Re: King Crimson

[John M. Relph <relph@presto.ig.com>]

Subject: Re: King Crimson
metlay <mpmst1@unix.cis.pittsburgh.edu> sez:

>[King Crimson] existed in three stages: the first Crimso had a
>gooey symphonic sound, with operatic vocals (Greg Lake and Jon Anderson) and

Jon Anderson was merely a guest vocalist on one track from _Lizard_.

>lots of Mellotron. Albums included "In the Court of the Crimson King", "In the
>Wake of Poseidon," "Lizard," and "Earthbound."

Fripp has repeatedly insisted that only _Court_, of all the early albums,
even came close to reproducing the sound that he envisioned, and the sound
they were able to produce live.  He states that Crimson in '69 were probably
the best live touring band.

> The second half of Crimso's
>early years was rawer and meaner, some of the best rock performances ever:
>"Larks' Tongues in Aspic", "Starless and Bible Black," "Islands", "Red" and
>"USA". (Many crimsoids consider "Red" to be the ultimate statement of Crimso:
>only three musicians, raw and extremely difficult music.)

According to interviews, Fripp does not consider any of the "middle period"
Crimson albums to have even come close to reproducing his intentions.  That's
why he left those albums off _The Compact King Crimson_.

This fact may be why many Crimson fans have a hard time relating to Fripp's
efforts during the non-Crimson periods, including his Frippertronics albums
(_Let the Power Fall_, for example) and his ambient collaborations with Eno,
and his most recent work with _The League of Crafty Guitarists_.  This
inability to relate was obvious at The League's live performances, as
audience members cried out for "Starless" and complained afterwards that they
wished the other 14 guitarists hadn't been there so they could have heard
"the real Fripp".  The real problem was that the real Fripp was there on
stage, and these audience members weren't actually in the audience; they were
in the world they created of their own expectations.

>Fripp broke the band
>up in 1974 or 1975, and reformed it with Belew, Bruford, and Tony Levin in 1981
>with "Discipline", "Beat", and "Three of a Perfect Pair." The band then self-
>destructed again. "Beat" and "Three" have some OK stuff on them, but neither
>is anywhere near as consistently phenomenal as "Discipline."

_Discipline_ is the only album that Fripp thought came close to being
Crimson.  Fripp has said that he really only wanted to make one album, but
the record company wanted a contract for three albums, so he chose to go
ahead and make the three.  In fact, the original name of the band Fripp
formed with Levin, Bruford, and Belew was Discipline, but Fripp realized that
it was really King Crimson in a new guise after the first show in France.

>If you wish to
>own only one definitive album from each phase, get "In the Court of the Crimson
>King", "Red", and "Discipline". (and by the way, expect a lot of flamage from
>people who won't believe anyone with an IQ over 65 hasn't heard of them.)

I actually agree with these choices (surprise, surprise) although I also
really enjoy listening to _Lizard_.  There is some great acoustic guitar work
on a couple of numbers.

	-- John