THE NICE Live 1968 (4/4)

[capricorn4003]

'Is it working now?' I think so!!!! ;)

[bigtoneeze]

Cumbersome, Fake & Trauma. The Tarkus cover has to be the worst ever!!!

[djsurgeles]

@cutis1000 Later on Keith Emerson was asked by Jimi Hendrix to play together......Just a small period before Jimi Died.

The new band suppose to be HELP Hendrix Emerson Lake Palmer

Badly it didnt happend!

[yarduag2008]

Oui Keith est et restera le clavier/Héroes par excellence !

Aussi il est permis de dire :

rendez à César ce qui est à César et à Keith ce qui est à keith .

Et c'est mon dernier mot !

[caravaneriam]

Great to see.Brilliant band.

[cutis1000]

Keith Emerson is a god of the keyboards.

[thatmuse76]

Anybody catch the fact that Lee Jackson comments on the organ packing up at the beginning of this video. I couldn't imagine why it would do that, Keith was always so gentle with his Hammonds. I wonder how often that occured. I know one fell off the stage during a concert. Apparently Keith did too at one point.

[pykkervots]

And of course they reformed in 2003, albeit temporarily.

[thatmuse76]

is it me, or does Lee Jackson look like a young Rob Reiner from his "All In The Family" days.

[chrisnroses]

CLASSIC!!!! AWESOME AWESOME AWESOME

[hiljab]

I saw The Nice in Brighton in 1967. I think it was their breaktrough. There were 5 og 6 bands. They were the band with smallest caracters in the big poster (that I stole and kept for years).

I think headnames were Spookey Tooth, Tremeloes and Simon Dupree.

At that time their only release was America - I guess the longest playing single ever - 8 minuttes I think.

I was very young and to this moment I still recall meeting Keith and OList /The Nice had a big impact on my look of music.

[Snotra]

I believe that is Ginger Baker on drums.

[thesantoshow93]

@Snotra ???

[elpyesrockman]

That is the late great Brian Davison who has been compared to Mitch Mitchell (Jimi Hendrix drummer). Keith Emerson and Jimi Hendrix played in many of the same clubs when they started out and that's when Emo realized riding the organ would could be just like Jimi destroying his guitars.

[radicalsystems]

my supergroup killer band would be keith emerson (kbds) and jeff beck lead guitar )wspot the ego) anyone have idea for bass, drums?

[aspersive]

@radicalsystems Bruce and Baker

[eternalcolonel]

...it's a shame there isn't more footage of The Nice without O'Listless the useless appendage.

And; waaay too bad there's no footage of the "Five Bridges"

concert...

[mailmanmickey]

I used to regularly see an early incarnation of The Nice at The Marquee Club in London (1966?) Keith Emerson and Lee Jackson were definitely part of it. They were then backing Gary Farr (singer) as The New T Bones. They did heaps of Sam and Dave, quite fabulously and lots of what was to come as The Nice. Those gigs were a totaly amazing treat. Still love The Nice and of course great soul music.

[radicalsystems]

@mailmanmickey yes and pat arnolds backing band..

[HumiDri]

I saw 'em first when they were P.P. Arnolds' back up band. They did their own set then P.P. Arnold would come on. A year later and they were headlining gigs. I felt Emersons' ego eventually spoiled the Nice, having O'List around as a potential scene stealer wasn't part of his plan.

Never cared for ELP, the energy was gone and the ego was in full flood. Too bad because the early years of the Nice produced some of the most innovative music that's ever come around.

[RicTheVideoGuy]

I saw these guys playing this at club called The Tea Party in Boston - 1969. Their warm-up act was a group of total unknowns from Georgia. Nobody there wanted to hear a country band, but the Allman Brothers turned out to be pretty good, too.

[studioRAF]

Thanks for these informations Ric.

The Allman brothers openning for The Nice ?

What a good show !

Do you remember if they jammed together ?

A pure classical psychedelic european band with a pure country blues american band, it could has been a very interesting musical trip....

[NcicHit2]

@studioRAF How about Jimmi opening for The Monkees? That would have been a trip.  I bet those Teenie Boppers didn't know to think.

[garygomesg]

@RicTheVideoGuy

I saw that show, too. What a great line-up!

[chazblitz]

yeah...elp was after this....no rip off here unless you want to claim that elp ripped off the nice.....keith emerson was in the nice, greg lake came from king crimson, and carl palmer was with atomic rooster and a few others....its a shame that alot of people don't know about the nice as they did obviously kick some serious ass...and davy o'list was/is(?) a killer guitarist.....but like elp, i get bored with all the keyboard stuff. they still rock!

