View source for Emerson, Lake & Palmer

{{Short description|English progressive rock band}}
{{About|the band|their debut album|Emerson, Lake & Palmer (album)}}
{{Use British English|date=July 2025}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2025}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name              = Emerson, Lake & Palmer
| image             = Emerson Lake and Palmer band photo.jpg
| caption           = The band in [[Toronto]], Canada in 1978
| landscape         = Yes
| years_active      = {{flatlist|
* 1970–1979
* 1990–1999
* 2010}}
| background        = group_or_band
| alias             = ELP
| origin            = London, England
| genre             = {{flatlist|
* [[Progressive rock]]
* [[art rock]]<ref>{{cite book |first1=Pete |last1=Prown |author-link=Pete Prown |first2=HP |last2=Newquist |author2-link=HP Newquist |title= Legends of Rock Guitar: The Essential Reference of Rock's Greatest Guitarists |quote= ...British art rock groups such as the Nice, Yes, Genesis, ELP, King Crimson, the Moody Blues, and Procol Harum... |year=1997| page=78|publisher=Hal Leonard Corporation|isbn=978-0-7935-4042-6}}</ref>}}
| label             = {{flatlist|
* [[Island Records|Island]]
* [[Atlantic Records|Atlantic]]
* [[Cotillion Records|Cotillion]]
* [[Atco Records|Atco]]
* [[Manticore Records|Manticore]]
* [[Sanctuary Records Group|Sanctuary]]
* [[Rhino Entertainment|Rhino]]
* [[Shout! Studios|Shout! Factory]]
* [[Victor Talking Machine Company|Victor]]
* [[Sony Music|Sony]]
* [[Razor & Tie]]
* [[Mushroom Records|Mushroom]]
* [[Virgin Records|Virgin]]
* [[Victory Records|Victory]]
* [[Eagle Records|Eagle]]
* [[Vee-Jay Records|VJR]]
* [[E.G. Records|E.G.]]
* [[Inside Out Music|IOM]]
* [[Canadian-American Records|CAR]]}}
| spinoff_of        = {{hlist|[[Atomic Rooster]]|[[King Crimson]]|[[the Nice]]}}
| spinoffs          = {{hlist|[[3 (1980s band)|3]]|[[Asia (band)|Asia]]|[[Emerson, Lake & Powell]]}}
| website           = {{URL|emersonlakepalmer.com}}
| past_members      = * [[Keith Emerson]]
* [[Greg Lake]]
* [[Carl Palmer]]
}}
'''Emerson, Lake & Palmer''' (informally known as '''ELP''') were <!-- NOT was - This article is written in British-English, which treats collective nounsas plural. See WP:ENGVAR for more info. --> an English [[progressive rock]] [[Supergroup (music)|supergroup]] formed in London in 1970.<ref>{{cite news|work=[[The New York Times]]|title=Keith Emerson, '70s Rock Showman With a Taste for Spectacle, Dies at 71|author=Ratliff, Ben|date=11 March 2016|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/03/12/arts/music/keith-emerson-70s-rock-showman-with-a-taste-for-spectacle-dies-at-71.html|access-date=16 February 2019|archive-date=12 March 2016|archive-url=https://archive.today/20160312083132/http://www.nytimes.com/2016/03/12/arts/music/keith-emerson-70s-rock-showman-with-a-taste-for-spectacle-dies-at-71.html?_r=0|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|work=[[Daily Express|Sunday Express]]|title=Greg Lake's last interview: The joy of music and keeping cancer a secret|author=Townsend, Martin|author-link=Martin Townsend (journalist)|date=11 December 2016|url=https://www.express.co.uk/entertainment/music/742018/Greg-Lake-last-interview-Sunday-Express-exclusive-musician-death-rock/amp}}</ref> The band consisted of [[Keith Emerson]] (keyboards) of [[the Nice]], [[Greg Lake]] (vocals, bass, guitars, producer) of [[King Crimson]], and [[Carl Palmer]] (drums, percussion) of [[Atomic Rooster]]. With nine [[Recording Industry Association of America|RIAA]]-certified gold record albums in the US,<ref name=RIAA>{{cite web|url=https://www.riaa.com/gold-platinum/?tab_active=default-award&se=emerson%2C+lake+%26+palmer#search_section|title=RIAA: – Emerson, Lake & Palmer|publisher=[[Recording Industry Association of America|RIAA]]|access-date=9 December 2016}}</ref> and an estimated 48 million records sold worldwide,<ref>{{Cite news|date=8 December 2016|title=Greg Lake: King Crimson and ELP star dies aged 69|language=en-GB|work=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-38251936|access-date=25 February 2023|archive-date=8 December 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161208134841/http://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-38251936|url-status=live}}</ref> they were one of the most popular and commercially successful progressive rock groups of the 1970s,<ref>{{cite web|last=Eder |first=Bruce |url=http://www.allmusic.com/artist/emerson-lake--palmer-p4186 |title=Emerson, Lake & Palmer |website=AllMusic |access-date=9 July 2011}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/photos/readers-poll-the-best-prog-rock-bands-of-all-time-20110720/7-emerson-lake-and-palmer-0610429|title=Rolling Stone Readers Poll|magazine=Rolling Stone|access-date=9 February 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120121021355/http://www.rollingstone.com/music/photos/readers-poll-the-best-prog-rock-bands-of-all-time-20110720/7-emerson-lake-and-palmer-0610429|archive-date=21 January 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref> with a musical sound including adaptations of classical music with [[jazz]] and symphonic rock elements, dominated by Emerson's flamboyant use of the [[Hammond organ]], [[Moog synthesizer]], and piano (although Lake wrote several acoustic songs for the group).<ref name="BSS Liner">{{cite web|url=http://www.ladiesofthelake.com/cabinet/bssliner.html|title=Liner Notes from the DVD-A of Brain Salad Surgery – written by Jerry McCulley|publisher=ladiesofthelake.com|access-date=28 February 2012|archive-date=20 August 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150820025400/http://www.ladiesofthelake.com/cabinet/bssliner.html|url-status=usurped}}Lake says almost dismissively, "It used to be a thing where as a balance to the record I would write an acoustic song." Lake's ballads, the least typical aspect of ELP's music, often garnered the band their greatest airplay and widest public exposure.</ref>

The band came to prominence following their performance at the [[Isle of Wight Festival 1970|Isle of Wight Festival]] in August 1970. In their first year, the group signed with [[E.G. Records]] (who distributed the band's records through [[Island Records]] in the United Kingdom, and [[Atlantic Records]] in North America), and released ''[[Emerson, Lake & Palmer (album)|Emerson, Lake & Palmer]]'' (1970) and ''[[Tarkus]]'' (1971), both of which reached the UK top five. The band's success continued with ''[[Pictures at an Exhibition (Emerson, Lake & Palmer album)|Pictures at an Exhibition]]'' (1971), ''[[Trilogy (Emerson, Lake & Palmer album)|Trilogy]]'' (1972), and ''[[Brain Salad Surgery]]'' (1973, released on ELP's own [[Manticore Records]] label). After a three-year break, Emerson, Lake & Palmer released ''[[Works Volume 1]]'' (1977) and ''[[Works Volume 2]]'' (1977). After ''[[Love Beach]]'' (1978), the group disbanded in 1979.

