Welcome Back, Emerson, Lake & Palmer Fans, to the Reissue Campaign That Never Ends

The Emerson, Lake & Palmer catalog has already been boxed, reissued, re-boxed, remastered, and repackaged on multiple occasions, but Razor & Tie has apparently found some more stuff in the vaults — and they’re rolling out an ambitious reissue campaign with deluxe editions of the band’s first two albums this September.

The fun begins with newly remastered and expanded versions of 1970′s ‘Emerson, Lake & Palmer’ and 1971′s ‘Tarkus,’ the latter of which remains rock’s only concept album about an armadillo/tank creature. Both titles will be available in triple-disc deluxe editions boasting new 5.1 surround and stereo mixes in addition to previously unreleased outtakes. To create the new mixes, producer/engineer Steven Wilson worked from the original tapes.

In addition, both albums will be available on 180-gram vinyl — and for the digitally inclined, iTunes will offer specially mastered versions prepared by engineer Brad Blackwood.

It’s all part of what Razor & Tie is calling a full catalog reissue campaign — and according to the press release announcing the new versions of ‘Emerson, Lake & Palmer’ and ‘Tarkus,’ the label is already planning expanded editions of ‘Trilogy,’ ‘Brain Salad Surgery,’ and ‘Welcome Back My Friends to the Show That Never Ends.’ In addition, AXS TV is planning an August broadcast of ELP’s 40th anniversary concert, held at the inaugural High Voltage Rock Festival in 2010.

For fans who just can’t wait to plunk down their money for the latest round of ELP reissues, “special preorder bundles” are already being available at the band’s MerchNOW store.