still You Turn Me On. Then I got Karn Evil 9. Then the whole record. Eventually I got all the albums up to but NOT including The Bee Gees album. I ended up seeing the last ELP show ever. Loved the whole thing. ELP need a little work, but it's worth it.

[@grahamjohnson9430]

Let's hope they invite you to do the album years with them sometime , that would be fun !

[@jc3drums916]

It's the height of hypocrisy for Wilson to accuse someone else of being pretentious. Re: ELP, I guess I'm in the minority, but I think BSS and Tarkus are better than Trilogy. Benny the Bouncer and Are You Ready, Eddy? are silly fun, and Emerson's solos on them are fire. And I actually like Pirates. Yes, it's more Gilbert & Sullivan and less "real" prog, but the music does a great job of setting the mood of the story.

[@ragnaviussnorgoborgoskagen5986]

Wilson is always going for the "cool" opinion. It's like he's ashamed of being a prog fan.

[@a.k.1740]

For me, Tarkus is ELP's most balanced album. I find that side two holds its own against the 20-minute title track masterpiece (even the perfectible "Are You Ready, Eddy?" ends the album in a light, humorous way to relieve the tension built up in the previous tracks). I'd like to add that I don't agree with Steven Wilson about the so-called unity of the Yes members, unlike ELP. The various members of Yes were often at odds with each other, which led to the forced or involuntary departures of Peter Banks, Tony Kaye, Bill Bruford and then Rick Wakeman, and so on... The balance was often precarious in Yes, mainly because of the egos of the various players. In that sense, I find that even if there is some excess with ELP, the band chemistry was preserved over time (even if it only lasted for a while!).

[@mikewest1542]

It was easier to leave Yes as the band name never changed , ELP had to stay together even if they hated each other ( just read Emerson’s book ) unless it was Emerson Lake and Powell !

[@a.k.1740]

@@mikewest1542 For ELP I'm only talking about the band's first period, 1970-1979. I mean, for ten albums (including three live ones) the line-up has stayed the same, whereas with Yes, there have been no more than two studio albums in a row with the same line-up from 1969 to the present day, demonstrating the unstable nature of Yes throughout its career. Even Genesis, whose personnel fluctuated over the years, had more stability than Yes during their career.

[@robertallard4944]

Saw ELP in college in 1978. I was a little disappointed because they couldn’t do their usual stage tricks. No light show or spinning piano or drum kit. Apparently, the venue couldn’t accommodate the necessary equipment. The show was in the RPI Field house in Troy NY in 1978; an old 4,800 seat hockey arena.

[@Rasenschneider]

I think I am on your side