Listining to ELP's Tarkus

[TheMightyFavog]

Every blade is sharp; the arrows fly
Where the victims of your armies lie,
Where the blades of grass and arrows rain
Then there will be no sorrow,
Be no pain.

-- Emerson, Lake & Palmer - Tarkus

Why did I just have a thought about the Bush Administration when I heard this line?

[Systematic Chaos]

1. That is one great album

And ELP were an incredible act. Very few bands have that kind of technical mastery.

[TheMightyFavog]

3. I'd like to see

The return of bringing Classical works to the rock stage like ELP did with Ginastara's Toccata and that bit from Bach's Toccata and Fugue in F Major s. 540 they used in The Only Way. In addition to improving the overall music scene, it sure would be a nice introduction to classical music for a lot of the kids out there.

[TheMightyFavog]

6. Besides,

I've always wnted to hear a rock version of Bach's Toccat and Fuge in D Minor.

[Systematic Chaos]

10. It's still only an acoustic version but you may want to check out

the California Guitar Trio. They're three guys who were (still are?) on Robert Fripp's recording label and they have at least a couple of albums out. There's a version of Toccata on their debut CD and those guys are awesome players.

[Systematic Chaos]

7. You have a good point there.

I'd love to see that too, but it seems that most of the progressive acts of today would rather find their own sound and not go back to classical roots.

As a side point: Any Renaissance fans here? That's one band that knew how to use an orchestra, IMO.

[HamstersFromHell]

12. Renaissance

Annie Haslam! Ooooooooooo....

Absolutely love "Scheherazade and Other Stories"..."Ocean Gypsy" is still one of my favorite songs from late night album oriented rock stations during the 70's.

[Systematic Chaos]

13. She is probably my favorite rock vocalist.

I'd pay to listen to her sing the phone book. lol

[mindless]

15. I saw them live auquistic in like 79, maybe 81

It was a Great concert and in a small setting!!! Loved it.

[Sufi Marmot]

2. Tarkus is my favorite album...

...my favorite album about a Giant Mechanical Armadillo, that is... ;-)

All kidding aside, I have it on LP somewhere and should drag it out and listen to it....it's been a while...


-SM, lapsed ELP fan...

[Systematic Chaos]

4. I had everything of theirs on CD as of early October

but after the breakin when I lost about 100 to 150 CD's I think at least a couple are missing. Hell, for some stupid reason I even bought the disastrous "Love Beach", thinking it couldn't POSSIBLY be that bad.... But they certainly redeemed themselves in the early 90's when they came back with "Black Moon".

Anyone here have their triple live LP (or double CD) set "Welcome Back My Friends...", recorded during their "Brain Salad Surgery" tour? I cannot stop being amazed at how well they played live.

[Sufi Marmot]

8. I had/have the LP 3-LP "Welcome Back My Friends..."

I had most of their stuff on LP (yes, even "Love Beach") when I was in high school, but the only thing I updated to CD was "Brain Salad Surgery". I saw them live in the early '90s and I was pretty disappointed...

[Systematic Chaos]

9. Well, the band members had some serious problems by then.

Keith Emerson, from what I hear, has had to retire and only does occasional keyboard clinics due to carpal tunnel syndrome.

And Greg Lake allegedly has been battling the bottle for some time.

It's a shame how these things happen, but it's good that they at least tried. They performed here in Vegas a few years back and I was too broke to get a ticket. Just to see them would have been a wonderful experience even if they weren't up to the standards of their prime.

[Sufi Marmot]

11. That's unfortunate...

I had heard about Emerson's wrist problems, and I seem to recall that he had some sort of tractor accident a while ago, and that he was nearly broke. I didn't know about Greg Lake, though...quite a shame...

I saw them at an outdoor venue which was just too loud, with horrible sound. And they only played a few bars of "Karn Evil 9" as part of a medley, rather than the whole thing...Overall I was disappointed.

[HamstersFromHell]

14. They were one of the few...

..bands who sounded as good in concert as they did in the studio.

I was fortunate enough to see them several times live during their heyday, and saw probably all of Tarkus as well as Brain Salad Surgey performed live...along with parts of Pictures At An Exhibition.

If you liked ELP, have you listened to Germany's "Triumvirat"? Sounds identical to ELP, and their album "Spartacus" is great. (It should have been the soundtrack for the movie if it were done some years earlier.)

[Rocinante]

5. Tarkus

I loved it when I was in high school. And thirty years later it still has something for me every time I listen to it.

[mindless]

16. I liked pictures at an exhabition best.

But I loved em all, great band!!

[Rocinante]

17. Ah yes

Pictures At An Exibition. A classic.