| FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June, 2001 Drummer
Carl Palmer’s Entire Career Is Celebrated With The Release Of:
(Click HERE To Order It On CD) Double CD will showcase his greatest recordings with ELP, Asia, Atomic Rooster and several rare and never-before-released tracks from every professional music group he has drummed for.
DO YA WANNA PLAY, CARL! – CARL PALMER ANTHOLOGY is being released initially this June in Europe by Sanctuary Records, with a worldwide release to follow shortly thereafter. “I am very excited and grateful to see recordings from my entire body of work finally assembled in one collection,” says Palmer, currently preparing for his first solo band tour. “Because I have played in bands that have all been signed to different labels, I was very happy to see all of these recordings could be cleared to appear together in one all encompassing collection.” The ELP recordings from DO YA WANNA PLAY, CARL! are those that have featured Palmer’s innovative and powerful drum work, such as: “Tank”, “The Enemy God”, “Toccata”, and “Fanfare For The Common Man.” With Emerson, Lake & Palmer (which included Keith Emerson and Greg Lake), Palmer has sold over 40 million records. Among the Asia tracks are “Heat Of The Moment” and “Wildest Dreams,” two of the biggest pop hits of all time. Asia’s debut album (which, in addition to Palmer, featured Steve Howe, Geoff Downes and John Wetton) went to the #1 spot for seven weeks in 1981, selling over 7 million units. Today, it remains one of the best selling debut albums of all time. “The
idea for the ELP and Asia tracks were to find recordings
Considered “the drummer’s drummer, “ the album features Palmer in several distinctive musical genres, including classical, jazz, rock, and pop music. Says Palmer: “ I was classically trained in percussion, and I have had a lot of experience playing in jazz acts, so it was only natural to include these musical styles in the DO YA WANNA PLAY, CARL! collection.” What makes DO YA WANNA PLAY, CARL! such an important release, however, is the inclusion of several rare, never-before-on-CD and previously unreleased tracks, including Carl Palmer’s acclaimed “Concerto For Percussion New”, composed with Joeseph Horovitz and recorded in 1976 . “Also, this is the first time I had played tune percussion such as the Glockenspiel or the xylophone with tuned gongs and so on.” A super rare recording made with the late jazz legend drummer Buddy Rich introducing Carl playing with his big band orchestra also highlights the collection. Rich, who generally did not like rock music and rock drummers, was a well-known Carl Palmer fan. The recording of “Shawnee”, was included after Palmer was able to obtain permission from the Rich Estate. “Buddy Rich was a hero and true inspiration to me,” says Palmer. “ In addition, he was a good friend. It is an honor to have him and his great band on my Anthology album.” Other recordings on DO YA WANNA PLAY, CARL! feature Palmer’s short-lived solo band, PM; 3, another trio project with Keith Emerson. From 1988; and Qango, a recent touring project that also included Asia vocalist/bassist, John Wetton. Palmer fans will also delight in the inclusion of recordings by The Craig and The Chants, two of Palmer’s early bands, from his teen years in the 1960s. These recordings have been unavailable for nearly 35 years. “The track, ‘ I Must Be Mad’ is the first recording I ever made at age 15,” says Palmer. There is also an extensive 16 page CD booklet featuring a complete essay on Palmer, along with rare and never before seen photos. Also included is a picture of the only surviving poster from ELP’s first live show in August, 1970. Carl Palmer has been at the forefront of the contemporary music scene for over three decades when he became a rock superstar as one third of the British progressive rock trio, Emerson, Lake & Palmer. In ELP, and again in the 1980s when he co-founded another platinum band, Asia, Carl Palmer has been the driving force behind dozens of rock's most memorable recordings. With his powerhouse drumming and impeccable showmanship, Carl Palmer has remained a favorite of music fans worldwide. Carl Frederick Kendall Palmer was born on March 20, 1950 in Birmingham, England, to a musically inclined family (including his paternal grandfather who was also a drummer). He developed an interest in classical music at an early age. Carl's father was an entertainer, who sang, danced, played the guitar and drums. When Carl turned 11, he took a liking to the drums, after seeing Sal Mineo play them in the film "Drum Crazy". At 13, he joined his father's dance band. At 15, he joined the Motown-styled