For those unaware, “This 3CD box set presented with enhanced booklet collection pays fitting tribute to the power and creativity of three extremely talented musicians and their all too brief collaboration. Savour the music. We’re unlikely to ever see their like again.” so says Jerry Ewing, Editor, PROG Magazine.

Musical visionaries Keith Emerson and Greg Lake planned to re-form ELP in 1984, however drummer Carl Palmer was unavailable. Into the frame stepped the legendary Cozy Powell, best known for his work with Rainbow and Whitesnake.

Included is the band’s one and only studio release: ‘Emerson Lake and Powell’ featuring three bonus tracks, their live album ‘Live in Concert’ and a CD of rehearsals, ‘The Sprocket Sessions’, only previously released in the 90s as a bootleg.

The collection includes sleeve notes by Jerry Ewing, editor of PROG Magazine, who takes a forensic look at the band’s short but impactful history.

The band’s self-titled studio album delivers material familiar in style to ELP with long progressive rock tracks, mellow ballads, and a classical theme (‘Mars, the Bringer of War’ by Gustav Holst, a piece previously performed by Lake during his tenure in King Crimson).

CD 1: Emerson Lake And Powell
1. The Score
2. Learning To Fly
3. The Miracle
4. Touch And Go
5. Love Blind
6. Step Aside
7. Lay Down Your Guns
8. Mars, The Bringer of War
9. The Loco-Motion – B-Side [Bonus Track]
10. Vacant Possession – B-Side [Bonus Track]
11. The Score – Single Edit [Bonus Track]

In 1986, progressive rock was all but dead. Yes had become pop stars with the release of 1983’s mega hit album 90125, and Genesis followed suit, releasing 1986’s Invisible Touch to a huge commercial reception. King Crimson had been inactive for quite a few years, Gentle Giant had become soft rock balladeers (although they too were gone by 1982), and The Moody Blues were exploring with synth pop and scored a Top 10 hit that year with Your Wildest Dreams (aided by having its video airing almost constantly on MTV that year).

Emerson, Lake & Palmer had disbanded in 1978 fairly acrimoniously. The band were sick of each other, and after the disastrous Works tour the year before, the group was clearly ready to hang it up. The band was officially done by 1979.

ELP are one of the pillars of the Prog Rock movement from the 1970’s. High quality music and presentation, but often incorrectly derided post punk. Although not the original line up with Cozy Powell replacing Carl Palmer who was performing with Asia during this era, this is still a classic style of ELP album for those interested in this music.

At times the echo in the vocals is maybe overstated, but there are still some great tracks. Parts of the album relate back to the classic 1974 Brain Salad Surgery period (where I departed from them, sadly), whilst others follow the more classical elements seen on Works and Pictures at an Exhibition. That said, for me personally, Mars God of War is the standout track with Keith Emerson performing Holsts classic on keyboards.

Oh, and the comment that have been made down the years that Cozy Powell was only chosen because of his surname are just plainly childish as he was an excellent drummer and gave this band a beefier rhythm section.

For me, it is the shorter tracks which stand out, such as the single Touch And Go (a catchy surprise), Learning to fly has some nice harmonies, Step Aside has a nice jazzy piano/vocal feel (Tarkus era ?), but Love Blind is mostly AOR and Lay Down Your Guns, albeit having high ideals musically, is a little less moreish.

CD 2: The Sprocket Sessions
1. The Score
2. Learning To Fly
3. The Miracle
4. Knife Edge
5. Tarkus
6. Pictures At an Exhibition
7. Lucky Man
8. Still, You Turn Me On
9. Love Blind
10. Mars Bringer Of War
11. Touch & Go
12. Pirates

After the group had gone into the studio, and released 1986’s self-titled album, which was a no-frills progressive rock album, now, and at a time when prog rock was basically nonexistent, here comes ELP[owell] on the scene with a heavy prog album. It was an eye-opener, and it even spawned a relatively big MTV hit with Touch and Go that year.

Indeed, and overall, the album was a success, and the group started to prep for a world tour to last into 1987. The band recorded the rehearsals for this tour, and The Sprocket Sessions, a bootleg album authorized for release by Emerson and Lake (Powell is sadly now deceased, but I imagine his estate gave the green flag as well) is the result of this.

On this bootleg, you hear the songs live in the studio, with studio banter, a few minor mistakes, and raw as can be. Exactly, and in my humble opinion, how you want an album like this to sound, in truth.

The new songs from ELPowell really come alive here. Touch and Go sounds great in this setting, despite the fact that Lake misses his cue and skips the first verse, it still has an energy that is vital to this song. Love Blind is also somewhat different from the studio version, but it is also better (Emerson’s solo here is blazing).

Mars, the Bringer of War based on Holt’s classical piece of the same name features a rip roaring Powell drum solo and The Score opens with the opening bar of Fanfare for the Common Man played on a synthesizer by Emerson.

The older songs sound great as well. Pictures at an Exhibition actually suits Powell’s double-bass drumming style very well, and this approach gives it new life. Same for Tarkus. Also, my very favorite version of Still...You Turn Me On exists on The Sprocket Sessions. Lake is backed simply by an ethereal synthesizer played by Emerson, and his voice (despite the fact he was 39 at the time) is absolutely at its peak.

Furthermore, Greg is relaxed, and hits every single note flawlessly. Knife Edge opens with an extended jam to begin, before breaking into the first verse. I mean, all three musicians are clearly having a great time playing this one.

CD 3: Live In Concert
1. The Score
2. Touch & Go
3. Knife Edge
4. Pirates
5. From The Beginning
6. Lucky Man
7. Fanfare For the Common Man
8. Mars, The Bringer of War / Drum Solo
9. Medley – Karn Evil 9 (1st Impression)/ America/ Rondo

As I’ve come to realize over the years, this is really the last time that ELPowell actually tried to advance their sound and build on their legacy, before becoming yet another lame nostalgia act (sorry, not sorry).

Those digital keys that Emerson is playing don’t quite resonate the same and Powell’s attempt to do a Toccata-like drum freakout using modern percussive noises like record scratches and explosions is a mighty odd thing to hear on an ELP record. Not to mention Lake’s talk box on Lucky Man.

But at least they’re trying something different, something that actually kinda works, and in some sense you can hear the band retool their catalogue to fit Cozy Powell’s more straightforward style of bashing. As a result you can hear them revel in what makes the group so fun, blasting out one bombastic riff after another and turning the rhythm section way up.

That all said, the band plays exceptionally well, the new material being rather strong. The Score and the near hit Touch And Go stand up quite well alongside well known tracks like the brilliant pairing of both Karn Evil 9 and Fanfare for the Common Man.

Official Purchase Link