2 November 1944, Todmorden, Lancashire, England. Organist Emerson was briefly associated with several British club R&B attractions prior to joining soul singer P.P. Arnold’s backing band in 1967. Known as the Nice, this unit later embarked on an independent career and quickly established itself as a leading progressive rock act. Emerson’s keyboard dexterity and
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During the progressive music boom of the early 70s, Yes were rivalled only by Emerson Lake And Palmer and Genesis for a brand of classical-laced rock that was initially refreshing and innovative. They evolved into a huge stadium attraction and enjoyed phenomenal success until punk and new wave came along in 1977 and swept them aside. After regrouping in the 80s, the band weathe
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Gentle Giant
- 80% match to Emerson, Lake & Palmer
Formed in 1969 by the Shulman brothers; Derek (11 February 1947, Glasgow, Scotland; vocals/guitar/bass), Ray (b. 3 December 1949, Portsmouth, Hampshire, England; vocals/bass/violin) and Phil (b. 27 August 1937, Glasgow, Scotland; saxophone), on the collapse of their previous group, Simon Dupree And The Big Sound. Kerry Minnear (b. 2 January 1948, Shaftesbury, Dorset, England
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This UK rock band’s name was suggested by its first drummer Christopher John Judge Smith who, with keyboard player Nick Pearne (sometimes credited as Peame) and songwriter Peter Hammill (5 November 1948, Ealing, London, England; vocals/guitar), formed the band at Manchester University, England, in 1967. The name was intended as a tribute to the late American physicist R
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King Crimson
- 75% match to Emerson, Lake & Palmer
Arguably progressive rock’s definitive exponents, King Crimson was formed in January 1969 out of the ashes of the eccentric Giles, Giles And Fripp. Robert Fripp (16 May 1946, Wimborne Minster, Dorset, England; guitar) and Mike Giles (b. 1 March 1942, Bournemouth, Dorset, England; drums) were joined by Ian McDonald (b. 25 June 1946, London, England; keyboards), before fo
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This leading UK rock band first came together at the public school Charterhouse. Peter Gabriel (13 February 1950, Cobham, Surrey, England; vocals), Tony Banks (b. 27 March 1951, East Heathly, Sussex, England; keyboards) and Chris Stewart (drums) were in an ensemble named the Garden Wall, and joined forces with Anthony Philips (guitar/vocals) and Mike Rutherford (b. 2 October
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Jethro Tull was formed in Luton, England, in 1967 when Ian Anderson (10 August 1947, Dunfermline, Fife, Scotland; vocals, flute, piano) and Glenn Cornick (b. 23 April 1947, Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, England; bass), members of a visiting Blackpool blues group, John Evan’s Smash, became acquainted with Mick Abrahams (b. 7 April 1943, Luton, Bedfordshire, England; guitar
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Originally the back-up band to soul singer P.P. Arnold, the Nice became one of the true originators of what has variously been described as pomp-rock, art-rock and classical rock. The band was formed by Keith Emerson (2 November 1944, Todmorden, Lancashire, England; keyboards), Brian ‘Blinky’ Davison (b. 25 May 1942, Leicester, England, d. 15 April 2008, Horns Cros
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Camel was formed in late 1971 by three former members of Philip Goodhand-Tait’s backing band, Doug Ferguson (4 April 1947, Carlisle, Cumbria, England; bass), Andy Ward (b. 28 September 1952, Epsom, Surrey, England; drums) and Andy Latimer (b. 17 May 1947, Guildford, Surrey, England; guitar, flute, vocals), and Pete Bardens (b. Peter Bardens, 19 June 1945, Westminster, L
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Formed in Canterbury, England, in 1968, Caravan evolved from the Wilde Flowers, a seminal local attraction that had included Robert Wyatt, Kevin Ayers and Hugh Hopper, all later of the Soft Machine. Pye Hastings (21 January 1947, Tomnavoulin, Bamffshire, Scotland; guitar, vocals), Jimmy Hastings (flute), David Sinclair (b. 24 November 1947, Herne Bay, Kent, England; keyboard
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Rick Wakeman
- 53% match to Emerson, Lake & Palmer
Richard Christopher Wakeman, 18 May 1949, Perivale, Middlesex, England. The spectacular live extravaganzas undertaken in the mid-70s by the former Strawbs and Yes keyboard player tended to mask the talent of one of rock’s premier musicians. In the early 70s Wakeman, who eventually left Yes at the end of 1973, regularly battled it out with Keith Emerson in the annual mus
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Stephen Richard Hackett, 12 February 1950, Pimlico, London, England. Formerly a member of various minor bands, including Canterbury Glass, Heel Pier, Sarabande and Quiet World, the latter releasing a solitary album on Dawn Records in 1970, Hackett joined Genesis as guitarist in early 1971. He replaced Anthony Phillips, and stayed with the band during their successful mid-70s
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