Keith Emerson dies

[hsosdrum]

So far, 2016 is turning into an exceptionally awful year when it comes to rock musicians passing.

Emerson was THE most innovative keyboard player in rock history; for one thing, he was the first to show that the Moog synthesizer could be used in live performances (back when you had to patch together modules to make sounds and could only play one note at a time). His technical facility and ability to fuse serious music with rock were second to none, and he was without doubt the rock keyboardist who played with the most showmanship. His sense of melodic invention was uncanny (the synth solo in the original version of "Tank" sounds like a sax solo from some post-apocalyptic future (go here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i-VtGV3FnF0 — the solo begins at 4:14).

I was lucky enough to have seen ELP live three times: in 1971 at the Hollywood Bowl (with Edgar Winter's White Trash and the original Humble Pie; you really got your money's worth at concerts back then), in 1972 (with the original Mahavishnu Orchestra as the opening band!) and in 1977, at one of the few gigs they did when they still had the full orchestra and choir with them. BTW, the sound system at that concert consisted of around 24 Clair S4 cabinets flying on each side of the stage. Each cab was all-JBL: 2 x 2240s (18"), 4 x E110 (10"), 2 x 2440s on custom horns and 2 x 2405s, all arranged vertically in the cabinet so that when multiple cabinets were deployed they formed long lines of drivers that controlled vertical dispersion. It was absolutely the best-sounding concert I had ever attended up till then (my first was in in 1967) and maybe of all time.

At all three concerts they managed to kick serious ass while playing serious music. RIP, Keith; you will be missed.

[dr_gallup]

Wow, another classic rock musician gone. I loved ELP back in the day. Hate to say it but I very rarely hear them today.

[Ducatista47]

I post this because the extent of this curse afflicting musicians is much worse than I ever suspected. They hardly ever discuss it because if they do, they can't get work. This is likely why Keith Emerson is dead.


Based on her research, Gambaro estimates that as many half of professional musicians struggle with some form of RSI during their career. In fact, one of the few studies on the subject suggests that the number may be even higher; in a 2013 survey (http://sydney.edu.au/news/84.html?newsstoryid=12437) of 377 professional orchestral musicians in Australia by the journal Psychology of Music, 84 percent of respondents said they had "experienced pain severe enough to interfere with their performance."


Part of the issue for musicians, she says, is what Emerson alluded to in his email. "Musicians can't talk about their injuries because then they won't get hired anymore," she says. Many musicians also lack access to quality healthcare, or are afraid they won't be able to afford treatment. "So there's a lot of people basically suffering in silence."

http://www.laweekly.com/music/why-we-need-to-talk-about-keith-emersons-carpal-tunnel-syndrome-6723079

[Wagner]

That article almost reads as satire; I kept thinking I was reading a piece from "The Onion", especially with the large banner ad letting me know that the story was courtesy of the "Spearmint Rhino Gentleman's Clubs"

I wonder whose agenda this is? Is old age and arthritis next? The all too frequent hearing loss?

Good Lord