King Bees, which later changed its named to The Craig. A year later joined Chris Farlowe and the Thunderbirds, which included guitar wizard Albert Lee and keyboardist Dave Greenslade. Two years later, at Carl became a member of The Crazy World of Arthur Brown, who soon had a huge hit with a quirky pop single called "(I Am The God Of Hell) Fire." Palmer and another Arthur Brown-alumnus, Vincent Crane, left to form their own group Atomic Rooster. By August 1969 the band was up and running and had released its debut album. Press and fans that were eagerly embracing the growing “progressive” rock scene coming out of London immediately accepted the group. Palmer's lightning fast drum solos helped build the band's reputation on the competitive London club scene. They also had hits with two songs, "Tomorrow Night" and "Devil's Answers." It was in the spring of 1970, however, that Palmer received a call from keyboardist Keith Emerson from The Nice. Emerson explained he was forming a new trio with King Crimson's bassist/guitarist/vocalist Greg Lake. The three musicians had a jam session, and soon after, EMERSON, LAKE & PALMER emerged as the premier progressive rock band of its time. ELP would go on to become one of the biggest rock acts of all time, with sales of over 40 million records "Lucky Man," Karn Evil 9", and "Fanfare For The Common Man" are among the hits that came from the band's 7 platinum albums. They also spearheaded countless sold out tours around the globe that married theatrics with energetic stage performances. ELP disbanded initially in 1980. In 1981, Palmer was approached by manager Brian Lane, who was helping Yes guitarist Steve Howe form a new band. Already on board were Howe, and Buggles keyboard whiz, Geoff Downes. Palmer checked it out, and quickly joined. Vocalist and bassist John Wetton from King Crimson was added and the band was complete. They were called Asia (taken from thumbing through a dictionary), and like ELP, were labeled "a supergroup". That, in itself, should have been cause for the band's demise, but, fortunately, they would skyrocket to the top of the charts in a matter of months. Asia picked up in the early 1980s where the great FM bands of the seventies left off. The band's debut album, spearheaded by Geffen A&R guru John Kalodner, yielded several hits (including "Only Time Will Tell", "Heat Of The Moment" and "Sole Survivor") and went multi platinum. "We were unique," says Palmer, in retrospect. " Asia was English rock with a technical side. It's sophisticated rock mixed in with melodies and singles. It was taboo in those days. And you very rarely hear that today, either." From 1988 through 1991, Palmer worked in another trio with Keith Emerson called "3" and in a re-vamped version of Asia. While Asia was getting ready to write and record another album in 1991, Palmer was asked to participate in an ELP reunion. ELP returned triumphantly in 1992 with Black Moon, and a global tour that went from mid-1992 through the summer of 1993. In The Hot Seat a follow up studio album was recorded and released in 1994, and in 1996, the band resumed touring through 1998, when the group went on hiatus again. An internationally known showman, Carl Palmer has thrilled rock fans with his dazzling speed and mastery of drumming techniques. His power and mastery onstage is just as compelling today as it was in the heyday of ELP in the 1970s. This
summer he returns to the road with, “Palmer,” his new solo band.
One More Time- The Carl Palmer Anthology will be available in UK and European
stores initially, and at the Official Carl Palmer Website, found at www.carlpalmer.com
The complete track listing: One
More Time:
CD ONE – ELP / Carl Palmer Solo Concerto
For Percussion New
CD TWO - Outside ELP I
Must Be Mad (The Craig)
(Click HERE
To Order It On CD)
To
read the new interview with Carl about "DO YA WANNA PLAY CARL!", the Carl
Palmer anthology, click HERE
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London:
Carl Palmer, drummer and a driving force behind such multi-platinum acts
as Emerson, Lake & Palmer and Asia has been profiled in a new double
CD entitled: DO YA WANNA PLAY, CARL! - THE CARL PALMER ANTHOLOGYY.
In addition to popular recordings from aforementioned groups, DO YA WANNA
PLAY, CARL! will also feature a myriad of previously unreleased,
rare and new-to-CD recordings by several other bands that Palmer has drummed
with. These include tracks by 3, PM, Atomic Rooster, The Craig, The Chants
and Qango, along solo recordings from the Works period of ELP, sessions
with British rock artist Mike Oldfield, and a live track of Carl
with drum jazz icon, Buddy Rich and His Orchestra.