Tarkus
Written by Jeff on March 31, 2024
“We did what we wanted. It wasn’t about having hit singles or being on the radio, although we did manage to get a lot of radio play and have singles. We listened to so much and brought it all into what we were doing.”
In January 1971 Keith Emerson, Greg Lake and Carl Palmer entered Advision Studios in London to record the bands sophomore LP. Having completed the first tour in December 1970, the band wanted to carry some of the momentum it had developed as a live act in to the studio.
Ignoring the pressure from the label to crank out hits, make an even bigger splash than the debut. The band had no agenda or worries entering the studio. In the days leading up to the sessions, Emerson would often spend time with Lake at his appointment. The two playing their favorite records and formed ideas for the album. Simon & Garfunkel, Joni Mitchell, Cannonball Adderly, Frank Zappa, Shostakovich and the Argentinian classical composer Albero Ginastera served as inspirational advisors.
Leaning far more into the classical tradition than their contemporaries like Yes and even further than King Crimson did.
The melting pot of taste all influencing the final product.
Keith Emerson took notice of drummer Carl Palmers more challenging pieces and often exploring more complex rhythmic ideas during the bands warm ups and sound checks. Leading to realize the patterns that Palmer was playing on his practise drum pads (playing in 10/8 time and switching back to 7/8 just as quickly) complemented runs that Emerson had developed on the piano, and used this as the ground work for early material on Tarkus. Emerson’s vision was John Coltrane, with a Moog synthesizer.
When Emerson presented the combined works of the two for his rough sketch of the title cut, Palmer immediately loved it. Greg Lake however, was less than enthusiastic. His dislike of the epic was so dramatic that he threatened to leave the group entirely. Emerson was initially shocked of Lake’s resistance to the music but felt this was to be a defining moment for the band and stated that if Lake didn’t agree to play on the song the band would find a replacement. A meeting between the three, their management team and producer Eddie Offord was called and Lake eventually was not only was convicted to stay but contributed to the track. He did still feel the song too demonstrative the sake of being clever, but did not want to split the group up. The band continued to work on Tarkus and took the entire month of January to complete it as part of Lake’s compromise they wouldn’t pursue the track after. Lake said the song is about “the futility of conflict, expressed in this context in terms of soldiers and war — but it’s broader than that. The words are about revolution, the revolution that’s gone, that has happened. Where has it got anybody? Nowhere.” It’s no coincidence that the war in Vietnam was still on television everywhere, everyday for must have played a part in the lyrics; “Clear the battlefield and let me see. All the profit from our victory
You talk of freedom, starving children fall Are you deaf when you hear the season’s call?
Were you there to watch the earth be scorched?
Did you stand beside the spectral torch?
Now the leaves of sorrow turned their face
Scattered on the ashes of disgrace.”
Another theory on the subject thinks Tarkus, represents a corrupt society in power, while the natural and unnatural manticore represents an emerging counterculture that eventually succeeds, not necessarily in defeating Tarkus but overcoming the beast enough to live in harmony.
When January rolled into February 1971 the band had the title, title track, even the art work by William Neal was completed. The art depicted an armadillo tank hybrid who loses a fight with a manticore which concludes with the appearance of an aquatic version of Tarkus named Aquatarkus. Neal’s initial designs of a machine gun with a belt of bullets replaced by a row of keyboard keys, which he sketched on with a pencil during a phone conversation. Emerson liked the tank but insisted that the imagery of the armadillo be combined with it. He gave Neal a copy of the album to get inspiration for the cover.
What was left? All of side two.
The band had no ideas as their focus was completely devoted to the side one piece. Side two would have nothing to do with the previous side. Instead consisted of six other tracks.
Jeremy Bender opens side two with a boogie that couldn’t possibly be any different from the previous side. Emerson’s jangling piano and suggestive lyrics complete with a vaudeville rambling that would surprisingly continue on other albums ( The Sheriff off of Trilogy and Benny The Bouncer from Brain Salad Sugary) left to various opinions. And at only a 1:47 even The Ramones would say the song is short.
The Black Magic inspired Bitches Cristal states “Evil learning / people burning / savage casting / no one lasting / witchcraft!” With a driving, pulsating beat that would both inspire and horrify the next generation. Lakes vocal delivery is absolutely outstanding and is certainly a highlight of the entire album.
The Only Way (Hymn) offers question no moral man and answer. Emerson plays a tribute Bach on an old pipe organ he found in a church
and Lake’s lyrics asks “Can you believe God makes you breathe / Why did he lose six million Jews?” Upon hearing Lake, Emerson and Palmer questioned if such a heavy subject would be appropriate for the album. Lake refused to change anything.
Infinite Space (Conclusion) an instrumental that Emerson felt was necessary after the profound lyrics on the previous piece stating “We needed something a bit more laid back.” A vocal performance was considered but was thought better just as it was.
A Time and A Place- Emerson cited Led Zeppelin as a loose influence on this song, as the band was listening to a lot of Zeppelin around this time. Emerson’s friendship with with Jimmy Page and his loved the groove on the then new song “Black Dog” inspired parts of the piece. Only three takes were needed to get the song completed.
Are You Ready Eddy? – Eddy as in Eddy Offord the engineer on the album, yelled out prior to any take during recording. The song was largely borrowed from 50’s rocker “The Girl Can’t Help It.” The track was originally thought to be just a jam, impromptu performance, a one and done take that was a celebration of the album’s completion.
If one is looking for a starting point in the world of ELP, Tarkus is certainly ground zero.