3 (1980s band)
Encyclopedia
3 were a short-lived progressive rock
band formed by former Emerson, Lake & Palmer
members Keith Emerson
and Carl Palmer
and American multi-instrumentalist Robert Berry
in 1988.
Unsurprisingly, their music has elements of the characteristic ELP sound, but was criticised as less inventive and having a bland AOR
flavour. After one album, To the Power of Three
, 3 split up. Emerson & Palmer reunited with Greg Lake
for 1992's Black Moon and Berry would form the supergroup Alliance
.
They did perform live, as "Emerson and Palmer" (Berry was onstage but unnamed), at the Atlantic Records
40th Anniversary concert in 1988, broadcast on HBO, but only performed a long medley instrumental set based around Fanfare for the Common Man
, Leonard Bernstein
's America, and Dave Brubeck
's Blue Rondo
, which later became an ELP encore in their 90s concerts. They did not perform any original ELP material without Lake, nor did they perform any 3 songs since the band's actual label was Geffen Records
.
3 performed at live venues to support their album, sometime in 1988. The three studio musicians were sometimes augmented by Paul Keller on guitar and Jennifer Steele on backing vocals. Their setlist mainly consisted of material from their album, including "Runaway" and an extended jam version of the cover song "Eight Miles High
". The group did a different arrangement of "Desde La Vida". The band did long instrumental jams based on music ELP covered including "Hoedown
" & "Fanfare for the Common Man
", but did not do any original ELP compositions. A long, elaborate cover of The Four Tops
' "Standing in the Shadows of Love
" was also included in the set.
Progressive rock
Progressive rock is a subgenre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s as part of a "mostly British attempt to elevate rock music to new levels of artistic credibility." John Covach, in Contemporary Music Review, says that many thought it would not just "succeed the pop of...
band formed by former Emerson, Lake & Palmer
Emerson, Lake & Palmer
Emerson, Lake & Palmer, also known as ELP, are an English progressive rock supergroup. They found success in the 1970s and sold over forty million albums and headlined large stadium concerts. The band consists of Keith Emerson , Greg Lake and Carl Palmer...
members Keith Emerson
Keith Emerson
Keith Noel Emerson is an English keyboard player and composer. Formerly a member of the Keith Emerson Trio, John Brown's Bodies, The T-Bones, V.I.P.s, P.P. Arnold's backing band, and The Nice , he was a founder of Emerson, Lake & Palmer , one of the early supergroups, in 1970...
and Carl Palmer
Carl Palmer
Carl Frederick Kendall Palmer is an English drummer and percussionist. He is credited as one of the most respected rock drummers to emerge from the 1960s...
and American multi-instrumentalist Robert Berry
Robert Berry
Robert Berry is an American guitarist, vocalist and producer, best known for his work with Hush, 3, Ambrosia, Alliance & Los Tres Gusanos.-History:...
in 1988.
Unsurprisingly, their music has elements of the characteristic ELP sound, but was criticised as less inventive and having a bland AOR
Arena rock
Arena rock is a term used to describe rock music that utilised large arena venues, particularly sports venues, for concerts or series of concerts linked in tours...
flavour. After one album, To the Power of Three
To the Power of Three
-Personnel:*Keith Emerson - keyboards, mixing*Robert Berry - lead & backing vocals, guitars, bass, producer*Carl Palmer - drums, percussion, producer-Additional personnel:*Susie O'List - backing vocals*Lana Williams - backing vocals...
, 3 split up. Emerson & Palmer reunited with Greg Lake
Greg Lake
Gregory Stuart "Greg" Lake is an English musician, songwriter and producer, best known as a vocalist and bassist of King Crimson, and the bassist, guitarist, vocalist, and lyricist of Emerson, Lake & Palmer.-1960s: King Crimson:...
for 1992's Black Moon and Berry would form the supergroup Alliance
Alliance (band)
Alliance is an American Rock band formed in 1991 by Robert Berry, Alan Fitzgerald, David Lauser, and Gary Pihl. They have released four albums: Alliance , Missing Piece , Destination Known and Road To Heaven .-Discography:...
.
They did perform live, as "Emerson and Palmer" (Berry was onstage but unnamed), at the Atlantic Records
Atlantic Records
Atlantic Records is an American record label best known for its many recordings of rhythm and blues, rock and roll, and jazz...
40th Anniversary concert in 1988, broadcast on HBO, but only performed a long medley instrumental set based around Fanfare for the Common Man
Fanfare for the Common Man
Fanfare for the Common Man is a 20th-century American classical music work by American composer Aaron Copland. The piece was written in 1942 for the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra under conductor Eugene Goossens. It was inspired in part by a famous speech made earlier in the same year where vice...
, Leonard Bernstein
Leonard Bernstein
Leonard Bernstein August 25, 1918 – October 14, 1990) was an American conductor, composer, author, music lecturer and pianist. He was among the first conductors born and educated in the United States of America to receive worldwide acclaim...
