Greg Lake facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Greg Lake
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Lake in concert, 2005
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Gregory Stuart Lake |
| Born | 10 November 1947 Poole, Dorset, England |
| Died | 7 December 2016 (aged 69) London, England |
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| Years active | 1964–2016 |
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Gregory Stuart Lake (born November 10, 1947 – died December 7, 2016) was an English musician, singer, and songwriter. He became famous as a founding member of two important progressive rock bands: King Crimson and Emerson, Lake & Palmer (ELP).
Born in Dorset, England, Greg Lake started playing guitar at age 12. He even wrote his famous song "Lucky Man" when he was just 12! He became a full-time musician at 17. He joined several rock bands before his friend Robert Fripp asked him to join King Crimson.
With King Crimson, he was the lead singer and bassist. Their first album, In the Court of the Crimson King (1969), was a big hit. In 1970, Lake left King Crimson. He then found even more success with ELP, where he was the singer, guitarist, bassist, and producer. He wrote and recorded many popular songs for ELP, including "Lucky Man" and "From the Beginning".
Later, Greg Lake also had a solo career. His 1975 song "I Believe in Father Christmas" was very popular in the UK. He released solo albums and worked with other artists. He also helped new artists get started in music. Greg Lake passed away in London in 2016 at age 69.
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Greg Lake's Early Life
Greg Lake was born on November 10, 1947, in Poole, Dorset. His dad was an engineer, and his mom was a housewife. He grew up in a simple home. Greg said his family was "very poor," but he remembered his childhood as a happy one.
He discovered rock and roll in 1957 when he bought a song by Little Richard. At 12, he started learning guitar. His mom, who played piano, bought him his first guitar. Greg took lessons and learned different styles of music. He soon wanted to play songs by his favorite band, the Shadows.
Greg finished school around 1963 or 1964. He worked briefly at the Poole docks and as a designer. But at 17, he decided to become a full-time musician.
His Music Career
Starting in Bands
Greg Lake's first band was called Unit Four. They played cover songs, with Greg as the singer and guitarist. After that band split, he joined the Time Checks. He then became a member of the Shame, where he sang on their song "Don't Go Away Little Girl."
Later, he joined the Gods. Greg left this group in 1968 because he wanted to try different kinds of music. Another member of the band, Ken Hensley, said that Greg was "far too talented" to stay in the background.
Joining King Crimson
In the 1960s, Greg became friends with Robert Fripp. Fripp was forming a new band called King Crimson. He asked Greg to join as the lead singer. Fripp also asked Greg to play bass guitar, even though Greg had mostly played guitar for 11 years! This was Greg's first time playing bass.
Greg also helped write some of the lyrics for their first album, In the Court of the Crimson King. He even produced the album himself. When it came out in 1969, it was a huge success. People loved King Crimson because they offered something new and exciting.
King Crimson toured the UK and the US. During a US tour, Greg became friends with Keith Emerson, a keyboard player from another band called the Nice. They both liked similar music and talked about forming a new group together. In early 1970, Greg sang on King Crimson's second album, In the Wake of Poseidon, before leaving the band.
Forming Emerson, Lake & Palmer
In April 1970, Greg Lake teamed up with Keith Emerson and drummer Carl Palmer. Carl was from the bands the Crazy World of Arthur Brown and Atomic Rooster. Together, they formed the progressive rock supergroup called Emerson, Lake & Palmer, often called ELP.
Greg started playing a Fender bass, then switched to a Gibson Ripper. He also played acoustic and electric guitar for ELP. His singing voice was very powerful and unique. ELP quickly became one of the most successful music groups of the 1970s.
Greg became known for performing on a Persian carpet on stage. He would not go on stage without it! Years later, Greg said the carpet helped him feel safe. He had a fear of getting an electric shock from the microphone.
ELP's music combined Keith Emerson's love for complex, classical-style music with Greg Lake's more direct rock style. Sometimes, they had different ideas. For their second album, Tarkus, Greg didn't like the main song at first. But he agreed to record it, and they added his own song, "Battlefield," to the album. Greg's song "From the Beginning" from their 1972 album Trilogy became a hit single in the US.
In 1974, ELP took a break. Greg used this time to be with his family, travel, and write music. In 1977, they released a double album called Works Volume 1. Each band member had one side of the album for their solo music. Greg wrote five acoustic songs for his part. He called this album the "beginning of the end" for the band.
ELP broke up in 1979. They got back together for a few years in the 1990s and released two more albums. Their very last show together was in 2010 at the High Voltage Festival in London.
Solo Work and Other Bands
In 1975, while still with ELP, Greg Lake had a big solo hit. His song "I Believe in Father Christmas" reached number two in the UK. It's still a popular Christmas song today.
After ELP broke up in 1979, Greg started writing new songs for his first solo album. He formed the Greg Lake Band. His album, Greg Lake, came out in 1981. It did well in both the UK and the US. He toured with his band, including Gary Moore on guitar.
His second solo album, Manoeuvres, came out in 1983. After this, he stopped touring and working with his record company. He felt that the songs were not as passionate because he was pressured to write what the record company wanted.
In 1983, Greg joined the supergroup Asia for a short time. He filled in for their bassist for four concerts in Japan. He learned all of Asia's songs in six weeks! One of these concerts was broadcast live on MTV.
In 1986, Greg and Keith Emerson wanted to reform ELP. But Carl Palmer was busy with Asia. So, Greg and Keith formed a new band with drummer Cozy Powell called Emerson, Lake & Powell. They released an album together.
In 2001, Greg toured with Ringo Starr & His All-Starr Band. In 2003, he played bass on a song for The Who called "Real Good Looking Boy".
In 2005, Greg toured again with his Greg Lake Band. He also performed with the Trans-Siberian Orchestra and was a special guest on their album Night Castle (2009).
In 2010, Greg Lake and Keith Emerson went on an acoustic world tour, playing ELP songs. Later that year, Greg, Keith, and Carl Palmer played their final ELP concert at the High Voltage Festival. Greg wanted to keep touring, but the others did not.
Greg continued to tour on his own in the 2010s. His "Songs of a Lifetime Tour" featured songs from his career and by his favorite artists like Elvis Presley. He also wrote his autobiography, Lucky Man, which was published after he passed away.
Personal Life and Passing
Greg Lake lived in the London area with his wife and their daughter.
He passed away in London on December 7, 2016, at age 69, after a battle with cancer. Many musicians shared their sadness and paid tribute to him, including Ringo Starr and Carl Palmer. Greg Lake's death happened nine months after Keith Emerson's passing, leaving Carl Palmer as the only living member of Emerson, Lake & Palmer.
Images for kids
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Lake in concert, 2005
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Lake performing at an Emerson, Lake & Palmer concert at Maple Leaf Gardens, Toronto, in 1978
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Lake in 1992, performing with ELP
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Greg and his guests on stage in Piacenza: l-r: Aldo Tagliapietra, Annie Barbazza and Bernardo Lanzetti
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Marble Plaque engraved for Greg Lake next to Castello Canevaro in Zoagli.
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Lake, performing at Llandudno, Wales in 2005
See Also
In Spanish: Greg Lake para niños