[callieguy3]

@Snotra. The Nice never "ripped off ELP."

Keith Emerson played keys for The Nice before forming ELP.

FYI, Rick Wakeman was never a member of The Nice.

[Snotra]

@drumbeato - Uh, no? that's Rick Wakeman tickling the ivories!

[radicalsystems]

@Snotra wtf? wakemen in the nice? haha! its dear old keith emerson..it says so top of page..fule!

[juulbrie]

Cameramen and director really did a very serious and good job, understanding the historical meaning of the moment::)

[thatmuse76]

On the reunion CD released in 2003 Emerson talks about how he fell off of the stage during the beginning of Rondo and how the bouncers would not let him back in (not knowing who he was). He explained that if they did not let him back in, the others would have to play dum-de-de-dum-de-de-dum indefinitely.

[Snotra]

These guys ripped off ELP!

[drumbeato]

You do realize that The Nice featured Keith Emerson on keyboards, and that they were the precursor to ELP? Could it be the reason they sound like them? Yes indeed. Also, as The Nice existed before ELP, it would e the opposite of what you say. Besides, Emerson would have been ripping off himself!

[radicalsystems]

@drumbeato well spaked....

[thatmuse76]

@drumbeato

Emerson did rehash Nice ideas quite often in ELP. There is a song on ELP's "Trilogy" album on the second side (I forget the title) where the melody line is the same as the bass solo Lee played on the song "For Example" from the third self titled Nice album (or "Everything as Nice as Mother Makes It, if you have that version). Also both the songs "The Sheriff" (from Trilogy) and "Jeremy Bender" (from Tarkus) seem to be reworkings of the song "One Of Those People" from Five Bridges.

[vanamonde2]

Amazing! Absolutely love those guys!

[Vlaqq]

thanks so so so much for posting this gem!!!!

[871185]

Who ever posted this is a saint. Great, great, great!

[studioRAF]

Thanks !

I'm not a saint, but Keith Emerson is God.

[thewordofgord]

studioRAF: One is very grateful for your efforts on our behalf. thank you!

But one wonders about sources (TV?) and the possibility of first generations.

Moved from Scotland to Toronto Oct68 as 16 yr old, and had the great good fortune to see the Nice twice that following winter, first opening for Juli Driscoll and Brian Auger Trinity (imagine that!) and then on their own in very small club where we squatted feet from stage.

wordofgord

[studioRAF]

Thanks Wordofgord.

Possibility of first generations ?

Only God (Keith) can save us !

He own the original colour version of that gig.

We just have to pray for a miracle !

You're so lucky, having seen the Nice live in the sixties !

[Vlaqq]

What a beatuful comment!!!!! Thanks so much!!!

[50Vernon]

There was never a better live band. Even if ELP did have more expensive equipment ! This lot were the real trailblazers.

[25brammy]

Ongelooflijk goed, dit zie je de dag van vandaag niet meer.

De ego's zitten waarschijnlijk te veel in de weg.

[tarkus1232003]

Imagine if this was available digitally enhanced? Colour and true sound. Wow

[akaFrits1]

Rondo '69 (live version) is available on a CD called Nice (the one with the faint photo's on the dark red sleeve)

It's a blast!

[tarkus1232003]

I remember like it was yesterday when I first heard Trilogy. It transformed my idea of what music could be. I went on a journey both forward in time with ELP but more importantly back to the NICE. I would argue with anyone about where and when progressive music began, there is no doubt that this band kicked it all off. They ignored the "in" trend of rehashing American blues and took off on a wonderful journey of true musical exploration. Keith Emerson is and always will be a true musical genius.

[lavallee1963]

I agree with you , almost everybody considers King Crimon the first prog rock band cronologically with an album published , but it is clear that The nice was the first british prog band cronologically `Àrs longa vita brevis ´´ is a complete progressive album , with all characteristic of that genere.

[iamastormtrooper]

King Crimson??? they was not formed before 69! if you ask me the earliest rumblings of progressive rock is Frank Zappa's Freak out 65, i think the nice was formed 66 but i do agree that the nice was one of those that invented the whole genre

[toothaik]

Hey. regarding the Hanson bio, where can one get hold of it? Does it have an official title,so to speak.

BTW, great video. thanx for posting it.

