New video of Greg Lake's I Believe In Father Christmas released
Legendary ELP label Manticore Records has been revived under the auspices of Lake's widow Regina
Select the newsletters you’d like to receive. Then, add your email to sign up.
You are now subscribed
Your newsletter sign-up was successful
Want to add more newsletters?
Every Friday
Louder
Louder’s weekly newsletter is jam-packed with the team’s personal highlights from the last seven days, including features, breaking news, reviews and tons of juicy exclusives from the world of alternative music.
Every Friday
Classic Rock
The Classic Rock newsletter is an essential read for the discerning rock fan. Every week we bring you the news, reviews and the very best features and interviews from our extensive archive. Written by rock fans for rock fans.
Every Friday
Metal Hammer
For the last four decades Metal Hammer has been the world’s greatest metal magazine. Created by metalheads for metalheads, ‘Hammer takes you behind the scenes, closer to the action, and nearer to the bands that you love the most.
Every Friday
Prog
The Prog newsletter brings you the very best of Prog Magazine and our website, every Friday. We'll deliver you the very latest news from the Prog universe, informative features and archive material from Prog’s impressive vault.
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.
Sign up below to get the latest from Prog, plus exclusive special offers, direct to your inbox!
The first new project will be a definitive collection of Greg Lake’s solo catalogue.
Writer and broadcaster Jerry Ewing is the Editor of Prog Magazine which he founded for Future Publishing in 2009. He grew up in Sydney and began his writing career in London for Metal Forces magazine in 1989. He has since written for Metal Hammer, Maxim, Vox, Stuff and Bizarre magazines, among others. He created and edited Classic Rock Magazine for Dennis Publishing in 1998 and is the author of a variety of books on both music and sport, including Wonderous Stories; A Journey Through The Landscape Of Progressive Rock.

