Which is the better band? ELP or UK (Danger Money era when they were a 3 pce like ELP

[ProgMusician]

I know some here might consider ELP more essential (in my opinion that mostly has to do with timing). And you could say,... well Emerson stretched out more often on keys than Jobson (but hey, Jobson was more of a pioneering synthesist than Keith and pretty much a dexteritous monster in his own right) - and don't forget Eddie plays a pretty "stretched out" violin also. Then,... Wetton vs Lake ; Palmer vs Bozzio. Gotta say,... I don't think there is an obvious answer here. Let'er rip!

[timmy]

Apples and oranges IMO. No comparisons can be made as to which is better and both made significant contributions to music.

I find myself returning to UK music more than ELP these days. ELP music has not aged well for me but that is simply my tastes in music.

[Rufus]

ELP hands down!!!!

The only UK I revisit is the debut. ELP & YES , maybe some Camel are the only bands from the golden era that have maintained my interest. Loving the BSS box set!!!

[NogbadTheBad]

Neither

[Scrotum Scissor]

Hm.

Refugee.

And Alas.

[GuitarGeek]

Definitely UK, if you ask me. Eddie didn't try to pass himself off as a classical composer, and didn't get too carried away with the virtuoso playing and writing.

[nosebone]

No Emo, no Eddy!

[moecurlythanu]

Better? We need measurables.

[claycorn]

it`s not fair to comparepigs!.jpg

[Fracktured]

ELP no more discussion needed

[soblivious]

It's amazing how many folk haven't heard Refugee and Trace still....

[WytchCrypt]

ELP was revolutionary and changed the world of music, UK was based on a more of the same concept

[JJ88]

ELP circa 1970-4 walk all over anything UK did, to my ears. The ELP of that period were a rawer, more experimental band. Sometimes the albums come off as patchy nowadays but there's no doubt that when they got it right, they really did.

However, I have said before that the ELP of the late 70s (again, I stress, only the ELP of the late 70s!) were outclassed by 'Danger Money'- an album that does indeed cover the same ground better than ELP were doing themselves at the same time. It's certainly slick, but still with something of interest in the music. Only song I don't like is 'Nothin' To Lose'- to my ears, even the songs on the first Asia album (which it often is seen as a precursor of) have more going on than this one does.

Agreed on the one Refugee album being very strong musically.

[JJ88]

Definitely UK, if you ask me. Eddie didn't try to pass himself off as a classical composer, and didn't get too carried away with the virtuoso playing and writing.

Hmm, don't get this. There's some pretty heavy 'muso' stuff on the first UK album, I think.

[PeterG]

Of all the original 1st Wave prog rock bands I've never liked ELP or VDGG. I do like UK though.

[GuitarGeek]

Hmm, don't get this. There's some pretty heavy 'muso' stuff on the first UK album, I think.

But we're not talking about the first UK album, are we? We're talking about Danger Money, which I think is a lot less heavy on the "Look at me" playing than the ELP records. And Jobson was smart enough to not put his name on a concerto.

[JJ88]

Yes, but the debut has enough 'look at me' stuff from Jobson and Holdsworth to last a lifetime- just as much as ELP at their most indulgent.

I've always been in a minority of finding 'Danger Money' a better album- it's more cohesive, IMHO. The debut I find a little confused (it's not exactly progressive rock or fusion and it's an uneasy mix), though it has some strong moments- 'Alaska' in particular is tremendous, I think. The showboating is reined in and it's more of a strong ensemble piece.

[Zeuhlmate]

How should we measure which is the better band (besides personal taste)?
ELP made at least 5 great albums. UK (this formation) made 1 (well 2 if you count in the live album)

Emerson, Lake and Palmer (1970)
Tarkus (1971)
Pictures at an Exhibition (live) (1971)
Trilogy (1972)
Brain Salad Surgery (1973)

UK:
Danger Money (1978)

ELP composed and recorded much more than UK, and could stick together for a much longer period.

I like UK - Danger Money, but prefer their first album by a mile or so.

[Splicer]

They are only somewhat similar.

[rickmoraz]

ELP circa 1970-4 walk all over anything UK did, to my ears. The ELP of that period were a rawer, more experimental band. Sometimes the albums come off as patchy nowadays but there's no doubt that when they got it right, they really did.

However, I have said before that the ELP of the late 70s (again, I stress, only the ELP of the late 70s!) were outclassed by 'Danger Money'- an album that does indeed cover the same ground better than ELP were doing themselves at the same time. It's certainly slick, but still with something of interest in the music. Only song I don't like is 'Nothin' To Lose'- to my ears, even the songs on the first Asia album (which it often is seen as a precursor of) have more going on than this one does.

Agreed on the one Refugee album being very strong musically.

This

I prefer the original UK but a song like Carrying no Cross is classic stuff IMHO

Ed

[grego]

Of UK, I absolutely love 'Night After Night'. Rendezvouz, Alaska, Time To Kill never sounded better.
Danger Money I rate lower, than debut. Lot of great stuff on debut, Nevermore, Mental Medication, Thirty Years, Alaska, Time To Kill..
On DM, I love Rendezvouz and Carrying No Cross. The rest leaves me cold..
ELP is different band. More jovial, while UK is more of nostalgic type..

[Jeremy Bender]

ELP by about the distance from my desk to the Crab Nebula.

Yes, but the debut has enough 'look at me' stuff from Jobson and Holdsworth to last a lifetime- just as much as ELP at their most indulgent.

*And* it was already horribly dated and passe when it was released.

I've always been in a minority of finding 'Danger Money' a better album- it's more cohesive, IMHO.

I saw the 3-piece UK open up for Jethro Tull in November 1979, they were laughably ELP clones.

Refugee? They were Nice clones, though I liked Moraz's playing a lot.

[perpetual strange]

I hate to compare anyone, but...

ELP

[Dave (in MA)]

ELP by about the distance from my desk to the Crab Nebula.
*And* it was already horribly dated and passe when it was released.

Maybe according to fads and fashions that you wouldn't think a PEer would give a crap about.

I saw the 3-piece UK open up for Jethro Tull in November 1979, they were laughably ELP clones.

I saw the 4-piece UK in October 1978 and the 3-piece UK in March 1979, and they were great. When I saw them opening for Tull in October 1979, they seemed to be going thru the motions-something that was confirmed for me when I got Night After Night.

[Richard]

UK is one of my favorite bands of all-time. ELP never really did much of anything for me.
So the answer to your question is UK.