The band re-formed partially in the 1980s as [[Emerson, Lake & Powell]] featuring [[Cozy Powell]] in place of Palmer, who was, by then, a member of [[Asia (band)|Asia]]. [[Robert Berry]] then replaced Lake while Palmer returned, forming [[3 (1980s band)|3]]. In 1991, the original trio re-formed and released two more albums, ''[[Black Moon (album)|Black Moon]]'' (1992) and ''[[In the Hot Seat]]'' (1994), and toured at various times between 1992 and 1998. Their final performance took place in 2010 at the [[High Voltage Festival]] in London to commemorate the band's 40th anniversary. Both Emerson and Lake died in 2016,<ref name=keithemersondeath>{{cite web|url=http://www.tmz.com/2016/03/11/keith-emerson-death-suicide/|title=Keith Emerson's Death – Gunshot to the Head ... Looks Like Suicide (UPDATE)|date=11 March 2016 }}</ref><ref name="billboard_emerson_death">{{cite magazine|title=Keith Emerson's Death Ruled a Suicide|url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/7133074/keith-emerson-death-suicide-investigation|magazine=Billboard|publisher=Lynne Segall|access-date=12 March 2016|date=11 March 2016}}</ref><ref name="BBC08122016">{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-38251936|title=Greg Lake: King Crimson and ELP star dies aged 69|last=Savage|first=Mark|date=8 December 2016|work=BBC News|access-date=8 December 2016|archive-date=8 December 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161208134841/http://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-38251936|url-status=live}}</ref> leaving Palmer as the only surviving member of the band.

Stylistically, the band was known for "[combining] heavy riffs with [[Classical music|classical]] influences." Bruce Eder of [[AllMusic]] wrote, "Their flamboyance on record and in the studio echoed the best work of the heavy metal bands of the era, proving that classical rockers could compete for that arena-scale audience."<ref>{{Cite web |title=Emerson, Lake & Palmer Songs, Albums, Reviews,... |url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/emerson-lake-palmer-mn0000798992#biography |access-date=27 March 2025 |website=AllMusic |language=en}}</ref>

==History==
===1969–1970: Formation and first gigs===
By the end of 1969, [[the Nice]] keyboardist [[Keith Emerson]] and [[King Crimson]] bassist/vocalist [[Greg Lake]] were looking to leave their respective groups and form a new band. The pair first met in New York City and discussed the possibility of forming one together; they met again in December 1969 when the Nice and King Crimson were billed together for concerts at the [[Fillmore West]] in San Francisco. During a [[soundcheck]] before one of the shows, Emerson described the first time he and Lake played together: "Greg was moving a bass line and I played the piano in back and Zap! It was there."<ref name="classicrockarchive">{{cite web|url=http://archive.classicrockmagazine.com/view/may_2002/55/welcome-back-my-friends |title=Welcome back my friends|page=55|work=Classic Rock Magazine|date=May 2002|access-date=16 February 2012 }}{{dead link|date=December 2016 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> When the Nice split in March 1970 and Lake left King Crimson a month later, the pair began the search for a drummer, which turned out to be a difficult process.<ref name=NME70>{{cite magazine|title=Emerson, Lake and Palmer – the group most likely to|first=Nick|last=Logan|magazine=New Musical Express|date=13 June 1970}}</ref> They initially approached [[Mitch Mitchell]], who was at a loose end following the break-up of [[the Jimi Hendrix Experience]] and suggested a jam session take place among the three of them and guitarist [[Jimi Hendrix]]. The session never happened, but it led to the press later reporting rumours of a planned [[Supergroup (music)|supergroup]] named HELP, an acronym for "Hendrix Emerson Lake Palmer", which Lake later debunked.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://blogs.phoenixnewtimes.com/uponsun/2012/05/greg_lake_elp_jimi_hendrix_prog_rock.php?page=2|title=Greg Lake Is Not a Fan of 'Progressive Rock'|last=Woodbury|first=Jason P.|date=10 May 2012|work=[[Phoenix New Times]]|access-date=9 October 2013|archive-date=6 October 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141006105617/http://blogs.phoenixnewtimes.com/uponsun/2012/05/greg_lake_elp_jimi_hendrix_prog_rock.php?page=2|url-status=dead}}</ref> As part of auditions for drummers at a studio by [[Soho Square]],<ref name=unknown1971-main>{{cite journal|url=http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v248/texasrose455/LOTL/marksykes/ELP_027.jpg|title=Emerson, Lake & Palmer|date=c. 1971|first=Penny|last=Valentine|journal=Unknown|access-date=18 December 2016}}</ref> Emerson's manager, [[Tony Stratton Smith]], suggested [[Carl Palmer]] of [[Atomic Rooster]] and previously [[the Crazy World of Arthur Brown]].<ref name=goldmine1996>{{cite journal|title=Welcome to the show! Emerson, Lake and Palmer – In their own words|first=Russell|last=Hall|date=6 December 1996|volume=22|issue=427|journal=Goldmine|url=http://ladiesofthelake.com/cabinet/Goldmine.html|access-date=19 December 2016|archive-date=26 September 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200926103936/http://ladiesofthelake.com/cabinet/Goldmine.html|url-status=usurped}}</ref> Palmer turned up for a session and enjoyed the chemistry, but was reluctant to commit as Atomic Rooster were starting to gain attention in Europe. Emerson and Lake persisted, and after several weeks Palmer agreed to join.<ref name=goldmine1996/>

The three named themselves Emerson, Lake & Palmer to remove the focus on Emerson as the most famous of the three, and to ensure that they were not called the "new Nice".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://ladiesofthelake.com/cabinet/beetle.html|title=Beetle interview with Robert Bowman|publisher=ladiesofthelake.com|access-date=16 February 2012|archive-date=4 September 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130904024635/http://www.ladiesofthelake.com/cabinet/beetle.html|url-status=usurped}}</ref> Triton was a name that Emerson said "was buzzing around" for a little while,<ref name=melodymaker1970>{{cite journal|url=http://ladiesofthelake.com/cabinet/MM.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080516095926/http://ladiesofthelake.com/cabinet/MM.html|url-status=usurped|archive-date=16 May 2008|title=Emerson, Lake, Palmer—an MM special preview|date=30 May 1970|first=Chris|last=Welch|newspaper=Melody Maker|access-date=18 December 2016}}</ref> and Triumvirate and Seahorse were also in contention.<ref>Extended version of Emerson Lake and Palmer's documentary from their 40th Anniversary Concert DVD – 8m23s</ref> They moved to [[Island Studios]] in [[Notting Hill]] to rehearse and form a live set.<ref name=melodymaker1970/> Most of the numbers were rock adaptations and arrangements of classical pieces, including: ''[[Allegro barbaro (Bartók)|Allegro barbaro]]'' by [[Béla Bartók]] entitled "[[The Barbarian (song)|The Barbarian]]", the jazz standard "[[Blue Rondo à la Turk]]" by [[Dave Brubeck]] entitled "Rondo" that Emerson had recorded with the Nice, "[[Nut Rocker]]" as an encore,<ref name=Wight1970>{{cite AV media notes|title=Live at the Isle of Wight 1970|publisher=Manticore Records|date=1997|id=M-CD-101}}</ref> and ''[[Pictures at an Exhibition]]'' by [[Modest Mussorgsky]] that Emerson wanted to do after seeing it performed by an orchestra.{{sfn|Macan|2006|p=175}} An original song from Lake, "[[Take a Pebble]]", was also worked out. The group wished to enhance their live act, and spent £9,000 on a sound mixer and £4,000 on a [[Moog modular synthesizer]] imported from America that was adapted for better performance on stage.<ref name=NME70/>

