ELP EMERSON LAKE & PALMER - Brain Salad Surgery England artwork H.R. Giger 12" Vinyl LP Album

Enter the mad, majestic world of *"Brain Salad Surgery"*, where prog rock royalty Emerson, Lake & Palmer unleash a full-frontal sonic assault wrapped in the biomechanical genius of H.R. Giger’s nightmarish artwork. Released in 1973 under their own Manticore label, this UK pressing isn’t just an album—it’s a full-blown art-rock manifesto. With apocalyptic synths, operatic vocals, and lyrical twists courtesy of Peter Sinfield (yes, *that* King Crimson guy), it’s a swirling vortex of classical bravado and sci-fi weirdness. “Karn Evil 9” alone is worth the price of entry—if your brain survives the trip, that is.

High Resolution Photo elp brain salad surgery england

"Brain Salad Surgery" Album Description:

Emerson, Lake & Palmer's fourth studio album, "Brain Salad Surgery," stands as a testament to the band's innovative fusion of rock and classical elements. Beyond its musical prowess, the album is also renowned for its distinctive cover art, a mesmerizing creation by the Swiss surrealist artist H.R. Giger. In this exploration, we delve into the historical backdrop of "Brain Salad Surgery" and uncover the genesis of the iconic album cover.

The Birth of "Brain Salad Surgery" (1973):

Released in 1973, "Brain Salad Surgery" marked a significant milestone in ELP's career. The album was not only the band's first under their Manticore Records imprint but also a departure from their earlier works, featuring a more avant-garde and experimental approach. With a lineup comprising Keith Emerson, Greg Lake, and Carl Palmer, the album showcased the trio's musical virtuosity and willingness to push artistic boundaries.

Confluence of Minds: Lake, Sinfield, and Giger:

One of the distinctive features of "Brain Salad Surgery" lies in its collaborative lyricism. Greg Lake, a co-founder of ELP, teamed up with Peter Sinfield, a fellow ex-King Crimson member, to craft the album's poetic narrative. This collaboration brought a unique blend of introspection and fantasy to the lyrical tapestry, complementing the progressive and eclectic nature of the music.

Visual Alchemy: H.R. Giger's Artistic Imprint:

At the heart of the album's visual allure is the enigmatic cover art crafted by H.R. Giger. Renowned for his surreal and nightmarish imagery, Giger was already gaining acclaim in the art world. The collaboration between ELP and Giger resulted in a visual masterpiece that seamlessly intertwined with the album's musical complexity.

Giger's Aesthetic and Symbolism:

The album cover features a biomechanical landscape, a hallmark of Giger's distinctive style. Intricate and otherworldly, the imagery evokes a sense of cosmic surrealism. Giger's use of biomechanical elements, blending organic and mechanical components, adds a layer of depth to the visual narrative, mirroring the eclectic fusion of rock and classical influences within the album.

Legacy and Impact:

"Brain Salad Surgery" became an influential work, not just for its musical innovation but also for its iconic visual representation. The album cover remains a symbol of the progressive rock era and a testament to the power of collaboration between musicians and visual artists. H.R. Giger's contribution to the album's aesthetic elevated it to a realm beyond mere music, turning it into a holistic sensory experience.

Production & Recording Information:

Music Genre:

Progressive Rock, Acid, Psych, Synth

Collector Notes / Liner Notes

Collector Note: This is the UK pressing of "Brain Salad Surgery"
Collector Note: Label text is printed in white; title on the record label reads: "Emerson Lake, Palmer / Brain Salad Surgery"
Collector Note: Other pressings have silverish label text and the title starting with "Brain Salad Surgery"

Label & Catalognr:

Manticore Records LTD – MC 6669

Album Packaging

Fold Open Cover design (Gatefold), original company inner sleeve, includes poster.

Album cover designed by H.R. Giger.

H.R. Giger – Swiss artist, designer

The guy who made “biomechanical” feel less like a style and more like a warning label. Read more...

H.R. Giger, a Swiss artist, achieved fame for his dark, biomechanical style that blends human and machine. His airbrushed paintings often depicted disturbing dreamscapes. He designed the terrifying xenomorph in the movie "Alien," which earned him an Academy Award. The H.R. Giger Museum in Switzerland showcases his work.

H.R. Giger a Swiss artist, achieved fame for his dark, biomechanical style that blends human and machine. His airbrushed paintings often depicted disturbing dreamscapes. He designed the terrifying xenomorph in the movie "Alien," which earned him an Academy Award. The H.R. Giger Museum in Switzerland showcases his work. See some of his most famous designs:

Media Format:

12" Vinyl LP Record

Year & Country:

1973 – Made in England

Band Members / Musicians:

Band Members, Musicians:

Keith Emerson – Keyboards / Moog Synthesizer, Hammond Organ
Keith Emerson – Keyboards
The guy who made the Hammond and Moog sound like they were trying to escape the stage. Read more...
Keith Emerson was the keyboard alchemist who made prog rock sound like a classical recital crashed into a rock club. I first caught him in The Nice (1967-1970), where he pushed rock into Bach, jazz, and sheer volume, then he helped launch Emerson, Lake & Palmer (1970-1979; later reunions 1990-1999) and turned the Moog into a headline act. His rig of Hammond, piano, and synths wasn't decoration; it was the whole plot, and he played it like a restless conductor. In the 80s he detoured through Emerson, Lake & Powell (1985-1986) and the trio 3/Emerson, Berry & Palmer (1988-1989), always chasing bigger sounds than the stage could hold, even when the band name changed.
Keith Emerson Wiki
Greg Lake – Lead Vocals, Bass Guitar
Greg Lake – Bass, Vocals, Guitar
The voice behind "Lucky Man" and the basslines that kept prog from floating into space. Read more...
Greg Lake was the warm-voiced anchor who made prog rock feel human even when the music went full sci-fi. I first heard him with King Crimson (1969-1970), where his bass, acoustic guitar, and vocals helped define the debut-era drama. Then he co-founded Emerson, Lake & Palmer (1970-1979; reunions 1990-1998), writing and singing the tunes that gave all that virtuosity a heartbeat. In the mid-80s he took another run with Emerson, Lake & Powell (1985-1986), proving the songs still landed even when the lineup shifted. Before the big leagues, he cut his teeth in The Gods (1967-1968), already aiming for bigger stages than the clubs could offer, with a songwriter's grin.
Greg Lake Wiki
Carl Palmer – Drums / Percussion
Carl Palmer – Drums, Percussion
The human metronome who could still swing while the time signatures did parkour. Read more...
Carl Palmer was the turbo-charged drummer who made prog rock feel like a high-speed chase in a concert hall. Before the supergroup mythology, he cut his teeth with The Crazy World of Arthur Brown (late 1960s) and Atomic Rooster (1969-1970). Then he strapped in with Emerson, Lake & Palmer (1970-1979; reunions through the 1990s) and turned odd meters into something you could actually head-nod to. After ELP’s first run, he helped launch Asia (1981-1986, 1989-1992, 2006-2022), where his precision kept the arena hooks from going soft. Palmer’s playing is all snap, elegance, and controlled chaos—the kind of drummer who makes keyboards and guitars behave by sheer force of timing.
Carl Palmer Wiki

Complete Track-listing:

Album Tracks:

Jerusalem
Toccata
Still... You Turn Me On
Benny the Bouncer
Karn Evil 9

Brain Salad Surgery Album Photo Gallery:

Album Front Cover Photo

Surreal biomechanical front cover of Emerson Lake & Palmer’s Brain Salad Surgery, designed by H.R. Giger, showing a pale humanoid face with closed lips framed by mechanical forms and skeletal eye sockets — *Front cover artwork* for Emerson Lake & Palmer’s 1973 album *Brain Salad Surgery*, created by Swiss surrealist H.R. Giger.

The image fuses human anatomy and machine elements in Giger’s iconic biomechanical style. A central, ethereal humanoid face with full lips and braided hair emerges from a circular aperture, suggesting a fusion of femininity and cold industrialism. Above the face are skull-like forms with empty black eye sockets, giving the impression of a hidden skeletal presence.

The entire artwork is rendered in a muted metallic gray, with textured steel panels, bolts, and ribbed tubing forming the surrounding architecture. At the base of the composition, ELP’s band logo is embedded into the machinery, emphasizing the unity of music, flesh, and machine. The fold line vertically bisecting the image is a result of the original vinyl’s gatefold cover.

Album Back Cover Photo

Surreal biomechanical female figure with braided spine-like hair and closed eyes, from the inside gatefold of Emerson Lake & Palmer’s Brain Salad Surgery album — *Inside gatefold artwork* from Emerson Lake & Palmer’s *Brain Salad Surgery*, created by visionary Swiss artist H.R. Giger.

The image presents a serene, otherworldly female figure rendered in pale lavender and grey tones. Her eyes are closed in a meditative or eternal sleep, with delicate features suggesting both peace and alien detachment. The head is crowned by a thin metallic band, echoing biomechanical restraint.

Her hair appears as braided, vertebrae-like tendrils that cascade symmetrically down both sides, seamlessly blending with her shoulders and chest, which are formed from a network of ribs and synthetic musculature. The fusion of human form and mechanical design creates an unsettling yet mesmerizing visual, a hallmark of Giger’s futuristic aesthetic. This figure contrasts and complements the more aggressive outer cover, offering a haunting calm from within.

First Photo of Custom Inner Sleeve

Original inner sleeve of Brain Salad Surgery showing a grid of 16 album covers by artists like Yes, Led Zeppelin, The Rolling Stones, and King Crimson — *Original Custom Inner Sleeve (OIS)* from Emerson Lake & Palmer’s 1973 album *Brain Salad Surgery*, showcasing a full-color promotional collage of contemporaneous releases from Atlantic Records and affiliated labels.

