The Nice

The Nice were a late Sixties progressive / psychedelic rock band. While they did not last more than three years, they were a major influence in bridging the gap between the psychedelic rock of the Sixties and the progressive rock of the Seventies. Led by keyboard maestro Keith Emerson (later of Emerson, Lake & Palmer) they were one of the first bands to fuse rock with an orchestra. The band were infamous for being banned from playing the Royal Albert Hall in 1968 when Emerson set fire to an American flag when playing the song America, originally by Sondheim and Bernstein. Initially, the band featured a guitarist in the shape of Davey O'List. After The Nice dissolved, bassist/vocalist Lee Jackson and drummer Brian Davison formed Refugee with Patrick Moraz on keyboards (later of Yes). In 2003 The Nice reformed and toured with Keith Emerson's solo band. Brian Davison passed away on 15th April 2008.