Carl Palmer facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Carl Palmer
Palmer performing in 2014
Background information
Birth name	Carl Frederick Kendall Palmer
Born	(1950-03-20) 20 March 1950 (age 75) Handsworth, Birmingham, England
Died	Error: Need valid death date (first date): year, month, day
Genres	Progressive rock
Occupation(s)	Drummer
Years active	1964–present
Labels	Island Manticore Atlantic Eagle Rock Geffen

Carl Frederick Kendall Palmer (born March 20, 1950) is a famous English drummer. He helped start two "supergroups": Emerson, Lake & Palmer and Asia. A supergroup is a band made of musicians who were already famous from other bands. Carl also played drums for The Crazy World of Arthur Brown and was a founding member of Atomic Rooster. Since 2001, he has toured with his own bands, including Carl Palmer's ELP Legacy.

Carl Palmer was honored in the Modern Drummer Hall of Fame in 1989. He also received the Prog God Award in 2017 at the Progressive Music Awards.

Carl Palmer's Music Journey

Starting Out: Early Bands

Carl Palmer started taking drum lessons when he was very young. He even learned from James Blades, a well-known classical percussionist. His first band was called the King Bees, but they later changed their name to the Craig. In 1966, they released their first record. Around this time, Carl also played drums for other musicians. Later in 1966, he joined a band called Chris Farlowe and the Thunderbirds.

The Crazy World of Arthur Brown

In 1969, Carl joined The Crazy World of Arthur Brown. The band's original drummer left suddenly during a tour in the United States. Carl quickly stepped in and became a full-time member of the group.

Forming Atomic Rooster

Carl Palmer and Vincent Crane, the keyboard player from The Crazy World of Arthur Brown, decided to start their own band. In the summer of 1969, they formed a trio called Atomic Rooster. Carl said they started the new band because Arthur Brown had gone missing. Atomic Rooster released their first album in early 1970. Carl left Atomic Rooster later that year after being asked to try out for a new group.

The Supergroup: Emerson, Lake & Palmer

Palmer on stage with ELP in 1978

Carl met two other talented English musicians: Greg Lake and Keith Emerson. Keith was from the band The Nice, and Greg was from King Crimson. They all wanted to create new and exciting music. After some discussions, they found an "immediate chemistry" with Carl. By the summer of 1970, they had formed their band. They named it Emerson, Lake & Palmer (ELP) using their last names in alphabetical order.

ELP became the most successful band Carl Palmer was ever in. He stayed with them until they first broke up in 1979. The band was even nominated for a Grammy Award for Best New Artist. This made them the first progressive rock group to get such an honor. ELP created a unique sound that mixed different music styles like rock, jazz, and classical music. They were popular with both other musicians and the public.

ELP got back together in 1992 and released new albums like Black Moon. They also went on tours. In 1998, the trio split up again. They had a special one-time performance in 2010 to celebrate 40 years since they formed. After Keith Emerson and Greg Lake passed away in 2016, Carl Palmer is the only surviving member of ELP.

Another Supergroup: Asia

After ELP first broke up in 1980, Carl Palmer joined John Wetton and Steve Howe to form a new supergroup. Geoff Downes later joined them, and they became Asia. This group was also nominated for a Grammy Award for Best New Artist. Carl Palmer became only the second artist ever to be nominated for this award twice!

Carl left Asia in 1991 to rejoin ELP. However, the four original members of Asia, including Carl, reunited in 2006. They celebrated their 25th anniversary and released several new albums, including Phoenix (2008) and Omega (2010).

Other Music Projects

Palmer performing in 2012

Carl Palmer has played drums on other artists' songs, like "Mount Teidi" by Mike Oldfield in 1982. He has also performed many drum clinics, which are like workshops where he teaches and shows off his drumming skills. In the past, his drum solos were famous for him taking off his shirt while playing!

Carl Palmer supports the British Classic Rock Society, which helps promote progressive rock concerts.

In 2001, Carl started his own band, first called Palmer, then the Carl Palmer Band. Now, it's known as Carl Palmer's ELP Legacy. This band plays instrumental versions of ELP songs. After Keith and Greg passed away, the trio started the "Emerson, Lake & Palmer Lives On!" World Tour in 2017.

Carl Palmer performs at William Paterson University in Wayne, NJ, as part of Carl Palmer's ELP Legacy Tour celebrating ELP's 50th Anniversary (November 2021)

In 2019, Carl Palmer performed with both Asia and ELP Legacy during The Royal Affair Tour. In 2021, Carl returned to touring after the COVID pandemic. He continued the Carl Palmer's ELP Legacy Tour to celebrate ELP's 50th anniversary.

Carl Palmer's Drumming Style

Carl Palmer's drumming style was shaped by many different types of music. He learned from famous jazz drummers like Joe Morello and Buddy Rich. You can hear their influence in his drumming, which started with a strong jazz feel. Carl is known for his amazing technical skills and his exciting drum solos. Later, when he played with Asia, his drumming became a bit simpler, but he started using two bass drums more often. He was the eleventh drummer to be inducted into the Modern Drummer Hall of Fame.

Carl Palmer's Life

Carl Palmer married Maureen Fraser in 1985. They had one daughter, Carissa, who is now a lawyer. Since 2004, his partner has been Katie. Carl lives in both Cyprus and the UK. He became vegan in 2010, meaning he doesn't eat animal products.

Carl Palmer's Drum Gear

Drums

• Carl Palmer owns a Ludwig Vistalite drum kit. It has cool blue see-through shells.
• He also has a special Ludwig "Venus" snare drum.

In 2011, Ludwig released Carl's "Signature Venus snare drum." It's made of green-colored brass.

• Stainless Steel Drum Kit

In 1973, Carl asked British Steel to create a custom drum kit made of stainless steel. The shells were very thick! This kit, along with other instruments, weighed about 2.5 tons. Many concert stages had to be made stronger to hold it. The kit was also designed to sound like electronic drums. Around 1980, Ringo Starr (from The Beatles) bought this kit for his son, Zak. In 2015, Ringo put it up for auction, and it was bought by David Frangioni, who runs Modern Drummer magazine.

• Carl also uses a bronze drum kit made by Paiste. It's built from the same bronze used for their cymbals.
• He uses a Korg WaveDrum in his drum solos.

Cymbals

Carl Palmer has used Paiste cymbals since 1971. Here are some of the cymbals he uses:

• 5" 2002 Cup Chime
• 13" Signature Heavy Hi-Hat
• 6" 2002 Cup Chime
• 18" Signature Power Crash
• 20" Signature Heavy Bell Ride
• 20" Signature Power Crash
• 13" 2002 Sound Edge Hi-Hat
• 6" 2002 Bell Chime
• 22" 2002 China

Drum Heads

Carl Palmer uses Remo drumheads on his drums.

Drumsticks

Pro-Mark made his first signature drumsticks. They were made of American hickory wood. After leaving Pro-Mark, he joined Vater Percussion drumsticks in 2022. They made him a brand new signature stick.

Other Instruments

Carl Palmer also uses other percussion instruments. These include timpani (large kettle drums), tubular bells, and a tam-tam (a large gong). He has also used temple blocks, a triangle, a church bell, a vibraslap, and a ratchet.

Carl Palmer's Music Albums

With Emerson, Lake & Palmer

With Asia

Other Albums

See also

In Spanish: Carl Palmer para niños