May 2006
Q:
Mary Ann asks:
"Who did the sculpture that is on the
cover of the Off the Shelf CD?"
Emo:
"This a good question and unfortunately I neglected to
include the sculptor's credits on the liner notes to 'Off
The Shelf'. Indeed, it was a sculptress by the name of Mehri
Danielpour Weil. (See
sculpturebymehri.com)
1980. While
living with my family in Nassua, Bahamas I was introduced to
Mehri by one of my diving buddies who was also a croupier on
Paradise Island. Mehri must have been bored by all the wet
suits smelling in the sun plus the filleting of fish as she
offered to do a sculpture of me. Apparently she'd just done
The Shah Of Iran and, because of the time difference
unfortunately, the subject of the benefits of solar power
hadn't been addressed.
Anyway, my
mother now has the bronze result of my head at her home in
Sussex where my two sons and grandchildren on their visit to
her sometimes like to stick it in uncompromising positions."
September 2005
Q:
Jim Smith writes: "Hi
Keith, Is it true that you will be appearing on two tracks
of the upcoming "Back against the Wall" Pink Floyd tribute
album? If so, what is your contribution?"
Emo:
"Yes, this is true. Thanks to Billy Sherwood, I'm
playing Hammond on 'In The Flesh' 1 and 2 and 'Waiting for
the Worms'. It's released on the Cleopatra/Purple Pyramid
label, 27 September."
August 2005
Q:
Kev Parry writes: "I'm
a University music degree student just about to start on my
3rd year, and I'm doing my dissertation on 'Progressive
Rock', or more specifically the musical styles that
influence it.
Just a quick question really. I'm doing a section on ELP and
the classical influence that pervades the music. I was just
wondering if there are any standout classical
composers/works/inspirations you have, or had when you were
writing the ELP albums, and if so what were they?"
Emo:
"Dear Kev,
My piano
teacher, Mrs. Smith, always told me not to choose the
obvious from the classical repertoire so Tchaikovsky's Piano
Concerto No.1 was definitely out. Although it was fun to
copy B. Bumble and The Stingers version of The Nutcracker
Suite, I took all my other classical adaptations seriously
to the point of seeking the composer's (if alive) approval.
Hence, Copland, Ginestera, Brubeck and yes...Bernstein. When
Cozy Powell recommended Holst's �Mars, The God of War� for
the E.L. Powell album, my initial reaction was that it was
too obvious but his overwhelming personality and dynamic
playing dictated that it should be done.
I don't think
I've said this before but, from the very beginning of ELP,
Carl Palmer encouraged me in the direction of Bartok and
Prokofiev...even Panufnick. It may have been because of the
percussive element. So, when I introduced the music of
Alberto Ginestera to him I knew it would work. The meeting
point for Carl and I was indeed the percussive element and
the melting point for ELP. An element that I pursued in my
own compositional structure and writing for the band.
In some sort of
conclusion I enjoy being as much an arranger as a composer.
I don't care where the original source comes from. In fact I
start many rehearsals with either Dave, Phil or Pete calling
out 4 notes and I'll take it from there!
All the best,
Emo."
