Five Years Since Keith Emerson’s Suicide

After Emerson took his own life with a 38 revolver people speculated why. His girlfriend blamed nerve damage in his hands that deteriorated his playing and fans reacting negatively online. ELP has always been the whipping boys for critics. Being the sort that tends to see a place for everything artistically I don’t respect the opinion they were overly pretentious. They took rock’n’roll where they took it. I feel lucky to have seen them live. His band mates tended to emphasize booze. I agree. Booze was the primary driver. Everyone knows, even in denial, that Father Time is undefeated. It doesn’t matter what you do; the time will come when you can do it no more. But booze in extreme excess makes reality seem unacceptable, whether it is or isn’t. People may frown on the following statement as insensitive but I wish I were a retired rock star.