“Emerson, for all his exhibitionism on stage, was a class act off stage and gentle soul who primarily wanted to be remembered as a composer.”
Back in the 1990s I couldn’t find a certain ELP song in sheet music form anywhere, even online, aside from Keith Emerson’s publishing company. The check (just $11 for one song) was to be made payable to “Keith Emerson” himself and not some company name like “Keith Emerson Ltd” or anything like that.
I figured as well-off as he had to be, he wouldn’t cash my little check.
But he did (OK it probably WAS a company, but it sure didn’t look that way). :-)
He’s been gone for over a decade now but there never was a better keyboard player in his genre of music — except maybe Rick Wakeman. If pressed, I’ll call it a tie.
I wouldn’t slag off Tony Banks. Listen to his piano intro of “Firth of Fifth” or his solo on “Riding The Scree”.
Sadly, IIRC he was getting arthritis in his hands, could no longer play, and despondent over this, offed himself.
Wakeman was better and Emerson was more flashy. But the early Yes music with Kaye was sublime.