‘I never believed it would have worked’: Greg Lake on how Jimi Hendrix almost became part of ELP

Over a year ago I posted a story entitled DID HENDRIX EVER PLAY WITH ELP? With a recent interview with Greg Lake, my question is a little bit closer to being answered.

Greg Lake confirms that Jimi Hendrix was considered for a spot in the earliest incarnation of Emerson Lake and Palmer — and that he was utterly aware of how that might have changed things when it came to the group’s name.

After all, had the fiery guitarist joined, their alphabetic moniker would have changed to HELP.

“It didn’t escape the notice of the press at the time,” Lake tells BackstageAxxess. “But to be honest with you, I never believed it would have worked, really, in the long run. It may have been great for a couple of days, because Jimi was fantastic, and (stalwart keyboardist) Keith (Emerson) also. But two virtuoso players in one band, it would have soon melted down.”

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