[paranoikp]

lets live hammond - its very strong instrument ;)))

[Cyane2380]

young forever

[maxa60]

Baddest MFer to ever grace a Hammond.

[hakusannioide]

このロンドはレコードで聴いた時の印象とほとんど変わらない。

それだけ楽曲完成度が高いし、演奏技術が優れている証明だ。

やはり偉大である。

ちなみに　私の小遣いで買った最初のお気に入りLPでもある。

This band is great!

[M15577]

AMAZiNG!

I love that we can find all this footage of the guys back in their prime.

But i have to ask...

Where does it all come from?

How did you get your hands on hard copies of such old footage?

[bttmdweller]

Finally got the Hanson bio... great. So apparently when they got to the 'States, (can't remember if it was in L.A. or at the Fillmore West in San Fran) but O'List was talking in the club to David Crosby and was warned that he was a known "spiker." Apparently he spiked O'List's drink with some bad acid and his personality began to change after that incident... this led to the problems that caused his eventual dismissal from the band... sad

[cutis1000]

Keith Emerson was/is the Hendrix of keyboard playing. PERIOD! Phenominal. He is what made this band extraordinary!

[djsurgeles]

@cutis1000 Later on Keith Emerson was asked by Jimi Hendrix to play together......Just a small period before Jimi Died.

The new band suppose to be HELP Hendrix Emerson Lake Palmer

Badly it didnt happend!

[bttmdweller]

I can't stop watching this video! I've been listening to all my Nice CD's a lot lately... particularly Five Bridges Suite. What incredible music, and showmanship. I don't care what anyone says, I LOVE Lee Jackson's bass playing and tone. I know he plays a Vox Mark IV teardrop bass- does anyone know if this was a solid body bass, or hollow? His instrument appears to be some sort of deluxe model, with pearl block inlays on the neck... I know the Bill Wyman version was a hollow body...

[studioRAF]

According to Martin Hanson's book, it is Bill Wyman's version.

[bttmdweller]

I haven't gotten the bio yet, but you are right, my friend! I scrutinized one of the other videos where they briefly showed a closeup of the bass... I saw the triangular f-hole at the BOTTOM... I didn't notice it before because it is a right-handed bass turned upside down for southpaw Lee.

[3bar]

You're right about Lee. He was and still is my favorite bass player. The sound he got out of that Vox was incredible!!

[garygomesg]

John,

According to the Hanson book, Lake asked Jackson to show him how to play Rondo like he did, but Lake never mastered it. Even using a pick it is very tough to do. The Nice's versions of Rondo got faster and faster before they disbanded--there is one interspersed with Troika on the "Here Come the Nice" collection which is breakneck. O'List, despite his contributions, did seem to hold them back...the fewer musicians the easier to build up speed!

[bttmdweller]

What can I say. Great video of a great performance by one of my favorite bands. I liked David O'List's contributions to the group; it's too bad they couldn't get along. I think the guitar added a lot. Personally, I like Lee Jackson's voice- it's one of those that you either love or hate(Dylan!) but I think it has a lot of character. The tone of his bass was actually pretty common in those days with the poor amplification and the standard-issue flatwound strings played with a pick.

[pyrotect]

There's a lot of stuff about Lee Jackson that I would call average, his vocals for one thing,have a listen to "for Example", his bass tone was pretty horrible too but if nothing else try and play along with him on Rondo,it's a freaking hard thing to do for 8 minutes without screwing up,it's no wonder Lake never tried to play that figure.

[JohnWhapshott]

Nice (oh, ha ha!) to hear someone sticking up for Lee. I liked his playing and singing with Refugee too - I saw them live as well!

[lavallee1963]

I agree with you. I true that in 1971 ELP play with jackson heights (Lee new band ) and Greg asked Lee how plays this fantastic riff , Lee refused to teach him how to play.

[garygomesg]

Apparently, O'List was fired for "erratic behavior" possibly due to drugs, not politics, per Martin Hanson's Nice book. Check out Jackson's playing on "Pathetique" and "America" and let me know if you still think he's poor. Great talent-very underrated. O'List could have stayed if he had counseling, sought treatment, etc. Sad... I saw the trio live--O'List, although a great and unique talent, was not missed. RIP, Brian Davisom.

[JohnWhapshott]

I've just realised this this version is pretty slow compared with Emerson's later versions (like their one at the Albert Hall). Maybe that's why Lake didn't play Jackson's bass part? (Though it's surprising Lake played anything at all - he got lazier and lazier!!).

