King Crimson-orignal lineup

[gathernear]

My favorite version of KC has to be the original group. "In The Court Of The Crimson King" was the only album they produced. They broke up after a very exhausting tour of the US. There is more of that band available. A box set called "Epitaph" was available in two volumes, with an additional two volumes available on their website (disciplineglobalmobile.com). These are various live performances taken from the before mentioned US tour. The recorded quality isn't ideal (a lot of the material was taken from bootlegs) but the performances are fantastic. Very, very different from the current sound of the band. The year was 1969, the year Yes began. This band only lasted one year, but this band in full flight must be heard. In my opinion, this band truly started progressive rock.If you happen to see "Epitaph", please pick it up. In case you haven't heard "In The Court Of The Crimson King" listen to it first. You won't believe it!

Larry

[haroldthebarrel]

Hey everyone!

Larry's right!!

I think alot of people are scared away by King Crimson because of their name. It sort of sounds like a Black-Metal band or maybe a thrash-metal act.

I have been arued with about whether King Crimson started Prog. It's easy to see I have been right, but now i hear someone else agree!!!! :cool:

But anyways, 21st Century Schizoid Man was the first track by KC I ever heard, and it is on the In the Court of the Crimson King album. 21st century... was so far ahead of every other band in 1969 that I am suprised the FBI allowed it to be released! ;)
But either way, The first King Crimson is undisputed as the most innovative, and under-rated album to come out in the prog genre. Unless of course someone can tell me of another album released in 1969 that is even close. The only others I can thik of would be Pink Floyd, and maybe the Moody Blues. They COULD be considered almost as creative, but as far as musicial skills and adventureousness? Not even close.

Don't think that In the Court.. is the best KC album though. Yes 21st Century..., Epitaph, and The title track all are amazing, but only the beginning of what KC would eventually do.

There are alot of amazing prog albums by KC:

In the wake of Poseidon :
This album is definitley my favorite album by KC. There is a song on here called "the devil's triangle" that is so scary and insane that my Cats have to be ocked up in another room while I listen to it!

Lizard : Well of course this one is good. Jon Anderson sings the 1/2 hour long title track. Plus there are some effects and ideas used on that album, that other musicians weren't smart enough to imitate until the end of the 90's. Talk about "ahead of their time..."

Larks Toungue in Aspic : Totally essential to any Prog fan, as any other of the above mentioned albums by KC are. Very cool, alot of different instruments used.

Discipline : The last GREAT album by KC. But not their last good album. I have been jamming to this one alot lately. It's a real artsy album. Soe songs are just narrated and some are music with vocal samples over them, it's a good album...:cool:

So get them all! :)

[gathernear]

Joe,
You mentioned the Devil's Triangle from In The Wake Of Poseidon. That song is actually a classical piece composed By Holst, called "Mars", taken from a larger piece called The Planets. On the live Epitaph box, It's played several times under the name "Mars".It has that Bolero-like drum pattern. And slowly grows in intensity. The song lasts at least 6 minutes. These live versions grow to such intensity that the end, they're pounding! Drums, mellotron, bass , guitar, all banging out the same pattern. Then they just dump it. The end of the set. It drives my wife crazy!

[haroldthebarrel]

Yet ANOTHER album i have to buy now!!!

Joe C:D

[Dragonfly]

Most members (and former members) of King Crimson will tell you that the way to hear this band is LIVE. They've always used lots of free-form improvisation (as entire pieces) as well as re-worked previously released material.

Most fans don't know that "Starless and Bible Black" is, in part, a live album as several tracks that appear on it were taken directly from the show that is now available as the double-live release titled "The Nightwatch"

I can't say if they invented prog (as mentioned above) but their album "Red" has been hailed as the first Heavy Metal album. Very Crunchy!

My personal favorite line-up is the double trio from the "THRaK" album and tour.

Anyone who thinks that this band has seen it's best days hasn't been to a gig lately. The current line up ("ConstruKction of Light" foursome) is brilliant.:)

[haroldthebarrel]

I agree that the Consruktion of Light line-up is brilliant! I stand by my previous statement that they were the inventors of prog though, at least what most people call prog. I have tried and tried, but can't find any groups that came out within 3 years of "In the Court..." that were even close, Yes was a pop group compared to them then even. They sure were ahead of their time, in fact all prog bands are still ahead of their time, considering what is poular these days. Music has degenrated as far as what's "fresh" or "new". The most original, 'state of the art' popular music these days, would maybe Moby or Radiohead, who are all doing things done in the 80's, but technology-wise less advanced than the 70's, unless you count midi, which has nothing to do with anything other than faking your musical talent. :p

King Crimson is quite possibly the ONLY "prog" group that hasn't cashed in for the fame and $$$ ever! They never changed the original plan and never compromised, which is somehting no other band can say, other than maybe street-gutter-punk bands.

