After 41 years what in the hell was "Karn Evil 9"

[ArnoldLayne]

Last edited Thu Sep 25, 2014, 02:05 AM - Edit history (1)

all about?

[Tuesday Afternoon]

1. the ninth carnival (a concept album) by ELP, most excellent concert

"Karn Evil 9" was written by Keith Emerson, Greg Lake, and former King Crimson lyricist Peter Sinfield. The phrase "Karn Evil" is a slight alteration of the word "carnival".[2]

The song has a running length of 29 minutes and 37 seconds. It is the fifth and final track on Brain Salad Surgery, though the initial release in both the U.S. and the UK saw "Karn Evil 9" split between the two sides of the album, due to its length. Subsequent releases have "Karn Evil 9" as a single track. There used to be a fade out/fade in between First Impression parts 1 and 2 due to the restrictions of the original vinyl transcription. This is not present on later CD versions.

more at link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karn_Evil_9

[ArnoldLayne]

2. kick

[jmowreader]

3. It's about how awesome Keith Emerson is as a keyboardist

[UncleYoder]

4. I know I wasn't high when I saw this.

It was some show Keith was fooling around on.
He played several bars then walked around the keyboard and played it again from the backside.
I would still be untangling my fingers.

[Le Taz Hot]

7. And at California Jam

his entire keyboard set up was on a platform that rotated 360 degrees, over and over, and he never missed a beat.

[ArnoldLayne]

8. When they played it at the California Jam

who had the best solo Keith Emerson or Carl Palmer? Could someone please post the video from the California Jam?

[pinboy3niner]

9. I found this...the spinning piano

[Le Taz Hot]

10. I just remember Emerson doing the 360 degrees rotation.

This was at the old Ontario Motor Speedway, I think the concert started at like noon or somewhere around there, but by 5:00 am the (91? 10?) freeway was a parking lot. Lots of joints and bottles being passed around as people were out of their cars (we weren't going anywhere). Somewhere along the line we dropped some acid during the concert. ELP was the last act and by that time we were pretty well wasted. We were also about halfway back in the infield so there was only so much we could see. But I do remember Emerson and his rotating piano. I can't even remember all the acts. I know Rare Earth was there, as was Earth, Wind and Fire and, believe it or not, Linda Lovelace spoke. Needless to say a good time was had by all.

[Le Taz Hot]

5. Karn Evil 9

was a fucking awesome piece expertly played by Keith Emerson of the much passed over Emerson, Lake and Palmer In fact, the entire "Brain Salad Surgery" album is nothing less than amazing. And Greg Lake singing, "Still, you turn me on." (Sigh)

[cyberswede]

6. Yes. Agree completely.

"Still you turn me on" is a fave of mine.

[FiveGoodMen]

12. It was their high-water mark for sure.

Sometimes jarring and dissonant, but brilliant. With a thematic through-line that took a few listens to pick up on.

(Although it might have been even better if they'd used a click track; Palmer was great but he couldn't keep a steady beat)

[Algernon Moncrieff]

11. "Welcome back, my friends, to the show that never ends"

Maybe it's about GD?