[garygomesg]

You should listen to the version on Nice "Nice" by Emerson, Jackson and Davison. It's about twice as fast as this! There is also a version interspersed with "Troika" on the three CD set from Sanctuary that'll tear your head off. I saw them as a trio and they were pretty amazing!

[daviet1976]

RIP - Blinky Davison

[thewordofgord]

Friends,

David O'List has a website and appears to be musically active (last time i checked anyway)

the word of gord

[JimmySmers]

You guys like this? What a totally indulgent bunch of nonsense it is, it makes the worst excesses of Dream Theater seem tolerable in comparison.

[studioRAF]

Get back listenning Céline Dion and leave us alone.

Thanks

[TJLAW7]

Hey imbecil... sientate a ver tus caricaturas de bob esponja y deja de hablar pendejadas... ESTUPIDO IGNORANTE!! ( Do I really need to traslate )

[lavallee1963]

Bien dicho , a ver si nos dejan a los admiradores de la buena música hablar de nuestras cosas . ¿Te has fijado la de veces que se meten tios de estos a decir imbecilidades?.

Un saludo

[MBE54]

Oh dear...

[elleryman]

of course, while Hammond B3/C3's usally go for thousands from used gear dealers, you can still find L100's in perfect condition dirt cheap; I bought my first one years ago from a church for $100; I bought my last one at a yard sale for only $20.

[elleryman]

Emerson didn't get his Hammond C3 until ELP formed, which he bought with the advances Atlantic gave them for their first album (along with his Moog Modular that sat on top of it).

[richardanthonyheads]

Thanks for this. Absolutely fantastic, pity about poor old Davy, by then his brain must have been well and truly fried. It's just before the second album was released I think and they went on with the trio and even better stuff. It's interesting to note that Emerson is only using a spinet Hammond and not a C3, the big organ was obviously after the departure of O'List and the sound became more refined.

[Cascabel40]

Art is longer, life is short...This is the most awesome musical video that I have seen in my life. The nice is the beginning of progressive rock...Ars longa vita brevis.

[vanamonde2]

Thanks for posting this! Absolutely amazing. The Nice were truly unique. This video is an absolute treasure for any Nice fan. All that I imagined when I used to listen to live Nice recordings finally comes to life and with O'List to boot!!!

[yeshead]

People say King Crimson's debut was the first true prog rock album, but I'll be damned if this ain't the real deal. Interesting that David O'List is still with them since according to most sources he left/was booted while The Nice were recording their second album, which I though pre-dated this. I wonder if he was contractually obliged to appear. He's clearly the odd man out on stage here.

[splayjanx]

Yeah...O'List is almost invisible, seemingly by design. He's in black, the trio's in white. Most all the shots favor the trio.

What a pompous, pretentious dandy Lee Jackson appears; with less chops than O'List, for sure ; ) So what.

IntraBand politics must have been excruciating during this period. Incredible to witness. A most distinguished group!!

[PAULLONDEN]

Right on the spot here,I was about to

write the same thing after seeing the America

performance,where O'List has such a brilliant

part in,he's indeed the invisible man here,

hiding behind Jackson's back.You almost can't

blame the camaraman here.

Never mind,you can't have it all. I'm so

gratefull to finaly ,after 40 years see this

brilliant band in action.

The wØrld is NOW ready for THE NICE !

[dreamawaythemiles]

any more where this came from??

[studioRAF]

I've bought this on VHS at Amoeba in Los Angeles on 2002.

There's no information on the "custom made" sleeve except the year 1968.

It was of course in NTSC and I'm European so I've wait until a trip in Mexico last october to make the transfer and digitalize that.

I don't know anything about the origne of that video but I would like to.

[dishes55]

THANK YOU.....finally!!! wherefrom?

[Stratman78]

This is from the BBC-2's "Colour Me Pop." It was filmed at the Fairfield Hall (where they would perform "The Five Bridges Suite" a year later on October 17, 1969 w/ special guest King Crimson opening & closing the show while the Nice performed in the middle) back on September 29, 1968.

[thatmuse76]

@Stratman78

Okay, so this is the Colour Me Pop performance. I knew there was one out there, so I take it this is a black and white dub or taped using a home video machine from the era which was only in black and white. More than likely BBC wiped their copy ages ago back when that was normal practice which compromised hours of footage that would now be prized amongst rock historians as well as fans of older BBC programming.

[JohnWhapshott]

Brilliant! Amazing! Unique! Historic! And most importantly of all - Thank You!!