[[File:1970-Isle of Wight Festival- 5.JPG|thumb|right|The group's second gig was at the 1970 Isle of Wight Festival]]
The trio's first live gig followed at [[Plymouth Guildhall]] on 23 August 1970, supported by Earth, a local band.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://fetherston.tripod.com/tours.html|title=ELP Tour Details 1970–78|publisher=fetherston.tripod.com|access-date=7 February 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.asahi-net.or.jp/~rm2t-smt/html/elp-tour.htm#anchor72336|title=Tour Date List|publisher=asahi-net.or.jp|access-date=7 February 2012}}</ref>{{sfn|Van der Kiste|2012|p=248}} They travelled to the venue in a transit van previously owned by fellow [[progressive rock]] band [[Yes (band)|Yes]], and were paid around £400 for the gig.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.plymouthherald.co.uk/ex-elp-drummer-carl-recalls-debut-guildhall/story-16000108-detail/story.html|title=Ex-ELP drummer Carl recalls debut show at Guildhall|date=4 May 2012|work=Plymouth Herald|access-date=18 December 2016}}{{dead link|date=March 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.kentnews.co.uk/entertainment/carl_palmer_lord_of_the_drums_1_1383516|title=Carl Palmer – Lord of the drums|publisher=Kent News|first=Nick|last=Ames|date=21 May 2012|access-date=18 December 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161220152654/http://www.kentnews.co.uk/entertainment/carl_palmer_lord_of_the_drums_1_1383516|archive-date=20 December 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref> A small venue outside London was deliberately chosen in case the concert was a failure, but the concert was well received.<ref name=unknown1971>{{cite journal|url=http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v248/texasrose455/LOTL/marksykes/ELP_028.jpg|title=Emerson, Lake & Palmer|date=c. 1971|first=Penny|last=Valentine|journal=Unknown|access-date=18 December 2016|archive-date=20 December 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161220222015/http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v248/texasrose455/LOTL/marksykes/ELP_028.jpg|url-status=live}}</ref> Their second gig took place on 29 August with a set at the [[Isle of Wight Festival 1970|Isle of Wight Festival]] which was attended by an estimated 600,000 people and drew considerable attention from the public and music press. At the end of "Pictures at an Exhibition", the band fired two cannons that Emerson had tested in a field near [[Heathrow Airport]].<ref name=Wight1970/>

The success of the group's debut, as well as Lake's prior association with King Crimson, led to the band signing management and recording contracts with [[E.G. Records]], who distributed their records through [[Island Records|Island]] in the UK and [[Cotillion Records|Cotillion]], a subsidiary of [[Atlantic Records]], in North America.<ref name=goldmine1996/> Emerson believed that Atlantic's chief and co-founder [[Ahmet Ertegun]] agreed to take the band on "because we could sell out 20,000-seaters before we even had a record out. That was enough for him to think that a lot of people would go out and buy the record when it did come out."<ref name="classicrockarchive" />

===1970–1971: Debut album, ''Tarkus'', and ''Pictures at an Exhibition''===
[[File:Emerson Lake and Palmer two.jpg|thumb|left|Emerson performing in 1977]]
In the months surrounding their debut gigs, the band recorded their first album, ''[[Emerson, Lake & Palmer (album)|Emerson Lake & Palmer]]'', at [[Advision Studios]]. Lake took on the role of producer, which he had also done in King Crimson, with [[Eddy Offord]] as their engineer. The album included studio versions of "The Barbarian" and "Take a Pebble", "[[Knife-Edge (Emerson, Lake & Palmer song)|Knife-Edge]]", based on the first movement of ''[[Sinfonietta (Janáček)|Sinfonietta]]'' by [[Leoš Janáček]] and the [[Allemande]] of [[French Suites (Bach)#Structure|French Suite No. 1 in D minor]] by [[Johann Sebastian Bach]], Palmer's drum solo "[[Emerson, Lake & Palmer (album)|Tank]]", the three-part "The Three Fates", and "[[Lucky Man (Emerson, Lake & Palmer song)|Lucky Man]]", an acoustic ballad that Lake wrote when he was twelve.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.allmusic.com/song/t1538224|title=AllMusic Review of Lucky Man|website=AllMusic|access-date=15 February 2012|archive-date=14 March 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110314101214/http://www.allmusic.com/song/t1538224|url-status=live}}</ref> The album was released in the UK in November 1970, and reached No. 4 in the UK and No. 18 in the US. "Lucky Man" was released as a single that peaked at No. 48 in the US.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.allmusic.com/artist/emerson-lake-palmer-p4186/charts-awards/billboard-singles|title=Billboard Hot 100|website=AllMusic|access-date=15 February 2012|archive-date=10 December 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101210122632/http://www.allmusic.com/artist/emerson-lake-palmer-p4186/charts-awards/billboard-singles|url-status=live}}</ref>

From September 1970 to March 1971, the band completed their first concert tour with shows across the UK, Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. Emerson used a large [[Moog modular#Models|Moog modular synthesizer]] on stage but it was unreliable as heat affected its sound.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.popeye-x.com/tech/willalexander.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20001018050637/http://www.popeye-x.com/tech/willalexander.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=18 October 2000|title=On'Board with Keith Emerson|publisher=popeye-x.com|access-date=15 February 2012}}"Bob Moog told Keith that it would never work live and that he was out of his mind for trying to take it out on the road."</ref> Their performance on 9 December 1970 at the [[Lyceum Theatre, London|Lyceum Theatre]] in London was filmed and released in UK theatres in 1972 with added psychedelic effects including characters from [[Marvel Comics]].{{sfn|Macan|2006|p=137}}

During a break in their first tour in January 1971, Emerson, Lake & Palmer returned to Advision Studios with Offord to record their second album, ''[[Tarkus]]''. Friction between Emerson and Lake during the early recording sessions almost caused the group to disband as Lake disliked the material that Emerson was writing. Following a meeting with the band and management, Lake agreed to write his own songs and continue recording.{{sfn|Macan|2006|p=143}} The album was recorded in six days.<ref>{{cite journal|url=http://ladiesofthelake.com/cabinet/disc71.html|title=ELP, they're all absolutely shattered!|date=10 July 1971|first=Roy|last=Shipston|journal=Disc and Music Echo|access-date=18 December 2016|archive-date=5 April 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230405125433/http://ladiesofthelake.com/cabinet/disc71.html|url-status=usurped}}</ref> The album's first side is occupied by the 20-minute [[Tarkus (song)|title track]], a seven-part song based on reverse evolution that was recorded in four days. Its [[cover art]] was designed by painter and graphic designer [[William Neal]]. ''Tarkus'' was released in June 1971 and was a commercial success, reaching No. 1 in the UK and No. 9 in the US. The band resumed touring with their first North American tour, starting 24 April 1971 at [[Thiel College]] in [[Greenville, Pennsylvania]],{{sfn|Macan|2006|p=170}} and continued until the end of May. Further dates across Europe followed until the end of the year.

The band's third album, ''[[Pictures at an Exhibition (Emerson, Lake & Palmer album)|Pictures at an Exhibition]]'', was released as a budget album in the UK in November 1971. It features their version of the Mussorgsky suite performed live at [[Newcastle City Hall]] on 26 March 1971 plus the concert's encore, "Nut Rocker".{{sfn|Macan|2006|p=137}} It was to be released before ''Tarkus'', but the group delayed its release on purpose to show the music press and public that they could write their own songs, and were not merely "the band that did classical music".<ref name=beetle1974>{{cite web|url=http://ladiesofthelake.com/cabinet/beetle.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080516075421/http://ladiesofthelake.com/cabinet/beetle.html|url-status=usurped|archive-date=16 May 2008|title=Lucky Men|first=Robert|last=Bowman|magazine=Beetle|date=1974|access-date=20 December 2016}}</ref> Atlantic Records declined to release it in the US, claiming it would not sell or receive any radio airplay because of its classical orientation and offered to release it on its sister label [[Nonesuch Records]] which handled budget, classical, and avant-garde albums.<ref name=goldmine1996/> The band refused until Island imported 250,000 copies into the US which quickly sold, helped by radio DJ [[Scott Muni]] playing the entire album on [[WNEW-FM]] in New York City. The strong response prompted Atlantic to release it through Cotillion at full price in January 1972.<ref name=goldmine1996/> The album peaked at No. 3 in the UK and No. 10 in the US.{{sfn|Macan|2006|p=173}}

