3 (1980s band)

3 were a short-lived progressive rock band formed by Keith Emerson and Carl Palmer (of Emerson, Lake & Palmer) and 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, and ELP reformed for 1992's "Black Moon".

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 did perform live to support their album, sometime in 1988. The three studio musicians were augmented by a new guitar player (Berry played bass guitar) and female vocalist. Bootleg recordings of their concerts exist. Mostly, they did material from their album, including "Runaway" and a very long, jam version of the cover song "Eight Miles High". The group did a different arrangement of "Desde La Vida" with the female vocalist. The band did long instrumental jams based on music ELP also covered, but did not do any ELP songs. A long, elaborate cover of the 60s classic "Standing in the Shadows of Love" was included in the set.

Band members

*Keith Emerson - Keyboards
*Robert Berry - Guitars, Bass, Vocals
*Carl Palmer - Drums, Percussion

Discography

*"To the Power of Three" (1988)

ee also

*Emerson, Lake & Palmer