An old, wise Roman saying went that personal tastes were indisputable as everyone had their likes and dislikes. It’s evident that even thousands of years ago, the citizens of an ancient republic possibly differed in opinions when it came to picking their favorite colors, favorite senators, and drinks, so much so that someone had to declare that personal tastes were indisputable to prevent meaningless conflicts.
The wisdom beneath these ancient words aged well, as even in our ‘modern age,’ people still have countless arguments simply over personal tastes. The popularized usage of the internet also made it even easier for anyone to point out how much they liked or disliked a particular topic, and it’s pretty easy for one to find themselves arguing with a stranger in the middle of the night over some dispute.
So, it might not be surprising that Emerson, Lake & Palmer also got their fair share of criticism when it came to different people standing by other opinions. From prestigious critics to nameless internet users, numerous rock listeners have discussed why they weren’t a fan of the trio’s sound, musical approach, and style. Well, in this article, we’ll dive into these arguments.
For some, even though ELP’s usage of synthesizers was on point with Keith Emerson’s impressive musicianship, for others on Reddit and other social platforms, synth usage didn’t add anything favorable or groundbreaking to their sound. So, the excessive usage of synthesizers was a no-go for some rock fans who looked for raw instrumentalization.
However, this still didn’t change the fact that the trio significantly influenced what progressive rock would be and paved the way for other future acts who followed their way and boldly used synthesizers in their tunes. ELP, along with their peers, was one of the pioneers of prog rock’s mystic elements.
Another point some rock fans criticized was that they believed the band was pretentious as they had the impression that the act was all over themselves. However, ELP‘s fans seemed to love this quality as nothing felt much better than seeing a band who was confident about the notes they were playing and reflecting the ease to the audience.
However, other rock fans then questioned on different forums why the supergroup got so much criticism over the years. The most common answer to this question was that some listeners didn’t necessarily enjoy the inconsistent sound of their albums, as the trio’s sound and style differed from time to time. Still, we should probably note that ELP fans found this quality refreshing.
And… last but not least, ELP got criticism over their artwork. This, as all the other points people have made, is an overly subjective topic as different art appeals to different people. While some might enjoy Vincent Van Gogh’s works, others prefer Andy Warhol. So, when people started to discuss how some of ELP’s cover art wasn’t as nice as their most favored ones, it was enough reason for some rock listeners to dislike the trio.
Ronnie James Dio once said how important cover arts were since people didn’t only buy the songs on an album, but they also purchased the artwork and all the other elements on a record. So, while it might seem unnecessary for some to dislike a band for their cover art, others find it essential to appeal to the audiences with impressive artistic works.
At the end of the day, whether it’s a prestigious critic writing for a prominent magazine or your everyday nameless internet user making a few snides on some random social platform, everybody is entitled to their opinions; as Romans once said that tastes were indisputable.
So, whether you enjoy or dislike ELP, one cannot deny the fact that the band’s sound was influential while setting the road for future prog bands and other new wave-influenced genres, and hating on them won’t change the fact that they were hit-makers who topped the charts with different tracks.