===1971–1974: ''Trilogy'' and ''Brain Salad Surgery''===
''[[Trilogy (Emerson, Lake & Palmer album)|Trilogy]]'', the band's third studio album, was recorded at Advision Studios with Offord between October 1971 and January 1972.{{sfn|Macan|2006|p=199}} Its cover art was designed by [[Storm Thorgerson]] and [[Aubrey Powell (designer)|Aubrey Powell]] of [[Hipgnosis]].{{sfn|Macan|2006|p=200}} "Hoedown" is an adaptation of ''Rodeo'' by [[Aaron Copland]]. Released in July 1972, ''Trilogy'' reached No. 2 in the UK and No. 5 in the US. "[[From the Beginning (song)|From the Beginning]]", an acoustic ballad featuring an extended synthesizer solo, was released as a single which reached No. 39 in the US.<ref name="US Charts">{{cite magazine|url={{BillboardURLbyName|artist=emerson, lake & palmer|chart=all}}|title=ELP USA chart history|magazine=Billboard |access-date=4 April 2012}}</ref> Lake has picked ''Trilogy'' as his favourite studio album by the band.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.vintagerock.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1305%3Athe-greg-lake-interview-2012&catid=3%3Ainterviews&Itemid=4|title=Vintage Rock Interview with Greg Lake|publisher=vintagerock.com|access-date=12 March 2012|quote=I do like Trilogy. It is my favorite ELP album. It couldn't be anyone else. It truly is a definitive album. It is the very best of ELP in a way. It's got flashes of all the best things of what we were.|archive-date=2 August 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180802162602/http://www.vintagerock.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1305%3Athe-greg-lake-interview-2012&catid=3%3Ainterviews&Itemid=4|url-status=live}}</ref> The album was supported with a North American tour in March and April 1972 which included a spot at the [[Mar y Sol Pop Festival]] in [[Manatí, Puerto Rico|Manatí]], Puerto Rico on 3 April.{{sfn|Macan|2006|p=237}} Following dates across Europe, including their first in Italy, the band performed at the [[Concert 10]] Festival at [[Pocono International Raceway]] in [[Long Pond, Pennsylvania]], on 9 July 1972. This was followed by their first dates in Japan where a riot broke out during the show in Osaka, causing the power to be cut and the group fleeing the stage.{{sfn|Macan|2006|pp=237–238}}

[[Image:Logo-Emerson, Lake and Palmer.svg|thumb|upright|Band logo designed by [[H. R. Giger]], introduced in 1973]]
In early 1973, the band formed their own record label, [[Manticore Records]], and purchased an abandoned cinema as their own rehearsal hall in [[Fulham]], London. In June 1973, Emerson, Lake & Palmer began recording ''[[Brain Salad Surgery]]'' in London at Advision and [[Olympic Studios]] which lasted until September that year. Offord was not present for the recording sessions as he was working with [[Yes (band)|Yes]], leaving engineering and mixing duties to [[Chris Kimsey]] and Geoff Young. Lake wrote the album's lyrics with [[Peter Sinfield]] and its sleeve was designed by [[H. R. Giger]] and includes the band's new logo. Formed of five tracks, the album includes a rendition of "[[And did those feet in ancient time#Emerson, Lake & Palmer version|Jerusalem]]" which features the debut of the [[Moog Apollo]], a prototype [[polyphonic synthesizer]]. "Toccata" is a cover of the fourth movement of Piano Concerto No. 1 by Argentine composer [[Alberto Ginastera]] and contains synthesised percussion in the form of an acoustic drum kit fitted with pick-ups that triggered electronic sounds. The 29-minute track "[[Karn Evil 9]]" is the longest song recorded by the group. ''Brain Salad Surgery'' was released in November 1973 and reached No. 2 in the UK and No. 11 in the US.

From November 1973 to August 1974, the band toured North America and Europe which saw them carry almost 40 tons of equipment.<ref>{{Cite journal|title=Welcome back my friends to the show that...|first=James|last=Johnson|journal=NME|date=27 April 1974|url=http://ladiesofthelake.com/cabinet/nme74.html|access-date=12 December 2015|archive-date=9 January 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160109120557/http://ladiesofthelake.com/cabinet/nme74.html|url-status=usurped}}</ref> On 6 April 1974, the band headlined the inaugural [[California Jam|California Jam Festival]] at the [[Ontario Motor Speedway]], California, to an attendance of 250,000 people. The show was filmed and broadcast across the US.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://donbranker.com/?q=node/11|title=Don Branker|publisher=donbranker.com|access-date=14 February 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181116034531/http://donbranker.com/?q=node%2F11|archive-date=16 November 2018|url-status=dead}}</ref> These shows exhibited a mix of virtuoso musicianship and over-the-top performances which some criticised as excessive, such as Emerson playing a piano as it spun, suspended, end-over-end; Palmer playing on a rotating drum platform; and Emerson throwing a Hammond organ around the stage to create [[Guitar feedback|feedback]]. Emerson often used a knife, given to him by [[Lemmy|Lemmy Kilmister]], who had roadied for the Nice, to force the keys on the organ to stay down.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/lemmy_kilmister/biography.php|title=Lemmy Kilmister Biography|publisher=rottentomatoes.com|access-date=15 February 2012|archive-date=15 August 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100815084811/http://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/lemmy_kilmister/biography.php|url-status=dead}}"According to Keith Emerson as written in his autobiography, two of Lemmy's Hitlerjugend knives were gifted to Keith Emerson himself during Lemmy's time spent as a roadie for the Nice. Emerson used these knives many times as "keyholders" during his famous wrestling sessions with the Hammond Organ during the shows with the Nice and Emerson, Lake & Palmer."</ref> The tour was one of the top concert draws during the 1973–1974 period.<ref>{{cite book |last=Stump |first=Paul |title=The Music's All that Matters: A History of Progressive Rock |date=1997 |publisher=Quartet Books Limited |isbn=0-7043-8036-6 |page=184}}</ref> Performances from Anaheim, California, were documented in the live album, ''[[Welcome Back, My Friends, to the Show That Never Ends ~ Ladies and Gentlemen]]'', released in August 1974 as a [[triple album|triple LP]]. The album peaked at No. 5 in the UK and No. 4 in the US.

===1974–1978: Hiatus and ''Works''===
After touring in 1974, the band took an extended break. The three members bought homes overseas and became [[tax exile]]s in the process, but Emerson suffered a setback in 1975 when his Sussex home burned down and lost most of his possessions. The ordeal left him depressed, and he later credited his bandmates in helping him recover from drug misuse.{{sfn|Forrester|Hanson|Askew|2001|p=98}}

They regrouped in 1976 to record ''[[Works Volume 1]]'' at [[Mountain Studios]] in [[Montreux]], Switzerland and [[EMI Studios]] in Paris, France. It is a double album with one side of an LP containing songs by each member and a fourth of group material. Much of the album was recorded with an orchestral accompaniment; Emerson's side consists of his 18-minute, three-movement "[[Piano Concerto No. 1 (Emerson)|Piano Concerto No. 1]]". Lake contributed five songs he co-wrote with Sinfield, and Palmer's includes two covers of classical pieces by [[Sergei Prokofiev]] and Bach as well as an orchestral remake of "Tank" from the group's debut album. One of the two group tracks, "[[Fanfare for the Common Man (Emerson, Lake & Palmer song)|Fanfare for the Common Man]]", is a cover of the same-titled [[Fanfare for the Common Man|orchestral piece]] by [[Aaron Copland]], who gave permission to have the band release it. ''Works Volume 1'' was released in March 1977 and peaked at No. 9 in the UK and No. 12 in the US. A single of "Fanfare for the Common Man" was released and reached No. 2 in the UK, the band's highest charting UK single.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Artists|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/search/artists/emerson,-lake-&-palmer/|access-date=25 February 2023|website=www.officialcharts.com}}</ref> In November 1977, ''[[Works Volume 2]]'' was released as a compilation of shorter tracks recorded from 1973 to 1976 during various album recording sessions. The album was not as commercially successful as the band's previous albums; it reached No. 20 in the UK and No. 37 in the US. Three tracks from the album were released as singles: "[[Tiger in a Spotlight]]", "Maple Leaf Rag", and "Watching Over You".

