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ELP Stage Shot 1974
I first became familiar with Emerson, Lake and Palmer while I was in college at the University of Alabama 1972-1975. Up until that time, I was a pure "jazz-head" lead trumpet player - Blood, Sweat & Tears, and Chicago were about as timely as I got! When ELP played at the UofA in Tuscaloosa, Alabama in January, 1974, I had the opportunity as a member of the Planning Council to help set up their stage equipment before the show. At the time of the Brain Salad Surgery tour, they carried so much equipment that they had to get about 50 "local roadies" to help them set up in addition to the travelling roadies they had with them. Of course, once Emerson's keyboards started coming out of the truck, I was right there to "help warm them up"!
As compensation for the setup work, we had front row seats, from where I was able to take telephoto photographs. Seeing that ELP show started me on the road to teach myself to play keyboards and program synthesizers.
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Keith Emerson, Brain Salad Surgery Tour, |
Keith at the "big"Modular Moog, 1974 |
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Keith at the Steinway grand |
Greg Lake, vocals and solo acoustic |
I later saw Emerson and Palmer along with Robert Berry in the
band "Three"
when they played at a small club in Orlando in 1988.
Keith Emerson with 'Three', 1988.
I recently saw two of the ELP / Jethro Tull shows in Jones Beach, Long Island, NY and Camden, NJ (August, 1996). At the Camden show, I got backstage passes from a very gracious friend of mine (thanks, Mary Ann!) from the Internet, and backstage briefly met and talked to Greg and Carl, getting various of my photos and other paraphernalia signed, and pictures with them. Unfortunately, I missed meeting Keith there, which was disappointing, to say the least!
The 'Photo Gallery' w/Keith, Greg and Carl, 1996.
However, I figured out that they would be staying at a hotel by the airport, since they were flying to the next show. So after the Tull show, I went to the hotel, on the "off-chance". In the lounge was Greg, and Keith at another table. After saying hello to Greg, I introduced myself to Keith, saying something like, "Hello, I'm Mark Glinsky, I missed meeting you backstage, just wanted to say hello and great show.... oh, and by the way, you've cost me a hell of a lot of money!". That got his attention - I showed him some photos of all the keyboards, synthesizers, etc. that I bought because of him, including my modular Moog ribbon controller. He said, you have a Moog ribbon controller? I brought the controller in from my car, along with a couple of my photos, and gave him the controller and the Sharpie pen. He looked it over with interest, and also at the pictures of the 1974 show I had brought. He starts to sign the ribbon controller, and gets this wicked smile, asking if he can write something "cheeky"? Of course, I said sure. So he signs the modular Moog ribbon controller, "To Mark - Don't Wipe This on Your Arse! Keith Emerson". Keith and I then spent about half an hour just talking, about his upcoming autobiography, "Pictures of an Exhibitionist", his upcoming plans, what his sons are doing, what he's been listening to, etc. Finally, I took my leave, after Keith insisted on pictures of him and me holding the ribbon controller. A very gracious fellow with a warped sense of humor!
Keith and I with the infamous ribbon controller!
Of course, I was saddened to hear of Greg's departure from ELP,
but am looking forward to
Keith and Carl's new musical directions.
With the help of Mary Ann Burns and Alan Ticheler (A.M.T. Photographic), several of my ELP photos selected for use in Greg Lake's new CD release, "Greg Lake - From the Underground ... The Official Bootleg", and ELP's new official video release of the 1973 German TV documentary known as the "The Manticore Special". The back of the Manticore video case with my ELP photos appears below - thanks Mary Ann, Alan, and Bruce Pilato!
Created by Mark
S. Glinsky- glinskym@sbcglobal.net.
Copyright (C) 1995-2006 Mark
S. Glinsky. All rights reserved worldwide.
Revised: February 23, 2006.
