Another sad time for music lovers, with the untimely loss of one of the most influential keyboard players of a generation.

Sadly Keith Emerson died at the weekend, aged 71.

Its fair to say that the use of the term legend when applied to musicians could have been coined with Keith in mind. His pioneering use of organ, piano and of course synthesizers broke the mould in so many ways.

Touring with the super-prog group Emerson, Lake and Palmer, his theatrical antics knifing the Hammond (a Nazi one - a present from Lemmy apparently), and his technique of braking the tonewheel which resulted in pitch bend,  plus long form keyboard solos, made them one of the must-see live experiences of the age.

He was also the very first live user of the Moog Modular, which dominated his live setup, contributed massively to the world-wide exposure of the Moog brand - becoming friends with Bob Moog, he continued to work with Moog right up until the end.

We spotted him at the Moog booth at this year's NAMM only a matter of months ago.

With his blending of rock and classical genres, ELP became a behemoth of a band encapsulating the excess and scale of the major touring setups during the 1970s. At one point they were moving 40 tons or more of equipment around for their stadium tours - a concept inconceivable in today's cost conscious world.

The combination of pressure and ego forced the band apart in 1978, at the zenith of the punk era, which was the antithesis of prog. Some argue that it was the largess and excess  of the ELP days that really fuelled the Punk movement, stripping music down to it's barest of elements.

Keith Emerson to many, was the iconic keyboard player, the prog-rock god if you like. His influence is inestimable and he will be missed by many

RIP Keith Emerson 1944-2016

Here are a few of his memorable moments.

Isle of Wight Festival 1970 - one of many "first ever ELP performances"

Fanfare For The Common Man - promo video in what looks like sub-zero temperatures

Moogfest NYC Lucky Man- with intro from Bob Moog

A Prelude To Hope - 2008 piano piece

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