[[File:Emerson Lake and Palmer three.jpg|thumb|left|Palmer performing on the ''Works'' tour, in 1978]]
The two ''Works'' albums were supported by North American tours which lasted from May 1977 to February 1978, spanning over 120 dates.{{sfn|Macan|2006|p=415}} The original plan was to have an orchestra on stage with the band each night, but the idea was dropped after 11 shows due to the high costs and difficulties with the orchestra unions. The 64-piece orchestra and choir were formed from the 500 who auditioned for a position.<ref>{{Cite journal|title=Ladies and Gentlemen... Emerson, Lake & Palmer (Part One)|first=Barbara|last=Charone|date=September 1977|journal=Gig|url=http://ladiesofthelake.com/cabinet/77Tour.html|access-date=12 December 2015|archive-date=4 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304090903/http://ladiesofthelake.com/cabinet/77Tour.html|url-status=usurped}}</ref><ref name=PEOPLE77>{{cite magazine|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150919213652/http://ladiesofthelake.com/cabinet/people.html|url=http://ladiesofthelake.com/cabinet/people.html|magazine=People|date=1 August 1977|title=For a Song|first=Jim|last=Jerome|access-date=17 December 2022|url-status=usurped|archive-date=19 September 2015}}</ref> The orchestra was used two other times on the tour: for three dates at [[Madison Square Garden]] in New York City and the August 1977 show at the [[Olympic Stadium (Montreal)|Olympic Stadium]] in Montreal that was attended by an estimated 78,000 people, the highest attended Emerson, Lake & Palmer concert as a solo act.{{sfn|Macan|2006|p=401}} The concert was filmed and released as a live album in 1979 entitled ''[[Emerson, Lake & Palmer in Concert]]'' that reached No. 73 in the US. Emerson wished for a double album release, but Atlantic Records decided against it due to the band's pending dissolution at its time of release. In 1993, the album was repackaged with additional tracks as ''Works Live'', and put out on video in 1998.{{sfn|Macan|2006|p=401}} Emerson later said that his insistence on the band using an orchestra was a mistake, but he was unwilling to tour without one. Lake looked back on this period as the beginning of the end of the group's original run.<ref name=goldmine1996/>

===1978–1979: ''Love Beach'' and first break-up===
After their 1977–78 tour, the band discussed their next move. Emerson recalled that in order for the group to continue, "we would have to do a lot of cutting down" and considered the possibility of producing music with just a piano, bass guitar, and drums.{{sfn|Macan|2006|p=417}} As the group were contractually obliged to record one more studio album, the band relocated to Emerson's home near [[Nassau, Bahamas|Nassau]] in the [[Bahamas]] and recorded ''[[Love Beach]]'' at the nearby [[Compass Point Studios]] in 1978.{{sfn|Macan|2006|p=237}} Lake did not carry out the production duties, leaving Emerson to complete the record on his own after his bandmates returned home when recording was complete.{{sfn|Macan|2006|p=419}} The album has been dismissed by the band, who explained it was produced to fulfil a contractual obligation.<ref>{{cite video |people=Emerson Lake & Palmer |year=2008 |title=Beyond The Beginning |url=http://www.emersonlakepalmer.com/beyondbegin_press.htm |medium=DVD |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090620063424/http://www.emersonlakepalmer.com/beyondbegin_press.htm |archive-date=20 June 2009 }}</ref> Sinfield is credited on the majority of the tracks as a lyricist except "Canario", an instrumental based on ''[[Fantasía para un gentilhombre]]'' by Spanish composer [[Joaquín Rodrigo]]. The second side is taken up with "Memoirs of an Officer and a Gentleman", a four-part 20-minute track that tells a [[coming of age]] story of a soldier during the [[World War II]]-era.{{sfn|Macan|2006|p=419}} Its cover is a photograph of the group at a beach off an island from [[Salt Cay, Turks Islands]], "decked out as bare-chested late-seventies disco stars".{{sfn|Macan|2006|p=419}} Despite Emerson expressing his disapproval on the album's title and cover to Ertegun, neither was changed.{{sfn|Macan|2006|p=419}}

''Love Beach'' was released in November 1978 and was poorly received by the music press. "All I Want Is You" was released as a single in the UK, but failed to chart. It did sell enough to be certified gold in the US for 500,000 copies sold, in January 1979.<ref name=RIAA/> In early 1979, Palmer attempted to organise a farewell summer tour and have the group disband at its conclusion. Due to internal problems, such as "what we should play and how we should play it", the tour never materialised.{{sfn|Macan|2006|p=432}} The band made no announcement of their break-up,<ref name=LAT82>{{cite news|url=https://elparchive.com/articles/1982-01-24%20Los%20Angeles%20Times.jpg|title=Greg Lake tests new solo wings|first=Dennis|last=Hunt|date=24 January 1982|newspaper=Los Angeles Times|access-date=16 December 2022}}</ref> and Palmer moved on by forming a band, PM, which released one album entitled ''1PM''.<ref>{{cite web |title=Carl Palmer |url=http://www.emersonlakepalmer.com/CPBiography.html |website=Emerson, Lake & Palmer |access-date=24 July 2018 |archive-date=23 November 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181123233520/http://emersonlakepalmer.com/CPBiography.html |url-status=dead }}</ref>

===1985–1989: Related activity===
In 1985, Emerson and Lake formed [[Emerson, Lake & Powell]] with former [[Rainbow (rock band)|Rainbow]] drummer [[Cozy Powell]]. Palmer declined to participate in a reunion as he was busy with commitments with [[Asia (band)|Asia]]. Rumours also linked [[Bill Bruford]] to their new line-up, but he was committed to [[King Crimson]] and [[Earthworks (band)|Earthworks]]. The group's only album, ''[[Emerson, Lake & Powell (album)|Emerson Lake & Powell]]'', was released in June 1986 and charted at No. 35 in the UK and No. 23 in the US. The single "Touch and Go" went to No. 60 in the US and No. 2 on the ''Billboard'' [[Mainstream Rock (chart)|Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks]] chart. The trio toured the album in 1986, playing material by the Nice and Emerson, Lake & Palmer.

In 1988, Emerson and Palmer joined with [[Robert Berry]] to form the band [[3 (1980s band)|3]]. They released an album, ''[[To the Power of Three]]'', in 1988.

===1990–1998: Re-formation, ''Black Moon'', ''In the Hot Seat'', and second break-up===
In 1990, former [[Atlantic Records]] executive [[Phil Carson]] approached Emerson, Lake & Palmer to reunite and produce music for a proposed film. The project never developed, but the trio remained in London and started to come up with new musical ideas. The sessions were productive, with the band working as much as five to six days a week for three months, which convinced them to abandon soundtrack work in favour of putting out a new album.<ref name=TR92>{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/114703212/elp-1992/|title=Emerson Lake & Palmer: 3 Men and a Reunion|first=Barbara|last=Jaeger|date=24 July 1992|newspaper=The Record|page=3|via=[[Newspapers.com]]|access-date=16 December 2022}}</ref> By mid-1991, Carson had secured them with a two-album deal with his new independent label, Victory Music.<ref name=TR92/><ref name=CP92>{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/114703997/elp-1992/|title=Emerson Lake & Palmer band together again|first=Chuck|last=Darrow|date=23 July 1992|pages=1D–2D|newspaper=Courier-Post|via=[[Newspapers.com]]|access-date=16 December 2022|archive-date=9 October 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241009030726/https://www.newspapers.com/article/courier-post-elp-1992/114703997/|url-status=live}}</ref> Lake's voice had deepened by this point, and the band took greater care in the key that songs were written to better suit his vocals. They also utilised modern recording technology to complement the songs, including MIDI and digital sampling, which Palmer said kept their material fresh.<ref name=TR92/> Atlantic capitalised on the reunion by releasing ''The Atlantic Years'', a two-and-a-half hour compilation of their early material.<ref name=TR92/>

[[File:Emerson, Lake & Palmer 01.jpg|thumb|Emerson, Lake and Palmer performing in 1992]]
''[[Black Moon (album)|Black Moon]]'' was released in July 1992; it peaked at No. 78 in the US but failed to chart in the UK. The group supported it with a world tour between July 1992 and April 1993, which included their first shows in England since 1974. The concerts at London's [[Royal Albert Hall]] were broadcast on BBC radio and released as a live album in 1993, entitled ''[[Live at the Royal Albert Hall (Emerson, Lake and Palmer album)|Live at the Royal Albert Hall]]''. The shows were also filmed and subsequently released on DVD. Later in 1993, Victory Music released ''[[The Return of the Manticore]]'' a 4-disc box set retrospective of the band's career and previously unreleased studio tracks, including a new studio recording of "Pictures at an Exhibition" in Dolby surround sound.

