 By summer 1968 , the group had become concerned about O 'List 's reliability and matters came to a head following a gig in Croydon 's Fairfield Hall in September . According to Ward , O 'List had an altercation with him in mid @-@ performance . Emerson subsequently called a band meeting with Jackson and Davison and stated flatly that O 'List should be sacked . They agreed , and immediately after their performance at The Ritz , Bournemouth in October , he was fired by Stratton @-@ Smith with the rest of the band present . O 'List , however , claims that he left the band voluntarily because he was upset at Stratton @-@ Smith 's decision to make Emerson the front man , saying " I left the band and waited for Keith to get in contact ... I should have gone straight to Keith , but I didn 't . " 
