Carl Palmer says he hasn’t spoken to one of his bandmates in the wake of Emerson Lake and Palmer’s retirement. It was the drummer, after a long-awaited 2010 reunion, who put an end to things.
ELP set the date to celebrate its 40th anniversary, performing as part of the High Voltage Festival at London’s Victoria Park. But Palmer says he was unhappy with the way the performance unfolded, and feared Emerson Lake and Palmer had lost its edge.
“I don’t want to be known as a nostalgia act,” Palmer tells Starpulse. He’s since put out two original albums with Asia, including 2012’s XXX and the just-released Gravitas, while leading his own band and dabbling in art, as well.
Along the way, Palmer says he’s stayed in touch with former Emerson Lake and Palmer bandmate Keith Emerson, but not Lake — and Palmer says that’s largely the result of ELP’s split: “I saw Keith Emerson, who came to the exhibition on the Sunset Strip last year, but I don’t keep in touch with Greg Lake — because he was rather disappointed with me that I ended my run with the band. I just didn’t see taking it any further.”
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Sure, when John Wetton left Asia and they had a gig in Japan that was to be seen worldwide, who did Carl call? Greg Lake. Thanks for nothing. (And, BTW … I saw Asia when they first appeared on the scene … what was it, 1980? They were awesome. Now, they suk (purposely misspelled). I love Carl Palmer … my #1 drummer. I’ve seen him in concert (solo, ELP, Three, Asia) a dozen times. He’s my heart, Bruford is my brain … or maybe it’s the other way around. Anyway, Carl seems to be a little full of himself. But who am I to judge? Palmer is my drum god.