A new round of reissues dedicated to progressive titans Emerson, Lake and Palmer are on the way from the BMG label beginning this July and continuing through 2016 and 2017. This new campaign promises to encompass not only ELP's nine studio albums but also the band's live recordings and compilations. The reissues will arrive in a variety of formats including CD (with new liner notes by Chris Welch drawing on 2016 interviews with Greg Lake and the late Keith Emerson); standard, mastered for iTunes and high-resolution digital downloads; and 140-gram vinyl. (Note that, in contrast to other recent reissues of this catalogue, there are no physical high-resolution format or surround-sound components here.) The first three ELP albums are scheduled for reissue on July 29: Emerson, Lake & Palmer (1970), Tarkus (1971) and Pictures at an Exhibition (1971).
Emerson, Lake & Palmer, first released after Emerson, Lake and Carl Palmer debuted in concert at the 1970 Isle of Wight Festival, kicks off the proceedings as a 2-CD set, with CD 1 comprising the original album in its 2012 remastered edition. CD 2 offers the Alternate Album in its 2012 Steven Wilson stereo mix, with bonus tracks. The LP version will be the original album, newly cut for the first time from 24 Bit/HD 2012 remasters. The standard Digital Download will comprise the remastered 1970 album and an Alternate Album (2012 Stereo remix) with bonus tracks. The same contents will be available in Mastered for iTunes and HD digital formats, all taken from the 2012 remasters.
Tarkus built on the success and sound of its predecessor, introducing even more intricate textures to the group dynamic. The title track took up one full side of the original vinyl which reached No. 1 in the United Kingdom and No. 9 in the United States. The first disc of the new CD edition features Andy Pearce's 2012 remaster, while the second disc has the Steven Wilson stereo mix with bonus tracks from the original sessions. The LP version is newly cut from the 2012 remaster, with its original gatefold sleeve and artwork reproduced. The three digital download versions are also taken from the 2012 remasters.
Pictures at an Exhibition, also from 1971, brought ELP's classical influences to the fore. It met the group's loftiest ambitions, reaching No. 3 in the U.K. and No. 10 on the U.S. chart. The new vinyl edition and Disc One of the CD feature a new remaster of Pictures from the original master tapes and a bonus medley recorded live at the Mar y Sol Festival in Puerto Rico on December 4, 1972. The second disc of the CD edition has a live performance of the extended work captured at the Lyceum Ballroom, London, on December 9th, 1970, along with live performances of "The Barbarian," "Knife Edge," "Rondo" and "Nut Rocker."
The new 3-CD/DD release of Emerson, Lake & Palmer - The Anthology rounds out this first wave of titles. Produced by Greg Lake, this career-spanning set has 39 tracks from the years 1970 to 1998, the choice of material approved by all three band members. It's housed in a casebound book format with Chris Welch's liner notes and rare photographs.
Reissues of Trilogy (1972), Brain Salad Surgery (1973) and the live Welcome Back My Friends to the Show That Never Ends (1974) are all on BMG's docket for the rest of 2016. While you're waiting for those, you can check out the first four releases on July 29! They're available for pre-order at the links below!
Emerson, Lake and Palmer, Emerson, Lake & Palmer (Island ILPS 9132 (U.K.), 1970 - reissued BMG, 2016) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)
CD 1: The Original Album (2012 Remaster)
- The Barbarian
- Take a Pebble
- Knife-Edge
- The Three Fates
- Tank
- Lucky Man
CD 2: 2012 Stereo Mixes
- The Barbarian
- Take a Pebble
- Knife-Edge (with Extended Outro)
- Promenade
- The Three Fates: Atropos
- Rave-Up
- Drum Solo
- Lucky Man
- Take a Pebble (Alternate Take)
- Knife-Edge (Alternate Take)
- Lucky Man (First Greg Lake Solo Version)
- Lucky Man (Alternate Version)
Emerson, Lake and Palmer, Tarkus (Island ILPS 9155 (U.K.), 1971 - reissued BMG, 2016) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)
CD 1: The Original Album (2012 Remaster)
- Tarkus
- Jeremy Bender
- Bitches Crystal
- The Only Way (Hymn)
- Infinite Space (Conclusion)
- A Time and a Place
- Are You Ready, Eddy?
CD 2: 2012 Stereo Mix
- Tarkus
- Jeremy Bender
- Bitches Crystal
- The Only Way (Hymn)
- Infinite Space (Conclusion)
- A Time and a Place
- Are You Ready, Eddy?
