A brand new video of Greg Lake performing his seasonal classic I Believe In Father Christmas has been released, which you can watch below. Last year the song was voted the most popular prog Christmas song by Prog Magazine readers.
The new footage is taken from a 2005 shoot from the UK's Shepperton Film Studios, and premieres as it has been announced that Manticore Records, the label launched by Emerson, Lake & Palmer and their manager Stewart Young back in 1973, was to be resurrected under the auspices of Lake's widow Regina.
"It was always Greg's wish to reinstate the Manticore Records Label," she says. "Greg's idea, in his own words, was to give new, talented musicians the chance to be heard, when other doors might have been closed to them for being different.
"Greg was once one such young musician. He had put everything in place for Manticore Records to start up again, but as we know, it wasn’t possible for Greg to be there to realise his vision. Just a few days before Greg died, he asked me if I would like to carry on with Manticore Records, after he had gone?
"Greg had already put everything into my name, ready for me to take his place. He said it was entirely up to me. If I wasn’t tempted to take it on, I could just let it go. I told him, as I am sentimental about Manticore, having been there in the early days, I would give it my best, with a lot of help from my friends and advisers, including Greg’s long-term manager Stewart Young, and Martin Darvill, co-manager since 2008.
"On reflection I would like this label to be devoted to Greg Lake Music and Songs to keep his legacy alive for us all in years to come."
Alongside ELP releases Manticore originally released albums by the likes of Italian proggers PFM and Banco del Mutuo Soccorso, Pete SInfield, Keith Christmas and even Little Richard. The label was last resurrected back in 2017 for a Greg Lake live album and releases by Annie Barbazza and Henry Cow's John Greaves.
The first new project will be a definitive collection of Greg Lake’s solo catalogue.
