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Emerson, Lake and Palmer Multiple Choice Quiz | Music

Who cares if critics called them pompous and pretentious? Church organs, Moog synthesizers and 90 piece orchestras RULE! Here's the quiz for us art-rock dinosaurs who refuse to accept that the 1970's are over!

A multiple-choice quiz by astorian. Estimated time: 4 mins.

Author
astorian

Time
4 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
178,509

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
15

Difficulty
Average

Avg Score
10 / 15

Plays
970

Awards
Top 10% Quiz

Last 3 plays: Guest 82 (7/15), Guest 68 (11/15), Guest 98 (12/15).

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

1. With which progressive rock band did Keith Emerson perform before teaming up with Greg Lake and Carl Palmer? Hint

Atomic Rooster

Refugee

The Nice

The Gods

NEXT>

2. Immediately before joining ELP, Greg Lake provided the vocals for which King Crimson album? Hint

Larks Tongues in Aspic

Islands

Lizard

In the Wake of Poseidon

NEXT>

3. Carl Palmer was hired as ELP's drummer after Keith Emerson and Greg Lake failed to come to terms with the drummer they really wanted. Who was that drummer? Hint

Bill Bruford

Ginger Baker

Billy Cobham

Mitch Mitchell

NEXT>

4. Which Russian composer's "Pictures at an Exhibition" inspired one of ELP's most popular concept albums? Hint

Modest Mussorgsky

Dmitri Shostakovich

Alexander Borodin

Sergei Rachmaninoff

NEXT>

5. Greg Lake's ballad "From the Beginning" is the only ELP song to crack the Billboard Top 40 in the United States?

True

False

NEXT>

6. Which ELP album features a lively rendition of "Nutrocker," a revved-up version of the Overture to Tchaikovsky's "The Nutcracker Suite"? Hint

Tarkus

Works Volume 2

Brain Salad Surgery

Pictures at an Exhibition

NEXT>

7. ELP frequently opened their shows with the theme to which TV series? Hint

The Fugitive

Ironside

Peter Gunn

Perry Mason

NEXT>

8. In the band's early days, Greg Lake wrote all the lyrics. Who took over that task, starting in 1973? Hint

Pete Sinfield

Bernie Taupin

Richard Palmer-James

Eddie Offord

NEXT>

9. Which of the following classical composers' work did not appear on Emerson, Lake & Palmer's "Works Volume 1"? Hint

Aaron Copland

Ludwig von Beethoven

Sergei Prokofiev

Johann Sebastian Bach

NEXT>

10. Which number usually gave Carl Palmer a chance to show off his incredible skills as a drum soloist, during concerts? Hint

Jerusalem

Tank

The Barbarian

Hoedown

NEXT>

11. In 1986, Keith Emerson and Greg Lake reunited, and released a new album with drummer Cozy Powell. Which classical piece appears on this album? Hint

Wagner's "Ride of the Valkyries"

Ives' "The Unanswered Question"

Ravel's "Bolero"

Holst's "Mars, the Bringer of War"

NEXT>

12. What type of animal does Tarkus most closely resemble? Hint

lion

armadillo

scorpion

bat

NEXT>

13. From 1964 through 1967, Keith Emerson was a member of the London Philharmonic Orchestra.

True

False

NEXT>

14. Where did Emerson, Lake & Palmer first make a big splash in the music business? Hint

The Monterrey Pop Festival

Altamont

Woodstock

The Isle of Wight Festival

NEXT>

15. Keith, Greg and Carl only played together on two tracks, on the "Works Volume 1" album. Which two tracks? Hint

"C'est La Vie" & "L.A. Nights"

"Closer to Believing" & "Hallowed Be Thy Name"

"New Orleans" & "The Enemy God"

"Fanfare For the Common Man" & "Pirates"

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Most Recent Scores

May 31 2025 : Guest 82: 7/15
May 20 2025 : Guest 68: 11/15
May 14 2025 : Guest 98: 12/15
Apr 28 2025 : Guest 79: 12/15
Apr 23 2025 : Guest 64: 13/15
Apr 15 2025 : Guest 174: 14/15
Apr 10 2025 : Guest 78: 0/15
Apr 06 2025 : Guest 172: 12/15

Score Distribution

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. With which progressive rock band did Keith Emerson perform before teaming up with Greg Lake and Carl Palmer?

