Happy Birthday Carl Palmer
Carl Frederick Kendall Jenner Palmer was born March 20, 1950, somewhere in England. From the beginning it was clear that music was in the stars for the young Carl Palmer. He came from a long line of drummers. His father played the drums, his father’s father played the drums, his grandmother was a drum maker, his mother played percussion. Drumming goes back 7 generations in the Palmer family. Carl’s fascination with music began early and classical violin studies followed.
At the age of 18, replacing drummer Drachen Theaker, Carl Palmer joined up with The Crazy World of Arthur Brown at the absolute peak of their success following the smash single “Fire” (“I am the God of Hellfire…”). Top 10 around the world and feeling the weight of success, cracks had begun to form in the band, there were personnel changes and Palmer arrived at a time when the band were touring with some of the biggest names in music. After brief rehearsals the lineup set out on an arduous U.S. tour alongside the cream of the rock world including the Grateful Dead, Jimi Hendrix, Premier Cast of Hair, Iron Butterfly and others.
Atomic Rooster
Continuing pressures, management problems, health issues and personality conflicts eventually took their toll. The disillusioned Brown became increasingly difficult and the band splintered. Speaking about Brown, Palmer recalled, “It was no use talking to him so I just left him in the middle of the night.” Carl, along with ailing keyboardist Vincent Crane, returned to the UK to form Atomic Rooster.
In April 1970, Greg Lake left King Crimson, Keith Emerson left The Nice and Carl Palmer left Atomic Rooster to form the progressive rock supergroup, Emerson, Lake & Palmer. ELP became one of the most successful groups in the 1970s. What a group it was! Songs and albums like: “Karn Evil 9 First Impression Part 2”, “Brain Salad Surgery”, “From The Beginning”, “Still You Turn Me On” & many more. An ELP concert was an air drummers wet dream. Emerson had a team of technicians to program his wall of synthesizers, and Lake sang like an angel. They don’t make bands like that anymore. The band split up in 1979 but reformed on occasion.
ASIA
Opportunity knocked again for Carl Palmer in 1981. Palmer formed another supergroup, ASIA with lead vocalist and bassist John Wetton of King Crimson and U.K., guitarist Steve Howe of Yes, keyboardist Geoff Downes of Yes and the Buggles. Palmer left Asia in 1991 to join the ELP reunion and then left ELP to rejoin Asia and around and around it went.
Everyone who ever picked up the sticks owes a debt of gratitude to the incredible playing of Mr. Palmer. Carl was inducted into the drummer Hall of Fame. He became a vegan in the early 2010s but still enjoys a Big Mac every year on St Patricks Day. Cheers Carl.
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