Regarding the NME interview quote: will have to take your word for that one.
The obituary articles in the Telegraph and the Guardian have a little more detail about music formation in Emerson's childhood. It is stated that Emerson's father, an engineer, played the piano by ear. He encouraged his son to study piano; said to have had music lessons from ages 8 to 12. "and then, while studying at the Worthing College of Further Education, joined the Worthing Youth Swing Orchestra." He worked in a bank once out of school, although he was already making music; eventually he had enough work in music to leave the day job.