If this isn’t the most violent keyboard solo ever, I don’t know what is.
ELP’s Keith Emerson delivers the type of full-bodied solo that helped redefine the role of keyboards in rock.
Captured in Belgium in 1971, Emerson first throws the keyboard around and then drops it onto his body for a little simulated sex.
Then he stabs it a knife, plays a few wailing riffs, stabs it with more knives and jumps on it. Finally, Emerson throws a knife at his piano for good measure.
Don’t try this at home!
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This was vandalism…was he stoned? I hope that he fixed it after some live shows and didn’t just throw it away…The fact is that it was a very durable instrument though…
Keith Emerson is brilliant beyond compare. ELP’s music is a direct influence on Final Fantasy’s battle tunes, and many people don’t realize this. It was a revelation to hear Tarkus and then make this connection.
Thanx for sharing this vid, I actually heard stories of this in Keyboard mag years ago, but didn’t think to look it up when YouTube got invented. =)
Keith was doing this same kinda schpiel in the 2000’s. I’ve seen ELP play 3 times and he always did this. Great stuff. Dunno how anyone can play a keyboard upsidedown.
Alex – it would be meaningless if he didn’t also have the amazing keyboard chops.