When I was an aspiring prog rock keyboard player in the seventies I had a poster of Keith, I think it may have been from ‘Sounds’ magazine pinned to the wall. I’m not sure if this was inspiring or disheartening! My first concert was The Nice at the Caird Hall in Dundee where I will never forget Keith’s Hammond antics from my vantage point in the balcony overlooking the stage; it was truly a life-changing moment! I subsequently saw Emerson, Lake and Palmer play three times, twice in Dundee and once at the High Voltage Festival in Victoria Park, London on their 40th anniversary tour (25th July, 2010). I saw The Nice on more time at the Royal Concert Hall in Glasgow.
It was really sad what happened to Keith: he had nerve-graft surgery in 1993 and suffered from carpal-tunnel syndrome. It was shocking to hear of the tragic circumstances of his death in Santa Monica on 11th March, 2016.
In PROG magazine, ‘prog giants’ choose Keith’s greatest works. Now, I am certainly no prog giant, but the music of Keith Emerson, The Nice and Emerson, Lake and Palmer have meant so much to my life that I am determined to have my say. Any like-minded souls who feel this way please feel free to share your top tens with me, with the option of publishing them on DISS if you are so inclined. Please use my phil7jackson@outlook.com e-mail address.
TOP TEN – IN NO PARTICULAR ORDER
LITTLE ARABELLA – THE NICE
AZRAEL REVISITED – THE NICE
INTERMEZZO FROM THE KARELIA SUITE- THE NICE
RONDO ‘69 – THE NICE
KINFE EDGE – EMERSON, LAKE AND PALMER
PICTURES AT AN EXHIBITION – E.L.P.
TARKUS (track) – E.L.P.
KARN EVIL 9 – E.L.P.
ABANDON’S BOLERO – E.L.P.
PIANO CONCERTO #2 – KEITH EMERSON
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