Biography
The surge in progressive rock during the closing years of the 1960s and the opening years of the 1970s gave rise to a roster of standout figures, among them keyboardists Keith Emerson and Rick Wakeman, guitarists Robert Fripp and Bill Nelson, along with bassist Chris Squire. In the realm of drumming within this style, Carl Palmer emerges as the most prominent figure overall. While he shares the spotlight with others in the genre such as Michael Giles and faces competition from Bill Bruford, whose appeal extends beyond the style, Palmer's renown stems primarily from his contributions to Emerson, Lake & Palmer, though he achieved notable accomplishments elsewhere too.
Born in England's West Midlands in 1950, Palmer ranked among the younger members of the art rock generation. Formal schooling held little appeal for him as a frequent truant who favored drum practice instead, yet he pursued serious training with an established instructor in London, an investment his parents supported. His teenage years coincided with the Liverpool sound's national impact; a Beatles admirer, he nonetheless drew deeper inspiration from jazz and big-band swing figures such as Buddy Rich, whom he met after boldly visiting the American legend's hotel during an English tour, Philly Joe Jones, Art Blakey, and Gene Krupa. Heavy exposure to R&B shaped his skills when he joined his first professional outfit, initially called the King Bees and later renamed the Craig. This quintessential mod group delivered solid R&B, and on their debut single "I Must Be Mad" b/w "Suspense," the 16-year-old Palmer displayed a command that might have drawn Keith Moon's attention. That same year he also crossed into Merseybeat territory by playing on a single with the Black Liverpool vocal group the Chants.
Session work offered a steady, profitable path at that stage, much as it had for Jimmy Page or fellow drummer Clem Cattini, and Palmer could have joined the ranks of essential session players like Cattini, Bobby Graham, and John Bonham. Yet during an interview with Alan Robinson for the liner notes of the 2001 double-CD anthology Do You Wanna Play, Carl?, he recounted his father's advice against limiting himself to backing other artists for high fees and instead pursuing broader musical ambitions. Steady employment followed with Chris Farlowe's backing band the Thunderbirds, where he performed alongside Albert Lee for a couple of years, and then a period with the Crazy World of Arthur Brown.
From that association and his friendship with keyboardist Vincent Crane, Palmer co-founded Atomic Rooster. The band, like the Nice, helped connect psychedelia to progressive rock, occasionally yielding striking results and at times evoking an Emerson, Lake & Palmer prototype. Robinson's interview captured Palmer's realization, while in Atomic Rooster, that he preferred small ensembles, ideally trios, because they allowed him to expand his approach and explore techniques admired in idols like Buddy Rich and Art Blakey. After leaving Atomic Rooster in 1970, Palmer encountered bassist/guitarist/singer Greg Lake, recently departed from King Crimson's original lineup following its first American tour, and Keith Emerson, who had parted ways with the Nice amid the label Immediate Records' collapse. Palmer formed the vertex of this triangle, sharing Lake's Beatles and pop/rock affinities while matching Emerson's jazz leanings.
Within a year of Emerson, Lake & Palmer's summer 1970 debut, Palmer ranked among the world's most celebrated rock drummers. The group's first album displayed speed, dexterity, and taste distinct from the styles of Keith Moon in the Who, John Bonham in Led Zeppelin, or Charlie Watts in the Rolling Stones that had previously dominated rock drumming. Pieces such as the instrumental "Tank," the extended bridge of "Take a Pebble," and passages throughout "The Barbarian" offered playing familiar to jazz and classical listeners yet novel and dazzling to rock audiences. Live performances confirmed this prowess onstage, making Palmer a major draw. His compositional input proved equally formidable on the second ELP album, Tarkus; the title track originated from a Palmer piece built on an intricate time signature that Emerson expanded into a side-long conceptual work central to their concerts. Only Michael Giles, from King Crimson's first incarnation that Lake had left, and Bill Bruford, of Yes and a later King Crimson lineup, rivaled him, yet Palmer projected greater extroversion and commanded far wider public recognition, with fans frequently likening him to longtime idol Buddy Rich, whose band he occasionally joined.
After successive ambitious, sometimes described as pretentious, albums that peaked with Works, an LP granting Palmer an entire side to compose and produce, the group disbanded amid shifting individual creative goals and falling popularity as the 1970s ended. Palmer next joined PM, assembled with guitarist/singer John Nitzinger and also featuring Todd Cochran on keyboards and vocals, Barry Finnerty on guitar and vocals, and bassist/singer Erik Scott. This more pop-oriented unit released the single album 1:PM on Ariola in 1980 before dissolving. Greater success arrived in 1982 with Asia, the supergroup completed by members from Yes and King Crimson; "Heat of the Moment" served as their signature track and major international hit. The platinum certification of Asia's self-titled 1982 debut allowed Palmer to distance himself from ELP in the public eye and focus on the 3 Project, launched in the late 1980s with Keith Emerson to explore music in a less formal, more accessible vein.