's America, and Dave Brubeck
Dave Brubeck
David Warren "Dave" Brubeck is an American jazz pianist. He has written a number of jazz standards, including "In Your Own Sweet Way" and "The Duke". Brubeck's style ranges from refined to bombastic, reflecting his mother's attempts at classical training and his improvisational skills...
's Blue Rondo
Time Out (album)
Time Out is a jazz album by The Dave Brubeck Quartet, released in 1959 on Columbia Records, catalogue CL 1397. Recorded at Columbia's 30th Street Studio in New York City, it is based upon the use of time signatures that were unusual for jazz such as 9/8 and 5/4. The album is a subtle blend of cool...
, which later became an ELP encore in their 90s concerts. They did not perform any original ELP material without Lake, nor did they perform any 3 songs since the band's actual label was Geffen Records
Geffen Records
Geffen Records is an American record label, owned by Universal Music Group, and operated as one third of UMG's Interscope-Geffen-A&M label group.-Beginnings:...
.
3 performed at live venues to support their album, sometime in 1988. The three studio musicians were sometimes augmented by Paul Keller on guitar and Jennifer Steele on backing vocals. Their setlist mainly consisted of material from their album, including "Runaway" and an extended jam version of the cover song "Eight Miles High
Eight Miles High
"Eight Miles High" is a song by the American rock band The Byrds, written by Gene Clark, Jim McGuinn, and David Crosby and first released as a single on March 14, 1966 . The single managed to reach the Top 20 of the Billboard Hot 100 and the Top 30 of the UK Singles Chart...
". The group did a different arrangement of "Desde La Vida". The band did long instrumental jams based on music ELP covered including "Hoedown
Hoedown
A Hoedown is a type of American folk dance or square dance in duple meter, and also the musical form associated with it.-Overview:The most popular sense of the term is associated with Americans in rural or southeastern parts of the country, particularly Appalachia. It is a dance in quick movement...
" & "Fanfare for the Common Man
Fanfare for the Common Man
Fanfare for the Common Man is a 20th-century American classical music work by American composer Aaron Copland. The piece was written in 1942 for the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra under conductor Eugene Goossens. It was inspired in part by a famous speech made earlier in the same year where vice...
", but did not do any original ELP compositions. A long, elaborate cover of The Four Tops
Four Tops
The Four Tops are an American vocal quartet, whose repertoire has included doo-wop, jazz, soul music, R&B, disco, adult contemporary, hard rock, and showtunes...
' "Standing in the Shadows of Love
Standing in the Shadows of Love
"Standing in the Shadows of Love" is a 1966 hit single recorded by the Four Tops for the Motown label. Written and produced by Motown's main production team Holland–Dozier–Holland, the song is one of the most well-known Motown tunes of the 1960s...
" was also included in the set.
Band members
- Keith EmersonKeith EmersonKeith Noel Emerson is an English keyboard player and composer. Formerly a member of the Keith Emerson Trio, John Brown's Bodies, The T-Bones, V.I.P.s, P.P. Arnold's backing band, and The Nice , he was a founder of Emerson, Lake & Palmer , one of the early supergroups, in 1970...
- keyboardsKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
(1988–1989) - Robert BerryRobert BerryRobert Berry is an American guitarist, vocalist and producer, best known for his work with Hush, 3, Ambrosia, Alliance & Los Tres Gusanos.-History:...
- lead vocals, guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
s, bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
(1988–1989) - Carl PalmerCarl PalmerCarl Frederick Kendall Palmer is an English drummer and percussionist. He is credited as one of the most respected rock drummers to emerge from the 1960s...
- drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
, percussionPercussion instrumentA percussion instrument is any object which produces a sound when hit with an implement or when it is shaken, rubbed, scraped, or otherwise acted upon in a way that sets the object into vibration...
(1988–1989)
Live members
- Paul Keller – guitars (1988–1989)
- Jennifer Steele – backing vocals (1988–1989)
Studio albums
| Year | Album details |
|---|---|
| 1988 | To the Power of Three To the Power of Three -Personnel:*Keith Emerson - keyboards, mixing*Robert Berry - lead & backing vocals, guitars, bass, producer*Carl Palmer - drums, percussion, producer-Additional personnel:*Susie O'List - backing vocals*Lana Williams - backing vocals...
|
See also
- Emerson, Lake & PalmerEmerson, Lake & PalmerEmerson, Lake & Palmer, also known as ELP, are an English progressive rock supergroup. They found success in the 1970s and sold over forty million albums and headlined large stadium concerts. The band consists of Keith Emerson , Greg Lake and Carl Palmer...
- Emerson, Lake & PowellEmerson, Lake & PowellEmerson, Lake & Powell, sometimes abbreviated as ELPowell, were an English rock band, an offshoot or variant lineup of Emerson, Lake & Palmer, that released one official studio album in 1986....
- Alliance (band)Alliance (band)Alliance is an American Rock band formed in 1991 by Robert Berry, Alan Fitzgerald, David Lauser, and Gary Pihl. They have released four albums: Alliance , Missing Piece , Destination Known and Road To Heaven .-Discography:...