The band's final studio album, ''[[In the Hot Seat]]'', was released in September 1994. Victory Music was in financial trouble by this time, as albums by fellow label acts [[Tin Machine]] and [[Yes (band)|Yes]] failed to generate strong enough sales, causing Victory and producer [[Keith Olsen]] to put pressure on Emerson to make a more commercially oriented album with the band.{{sfn|Forrester|Hanson|Askew|2001|p=164}} When Emerson reluctantly agreed, Victory and Olsen brought in several individuals to assist in the songwriting; Olsen received a credit on four tracks and [[Bill Wray (composer)|Bill Wray]] on two.{{sfn|Forrester|Hanson|Askew|2001|p=165}} In the summer of 1994, the band cancelled an upcoming North American and Japanese tour, and the group split for a short period to pursue solo projects.{{sfn|Forrester|Hanson|Askew|2001|p=166}} Emerson underwent surgery to correct a compressed nerve in his arm in October, which left him able to play at only half his previous capacity.{{sfn|Forrester|Hanson|Askew|2001|p=171}} Palmer also had an operation to fix his [[carpal tunnel syndrome]]. Initial plans to commemorate the band's 25th anniversary in 1995 were shelved. Following the demise of Victory Music, their back catalogue transferred to [[Rhino Records]].{{sfn|Forrester|Hanson|Askew|2001|p=173}}

Emerson and Palmer eventually recovered enough to start touring again from August 1996, beginning with a 33-date US tour opening for [[Jethro Tull (band)|Jethro Tull]]. This was followed by a Japanese tour in October, where the group played a full set.{{sfn|Forrester|Hanson|Askew|2001|p=176}} In 1997, the band completed a 50-date world tour.{{sfn|Forrester|Hanson|Askew|2001|p=177}} It is noted for Emerson's [[Hammond organ]] catching fire during the show in Boston. The remains were donated to the [[Rock and Roll Hall of Fame]].{{sfn|Forrester|Hanson|Askew|2001|p=177}} In May 1998, Lake's manager announced that the band had started work on a new studio album. This was followed by a North American tour in August as openers for [[Deep Purple]] and [[Dream Theater]], which included the "Tarkus" suite performed in its entirety for the first time since 1974.{{sfn|Forrester|Hanson|Askew|2001|p=178}} After the tour, friction arose within the group as Lake wanted to relinquish his role as producer on the new album, and blamed the band's recent creative lull on this fact. Emerson and Palmer were against the idea, and claimed Lake had not presented any tangible material for them to work on despite knowing he was collecting ideas for a solo album. The rift resulted in the trio's split by the end of 1998, and a tour booked for the spring of 1999 was cancelled.{{sfn|Forrester|Hanson|Askew|2001|p=178}}

===2010–present: 40th anniversary concert, deaths of Emerson and Lake, and aftermath===
In April and May 2010, Emerson and Lake embarked on a North American tour, 'Manticore Hall', with stripped-down versions of Emerson, Lake & Palmer, the Nice, and King Crimson songs. It originated when the pair got together at Lake's home studio earlier in the year to write new songs. When they stopped for a break, they occasionally played an Emerson, Lake & Palmer song which led to the idea of recreating it on stage as it gave the songs a different feel to the originals.<ref name=INNER11/> The first show of the tour was cancelled at the last minute following a backstage argument between Emerson and Lake, and the following two dates were subsequently cancelled.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cleveland.com/popmusic/2010/04/keith_emerson_and_greg_lake_ab.html|title=Keith Emerson and Greg Lake abruptly call off concert Thursday night at Lakewood Civic Auditorium|first=John|last=Soedera|date=2 April 2010|access-date=20 August 2025|work=Cleveland Plain Dealer}}</ref> Later in 2010, the 4-CD box set ''[[A Time and a Place]]'' was released that features live tracks from 1970 to 1998. Two archival concerts followed in 2011: ''[[Live at Nassau Coliseum '78]]'' and ''[[Live at the Mar Y Sol Festival '72]]''.<ref>{{cite web |last=Adams |first=Bret |url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/live-at-the-mar-y-sol-festival-72-r2322205 |title=Live at the Mar y Sol Festival '72 – Emerson, Lake & Palmer |website=AllMusic |access-date=28 March 2012 |archive-date=31 December 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111231023614/http://allmusic.com/album/live-at-the-mar-y-sol-festival-72-r2322205 |url-status=live }}</ref>

In September 2009, Palmer announced that the band had planned to reform earlier in the year, but it had to be pushed back for Emerson to receive medical attention on one of his hands.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.business-live.co.uk/retail-consumer/emerson-lake-palmer-planning-reunion-3940027|title=Emerson, Lake and Palmer planning reunion tour|publisher=Business Live|first=Tony|last=Collins|date=18 September 2009|access-date=19 December 2022}}</ref> The three got together for a one-off concert for their 40th anniversary, headlining the [[High Voltage Festival]] at London's [[Victoria Park, Tower Hamlets|Victoria Park]] on 25 July 2010. The show was recorded and filmed; a live album was released as ''[[High Voltage (Emerson, Lake & Palmer album)|High Voltage]]''. The DVD and Blu-ray of the concert followed in August 2011, which also contained a documentary on the band's career.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://audaud.com/2011/11/emerson-lake-and-palmer%E2%80%A6welcome-back-my-friends-40th-anniversary-reunion-concert/ |title=Emerson, Lake & Palmer... Welcome Back My Friends: 40th Anniversary Reunion Concert (2010/2011) – Audiophile Audition |publisher=Audaud.com |access-date=28 March 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120406104527/http://audaud.com/2011/11/emerson-lake-and-palmer%E2%80%A6welcome-back-my-friends-40th-anniversary-reunion-concert/ |archive-date=6 April 2012 }}</ref> Lake said that despite the band having "tremendous technical problems" on stage and struggled at points, the audience were enthusiastic and people enjoyed their performance.<ref name=INNER11>{{cite web|url=https://www.innerviews.org/inner/lake.html|title=Greg Lake: New Perspectives|publisher=Innerviews|first=Anil|last=Prasad|date=2011|access-date=19 December 2022|archive-date=9 October 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241009030754/https://www.innerviews.org/inner/lake-1|url-status=live}}</ref> Palmer held a more critical view, and said the group rehearsed for five weeks before the show, which he initially considered excessive, but upon hearing the recording, "maybe five weeks was not long enough. It wasn't to the standard that I liked and I didn't think it sounded that good."<ref name=UCR13>{{cite web|url=https://ultimateclassicrock.com/carl-palmer-2010-elp-reunion/|title=Carl Palmer says failed 2010 show killed chances for larger ELP reunion|publisher=Ultimate Classic Rock|first=Nick|last=DeRiso|date=11 April 2013|access-date=19 December 2022}}</ref>

