Manticore Records, the record label founded by late Emerson, Lake & Palmer frontman Greg Lake, is being relaunched by his widow, Regina Lake.
“It was always Greg’s wish to reinstate the Manticore Records Label,” Regina reveals in a statement. “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.”
She continues, “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.”
Regina points out that Greg had set the label up in her name in case she was interested in keeping it going, while telling her it was entirely her decision.
“I told him, as I am sentimental about Manticore, having been there in the early days, I would give it my best,” she says, “with a lot of help from my friends and advisers.”
Regina adds, “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.”
According to a press release, the first new Manticore project will be “a definitive collection” of Lake’s solo work. To celebrate the label’s relaunch, a rare video of Greg performing his classic holiday song “I Believe in Father Christmas” in 2005 has been posted on YouTube.
Lake died of cancer on December 7, 2016. He was 69.
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