***King Crimson Corner***

[A Lark Ascending]

Here's the one they used in Spring '73. I was at the Bristol performance.

For some reason I thought they were using the 'sun' emblem that graced LTIA. Maybe that was for the Autumn tour.

I had a big wall poster of it - don't think it came with the album as I recall it being uncreased. Must have bought it at one of these.

I painted the Larks Tongue sun on my dorm room wall. Spring of 1982. The only thing I've ever painted. Senior year U Lowell. I guess it was something I needed to do.

I'd not have got away with that - we got shot for using blu-tak!

One here from the autumn of '72 when Jamie Muir was with them:

The Oxford concert spoiled me for rock music (my first concert)...I thought it would all be like this.

Since then I've always preferred the concert where the band play you their next album rather than their most recent or greatest hits. No longer standard practice (except in some jazz).

Edited February 15, 2015 by A Lark Ascending

[A Lark Ascending]

Strangely enough they're not coming down to Cornwall (!). We only seem to get tribute bands although I do recall seeing The Animals when the only original member was the drummer,who nobody remembers anyway,

Fripp and Theo Travis played Penzance a few years back.

You can also compensate with a lo-fi (but enjoyable) recording from just over the international frontier:

I remember this MM front page from the middle of 1972 like it was yesterday:

Really annoyed at the time as I idolised 'Close to the Edge' - but it all worked out for the best.

And this was the one after which we persuaded our hip art teacher to minibus us to Oxford:

Edited February 15, 2015 by A Lark Ascending

[Jazzjet]

Strangely enough they're not coming down to Cornwall (!). We only seem to get tribute bands although I do recall seeing The Animals when the only original member was the drummer,who nobody remembers anyway,

Fripp and Theo Travis played Penzance a few years back.

You can also compensate with a lo-fi (but enjoyable) recording from just over the international frontier:

I remember this MM front page from the middle of 1972 like it was yesterday:

Really annoyed at the time as I idolised 'Close to the Edge' - but it all worked out for the best.

And this was the one after which we persuaded our hip art teacher to minibus us to Oxford:

I think I have that Plymouth recording somewhere, despite my strongly held principles.

I saw Yes at the Rainbow in (I think) 1973.

[A Lark Ascending]

Excellent King Crimson's Greatest Hits concert in Manchester on Saturday.

LTIA1, Pictures of a City, Easy Money, The Letters, Sailor's Tale, Starless, Epitaph (amongst others) ... and both ITCOTCK and 21st Century Schizoid Man for encores. Making up just over 2 hours.

Very faithful renditions with real effort to get all the finer details of the original arrangements in (especially in the mellotron parts (which look like they were played on some modern gizmo that did a very good impression of the mellotron)). 

Lacked the lengthy exploratory improv's that marked the band at its height - most of that was handled by the three drummers who were superb moving from powerful rock drumming to more delicate gamelan like sections. Very much the visual focus of the band, sat along the front with the reeds/bass and two guitars on a platform behind. 

Fripp as distinctive as ever but, as has been the case since the 70s, reluctant to stand forward, preferring to be part of the overall texture. But that utterly unique guitar style could be heard loud and clear. 

No new ground broken and probably utterly bewildering to anyone with no knowledge of them. But a great pleasure for anyone who has enjoyed their music down the years. A bit like going to see Very Lynn in the 70s (but with Schizoid Man standing in for White Cliffs of Dover). 

Full setlist:

Larks’ Tongues In Aspic (Part I)
Pictures Of A City 
Radical Action (To Unseat The Hold Of Monkey Mind)
Meltdown
Hell Hounds Of Krim
The ConstruKction Of Light 
Level Five 
Banshee Legs Bell Hassle
Easy Money
Epitaph
Interlude
The Letters
Sailor’s Tale
One More Red Nightmare
Starless
Devil Dogs Of Tessellation Row
Court Of The Crimson King 
21st Century Schizoid Man

(unfamiliar titles there mainly drum improvs/compositions)

From: https://www.dgmlive.com/news.htm?entry=5269

Not very impressed Guardian review of an earlier concert here:

http://www.theguardian.com/music/2015/sep/10/king-crimson-review-hackney-empire-london-return

Gushy fanboy review of the Manchester concert here:

http://andrewkeelingcomposer.blogspot.co.uk/2015/09/king-crimson-lowry-centre-manchester.html

 

[A Lark Ascending]

Strange rituals:

http://echoesanddust.com/2015/09/live-king-crimson-at-hackney-empire-london-september-7th-2015/

 

 

[A Lark Ascending]

Don't play this unless you have medical help near at hand.