The layout features a 4×4 grid of 16 album cover thumbnails, including titles by George Carlin, Yes, The Rolling Stones, Aretha Franklin, the Bee Gees, Led Zeppelin, The J. Geils Band, King Crimson, Bette Midler, Eric Clapton, Danny O’Keefe, The Allman Brothers Band, ELP themselves, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, and Derek & The Dominos. Each thumbnail includes the label name and catalog number.

This sleeve functioned both as packaging and as marketing ephemera, embedding the record in its early-70s musical landscape while visually linking ELP to other giants of the era.

Close up of Side One record’s label

Side One of Emerson Lake & Palmer's Brain Salad Surgery vinyl record on the Manticore label, featuring song titles, credits, and a circular background of H.R. Giger’s cover art — *Close-up of Side One vinyl label* from Emerson Lake & Palmer’s *Brain Salad Surgery*, UK pressing on Manticore Records (MC 66669).

The label features white text over a stylized grayscale background derived from H.R. Giger’s biomechanical artwork. At the top, the Manticore Records logo—a silhouetted manticore creature—sits above the band name and album title in all caps.

The track listing includes five titles: “Jerusalem,” “Toccata,” “Still... You Turn Me On,” “Benny The Bouncer,” and the epic “Karn Evil 9.” Each track is annotated with songwriting credits and durations. Text is neatly aligned and wrapped around the center spindle hole. The label also notes distribution by Atlantic Recording Corp. and production by Greg Lake.

Emerson Lake Palmer Vinyl Album Discography and Album Cover Gallery

ELP EMERSON, LAKE & PALMER - Brain Salad Surgery (Four European Versions) album front cover vinyl record

ELP EMERSON, LAKE & PALMER - Brain Salad Surgery (Four European Versions) 12" Vinyl LP

For progressive rock aficionados, Emerson, Lake & Palmer's (ELP) "Brain Salad Surgery" is a landmark LP. Released in 1973, it marked the band's first foray and stands as a testament to their fusion of rock and classical influences

- Brain Salad Surgery (1979, Austria) - Brain Salad Surgery (1973, France) - Brain Salad Surgery ( 1973, Germany ) - Brain Salad Surgery (1973, UK)

ELP EMERSON, LAKE & PALMER - Self-titled (Germany & UK Versions)

"Emerson, Lake & Palmer" is the eponymous debut album of this British progressive rock band, released in 1970. As a first album from the newly formed supergroup, the album clearly demonstrates the variety of influences

- Self-Titled (1970, England) - Self-titled (1970, Germany)

ELP EMERSON, LAKE & PALMER - Love Beach

"Love Beach" was primarily a result of contractual obligations with their record company. The band had completed their previous album, "Works Volume 2", which was a double LP featuring individual contributions from each band member.

Love Beach 12" Vinyl LP

ELP EMERSON, LAKE & PALMER - (Mussorgsky's) Pictures At An Exhibition (Three European Versions)

Mussorgsky's "Pictures at an Exhibition" is a suite of piano pieces inspired by an art exhibition of his deceased friend Viktor Hartmann. Each movement depicts a different artwork, connected by a recurring "Promenade" theme. ELP's version is a bold reimagining of the suite, incorporating rock elements, synthesizers

- Pictures at an Exhibition (1972, Germany, Island Records) - Mussorgsky's Pictures At An Exhibition (1972, Germany, Manticore Records) - Pictures at an Exhibition (1972, Netherlands)

ELP EMERSON, LAKE & PALMER - Tarkus (Three European Versions)

At the helm of the recording process was the skilled sound engineer Eddy "Are You Ready" Offord. His meticulous approach to capturing the intricate arrangements and complex compositions of ELP played a crucial role

- Tarkus (1971, Germany, Island Records) - Tarkus (1971, Germany, Manticore Records) - Tarkus (1971, UK)

ELP EMERSON, LAKE & PALMER - Trilogy (Three European Versions)

Greg Lake demonstrated his musical prowess, steering the ship of "Trilogy" into uncharted waters. The album showcased a seamless fusion of classical influences, jazz improvisation, and rock elements

- Trilogy (1972, Germany, Island Records) Trilogy (1972, Germany, Manticore Records) - Trilogy (1972, UK)

ELP EMERSON, LAKE & PALMER - Works

"Works" by Emerson, Lake & Palmer is where rock’s excess meets classical ambition head-on. Each side lets a band member take the wheel—Emerson with his grand piano concerto, Lake with melodic reflections, Palmer with percussive fireworks—before reuniting for the glorious roar of “Fanfare for the Common Man.” A lavish experiment pressed in Swiss precision wax.

ELP EMERSON, LAKE & PALMER - Works Volume 2

"Works Volume 2" by Emerson, Lake & Palmer is a 1977 vinyl LP showcasing the band's eclectic mix of prog rock, jazz fusion, and classical influences. Produced by Greg Lake and Pete Sinfield, the album features a diverse tracklist, highlighting each member’s musical prowess. It remains a testament to ELP's creative evolution in the late 1970s.

Works Volume 2 12" Vinyl LP