Discography

1969

King Crimson In the Court of the Crimson King 30th Anniversary Edition

Described by The Who’s Pete Townshend as 'an uncanny masterpiece', King Crimson’s debut was released in October 1969 becoming an instant chart hit on both sides of the Atlantic - not bad for a band who only got together less than ten months earlier. 21st Century Schizoid Man showcases the band’s ability to blend music that had the brutal attack of a claw hammer yet wielded with the skilled precision of a surgeon’s scalpel. Consisting of a visionary blend of gothic ruminations, anthemic Mellotron-laden grandeur, ornate arrangements and introspective folkish abstractions, the album was a huge influence on bands such as Yes and Genesis and countless other acts on the ‘70s rock scene. ITCOTCK’s distinctive sound is as fresh, bold and as startling as when it first appeared.

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1981

King Crimson Discipline

After seven years away from the public King Crimson returned in 1981 with a brand-new incarnation. Joining Robert Fripp and Bill Bruford are ex-Zappa/Bowie guitarist, Adrian Belew and ace session and Peter Gabriel bassist, Tony Levin. Incorporating sounds reminiscent of the resonant chimes of ancient gamelan music and the sleek, clear lines of modern minimalism,this Anglo-American combination forged a startlingly different musical vocabulary. Frame By Frame, Thela Hun Ginjeet and the album’s title track in particular, showcase Belew and Fripp’s dovetailing guitar parts and Levin and Bruford’s cyclical grooves, forming a mesmeric sound unlike anything heard before on any previous King Crimson albums. The shimmering, hypnotic textures of The Sheltering Sky and savagely raucous Indiscipline provide aleatoric counterweights to the album’s tightly-controlled complexity.

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1974

King Crimson Red

Recorded at the end of two lengthy tours of the USA in 1974, the final album of the 1970s finds King Crimson in an raw and uncompromising mood. Consisting of Crimson founder guitarist Robert Fripp, bassist and vocalist John Wetton and drummer Bill Bruford, the trio serve up a sound that’s metal-edged, gritty and powerful. Opening with the classic bulldozer instrumental title track, the album contains a typically eclectic mix that includes the jazzy rock of Fallen Angel, the punchy attack of One More Red Nightmare, the unsettling but dazzling near-telepathic improvisation of Providence and the stirring anthem, Starless whose opening ballad section gives way to a moving and emotional climax that is frequently cited as the ultimate King Crimson listening experience.

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1973

King Crimson Larks' Tongues in Aspic

King Crimson’s 1973 album marked a radical departure from everything they’d previously done. With guitarist Robert Fripp as the only survivor from the original line-up, the new line-up featuring the heat-seeking work of ex-Yes drummer Bill Bruford and the virtuoso bass work of ex-Family bassist John Wetton, who also took on vocals here, presented a breath-taking tour of killer riffs, jaw-dropping dynamics, and poignant ballads. Featuring pastoral Vaughan Williams-style interludes from violinist David Cross, this line-up also embraced a spikier sound that was both willing to rock out, as on the unhinged complexities of LTIA Pt2, as well as explore and experiment with unorthodox textures and atmospherics thanks to eccentric percussionist Jamie Muir.

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2017

King Crimson Mountain Winery Saratoga, CA

If any song in the KC repertoire benefits from the expanded line-up and the additional texture it brings, it’s this venerable old warhorse. With an extra pair of hands at the keyboards, we can now hear the lines originally added by Ian McDonald on a Baldwin electric harpsichord back in 1969, restored and bringing an extra spring and sparkle to this Crimson Classic.

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2017

King Crimson Massey Hall

Whenever the song is performed the audience reaction usually consists of folks gasping and other people loosing it completely. It’s easy to understand why. Firstly, it’s a great song. Secondly, *that* guitar line. Thirdly, There’s not many points in the Crimson set that lend themselves to blissed-out, air-punching singalongs but Heroes does just that. Fourthly, cowbell.

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2017

King Crimson Capitol Theatre

Coming after Level Five and preceding 21st Century Schizoid Man, this cover of David Bowie’s anthemic piece about love and hope, briefly carves out an entirely different atmosphere to the rest of the music heard in a KC gig. As the octet embraces its inner pop star, the song always seems to facilitate outbreaks of air-punching, whoops and a moment of unfettered wigging-out among punters.

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2017

King Crimson Miller Symphony Hall

After nearly 50 years of worming its way inside the consciousness of several generations of listeners, there’s no denying the power that this track continues to generate. Taken at a slightly more leisurely pace than previous incarnations, it remains an impressive showcase of dynamics and dexterity. Aside from Gavin Harrison’s spotlight solo, there’s a rather nice duet between Fripp and Jakszyk to savour.

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2018

King Crimson Admiralpalast

With Richard Palmer-James’ lyrics hovering somewhere between In The Ghetto and West Side Story, the roiling guitar arpeggios originally appeared in 1972 but were not pressed into a song until the making of the Red album where they were met in the middle by the Wetton-composed bridge.

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2018

King Crimson Cirkus

It was during soundchecks on the 2014 tour that this motif was initially tried and tested to see if it had legs. Thankfully it did and was featured in concert in its final form the following year, eventually making its recorded debut on Live In Toronto in 2016

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