Annie Ross sings King Crimson!!!!!!

Rick Laird and Dave MacRae (Matching Mole, Nucleus etc) aboard! 

Ross was clearly way ahead of Andrew Lloyd-Webber. 

Edited November 11, 2015 by A Lark Ascending

[A Lark Ascending]

Another oddball interpretation.

The Delta Saxophone Quartet did a very good record of Soft Machine songs. Intrigued as to what Simcock will do...he can be very florid on record but I've heard him play wildly on a couple of occasions in a live context. 

[A Lark Ascending]

About to appear...seems to be another 'interim' release with an 'official' one drawn from several concerts due in September...

CD 1: 

1 Threshold Soundscape    
2 Larks' Tongues In Aspic Part I 
3 Pictures Of A City 
4 VROOOM    
5 Radical Action (To Unseat the Hold of Monkey Mind)    
6 Meltdown    
7 Hell Hounds of Krim 
8 The ConstruKction of Light    
9 Red    
10 Epitaph    

CD 2: 

1 Banshee Legs Bell Hassle    
2 Easy Money    
3 Level Five    
4 The Letters    
5 Sailor's Tale    
6 Starless    
7 The Court of the Crimson King 
8 21st Century Schizoid Man    

Seems to be the set list they performed in Salford in September last year.

The first full concert release by the current line-up of King Crimson. 

Featuring both brand new and classic material, this 'Official Collector's Bootleg' captures King Crimson on a single night in the middle of the band's Canadian tour in November 2015. 

With the exception of one small edit following an announcement before the band take the stage, the running time of this concert is exactly as it was heard in the hall by those fortunate enough to have been there. Even by the high standards set by King Crimson's current line-up, this concert was agreed by all involved to have that extra special ingredient, making it the perfect choice when seeking a release to counter the poorly recorded bootlegs that have begun to circulate. 

Featuring the recorded debut of new material such as Meltdown and Radical Action, the three drummer percussion pieces Hell Hounds of Krim and Banshee Legs Bell Hassle, plus a variety of King Crimson classics - including Easy Money, VROOOM and material from In The Court Of The Crimson King - this Collector's Edition of the first full concert release by the current line-up of King Crimson provides a perfect counter to poorly recorded bootlegs that have begun to circulate. 

The first release by the current band was the 2014 mini-album, Live at the Orpheum. In autumn 2016, the band will be releasing their long-awaited and much anticipated first major album - a comprehensive live release, taking the best performances of each song from the extensive set list (which changes nightly) and also including footage of selected performances. The album will be released to coincide with the King Crimson's 2016 European tour, which begins in the UK with two concerts at the Waterside Theatre in Aylesbury on September 4th and 5th (the band's only UK dates for 2016).

FROM BURNING SHED WEBSITE: I'VE REMOVED THE LINK AS THE SITE SEEMS TO BE EXPERIENCING AN ATTACK OF SOME SORT

 

This release seems to be a bootleg spoiler. 

Edited March 2, 2016 by A Lark Ascending

[chewy-chew-chew-bean-benitez]

waiting 20 yrs on that release, as i just saw them in canada front row center.  you know those regular days u usually have in life, with no king crimson directly in front of you, well this was one of those days when king crimson was right freaking there directly in front of you

[A Lark Ascending]

Appears Bill Bruford has not been idle since retiring the drum sticks. He's now a Doctor of Philosophy (proper one, not one of those things given to celebrities without them even having to open a book). Wonder if Keith Moon would have done something similar if he'd been a bit more careful? 

https://www.dgmlive.com/news.htm?entry=5470

Edited March 2, 2016 by A Lark Ascending

[bertrand]

I would love to see his dissertation!