- Oh, My Father
- Unknown Ballad
- Mass (Alternate Take)
Emerson, Lake and Palmer, Pictures at an Exhibition (Island HELP 1, 1971 (U.K.) - reissued BMG, 2016) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)
CD 1: Live at Newcastle City Hall, March 26, 1971 (2016 Remaster)
- Promenade (Part 1)
- The Gnome
- Promenade (Part 2)
- The Sage
- The Old Castle
- Blues Variation
- Promenade (Part 3)
- The Hut of Baba Yaga (Part 1)
- The Curse of Baba Yaga
- The Hut of Baba Yaga (Part 2)
- The Great Gates of Kiev
- Nut Rocker
- Pictures at an Exhibition
CD 2: Live at The Lyceum Theatre, London, December 9, 1970) (2016 Remaster)
- Promenade (Part 1)
- The Gnome
- Promenade (Part 2)
- The Sage
- The Old Castle
- Blues Variation
- Promenade (Part 3)
- The Hut of Baba Yaga (Part 1)
- The Curse of Baba Yaga
- The Hut of Baba Yaga (Part 2)
- The Great Gates of Kiev
- The Barbarian
- Knife-Edge
- Rondo
- Nut Rocker
Emerson, Lake and Palmer, The Anthology (BMG, 2016) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)
CD 1
- The Barbarian
- Take a Pebble
- Knife-Edge
- Lucky Man
- Tank
- Tarkus
- Bitches Crystal
- The Only Way (Hymn)
- Infinite Space (Conclusion)
- A Time and a Place
CD 2
- The Sage (Live at Newcastle City Hall, 1971)
- The Great Gates of Kiev (Live at Newcastle City Hall, 1971)
- Nut Rocker
- The Endless Enigma (Part 1)
- From the Beginning
- The Sheriff
- Hoedown
- Abbadon's Bolero
- Jerusalem
- Toccata
- Still...You Turn Me On
- Karn Evil 9 - 1st Impression (Part 1)
- Karn Evil 9 - 1st Impression (Part 2)
- Toccata (Live in Anaheim, 1974)
CD 3
- Piano Concerto No. 1 (First Movement)
- Fanfare for the Common Man
- Brain Salad Surgery
- I Believe in Father Christmas - Greg Lake
- Honky Tonk Train Blues - Keith Emerson
- Peter Gunn (Live 1977/1978)
- C'est La Vie (Live at Olympic Stadium, Montreal 1977)
- Love Beach
- Canario
- Pirates (Live in Nassau, 1978)
- Affairs of the Heart
- Romeo and Juliet
- Hand of Truth
- Paper Blood
- Tiger in a Spotlight (Live - Now Tour, 1997/1998)
greg says
Ok I see the Wilson stereo mixes are included,where are the 5.1 mixes ?
Dale Haskell says
Haven't these been out already?
Steve Bruun says
The Wilson mixes came out a few years ago. This looks like a new configuration using the 2012 masters and mixes. I have the 2012 versions of "ELP" and "Tarkus" so I don't think I'll pick up these new versions, but I'm definitely interested in "Pictures at an Exhibition." Apparently the 1970 Lyceum show (videotaped, and available on DVD) was the first attempt at recording the "Pictures" album, but the tapes were deemed unsuitable, leading to the Newcastle recording a few months later. "Rondo" from the Lyceum show was issued on the "Return of the Manticore" box, but I'm not aware of any other audio release from the Lyceum. I guess they've sorted out the technical issues with the rest of the Lyceum tapes, so we get an entire bonus performance (similar to the Who's "Live at Leeds" reissue that included the restored Hull concert). This new CD will be a great upgrade from the CD I currently own, which has an abridged 1990s studio recording (also from the "Manticore" box) as its only bonus material.
It's a shame that Keith is gone, but he and his bandmates have left us a wonderful musical legacy.
Dale Haskell says
Thanks for the info.
ANTONIO DANGELO says
Great news..!
peter wolf says
Talk about overkill once again another best of if i can use the Zeppelin comment How Many More Times? I wonder if it's anything to do with the unfortunate recent passing of the legendary Keith Emmerson, but from a fans point of view i guess it's good news. I look at it another way you buy the best possible edition to suit. In regards to their ground breaking first album the best one is the 3disc version by Sony in 2012 that's a real gem,
but it's up to the individual.