Lecture Series, part 8A: King Crimson. No, seriously.
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I've covered most of the "main" styles of prog. The few remaining ones, for one reason or another, are styles that I don't feel I should include in these pages. Some, like prog metal, I don't really know much about, as I've never really got into it (not that I won't ever, but it just hasn't happened yet). Some, like fusion and, to a lesser extant, ambient music, are probably ones that many of you are familiar with already (probably not even aware that they were considered by many to be prog in the first place). Two others, symphonic and "neo" prog, are probably styles many of you are familiar with, as these are the two most common faces of prog (think Yes, Genesis, Marillon, etc), and since this whole series was started to introduce everyone to NEW sounds within the genre, I have decided to skip them for now.
For the remaining posts in this ever expanding series, (and there is an end in sight, I promise you!), I've decided to start focusing on some of the bands that either you might not be familiar with, or you might have some misconceptions about. The first one probably needs no introduction to many of you, and that is the band King Crimson.
I know, I know. I just said I didn't want to rehash what you guys know, and I think KC is one of those bands that many of you are at least in part familiar with. However, surfing through various MOG posts over the past year (did I mention I just turned a year old the other day?) I have come across many that really seemed, at least IMO, to miss the point. So I'm here to say a little about them.
Another reason I'm devoting a whole post to KC is because, honestly, there is probably no single band in the history of prog that was as vital and instrumental in shaping the genre, and inspiring future prog musicians, than King Crimson and its frontman, Robert Fripp. That's probably a statement you could argue, but I stand by it. In fact, their debut album In the Court of the Crimson King is often offered as possibly the first "real" prog album, but that debate rages on. You've probably seen its cover, if nothing else:
King Crimson was started in the late 1960's, and has operated on and off since then even to this day. Over the years they have had more lineup changes than the cast of "ER"; the entire original lineup was gone by the third album, with the exception of the guitarist Robert Fripp. With each personnel change came a change in sound. What started out very psychadelic turned heavy and aggressive by the mid 1970's, and after Fripp replaced the entire band with new members, they went into what most fans consider their best period. The last album, Red, was released in 1975, and afterwards Fripp disbanded King Crimson because, among other reasons, they had become too popular. I kid you not. As he words it more or less, KC had reached the point where so many people were attending their concerts, that it was impossible to acheive true communication between audience and performer. I don't know. All I know is that Fripp spent the next several years touring in small venues like cafes, playing guitar loops and such he called "Frippertronics" (more on that later). He also worked with a lot of rather well known people, including Peter Gabriel and, of all people, Daryll Hall. Again, I don't know.
In 1980, KC reformed with a partially new lineup, including Tony Levin and Adrian Belew, and a completely new sound, based in part of Fripp's new style of playing, which he called "Guitar Craft" They released three albums before breaking up again.
Ten years later, Crimson comes back, this time as a six-piece "double trio". The sound here was harsher, and was a blend of the mid 70's and the 80's sound. Since then, three more albuns have been released, the sextet has been reduced to four again, and it's been years since the last album.
Crimson has earned its share of criticism. The early stuff is, to some, laughably dated in all sorts of 1960s hippiness, and maybe there's some truth to that. I mean, check it out:
Not inspring stuff. But that pales in comparison to the legacy this band has left. And, to that end, I'd like to post a couple of tracks that explore some of their sound, and I would also like to post some tracks that explore the aftermath.
First, a track: This is from their mid 70's period, which as I said before, is considered by many to be the best. It was raw and edgy at times, and if you ever get your hands on a live recording, which is pretty easy considering they've released dozens of them, you will here what I'm talking about. I'm taking a chance, however, and posting a studio track. This is "Red," the first track of the album by the same name. This was their last album before the first disbanding.
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