Following their 2010 reunion, the band expressed differing opinions regarding their future. In early 2010, Emerson and Lake had not ruled out further Emerson, Lake & Palmer concerts or the possibility of a new studio album; the former said: "I see no reason why we shouldn't be doing more."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cleveland.com/popmusic/2010/03/keith_emerson_and_greg_lake_la.html|title=Keith Emerson and Greg Lake launch two-man tour Thursday, April 1, at Lakewood Civic Auditorium|publisher=Cleveland.com|first=John|last=Soeder|date=25 March 2010|access-date=19 December 2022|archive-date=19 December 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221219180058/https://www.cleveland.com/popmusic/2010/03/keith_emerson_and_greg_lake_la.html|url-status=live}}</ref> In 2011, Lake said that Emerson and he were open to the idea of more group activity, but acknowledged Palmer's more negative comments to the press shortly before the 40th anniversary concert. Lake said: "I don't know why Carl has a propensity to dwell on negative issues... Keith and I have had our differences over the years, but we've certainly put them behind us and just forgot about them... I'm waiting for Carl to reach the point of wisdom in his life when he realises that carrying around grudges from the past is pointless."<ref name=INNER11/> In 2012, Lake was unsure that a reunion could take place: "I doubt very much it will happen because I don't think Carl and Keith are in that same frame of mind."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://vintagerock.com/the-greg-lake-interview-2012/|title=The Greg Lake Interview (2012)|first=Shawn|last=Perry|date=2012|publisher=Vintage Rock|access-date=19 December 2022|archive-date=19 December 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221219191604/https://vintagerock.com/the-greg-lake-interview-2012/|url-status=live}}</ref> In 2013, Palmer revealed that he put a stop on further group plans.<ref name=UCR13/>

In December 2010, Emerson, Lake & Palmer signed a worldwide licensing deal with [[Sony Music Entertainment]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.classicrockmagazine.com/news/elp-sign-major-new-deal/ |title=ELP Sign Major New Deal |work=Classic Rock Magazine |date=11 December 2010 |access-date=9 July 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101215002748/http://www.classicrockmagazine.com/news/elp-sign-major-new-deal/ |archive-date=15 December 2010 }}</ref> In 2012, they secured a new back catalogue agreement with American-based [[Razor & Tie]],<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.razorandtie.com/news/legendary-prog-rockers-emerson-lake-palmer-razor-tie-announce-exclusive-new-catalog-partnership/ |title=Legendary Prog Rockers Emerson, Lake & Palmer and Razor & Tie Announce Exclusive New Catalog Partner |publisher=RazorandTie.com |date=21 February 2012 |access-date=25 February 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120225051917/http://www.razorandtie.com/news/legendary-prog-rockers-emerson-lake-palmer-razor-tie-announce-exclusive-new-catalog-partnership |archive-date=25 February 2012 }}</ref> and acquired a worldwide catalogue distribution deal with [[BMG Rights Management]] three years later.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/bmg-signs-emerson-lake-palmer-global-catalogue-deal/|title=BMG signs Emerson, Lake & Palmer global catalogue deal – Music Business Worldwide|date=25 November 2015|access-date=27 November 2015|archive-date=4 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304092401/http://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/bmg-signs-emerson-lake-palmer-global-catalogue-deal/|url-status=live}}</ref>

On 11 March 2016, Emerson died by suicide from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to his head.<ref name=savage>{{cite web|last1=Savage|first1=Mark|title=Keith Emerson's death ruled suicide|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-35806414|website=BBC News|publisher=BBC|date=15 March 2016 |access-date=15 March 2016 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160315142625/http://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-35806414 |archive-date=15 March 2016}}</ref> On 7 December, Lake died from cancer.<ref name="nytobit">{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/12/08/arts/music/greg-lake-dies.html?_r=0 |title=Greg Lake, of King Crimson and Emerson, Lake and Palmer, Dies at 69 |first=William |last=Grimes |author-link=William Grimes (journalist) |newspaper=[[The New York Times]] |date=8 December 2016 |access-date=4 March 2022 |archive-date=7 February 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180207031610/https://www.nytimes.com/2016/12/08/arts/music/greg-lake-dies.html?_r=0 |url-status=live }}</ref>

In October 2021, Rocket 88 Books released ''Emerson, Lake & Palmer'', the first official book about the band that was made in co-operation with Palmer and Emerson and Lake's families, with Palmer as executive editor. It was available in three editions, Classic, Signature, and Ultimate, all containing rare and previously unpublished interviews and photographs.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.loudersound.com/news/watch-carl-palmer-unbox-the-elp-book-in-new-video|title=Watch Carl Palmer unbox the ELP book in new video|first=Jerry|last=Ewing|date=28 October 2021|publisher=Loudersound|access-date=21 December 2022|archive-date=9 October 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241009030834/https://www.loudersound.com/news/watch-carl-palmer-unbox-the-elp-book-in-new-video|url-status=live}}</ref>

==Influence and appraisal==
A 2016 retrospective review in ''[[Rolling Stone]]'' listed "10 Essential Songs by EL&P" and noted, "ELP became one of rock's first supergroups upon forming in 1970…The result was a stretch of albums…that turned prog from a black-light-in-the-basement listening experience into a stadium-filling phenomenon. At their heart was Emerson, whose eternal quest for a bigger, grander sound (thanks to a bank of organs and synthesizers that grew to resemble a fortress onstage) helped make ELP one of the most accomplished and absorbing bands rock ever birthed."<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/emerson-lake-and-palmer-10-essential-songs-80360/|title=Emerson, Lake and Palmer: 10 Essential Songs|last1=Epstein|first1=Dan|last2=Gehr|first2=Richard|date=11 March 2016|magazine=[[Rolling Stone]]|access-date=7 March 2019|last3=Heller|first3=Jason|archive-date=8 March 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190308081115/https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/emerson-lake-and-palmer-10-essential-songs-80360/|url-status=live}}</ref> [[Koji Kondo]], Nintendo's first video game composer, cited ELP as a major influence on his work.<ref>{{cite web|date=31 January 2015|title=Weirdness: Legendary Composer Koji Kondo Drew Inspiration From '70s Rock Bands|url=https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2015/01/weirdness_legendary_composer_koji_kondo_drew_inspiration_from_70s_rock_bands|access-date=18 October 2021|website=Nintendo Life|language=en-GB|archive-date=9 October 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241009030800/https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2015/01/weirdness_legendary_composer_koji_kondo_drew_inspiration_from_70s_rock_bands|url-status=live}}</ref> [[Nobuo Uematsu]], best known for scoring the majority of titles in the ''[[Final Fantasy]]'' series, cites ELP as one of his influences.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nobuouematsu.com/bob.html|title=Interview by Bob Rork|publisher=nobuouematsu.com|access-date=30 May 2008|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080821115948/http://www.nobuouematsu.com/bob.html|archive-date=21 August 2008}}</ref> The trio are described as "genuinely classically aware, and openly demonstrated their respect for classical music." They are said to have "formed a genuine fusion between rock and jazz" and were noted for their "virtuosity and their uninhibited aggression."<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2016/mar/12/how-keith-emersons-inventiveness-influenced-my-musical-career |title=How Keith Emerson's inventiveness influenced my musical career |work=The Guardian |date=12 March 2016 |accessdate=4 November 2021 |archive-date=12 March 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160312173344/http://www.theguardian.com/music/2016/mar/12/how-keith-emersons-inventiveness-influenced-my-musical-career |url-status=live }}</ref>

