Author Topic: ELP LIVE at the Royal Albert Hall DVD (Read 371 times)

kmh364 · « **on:** July 29, 2005, 04:31:19 PM »

Just got a new DVD of Emerson, Lake & Palmer at the Royal Albert Hall in London ca. 1996 (25th Anniversary Tour). It's decent: performance, pix, and sound wise. It was certainly worth the $5.95 (incl. S&H!) from DeepDiscountDVD.com. One caveat, in Fanfare For The Common Man/Rodeo et al, the sound glitches for a few secs. (sounds like old-school tape channel drop-out)...at least on my disc.

I can't for the life of me figure out what basses Greg Lake plays on this vid. There's a black one and a flame-maple/mahogany bass, both from different manufacturers, but damn if I know either one. Anybody know? Inquiring minds wanna know!

kmh364 · « **Reply #1 on:** July 29, 2005, 05:12:21 PM »

I do know that they are NOT Alembics, LOL! That's about all I know, LOL!

richbass939 · « **Reply #2 on:** July 30, 2005, 08:18:31 AM »

Kevin, check out http://www.greglake.com/newsite/html/guitars.htm
It is the GL website section showing his collection of guitars and basses. Interestingly, it has only a few basses in it.
I didn't see any DVDs for $6 but I'm ordering one as soon as I log off. Thanks for the heads up to this site.
Another thing that is interesting to me is that they now have a song called Welcome Back. LOL.
Rich

kmh364 · « **Reply #3 on:** July 30, 2005, 11:09:45 AM »

Rich,

I think Dave Houck started a thread about where to buy music DVD's and deepdiscountdvd.com was touted as one of the best for price. I use dvdpricesearch.com to get the best price. Usually DDD wins, but sometimes Amazon.com and Overstock.com wins.

I'm on DDD's mailing list and they offered this DVD and a new Yes concert DVD as pre-orders a few weeks ago, both for $5.95 (incl S&H). I ordered both, but only got the ELP one...the Yes disc has not been released yet.

The Welcome Back is funny, LOL! I guess Karn Evil 9: First Impression was too hard to remember, LOL!

The one flame top bass is shown on the site you referrenced as The Tune Bass which was custom-made for Greg.He's also playing the black bass in the photo gallery in the late '90's, but I can't read the headstock insignia, and they don't mention the MFR.

Cheers,

Kevin

kmh364 · « **Reply #4 on:** August 05, 2005, 07:58:14 AM »

Wow, I really got a great deal on both those discs...$11.98 for both (delivered to my door)! The current DDDVD.com price is $19.27 each for the ELP DVD and the new Yes: Keys to Ascension DVD. Who said all unsolicited email is SPAM? LOL!

(Message edited by kmh364 on August 05, 2005)

richbass939 · « **Reply #5 on:** August 13, 2005, 05:43:46 PM »

My ELP 1997 Montreaux Jazz Festival DVD came today. The sound quality, video quality, and editing are really good. Palmer is rock solid and working his rear off. Emerson's showmanship and pure musical ability is just as I thought it would be.
I did notice that Lake plays a lot less than he does on the albums (both when he is singing and when he isn't). I don't know how he normally did it live. The only time I have seen them live was on TV when California Jam first aired in 1974 or 1975. I don't remember how he played the bass parts.
Don't get me wrong, it is a great video of a great concert. I was just expecting all the little riffs on, for instance, Karn Evil #9 (sorry, Welcome Back, LOL).
The bass he played was like the Tune bass on his website. (Link in above post, second row from top, middle bass) The one he played was not flame maple like the one in the picture. It looked a little like the bubinga on my Epic, but I don't really know my woods.
Rich
Edit P.S. The black bass in the photo gallery is listed as a Baccus from the people at Tune. Click on a picture and a little blurb comes up with the picture enlargement.

(Message edited by richbass939 on August 13, 2005)

bigredbass · « **Reply #6 on:** August 13, 2005, 08:12:27 PM »

The Baccus is one of those wonderful Japamese guitars (along with Edwards, Navigator, etc.) we never see on this side of the pond. I would really love to own a TUNE one day.

I really remember the Zemaitis box with the heart soundhole, and he has a custom J200 recreation on the site, wonder what happened to the Z.

I saw them in Houston with the piano revolving end over end 30 feet in the air, CP's drums revolving, etc. Just nuts, and they could really play!

J o e y

chuckc · « **Reply #7 on:** August 13, 2005, 08:29:09 PM »

I had read an article by Greg Lake in which he described his total frustration with the live sound and playability of the Zemaitis acoustic with the heart sound hole to the point that he claims he smashed the guitar to bits. Thus the advent of the Gibson J200 which was built somewhat to the same design as the Zemaitis.

kmh364 · « **Reply #8 on:** August 14, 2005, 05:38:20 AM »

Rich: Apparently, Greg doesn't feel the need to throw in all the little subtle riffs used for color on the LP's when he plays live. I was a little disappointed in that myself. It's evident on the Albert Hall DVD as well.

Rich/Joey: I saw the black Baccus bass on the GL website, but that's not the bass he's playing at the Albert Hall gig on my vid. The black bass in question is the one he's playing in the latest photo gallery on his site. I just can't make out the inscription on the headstock. At first I thought it was a Vigier a la Geezer Butler, but I was wrong.

Anybody else have a guess what in the h*ll he's playing there?

Cheers,

Kevin

chuckc · « **Reply #9 on:** August 14, 2005, 07:37:47 AM »

If your are referring to the bass he is posing with in the # VI ELP section of the photos it appears to be a Wal bass by the style of the pickups, but there is no logo on the headstock to really tell for sure.

David Houck · « **Reply #10 on:** August 14, 2005, 07:57:07 AM »

I think Chuck might be right. The pickups, pickup placement, trussrod adjustment, controls, string tree, all look right. And the headstock looks quite similar to some in the necks picture on the Wal site.

richbass939 · « **Reply #11 on:** August 14, 2005, 09:05:52 AM »

The guitar he played at Montreux is the Martin D-35, (bottom row, middle pic). His only frustration seemed to be that it was handed to him out of tune. He tuned it before the song started and then again mid song. Made a little face each time.
He had a rack with another acoustic and what appeared to be a spare Tune bass. It was light colored, possibly the one in the website pic. He played only the darker one though.
Emerson was amazing. He appeared focused but relaxed, considering what he was getting ten fingers and the occasional elbow to do. At one point he laid an old Hammond organ down on its back (keyboards toward the audience), got under it, and played a couple dozen measures of a Bach-like piece upside down/backwards.
My older son (a pretty talented pianist) is totally impressed. He has never before seen a keyboardist that he thought was totally cool. He is now calling KE his hero. Maybe this is his flash of light/clap of thunder musical moment. Who knows.
Anyway you look at it, I'm enjoying the heck out of this DVD.
Rich

kmh364 · « **Reply #12 on:** August 14, 2005, 02:55:13 PM »

I think we have a winner! I ck'ed the Wal site, and it sure looks like that's what Greg is playing a la the Geddy Lee model.