The Rockstar Who Never Learned His Lesson

If there was a boundary, keyboard, legend, Keith Emerson would break it. As the wild mastermind behind the 70s Supergroup Emerson, Lake and Palmer, he didn't just play electrifying music, he turned it into a dangerous spectacle. Whether he was smashing his synthesizer to bits or turning it into a mind-bending sonic weapon, nothing was off-limits. Unfortunately, his fearless approach bled into his personal life as well, and like so many rock stars living on the edge, came with a heavy price. Life was tough for English midwives during World War II. Just ask the one who delivered Keith Emerson. After 18 exhausting hours of labor, she shoved a handkerchief into Miss Emerson's mouth to quiet her screams and told her to push. On November 2, 1944, in the town of Todd Morden, Yorkshire, a future rock legend was born. By the time Emerson was eight, his dad had taught him everything he knew on the family piano, so he paid for real lessons for his talented son. Emerson was a serious kid, caring Beethoven sheet music instead of comic books. Something bullies love to pick on, but once he started playing rock and roll songs like Little Richard and Jerry Lee Lewis, the teasing quickly ended. It would open doors to much bigger things. Music was Emerson's first love. At 15, he took it to the next level by buying a Hammond organ. It wasn't cheap, and while his dad loaned him some cash, he wasn't exactly cheering on Emerson's rock star dreams. To please his parents, Emerson got a job at Lloyd's Bank and kept his keyboard playing to local pubs during lunch breaks and evenings. It didn't last. Before long, the bank gave him the boot, freeing him up for a very different kind of career. Game changing moments have a funny way of sneaking up on you. Just ask Keith Emerson. After bouncing around Europe with a few bands, he landed a gig with a blues group called the VIPs. One night, they found themselves playing a gig in the middle of a French countryside to a crowd of booze-cuzzling farmers. That's when chaos broke loose. It was like something from a spaghetti western, only in very rural France. A full-blown brawl erupted in front of the stage, and as fist flew, the bar owner frantically waved at the band to keep playing. Emerson didn't just keep playing. He went full madman. He started tilting his massive 350-pound organ and slamming it down on the stage, unleashing a deafening explosion of sound. Keith Emerson fueled by the crowd's energy and likely the speed he had discovered via friendships with working girls started climbing on top of his organ and really shaking it. As he wrote it in his biography, the notes were no longer important. I wanted to go beyond those boundaries. Let accidents happen and let them happen with total abandonment, to heck with consequences. It could have been his life's mantra, and the result was unforgettable. In one last while move, Emerson grabbed his big organ and threw it across the stage. The angry crowd went silent, staring in shock, but the biggest surprise came from his bandmates. When it was over, they just stared at him, then shouted, "You have to do that again. That was crazy." The evil genie was out of the bottle now, and there was no shoving it back in. The chaotic French gig lit a fire in Keith Emerson, and in 1967, he started his own band, ironically named The Nights. Their shows were anything but, blending rock, classical and jazz, they pushed the limits in the wildest ways possible. Emerson didn't just play his organ, he wrote it like a bucking bronco, wedging knives into it, and even lashed it with a whip. And yeah, it sounded just insane as it looked. In the late 60s, drugs were everywhere, and nothing went better with the psychedelic trip than loud, wild, symphonic rock mixed with classical music, and Emerson's crazy stage moves. Not much could top that. The Nights also quickly built a devoted following. The Nights had their sights set on America, no small feat. They had even scored a two week residency at New York's iconic scene club, a hotspot for stars like Andy Warhol and a launch pad for music's biggest acts. In 1968, the Nights decided to make a bold political statement, but their song choice was wildly unexpected. Reeling from the recent losses of JFK and MLK, the band covered America. Yes, the one from West Side Story, a strange pick for a protest song, and surprisingly, it didn't exactly set the charts ablaze, at least not yet. Keith Emerson never wanted to play it safe, saw his upcoming gig at London's Swanky Royal Albert Hall, as the perfect chance to make a statement. It was a swanky and anti-apartheid charity show, and the plays would be crawling with high society types, including the US ambassador to Britain. If there was ever some time to ruffle some feathers, this was it. The Nights' passionate playing had the audience eating under their hands, until Emerson turned up the heat. As I launched into a furious searing version of America, Emerson's usual keyboard thrashing wasn't enough. Mid-song, he grabbed an American flag and set it on fire. The once ruckus crowd fell completely silent. Had he gone too far? Short answer, Keith