I'm enjoying a lazy day-after-Thanksgiving off from work with the house almost to myself. I've been on a bit of a King Crimson kick recently, and currently have Heavy ConstruKction from 2000 cranking out here from the computer.
Crimson is an interesting band, to say the least, and I enjoy music from all of their various eras. Robert Fripp strikes me as someone who would be tremendously interesting to sit and chat with, scary smart and eccentric in a mad scientist sort of way.
My personal favorite Crimson release is 1974's "Red", which turned out to be the final release of the 70's era Crimson. Dark, intense and heavy, it's a masterpiece of prog rock and probably deserves a post of its own one of the days when I find the time - maybe I'll order the latest re-master that includes the Steven Wilson 5.1 surround mix and then write something up. The title track still stands as one of the greatest songs ever recorded, and has remained a concert staple for the band. Also excellent releases from the early incarnation are their debut "Court of the Crimson King", "Larks' Tongues in Aspic", and "In the Wake of Poseidon". "The Night Watch" captures the '73 band as a live unit exceptionally well.
After dissolving Crimson later in '74, Fripp declared that the band was finished, forever. Fortunately that turned out to not be the case!
Seven years later the band rose from the ashes, retaining Bill Bruford on drums, and adding bass-virtuoso Tony Levin and Adrian Belew on guitar and vocals. Originally intended to operate under the band name Discipline, Fripp instead chose to reclaim the mantle of King Crimson. This quartet released three albums in the early to mid-80s, with 81's "Discipline" being the strongest in my opinion - for sure right up there in my "top 5" Crimson releases. Belew brought a pop sensibility to the band that helped soften some of the hard edges, but certainly didn't do away with them ("Indiscipline", anyone?). And "Thela Hun Gingeet" on "Discipline" is a masterpiece of weirdness, I absolutely love that track.
After the mid-80's the band took another hiatus, returning with '95's "Thrak" as a sextet (or as Fripp liked to refer to it, the "Double Trio"). The four member of the 80's band returned, adding Trey Gunn on bass and stick, and Pat Masteletto on drums. "Thrak" is a heavy album for sure. But my favorite recording of the double-trio is actually the "Live in Tokyo" video I purchased on VHS back in the day. I dubbed the music onto CD, and that recording has received a ton of play on my part. Great recording quality and inspired performances, the only songs I really miss from other double trio recordings I've heard are "21st Century Schizoid Man" (which was not played often) and "Neurotica" (an inspired piece of insanity from "Beat").
2000 saw the departure of Levin and Bruford (Bill Bruford has since retired from gigging) and the release as a quartet of "ConstruKction of Light" in 2000 and "Power to Believe" in 2003 as studio releases. I was pretty disappointed with ConstruKction, but Power is another excellent album that is a fascinating merger of metal and ambient genres.
Crimson resurfaced briefly in 2008 as a quintet. Fripp, Belew and Mastelotto were joined by the returning Tony Levin and new drummer Gavin Harrison (Porcupine Tree). This incarnation played about a dozen concerts in August 2008, but as of yet there has been no new material forthcoming - let's hope that changes in the near future.
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