why is it hard to believe he had classical piano training? (over 20 years ago) nobody is trying to say he can play like bethoven or something.

Its not like they need to make something up to boost his image or something. Its old news.

btw. at 4:17 in that youtube vid Liam is NOT playing any melody, he is triggering a sample he's loaded on the keys.

Not that its a bad thing.

U can hear and watch liam playing a melody during the crescendo in Funky Shit live @ brixton academy (TLTS DVD)... not a virtuoso, actually, but it fits with the energy in that precise moment (Maxim is in front of the crowd shouting "Oh my god....!")

The definition of "classically trained pianist" according to Chris O'Riley (concert pianist):

"Few people outside of music students know what that [classical training] really means. To wit: extended study and mastery of a complete system of techniques, pedagogy, musical knowledge, and repertoire. In the piano field, according to O'Riley, it commonly includes beginning, intermediate, and advanced material by Bach, Beethoven, Chopin, Mozart, Liszt, Shostakovich, and other composers. It also implies a mastery of specialized techniques, performed from the easy to the most challenging tempos, as well as a thorough schooling in music theory, harmony, and composition."

and further:

"merely practicing curriculum-standard classical music and actually having demonstrable "classical training" are two very different things."

I would think Liam falls in the "practicing curriculum-strandard classical music"-bracket, iow he played piano as a kid...

As a composer, Liam is a fucking genious though

Source: The Most Bogus Claim in the Music Business

I think the 'classically trained' thing refers more to 'he had piano lessons' rather than 'he plays entire Michael Nyman-esque works'. He is, without a shadow of a doubt, a hugely talented musician, which is one of the reasons that The Prodigy have done better than just about every other 'dance' act, who are more akin to producers than musicians. He can play a range of instruments, some better than others, but as far as piano/keyboards go he's more than competent.
Live, he uses keyboards as trigger devices, mostly due to the sequenced nature of the music, instead of playing entire lines/phrases while also keeping track of two laptops, the master EQ and christ knows whatever else is hidden away up there! I'd much rather see him continue to do this with the occasional live line thrown in for two reasons:
1) He's the only person EVER to make keyboards look cool.
2) If he was playing all lines live he'd end up looking like Rick Wakemen. Who well doesn't look at all cool.

who gives a fuck if he is or not???????

liam howlett is the oracle of the beats..

nuff said..

close this boring topic..

....feel good?

Well its a little bit really ridicolous that we are complaining about Mr. Howlett's talent...

If he started playing a piano concerto in the middle of one of his tracks it would sound whack. Just because he can play piano very well, doesn't mean it will necessarily work with his music.

I remember reading that Liams piano teacher was heartbroken when he quit his lessons because she thought he was getting GOOD at it.

i learned latin for 6 years

can only say one single fucking sentance.

I was trained in a classical language.

get it?

Liam is a fucking god with the samples, synths and sequencers.. Thats all that matters.

Does anyone sit next to him watching him in the studio?

Nope so how the fuck can anyone claim he doesnt play melodys or is a classicaly trained pianist, stupid topic really

Im not a trained mechanic but can fix my car.

yeah he many people have said already but its true u can get some lessons but u doesn't mean he's a master, probably forgot most of it by now for sure.

as for the studio, every sound you hear in the music is played by him at some point (the bridge in tmtth, or the melody's in wof with a little help from an arpeggiator) he's the producer everything starts from scratch apart from samples yet they get alot of treatment aswell

Well, yeah.. But I play 99% of my melodies and riffs on my tunes. But I cant play piano anyway.

However, why would Liam even think about making that shit up. Why would he lie? If he says that he took pianoclasses over some years, then he did. Does it help him producing prodigy-tunes? Probably not.

id like to see him bust somethin out.. just one time.. for my personal enjoyment