Carl Palmer first gained consideration as drummer with The Loopy World Of Arthur Brown, after which Atomic Rooster, earlier than securing immortality with Emerson Lake & Palmer. He’s additionally a co-founding member of Asia and spent three intervals with the prog supergroup, the newest ending in 2022.
In 2011 he answered Prog’s questions in regards to the earlier yr’s ELP reunion on the inaugural Excessive Voltage Competition in London, his emotions about Keith Emerson and Greg Lake (who each died in 2016) and his longing to play heavier music.
Your solo group is about to undertake its first tour of the UK in six years. Why so lengthy?
I’ve been fairly busy with Asia and the solo band has been to US twice with a 3rd go to just a few days away. We used to tour right here yearly but it surely’s changing into tougher to try this. We nonetheless play quite a bit in Italy as a result of ELP had been greater than the Sistine Chapel over there.
The solo band is a three-piece, with guitarist Paul Bielatowicz deciphering the keyboard components with which we’re so acquainted.
Initially of ELP we appeared round for a guitar participant however we couldn’t discover one with the approach or capabilities. In some methods, I nonetheless want we’d had a guitar in ELP. It might have given us one thing extra – which isn’t to demean Keith – but it surely may need taken us down a distinct street.
Paul Bielatowicz has been with me for seven years. I didn’t go down the route of utilizing keyboards and having a vocalist once more as a result of why copy ELP? I went fully the opposite manner. It’s youthful, more energizing and extra thrilling; it’s prog rock with a powerful metallic streak, which I like.
On this tour you’re revisiting Photos At An Exhibition.
It’s one thing I’ve liked because the age of seven and I’m actually trying ahead to enjoying it with a prog-rock-metal energy trio.
Listening to you speak with such affection of tougher music is fascinating!
I’ve at all times needed to be a bit harder-edged. I like classical, rock and pop music, however heavy metallic is nice. I’ve by no means been in a metallic band; that is the closest I’ve ever come to that. A number of these bands bore me, however Pantera and Dream Theater are nice.
Speaking to us after ELP’s reunion present on the Excessive Voltage pageant, which marked the band’s fortieth anniversary, you stated it appeared like “an effective way to complete issues.”
As any person to work with he’s fairly laborious… only a very gradual individual
Carl Palmer on Greg Lake
I nonetheless really feel that manner. After 12 years away it was nice to return again – however folks become old and a few don’t do what they did in addition to they used to.
I’ve listened to the Excessive Voltage CD and I do know it’s lower than the usual at which we stopped. Had it been so, I’d have fortunately continued, but it surely wasn’t. That was fairly laborious for me to swallow. However we’ve left an incredible legacy.
Did you get pleasure from enjoying the present?
Sure, however we had to make use of sequencers for issues that couldn’t be coated. It labored – partly. For me, it was a little bit of a disgrace to see folks so nervous about enjoying. We’d achieved 5 weeks of rehearsal, which for me, as somebody that performs 90 live shows a yr, was ridiculous. I used to be able to roll. However for others, six days every week for 5 weeks in an plane hangar at Shepperton Studios was inadequate rehearsal time – I do know that now.
A DVD of the gig is about to be launched. Was some ‘fixing’ achieved?
Yeah, there was some severe fixing up. Keith went in and did what he may do to his keyboard components.
Are you able to describe your relationship with the 2 ELP bandmates? Firstly, Greg Lake?
As any person to work with he’s fairly laborious. He’s gradual; very gradual. Only a very gradual individual. There are fairly just a few bass gamers like that – besides John Wetton, who’s the other.
He doesn’t care in regards to the enterprise aspect of issues, so he will get confused
Carl Palmer on Keith Emerson
And Keith Emerson?
Keith’s very entertaining and jovial. A humorous man. He’s very a lot into enjoying music however doesn’t care a lot in regards to the enterprise aspect of issues, so he will get confused as a result of musicians nowadays want an entire understanding of all the pieces that goes on.
Regardless of being 61 years outdated you’re extremely nicely preserved. What’s the key – some sort of pact with the Satan?
You need to see me very first thing within the morning; it’s a little bit of a wrestle! I’m positively getting older however I’ve stopped dying my hair after seeing some current images of Paul McCartney. I don’t drink lots of alcohol and I’ve by no means smoked. I’ve achieved a good quantity of medicine, nothing heavy, however I attempted most issues. I eat nicely and I run and swim, which positively helps.