[RobAdams]

What a great thread! Inspires me to listen to the only 2 KC albums I have....IN THE COURT and RED...

By the way...I have read that Elton John auditioned to be in King Crimson back in 1969! That would have led Elton up a different path!

[YYY]

Dragonfly, as I remember there were a few bands considered to be the earliest to play Heavy Metal during that era. Led Zeppelin for one. Generally the term 'Hard Rock' was used but both LZ & KC exceeded the limits of 'HR' by far.

I've always loved KC's early period. I really like the late 60's sensibility that is very prominent within those albums.

I never knew that about 'Starless & Bible Black'. I've always considered it to be an excellent KC album. Second to 'Lark's Tongue' and 'Red' in 3rd place.

I saw KC again 2 years ago at the House of Blues (close up). They were simply brilliant. Fripp is a genius creatively & technically.
Unfortunately, at that show he humbly took a back seat to Adrian Belew. Working furiously to create a amazing assortment of textures but rarely stepping out of the background. When he did, it was intense. Virtuosity overflowed from his guitar. An incredible master and talent.

[astronomy]

I say start at the first cd and then go on,This band is one of my favorite bands,because when you think you have them figured out no you don't.And yes live is the way to hear them.I have all of their cds and all of there live cds and this band never gets old sounding.Buy it all :)

[upbgirl]

ok, guys-looking for decent turntable TODAY! gotta have the lp here somewhere, and i have heard enough, already!

'court is in session'.do not disturb.

[therifferoo]

Starless and Bible Black, for some reason, has been my favorite KC album most consistently. Lament is one of my all-time favorite tunes.
And isn't Nightwatch fantastic??

Harold? You didn't like Three Of A Perfect Pair? I kinda liked that album....

[Ytsorf]

Originally posted by RobAdams
...I have read that Elton John auditioned to be in King Crimson back in 1969! That would have led Elton up a different path!

Also... Robert Fripp tried to recruit Jon Anderson as lead singer for KC sometime around his Lizard cameo. As much as I love King Crimson I'm glad that fate did not send Jon to KC - with RF in control he would have most likely been somewhat hindered in his growth - thus probably wouldn't have stayed very long anyway.

Besides, there may have not been a Yes as we know it today if that had happened!

[Martin Riley]

But Fripp also said that Jon & Chris tried to recruit him into Yes instead of Steve Howe. Then we would have had a completely different Yes

[kirk]

what a great thread! i agree w/riff "three of a perfect pair"is a good album,"sleepless"one of their better tunes.

i totally disagree w/h.the b.'s comment on midi.midi is not used to "fake talent".maybe on the surface,to the untrained,this may appear to be the case,but midi is used almost universally by composers to access sounds that are unavailble to them.
almost all disney soundtracks contain midi,and an entire midi score is done at the sceening stage,prior to going to the full orchestra.there are 99 values that are applied to midi in the process (portamento.sustain,ect.),and if you think it's easy,please demonstrate.the midi file,like anything else in music,is dependent on the hands using it.there-got that off my chest.

back to the subject- i'm also a big fan of "discipline","beat"."red","larks tongue.."if i can get a decent picture of it,i have fripp's autograph on a discipline shirt mounted on my studio wall,along w/one of adrian's broken guitar strings.
crimson was the inspiration of my tune "hashish",currently # 1 on mp3.com.au's(australia)"world"music chart. peace kirk/zenpool
peace kirk

[altaeria]

[QUOTE=hotratslll] In my opinion, this band truly started progressive rock

I think that THE NICE (with Keith Emerson) released their second album, "ARS LONGA VITA BREVIS", right around the same time period as KC's debut album.

THE NICE album definitely reflects a more baroque and uplifting classical approach in its extended tracks ... While the KC stuff seems a bit more more jazzy and dark, almost "goth", at times.
However - Both apparently helped lay the foundation for the entire genre to follow.

[Bill Mocarsky]

By the way...I have read that Elton John auditioned to be in King Crimson back in 1969! That would have led Elton up a different path!
Perhaps the Elton Jon/King Crimson path would have been parallel to the Phil Collins/Genesis path, ultimately bringing him to where he is. However, like Peter Gabriel, Robert Fripp would have to leave first.

Just a thought.

[ANTIOCH]

I do not think it's possible to find a more unique display of musical interpretation and virtuosity than "In the Court of the Crimson King" in 1969. More jazz than Rock, more Prog than jazz, 'King Crimson' were the true leaders of the pack back then.
Even the members of YES have said "seeing Crimson in the day was a most humbling experience".