The shape of prog to come.

In 1967, keyboardist Keith Emerson was approached to put together a backing band for American ex-pat singer P.P. Arnold’s first tour. He agreed, but shrewdly insisted that this new conglomeration be given their own performance slot each night. It proved a wise move. Even though the band hadn’t played together before, the quartet gelled instantly and began drawing rave reviews for their musicianship and over the top theatricality (Emerson was known to stab his keyboard with daggers).

Calling themselves The Nice, they signed with Andrew Loog Oldham, manager of Arnold (and The Rolling Stones) and owner of Immediate Records. Drawing on a mix of psych-pop and classical influences, the band’s first album and single received positive reviews but not so positive sales.

For their second single, recorded as a response to Martin Luther King’s assassination in the spring of 1968, The Nice chose subversion and satire, covering the song “America” from the Broadway smash West Side Story. The original lyric already contained small jabs at the country, masked by a big and bold showtune. Subtitled “(2nd Amendment),” Emerson called their version the first instrumental protest song.

Released in June of 1968, “America” hit #21 in the UK and, to no one’s surprise, failed to make a dent in the US, where some record stores refused to sell the record. Emerson, however, would have his revenge a few years later as a member of Emerson, Lake & Palmer, a group who would sell millions of records and conquer the US utilizing almost the exact same sound and arrangements.

So look for the promise and anticipation… with The Nice.