Despite their success and influence, ELP received criticism from some music critics, one citing a popular joke from the 1970s: "How do you spell pretentious? E-L-P."<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1992-08-26-ca-6085-story.html |work=Los Angeles Times |first=Steve |last=Hochman |title=That 'Pretentious' Trio ELP Is Back on the Rock Scene: Pop music: After splitting up in 1978, Emerson, Lake & Palmer are together again for 'Black Moon,' their first album ... |date=26 August 1992 |access-date=13 August 2024 |archive-date=9 October 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241009030726/https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1992-08-26-ca-6085-story.html |url-status=live }}</ref> [[Robert Christgau]] said of the band in ''[[Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies|Rock Albums of the Seventies]]'' (1981), "these guys are as stupid as their most pretentious fans", also calling them the "world's most overweening 'progressive' group".<ref name="robertchristgau1">{{cite web|url=http://www.robertchristgau.com/get_artist.php?name=emerson+lake+and+palmer |title=CG: emerson lake and palmer |publisher=Robert Christgau |access-date=15 July 2011}}</ref> John Kelman of ''[[All About Jazz]]'' noted that an "overbearing sense of self-importance turned ELP from one of the 1970s' most exciting new groups into the definition of masturbatory excess and self-aggrandizement in only a few short years."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=37205&pg=2 |title=Emerson, Lake & Palmer: Pictures At An Exhibition – Special Edition |publisher=Allaboutjazz.com |date=14 August 2010 |access-date=15 July 2011}}</ref> Kelman also stated that "in their fall from grace, [ELP] represented everything wrong with progressive rock."<ref>{{Cite web|date=25 June 2010|title=Emerson, Lake & Palmer: A Time and a Place album review|url=https://www.allaboutjazz.com/emerson-lake-and-palmer-a-time-and-a-place-by-john-kelman/|access-date=25 February 2023|website=All About Jazz|language=en|archive-date=29 January 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230129190955/https://www.allaboutjazz.com/emerson-lake-and-palmer-a-time-and-a-place-by-john-kelman|url-status=live}}</ref> Paul Stump, in his ''History of Progressive Rock'', likewise attributed ELP's infamy to their decadent activities during progressive rock's fall from favour: "What prompted ELP to do what they did to their listeners, their critics and ultimately themselves in 1977 can only be guessed at. What is certain is that it consigned them to eternal rock notoriety. Even discounting [[Punk rock|Punk]], had not the musical climate changed enough to convince them that epics were out of fashion, both on record and in concert?"<ref>{{cite book |last=Stump |first=Paul |title=The Music's All that Matters: A History of Progressive Rock |date=1997 |publisher=Quartet Books Limited |isbn=0-7043-8036-6 |pages=215–8}}</ref> DJ [[John Peel]] went so far as to describe the band as "a tragic waste of talent and electricity".<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/music/reviews/9bvr/ |title=The world's most reviled proggers (after Rush) get the deluxe retrospective treatment... |publisher=BBC |access-date=9 October 2012 |archive-date=13 February 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110213085309/http://www.bbc.co.uk/music/reviews/9bvr |url-status=live }}</ref> In an appraisal of the band's legacy, ''[[PopMatters]]'' journalist Sean Murphy said ELP "wore immoderation like a badge of courage",<ref>{{Cite web |date=19 September 2014 |title=How About Some Unironic Love for Emerson, Lake & Palmer? |url=https://www.popmatters.com/185681-how-about-some-unironic-love-for-emerson-lake-palmer-2495616855.html |access-date=4 November 2023 |website=PopMatters |language=en-US |archive-date=6 April 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230406115857/https://www.popmatters.com/185681-how-about-some-unironic-love-for-emerson-lake-palmer-2495616855.html |url-status=live }}</ref> regardless of whether they were loved or loathed:
{{Blockquote|Here are three words that strike fear in the hearts of all those allergic to prog rock: Emerson. Lake. Palmer. Popular enough to have several songs still in the regular FM rotation, obscure enough to be forever relegated as one of "those" bands from a certain time and place (the '70s), ambitious enough to attempt things few if any other bands did, for better or worse, pretentious enough to earn the full-throated derision of holier-than-thou tastemakers. And album art awful enough to ensure they will never be forgotten, for better or worse.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.popmatters.com/185681-how-about-some-unironic-love-for-emerson-lake-palmer-2495616855.html|title=How About Some Unironic Love for Emerson, Lake & Palmer?|website=[[PopMatters]]|date=19 September 2014|access-date=August 13, 2019|archive-date=24 November 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181124111359/https://www.popmatters.com/185681-how-about-some-unironic-love-for-emerson-lake-palmer-2495616855.html|url-status=live}}</ref>}}

== Band members ==
{{Main|List of ELP band members}}
* [[Keith Emerson]] – piano, [[Clavinet]], [[Hammond organ]] C3 and L100, [[Moog synthesizer|Moog modular]], [[Minimoog]], [[pipe organ]], [[celesta]], [[accordion]] (1970–1979, 1991–1998, 2010, 2010–2011; died 2016)
* [[Greg Lake]] – bass, double bass, [[Acoustic guitar|acoustic]] and electric guitar, [[Appalachian dulcimer]], harmonica, vocals (1970–1979, 1991–1998, 2010, 2010–2011; died 2016)
* [[Carl Palmer]] – drums, percussion, [[hammered dulcimer]] (1970–1979, 1991–1998, 2010, 2010–2011)

==Discography==
{{Main|Emerson, Lake & Palmer discography}}

'''Main studio and live discography'''
{{div col}} 
*''[[Emerson, Lake & Palmer (album)|Emerson, Lake & Palmer]]'' (1970)
*''[[Tarkus]]'' (1971)
*''[[Pictures at an Exhibition (Emerson, Lake & Palmer album)|Pictures at an Exhibition]]'' (1971, live)<!-- The consensus is that the Pictures at an Exhibition album is sufficiently canon to be listed on the main page; see [[Talk:Emerson, Lake & Palmer/Archive 1#Pictures at an Exhibition]]. If you disagree, open a discussion to change the consensus. -->
*''[[Trilogy (Emerson, Lake & Palmer album)|Trilogy]]'' (1972)
*''[[Brain Salad Surgery]]'' (1973)
*''[[Works Volume 1]]'' (1977)
*''[[Works Volume 2]]'' (1977)
*''[[Love Beach]]'' (1978)
*''[[Black Moon (album)|Black Moon]]'' (1992)
*''[[In the Hot Seat]]'' (1994)
{{div col end}}

==References==
{{reflist|colwidth=30em}}

'''Sources'''
*{{cite book|last1=Forrester|first1=George|last2=Hanson|first2=Martyn|last3=Askew|first3=Frank|title=Emerson, Lake & Palmer: The Show That Never Ends – A Musical Biography|year=2001|publisher=Helter Skelter|isbn=978-1-900-92417-7}}

*{{cite book|title=The Plymouth Book of Days|first=John|last=Van der Kiste|date=2012|publisher=The History Press|isbn=978-0-7524-8597-3|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=C407AwAAQBAJ&q=emerson+lake+palmer+plymouth+1970+%22the+earth%22&pg=PT248}}
*{{Cite book |last=Macan |first=Edward |title=Endless Enigma: A Musical Biography of Emerson, Lake & Palmer |year=2006 |publisher=Open Court Publishing Company |isbn=0-8126-9596-8}}

==Further reading==
*{{Citation | last1 =Emerson | first1 =Keith | author-link =Keith Emerson | last2 =Lake | first2 =Greg | author-link2 =Greg Lake | last3 =Palmer | first3 =Carl | author-link3 =Carl Palmer | title =Emerson, Lake & Palmer | place =London | publisher =Rocket88 | year =2021 | isbn =978-1-910978-64-1}}
*{{Citation | last1 =Emerson | first1 =Keith | author-link =Keith Emerson | last2 =Lake | first2 =Greg | author-link2 =Greg Lake | last3 =Palmer | first3 =Carl | author-link3 =Carl Palmer | title =Emerson Lake & Palmer Pictures At An Exhibition: in-depth | place =Bedford | publisher =Wymer Publishing | year =2021 | isbn =978-1-912782-67-3}}
*{{cite book |last=Freeman |first=Garry |title=Do You Wanna Play Some Magic?: Emerson, Lake & Palmer in Concert 1970–1979 – A Live History |year=2012 |publisher=Soundcheck Books |isbn=978-0-9566420-8-0 }}
*{{Citation | last1 =Emerson | first1 =Keith | author-link =Keith Emerson | last2 =Lake | first2 =Greg | author-link2 =Greg Lake | last3 =Palmer | first3 =Carl | author-link3 =Carl Palmer | title =Greatest hits | place =New York| publisher =Amsco| year =1996| isbn =978-0-8256-1536-8}} (Musical scores for vocals, piano and guitar)

==External links==
{{cc}}
*{{Official website|http://www.emersonlakeandpalmer.com/}}
*{{AllMusic|class=artist|id=p4186}}

{{Emerson, Lake & Palmer}}
{{Greg Lake}}
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