Anybody for the Keith Emerson synth sound?

Podcast Episode Summary

Like-A-Tim – It Ain’t Perfect Till It’s Perfect

Strange little track, this, primarily because it combines a minimal, D’n’B-ish techno backing with a lead synth sound from an entirely different arena – prog rock. And it was in the arenas that you were most likely to see Keith Emerson of Emerson, Lake and Palmer (ELP) complete with large Moog modular system – which was probably the most interesting part of the band.

The late, great John Peel described ELP as “a waste of talent and electricity” and he was certainly right. I mean, I will listen to quite a bit of prog – I’d die in the last ditch for early Yes, for example – but most ELP LPs are unlistenable pomposity. Brain Salad Surgery is the only one I can listen to for pleasure. But I can confirm that Keith Emerson’s favourite solo synth sound (which I think was included as an example patch in the Minimoog user manual?) is reproduced faithfully on this track.

“Like-A-Tim” is an alias for Timothy van Leidjen who has been doing fairly bonkers techno for many a year now (his other pseudonyms include A Bald Lunatic…) this is taken from his 2000 LP Red and Blue Boxing as well as the Rephlex records (the Aphex Twin’s label) compilation Rephlexions (which is where I found it.) The whole compilation is recommended if you like this sort of off-the-wall thing. Which I do.

• Discogs page for 'Red and Blue Boxing' ::
• Like-A-Tim website :: includes a couple of free download tracks
• Minimoog patch settings :: for Keith Emerson's trademark lead synth sound - signed by the man himself!

File Download (2:15 min / 3 MB)