The 1990s found him reunited with Emerson, Lake & Palmer after his former bandmates' brief collaboration with Cozy Powell in Emerson, Lake & Powell. Entering the early 21st century in his fifties, Palmer commanded the highest musical regard among the trio's members, owing largely to his enduring and commanding virtuosity. ~ Bruce Eder
Born in England's West Midlands in 1950, Palmer ranked among the younger members of the art rock generation. Formal schooling held little appeal for him as a frequent truant who favored drum practice instead, yet he pursued serious training with an established instructor in London, an investment his parents supported. His teenage years coincided with the Liverpool sound's national impact; a Beatles admirer, he nonetheless drew deeper inspiration from jazz and big-band swing figures such as Buddy Rich, whom he met after boldly visiting the American legend's hotel during an English tour, Philly Joe Jones, Art Blakey, and Gene Krupa. Heavy exposure to R&B shaped his skills when he joined his first professional outfit, initially called the King Bees and later renamed the Craig. This quintessential mod group delivered solid R&B, and on their debut single "I Must Be Mad" b/w "Suspense," the 16-year-old Palmer displayed a command that might have drawn Keith Moon's attention. That same year he also crossed into Merseybeat territory by playing on a single with the Black Liverpool vocal group the Chants.
Session work offered a steady, profitable path at that stage, much as it had for Jimmy Page or fellow drummer Clem Cattini, and Palmer could have joined the ranks of essential session players like Cattini, Bobby Graham, and John Bonham. Yet during an interview with Alan Robinson for the liner notes of the 2001 double-CD anthology Do You Wanna Play, Carl?, he recounted his father's advice against limiting himself to backing other artists for high fees and instead pursuing broader musical ambitions. Steady employment followed with Chris Farlowe's backing band the Thunderbirds, where he performed alongside Albert Lee for a couple of years, and then a period with the Crazy World of Arthur Brown.
From that association and his friendship with keyboardist Vincent Crane, Palmer co-founded Atomic Rooster. The band, like the Nice, helped connect psychedelia to progressive rock, occasionally yielding striking results and at times evoking an Emerson, Lake & Palmer prototype. Robinson's interview captured Palmer's realization, while in Atomic Rooster, that he preferred small ensembles, ideally trios, because they allowed him to expand his approach and explore techniques admired in idols like Buddy Rich and Art Blakey. After leaving Atomic Rooster in 1970, Palmer encountered bassist/guitarist/singer Greg Lake, recently departed from King Crimson's original lineup following its first American tour, and Keith Emerson, who had parted ways with the Nice amid the label Immediate Records' collapse. Palmer formed the vertex of this triangle, sharing Lake's Beatles and pop/rock affinities while matching Emerson's jazz leanings.
Within a year of Emerson, Lake & Palmer's summer 1970 debut, Palmer ranked among the world's most celebrated rock drummers. The group's first album displayed speed, dexterity, and taste distinct from the styles of Keith Moon in the Who, John Bonham in Led Zeppelin, or Charlie Watts in the Rolling Stones that had previously dominated rock drumming. Pieces such as the instrumental "Tank," the extended bridge of "Take a Pebble," and passages throughout "The Barbarian" offered playing familiar to jazz and classical listeners yet novel and dazzling to rock audiences. Live performances confirmed this prowess onstage, making Palmer a major draw. His compositional input proved equally formidable on the second ELP album, Tarkus; the title track originated from a Palmer piece built on an intricate time signature that Emerson expanded into a side-long conceptual work central to their concerts. Only Michael Giles, from King Crimson's first incarnation that Lake had left, and Bill Bruford, of Yes and a later King Crimson lineup, rivaled him, yet Palmer projected greater extroversion and commanded far wider public recognition, with fans frequently likening him to longtime idol Buddy Rich, whose band he occasionally joined.
After successive ambitious, sometimes described as pretentious, albums that peaked with Works, an LP granting Palmer an entire side to compose and produce, the group disbanded amid shifting individual creative goals and falling popularity as the 1970s ended. Palmer next joined PM, assembled with guitarist/singer John Nitzinger and also featuring Todd Cochran on keyboards and vocals, Barry Finnerty on guitar and vocals, and bassist/singer Erik Scott. This more pop-oriented unit released the single album 1:PM on Ariola in 1980 before dissolving. Greater success arrived in 1982 with Asia, the supergroup completed by members from Yes and King Crimson; "Heat of the Moment" served as their signature track and major international hit. The platinum certification of Asia's self-titled 1982 debut allowed Palmer to distance himself from ELP in the public eye and focus on the 3 Project, launched in the late 1980s with Keith Emerson to explore music in a less formal, more accessible vein.
The 1990s found him reunited with Emerson, Lake & Palmer after his former bandmates' brief collaboration with Cozy Powell in Emerson, Lake & Powell. Entering the early 21st century in his fifties, Palmer commanded the highest musical regard among the trio's members, owing largely to his enduring and commanding virtuosity. ~ Bruce Eder
Albums
