MusicRadar

3. Keith Emerson (on just about everything!)

Back in the day, the word 'Emo' had only one meaning: Emerson. He was the fellow who single-handedly made keyboards cool for the brief time that they were cool. He did so on the strength of his chops, his energy and his unmatched theatrics. Whether he was plunging a knife into a Hammond after wrestling it to the stage, or scaling the rafters high above the audience's heads, the man knew how to put on a show. And then there was that Moog. The marvellous, monstrous bane of roadies everywhere, Keith's Moog Modular was one of the very few to grace the live stage. As if the sheer size of the Moog wasn't bombastic enough, Mr. Emerson called in the use of an attached ribbon controller, itself often loaded with fireworks! Now, if only he'd had the cape, he'd have topped our list!

2. Gary Wright - My Love Is Alive

He may not have worn greasepaint or a cape and he didn't play light-speed solos, but Mr Dream Weaver himself earns runner-up status for chopping up not one, but two Minimoogs, painting them white, and hanging them around his (and guest player Steve Porcaro's) neck. And yes, there is a cowbell. Still, the allure of the tune can't be denied and the man helped define the Minimoog as the bass synthesizer for all time.

1. Rick Wakeman - Catherine Parr

Look Ma, no presets! Taken from a 1975 performance in Melbourne, this clip defines bombastic prog at its finest. Two Minimoogs (one for each hand!), live tweaking, and yes, a cape. Hell, he probably couldn't have avoided the cape, looking as he does as if he stepped right out of an illustrated edition of The Lord of the Rings. Surrounded by keyboards (none of which are ignored), this is big, brash and as fast as lightening, but not without a sublime moment or two (five minutes in). Brilliant stuff.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Liked this? Then try:

Keytar hero: the 10 coolest video clips ever

The 12 most outrageous synths on the internet

Sign up for our free weekly newsletter

The free MusicRadar newsletter serves up the week's biggest artist and product news stories alongside exclusive tuition and gear reviews. Sign up here!

Follow MusicRadar on Twitter

Get instant updates and bonus content plus chat with the team. Start here!