ReRushed Posted July 13, 2015 Share Posted July 13, 2015 I want to start this thread off with this insightful "review" by Robert Christgau: Brain Salad Surgery [Manticore, 1973]Is this supposed to be a rebound because Pete Sinfield wrote the lyrics? Because Certified Classical Composer Alberto Ginastera--who gets royalties, after all--attests to their sensitivity on the jacket? Because the sound is so crystalline you can hear the gism as it drips off the microphone? C- Anyway, does ELP represent the best of Prog rock? Or the worst of Prog rock? When I'm in the mood, I love 'em. Trilogy is their best album, IMHO. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lorraine Posted July 13, 2015 Share Posted July 13, 2015 (edited) I still don't know what "prog rock" is. Back when they first appeared, we didn't have endless categories to box bands into. What is the former term for "prog rock"? I loved ELP. Brain Salad Surgery is a good album, but their first album was the best. In my opinion. :) Edited July 13, 2015 by Lorraine 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
treeduck Posted July 13, 2015 Share Posted July 13, 2015 You know I don't really like this band. There's a couple of tracks, but that's it. I like this one: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GWqD7GyJBVM 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lorraine Posted July 13, 2015 Share Posted July 13, 2015 You know I don't really like this band. There's a couple of tracks, but that's it. I like this one: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GWqD7GyJBVM I love that song. Do you know that I actually remember exactly where I was and what I was doing when I heard that song for the first time? Yeah, yeah, yeah. I know. Who cares, right? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Relayer2112 Posted July 13, 2015 Share Posted July 13, 2015 Trilogy is probably their best, with Brain Salad Surgery and Tarkus a close second. They were the proggiest of prog rock, until the train wreck that was called Love Beach. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ReRushed Posted July 13, 2015 Author Share Posted July 13, 2015 (edited) Apparently, Prog, short for progressive, is a genre that "expands" on the three chord Blues and Country elements of rock music. By introducing Classical and Jazz elements into rock, Prog bands expanded the boundaries of rock music to more intellectual and important areas! Edited July 13, 2015 by ReRushed 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
treeduck Posted July 13, 2015 Share Posted July 13, 2015 You know I don't really like this band. There's a couple of tracks, but that's it. I like this one: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GWqD7GyJBVM I love that song. Do you know that I actually remember exactly where I was and what I was doing when I heard that song for the first time? Yeah, yeah, yeah. I know. Who cares, right? Having sex with 35 man football team?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lorraine Posted July 13, 2015 Share Posted July 13, 2015 Apparently, Prog, short for progressive, is a genre that "expands" on the three chord blues and country elements of rock music. By introducing Classical and Jazz elements into rock, Prog bands expanded the boundaries of rock music to more intellectual and important areas! Then The Moody Blues of the late sixties/early seventies would have been considered one I would think? Along with King Crimson? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
treeduck Posted July 13, 2015 Share Posted July 13, 2015 I think one reason I don't like this band is it's very much keyboard-dominated. Another is a lot of it seems like overblown showcases for each instrument shoehorned together to make songs. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ReRushed Posted July 13, 2015 Author Share Posted July 13, 2015 Apparently, Prog, short for progressive, is a genre that "expands" on the three chord blues and country elements of rock music. By introducing Classical and Jazz elements into rock, Prog bands expanded the boundaries of rock music to more intellectual and important areas! Then The Moody Blues of the late sixties/early seventies would have been considered one I would think? Along with King Crimson?King Crimson is the best! Apparently, Robert Fripp was jealous of ELP. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ReRushed Posted July 13, 2015 Author Share Posted July 13, 2015 I think one reason I don't like this band is it's very much keyboard-dominated. Another is a lot of it seems like overblown showcases for each instrument shoehorned together to make songs.And as Robert Christgau pointed out - how did the gism get on the microphone? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