Bertrand.

[Steve Reynolds]

12 hours ago, chewy-chew-chew-bean-benitez said:

waiting 20 yrs on that release, as i just saw them in canada front row center.  you know those regular days u usually have in life, with no king crimson directly in front of you, well this was one of those days when king crimson was right freaking there directly in front of you

Best post of all-time?

certainly a contender

I'm still kicking myself a bit for not making this happen for me.

I will say that being close enough to touch Evan Parker's soprano saxophone while he was playing the tenor saxophone does qualify me for one of those really really incredible days.

[7/4]

I've been digging the new Live in Toronto lately, what a great album, with the three drummers and Mel Collins. I like his bari on the newer tunes.

Also checking out Gavin Harrison albums Drop and Circles. Canterbury vocals (some may think not) by the mysterious 05Ric. I like it.

 

[7/4]

1 hour ago, 7/4 said:

Also checking out Gavin Harrison albums Drop and Circles. Canterbury vocals (some may think not) by the mysterious 05Ric. I like it.
 

The singing also reminds me of David Sylvian.

[GregK]

On 4/27/2016 at 7:30 AM, 7/4 said:

I've been digging the new Live in Toronto lately, what a great album, with the three drummers and Mel Collins. I like his bari on the newer tunes.

Also checking out Gavin Harrison albums Drop and Circles. Canterbury vocals (some may think not) by the mysterious 05Ric. I like it.

 

I don't think I like Mel's saxophone on the newer material, like Level 5 and especially VROOOM. Really has a yakety-sax feel to it. Just completely out of place on those songs. Not the biggest fan of Jakko's voice, either.

Glad they're back, though.

[7/4]

It's shiny new band!

 

 

.

[Aggie87]

On 4/30/2016 at 10:01 AM, 7/4 said:

It's shiny new band!

It's a newer, shinier band - now an 8 piece!

Bill Rieflin has returned to the fold, and Jeremy Stacy will be staying on as well, giving the current lineup 4 (4!!!) drummers.  Fripp is calling it the Double Quartet now.

This will be interesting, especially if they end up doing studio work.

[7/4]

On 1/4/2017 at 7:41 PM, Aggie87 said:

It's a newer, shinier band - now an 8 piece!

Bill Rieflin has returned to the fold, and Jeremy Stacy will be staying on as well, giving the current lineup 4 (4!!!) drummers.  Fripp is calling it the Double Quartet now.

This will be interesting, especially if they end up doing studio work.

I saw that. Some of the drummers double on keyboards, but it's gonna be crazy with FOUR drummers if they're all playing at once. 

The last of the great progrock bands, still kicking in 2017. Amazing. 

[bertrand]

Saw two gigs in Paris last month - amazing!!!

[Stefan Wood]

In the mail:

Edited January 5, 2017 by Stefan Wood

[Dmitry]

IN THE COURT OF THE CRIMSON KING documentary is being released this Spring. I'd be eager to watch it in a movie theater, as opposed to home.

 

[bertrand]

It seems they have officially called it a day. Last gig was in Tokyo. It was a great run!

Bertrand.

 

[Aggie87]

Rest in Peace, Ian McDonald.

https://variety.com/2022/music/news/ian-mcdonald-dead-king-crimson-foreigner-member-musician-1235178225/

[BFrank]

1 hour ago, Aggie87 said:

Rest in Peace, Ian McDonald.

https://variety.com/2022/music/news/ian-mcdonald-dead-king-crimson-foreigner-member-musician-1235178225/

[bertrand]

On 11/11/2015 at 6:44 AM, A Lark Ascending said:

Don't play this unless you have medical help near at hand.

Annie Ross sings King Crimson!!!!!!

Rick Laird and Dave MacRae (Matching Mole, Nucleus etc) aboard! 

Ross was clearly way ahead of Andrew Lloyd-Webber. 

Was she drunk when she recorded this? There is no other possible explanation.