Emerson 100% went too far. The sun got the Nights' permanently banned from Royal Albert Hall, and it didn't stop there. When Leonard Bernstein, the song's original composer caught wind of it, he didn't hold back. "I utterly loathe what they've done," he said. And just when it seemed like things couldn't get any worse, they did. The debacle had unexpected results. It not only sent the Nights' single "Burning Up the Charts," but it also put them directly on America's radar. Before their US tour, however, authorities summoned the ban to the US Embassy, where Stern officials made them swear on a sack of bibles that they never pulled that stunt again. By 1969, change was in the air, and Keith Emerson wasn't immune. While touring in Copenhagen, he met a cool Danish role named Eleanor. They quickly fell hard for each other. Sadly, Emerson would soon learn that fame and love don't always mix well. The Nights' star was rising fast, but there were still some dips for Emerson during the ban's New York tour. On the upside, Billboard raved about his demonic and mesmerizing organ playing. On the downside, he was love sick over Eleanor, and his bandmates were fed up. Emerson's moping got so bad that one of his bandmates paid for half of Eleanor's flight to New York. The catch? She wouldn't arrive for two weeks. That was plenty of time for Emerson to get in trouble, and he did. Keith Emerson was on a mission to distract himself from his heartache. First off, buying an American flag. The shopkeeper grew suspicious. Until Emerson claimed it was just a souvenir. After a brief lesson in respecting the flag, Emerson promised he'd be very careful. Let's hope he crossed his fingers when he said it. Before the show, Keith Emerson hid the flag inside his organ, then as their performance reached his fever pitch, Emerson struck a match. His bandmates watched in horror. The crowd, half-word and approval, but the other half were ready to riot. For Emerson, the night was just getting started. After barely escaping the chaos, Emerson still buzzing with adrenaline, hit the nearest bar, eager for more trouble. He didn't have to wait long. A sultry brunette swayed on the dance floor, locking eyes with him. The brunette noticed Emerson looking at her and walked over. Before he could change his mind, she said, "Hi." And just like that, things happened. It was a wild end to an already crazy night. But when he woke up, his headache wasn't just from alcohol. Whether you call it karma, payback, or just playing consequences, either way, Emerson had messed around, and now he was finding out. Eleanor was arriving that afternoon, but suddenly, that wasn't his biggest problem. The brunette had looked clean, but panic set in. What if he'd caught something? Keith Emerson found a doctor who made a few jokes, gave him a painful penicillin shot, and charged him $60, about $500 today. As he limped to the airport to meet the woman he loved, he wondered if the pain was normal. Unfortunately, it was nothing compared to what was coming next. Reunited with Eleanor, Emerson should have been in bliss. But instead, he was an agony. Sneaking off to the lobby, he called the doctor and panic. "I paralyzed," he said. The doctor told him to calm down and take a hot bath. When Emerson got back to the hotel room, a confused Eleanor had found the doctor's bill. He quickly confessed to the whole story. Eleanor was deeply disturbed, but not enough to leave Emerson. They married later that year. It's surprising Emerson had time for music, but he did. One day in a London record shop, the owner noticed him and put on switched on batch by Wendy Carlos. Knowing he'd like it, the strange, spacey sound came from a new instrument, the Mogue synthesizer. Emerson was amazed. Only one other person in England had one, but Emerson knew he had to get his hand on this rare knob cover machine. For Emerson, the year 1970 was anything but boring. He had a new wife, a new synthesizer, and a new band. After the nice fizzled out, he teamed up with Greg Lake and Carl Palmer to form Emerson Lake and Palmer. Oh, and their second-ever gig, just casually playing for 600,000 people at the legendary White Festival. Emerson still brought his signature flamboyant flair with a side of danger. The crowd had no idea what kind of chaos they would soon be facing. Sure, the who, Jimmy Hendrix, and the doors could draw crowd, but how did 600,000 people end up on a tiny English island? No one knows, but they definitely got their monies worth when Emerson Lake and Palmer hit the stage. They're outrageous stunt, rolling out two massive antique cannons mid-set. Look, it go wrong. The band's two cannons were set to go off during the finale of a song, but what they didn't know, the crew had packed in double the amount of powder. As the band near the deafening climax other set, Emerson knew the cannons were literally powder kicks, and he was determined to set them off no matter what. The blast was huge. It lifted the cannons off the floor. Luckily, no one was seriously hurt, and the upshot, the earth shattering cannons done worked great. Everyone instantly knew who Emerson Lake and Palmer were. As Emerson later put