Greg Lake - King Biscuit Flower Hour Presents: Greg Lake In Concert (1995) {1996, Japan 1st Press}

The show captured on King Biscuit Flower Hour (In Concert) (1996) was recorded circa Greg Lake's 1981 self-titled debut, and features Lake (guitar/bass/vocals) leading an impressive backing combo with Gary Moore (guitar), Ted McKenna (drums), Tommy Eyre (keyboards), and Tristian Margetts (bass). The set originated as a King Biscuit Flower Hour broadcast from the Hammersmith Odeon in London on November 5, 1981. During this time, Lake was on an extended hiatus from Emerson, Lake and Palmer (ELP), and issued a pair of solo efforts. As such, the play list is heavy on Greg Lake(1981) material from the first of these. Standouts among the lot are the slightly synth sounding "Retribution Drive," and the edgy-'80s power rockers "The Lie" and "Nuclear Attack." Also worth mentioning is the upbeat and agile "Love You Too Much," which Lake actually co-wrote with Bob Dylan. Likewise, there are classics dating back to the King Crimson sides -- "21st Century Schizoid Man" and "In The Court Of The Crimson King" -- from Lake's brief tenure in the band. The unit heard here is not as lean as the ELP version, and both "Fanfare For The Common Man" and "Karn Evil 9" prove just that, as the arrangements lumber along in places. However, in terms of sheer musicality, the acoustic side, "Lucky Man," is arguably the highlight in its simplicity. For enthusiasts looking for a passable anthology, From the Beginning: Retrospective (1997) is a good place to start. From the Underground: The Official Bootleg (1998) is a perfect companion, as it features essential stops in Lake's live legacy.