Answer: The Nice

The Nice featured Emerson on keyboards, Davy O'List on guitar, Lee Jackson on bass and vocals, and Brian Davison on drums. Greg Lake had played with the Gods; Carl Palmer had played with the Atomic Rooster; Refugee was formed by keyboard player Patrick Moraz, with former Nice members Davison and Jackson.

2. Immediately before joining ELP, Greg Lake provided the vocals for which King Crimson album?

Answer: In the Wake of Poseidon

Gordon Haskell replaced Lake as King Crimson's bassist and vocalist shortly before "In the Wake of Poseidon" was completed.

3. Carl Palmer was hired as ELP's drummer after Keith Emerson and Greg Lake failed to come to terms with the drummer they really wanted. Who was that drummer?

Answer: Mitch Mitchell

Mitchell was best known for his work with the Jimi Hendrix Experience. Jimi Hendrix himself briefly showed some tentative interest in following his old drummer into the new band, but nothing ever came of that.

4. Which Russian composer's "Pictures at an Exhibition" inspired one of ELP's most popular concept albums?

Answer: Modest Mussorgsky

Mussorgsky wrote the pieces in "Pictures at an Exhibition" for piano only. Maurice Ravel adapted them for an orchestra.

5. Greg Lake's ballad "From the Beginning" is the only ELP song to crack the Billboard Top 40 in the United States?

Answer: True

A rare, straightforward love song, "From the Beginning" appeared on the "Trilogy" album.

6. Which ELP album features a lively rendition of "Nutrocker," a revved-up version of the Overture to Tchaikovsky's "The Nutcracker Suite"?

Answer: Pictures at an Exhibition

"Nutrocker" was originally conceived by Kim Fowley, who later discovered Joan Jett and the Runaways.

7. ELP frequently opened their shows with the theme to which TV series?

Answer: Peter Gunn

The "Peter Gunn" theme, written by Henry Mancini, is the first track on their "Emerson Lake & Palmer In Concert" album.

8. In the band's early days, Greg Lake wrote all the lyrics. Who took over that task, starting in 1973?

Answer: Pete Sinfield

Sinfield had been the lyricist of Lake's old band, King Crimson. After a falling out with King Crimson leader Robert Fripp, Sinfield began working again with his old mate, Lake.

9. Which of the following classical composers' work did not appear on Emerson, Lake & Palmer's "Works Volume 1"?

Answer: Ludwig von Beethoven

"Works Volume 1" gave each band member a full album side for his own material. The three men played together on the remaining side. This only added to the widespread speculation that Keith, Greg and Carl couldn't stand each other, and wanted to avoid working together.

10. Which number usually gave Carl Palmer a chance to show off his incredible skills as a drum soloist, during concerts?

Answer: Tank

Palmer often says "I HATE boring drum solos", and goes all out to make sure his are always memorable.

11. In 1986, Keith Emerson and Greg Lake reunited, and released a new album with drummer Cozy Powell. Which classical piece appears on this album?

Answer: Holst's "Mars, the Bringer of War"

Lake had played this piece (from Holst's "the Planets") during live shows with King Crimson, years earlier.

12. What type of animal does Tarkus most closely resemble?

Answer: armadillo

Tarkus is, essentially, half armadillo and half "Big Willie" tank.

13. From 1964 through 1967, Keith Emerson was a member of the London Philharmonic Orchestra.

Answer: False

Despite his background in and love for classical music, Keith played mostly in soul/R & B bands during this time. He and the Nice first gained fame by backing female soul singer P.P. Arnold.

14. Where did Emerson, Lake & Palmer first make a big splash in the music business?

Answer: The Isle of Wight Festival

The 1970 Isle of Wight Festival exposed their music to an estimated 250,000 fans, who also got to hear the Doors, Jethro Tull, the Moody Blues, Jimi Hendrix and Chicago, among other artists.

15. Keith, Greg and Carl only played together on two tracks, on the "Works Volume 1" album. Which two tracks?

Answer: "Fanfare For the Common Man" & "Pirates"

Thanks for playing- it's nice to know there are other boring old fogies out there!

Source: Author astorian

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor Bruyere before going online.
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