A WORK IN PROGRESS
It was great to read the articles in Prog
108 celebrating 50 years of ELP. I first discovered ELP late in their existence when I was in sixth form in 1976. I just thought they were amazing, with my passion resulting in many arguments with the punk rock fraternity in the common room. When Works Vol 1 was released I set myself ready to see the great band, but alas it all went tits-up on their North American tour.
In 1992, when ELP finally toured again for Black Moon, I had a young family and could not justify the cost of tickets. While I did see Keith Emerson at Watford Colosseum and Greg Lake at Stevenage Gordon Craig Centre, I finally saw ELP on July 25, 2010 at High Voltage Festival, a dream finally fulfilled. Things change and these days I’m more likely to be listening to Stephen Wilson, Anathema, Porcupine Tree etc, no band stands for prog more than ELP.
The timing of your articles really couldn’t have been better. I turned 60 this year and before the coronavirus struck I started to arrange a party. I went through old photos to put onto an invitation card and had to use the one attached. Me in my bedroom in 1977. On the wall behind you can see many of the extracts I cut from Melody Maker Readers’ Poll, where ELP won just about everything. What a band.
Ian Poppy, via email