treeduck Posted July 13, 2015 Share Posted July 13, 2015 I think one reason I don't like this band is it's very much keyboard-dominated. Another is a lot of it seems like overblown showcases for each instrument shoehorned together to make songs.And as Robert Christgau pointed out - how did the gism get on the microphone? Is he talking about jism? http://yoursmiles.org/tsmile/disgust/t9407.gif Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ReRushed Posted July 13, 2015 Author Share Posted July 13, 2015 I think one reason I don't like this band is it's very much keyboard-dominated. Another is a lot of it seems like overblown showcases for each instrument shoehorned together to make songs.And as Robert Christgau pointed out - how did the gism get on the microphone? Is he talking about jism? http://yoursmiles.org/tsmile/disgust/t9407.gifYeah. I guess it's an American variation on the spelling. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Analog Cub Posted July 13, 2015 Share Posted July 13, 2015 Absolutely despise them. Obnoxious keyboard music. Yes and Rush were (still are) better at writing actual songs while not sacrificing any form of musical prowess. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ReRushed Posted July 13, 2015 Author Share Posted July 13, 2015 (edited) I guess Greg Lake's "pop sensibilities" helped them out with the masses. ELP is a band that is very polarizing. When I'm in the mood, I enjoy a lot of their stuff. Emerson does tend to go overboard most of the time. Palmer is magnificent most of the time, though. Edited July 13, 2015 by ReRushed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xanadoood Posted July 13, 2015 Share Posted July 13, 2015 They can definitley go overboard with the virtuosity , but I like em. I totally get why people didn't like them though. They are about as far away from the blues as you can get. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goose Posted July 13, 2015 Share Posted July 13, 2015 You know I don't really like this band. There's a couple of tracks, but that's it. I like this one: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GWqD7GyJBVM I love that song. Do you know that I actually remember exactly where I was and what I was doing when I heard that song for the first time? Back seat confession? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goose Posted July 13, 2015 Share Posted July 13, 2015 I think one reason I don't like this band is it's very much keyboard-dominated. Another is a lot of it seems like overblown showcases for each instrument shoehorned together to make songs.And as Robert Christgau pointed out - how did the gism get on the microphone? Is he talking about jism? http://yoursmiles.org/tsmile/disgust/t9407.gifYeah. I guess it's an American variation on the spelling.He's a sophisticate, hence the variation. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goose Posted July 13, 2015 Share Posted July 13, 2015 They can definitley go overboard with the virtuosity , but I like em. I totally get why people didn't like them though. They are about as far away from the blues as you can get.Amazing as a live act. Their playing is so incredibly physical, it's meant to be seen. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Analog Cub Posted July 13, 2015 Share Posted July 13, 2015 I guess Greg Lake's "pop sensibilities" helped them out with the masses. ELP is a band that is very polarizing. When I'm in the mood, I enjoy a lot of their stuff. Emerson does tend to go overboard most of the time. Palmer is magnificent most of the time, though. Palmer is the one thing I can salvage from the group. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stormtron Posted July 13, 2015 Share Posted July 13, 2015 I used to like them but I really can't stand most of their stuff now. One of the few bands I've changed my opinion on like that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Narps Posted July 13, 2015 Share Posted July 13, 2015 This is a band that folks that know me and know of my album collection and taste would think I would own some ELP but I don't. Just never got into them. Love Lucky Man but honestly don't know much else... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ReRushed Posted July 13, 2015 Author Share Posted July 13, 2015 I used to like them but I really can't stand most of their stuff now. One of the few bands I've changed my opinion on like that.I understand this opinion. It seems that ELP's reputation has waned over the decades. Far too much "virtuosity" in their playing, so when you do step back you can find the music quite hollow. Anyway, like I said, when I'm in the mood, I like them. There's some great stuff under all the pomposity. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RushCanuck Posted July 13, 2015 Share Posted July 13, 2015 :hi: I am a HUGE ELP fan from the first album all the way to Works I. (so 1970 - 77ish). They were a big part of my life back then. I love the first album the most, followed by Tarkus, then Brain Salad Surgery. All 3 musicians performed with top notch complexity. I loved that they were never a 4/4 time beat type of band. Not to mention that all 3 were easy to look at with my teenage eyes/hormones, with Keith being my favorite :drool: I saw them live twice (Cobo Hall in Detroit and at the CNE in Toronto).Other memories include - I stayed up late one Friday night to watch them on the Midnight Special performing at Cal Jam. Also, there was a show called Speakeasy with host Chip Monk (same guy as the announcer at Woodstock). It was on 2 am on a Monday morning and I stayed up to watch them for an hour long interview... ELP was one of the big acts back then... I always bought Circus magazine when ELP was in it. man, what great memories... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EagleMoon Posted July 13, 2015 Share Posted July 13, 2015 I love their music and I love the virtuosity in it. That's a large part of the appeal. They were awesome live. Talk about putting on a show. I remember when the bass from the synthesizers would hit bottom it felt as if your pants would vibrate right off of you. Greg Lake was a huge influence on me as a bass player. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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