it, their goal at the Isle of White was simple. Blow every other band offstage with eccentricity. Emerson Lake and Palmer's explosive debut didn't dazzle at Everyone. The barrier-shattering mashup of classical virtuosity, hard rock, and over-the-top stunts were pure Prague rock. But not everyone got it. The BBC even called their set "a tragic waste of talent and electricity." Ouch. But Atlantic records saw gold and gave them a contract. Ready or not, Prague had officially arrived. Living the rock star dream can be exhausting. So, one Christmas, Keith Emerson, his bandmates and their families, jetted off to the Bahamas for some much needed relaxation. Unfortunately, their tranquility quickly turned to terror. Out of nowhere, a stalker started targeting Emerson's wife, Eleanor. Emerson, fearless as usual, knew he had to take action. Determined to protect his wife, Emerson didn't mess around. He started sleeping with a loaded harpoon under their bed. He soon upgraded to a more practical and lethal Magnum 357, and even taught his wife how to shoot it. Unfortunately, it wasn't all paranoia and terror. It got worse. After one last wild binge in the Bahamas, Keith Emerson gave up a powdered drug for good. Unfortunately, it didn't matter, because fate had a cruel trick up its sleeve. His most prized possession was about to betray him in the worst way. For a keyboard wizard, losing his hands would be a deal-breaker, and that's exactly what was starting to happen. Agonizing nerve damage to his right hand left him struggling to play, and by 1993, it got so bad he had to take a year off. As if that wasn't brutal enough, his 23-year marriage to Eleanor was falling apart and his bank account was circling the drain. With nowhere else to turn, he found cold comfort in an old, dangerous substance. After a lot of booze, Keith Emerson finally shook himself away. Therapy helped, and so did a fresh start in sunny California. Determined to say out of trouble, he ran marathons, customized a motorcycle, and wrote film scores. By 2002, he was back to the keys, playing like the legend he was, but fate wasn't done messing with him yet. In 2010, a routine health exam turned into a nightmare. Doctors found a dangerous pawl up in Emerson's colon. For all his gutsy stage antics, Keith Emerson hit a brutal truth. He was drowning in insecurity. Worst of all, he had a terrible habit. Reading online hate comments about himself. The more he scrolled, the deeper he spiraled. By 2015, he was keeping a devastating secret. Behind the bravado, he was in an unbearable, physical and emotional pain. For exclusive perks like early access to new videos, priority replies to your comments, and to have your say on future content. Consider becoming a fact-in-ate member. On top of that, your support helps keep the channel going. Click the link in the description for more details. By March 2016, Keith Emerson wasn't only an immense agony, but he was under crushing pressure as well. With the Japanese tour looming, his darkest fears took hold. He didn't want to disappoint his fans. So on March 10th, just days before departure, he locked himself in a Santa Monica home and made a devastating decision. He sadly took his own life. He was 71. The outpouring of grief was immense, but one tribute hit hard. His former bandmate, Carl Palmer, dedicated an entire tour to his fallen friend, playing ELP classics night after night in his honor. Greg Lake, his other ELP bandmate, put it simple. What I will always remember about Keith Emerson was his remarkable talent as a musician and composer, and his gift and passion to entertain. After 23 years of putting up with Emerson's wild antics and raising his two sons, you'd think Eleanor would get something in his will. Nope, instead Emerson left his 1 million euro state to his girlfriend and sons, completely cutting Eleanor out. One thing's for sure, Emerson did care about the fate of his awards and memorabilia and left strict instructions that they should never be sold, but they could be lent to museums. Speaking of which, remember the insane Isle of White Show? The actual synthesizer that Keith Emerson set ablaze with sound, aka the most famous synth in rock history, still exists today, restored and proudly displayed at the EME APP Museum in Pennsylvania. It stands as a monument to Emerson's boundary pushing genius. Keith Emerson brought rock, synthesizer playing, and organ playing to a whole new level and changed how music was made. From stepping on his organ, sticking knives in it, shooting cannons on stage, you'll see brought an amazing stage presence which lasted with fans for a lifetime. His life may have had rocky points, but no one can take away the passion and soul he brought to every concert and every song he performed. He will always be remembered as a rock legend and one of the most creative minds in music history. If you enjoyed this fact in this video, give it a thumbs up and subscribe for more incredible stories. Want to say what we cover next? Join our membership program through the link in the description for exclusive perks. Your support means everything to us. Thanks for watching, and we'll see you in the next one.