***King Crimson Corner***

[7/4]

Fripp should play outside of his box a bit more often.

[PHILLYQ]

I'm going to see them on the 15th in NYC. I'm really excited about having two drummers, and of course, Fripp & Belew. Oh hell, Tony Levin's great, too. I'll give a report afterwards...

[Unbeknownst Recordings]

Wow, some thread.

I confess I only read the first 4 pages or so...

I agree that the songwriting improved at Belew's arrival and I like the albums Beat and Discipline the most, I guess that is the band at its most poppy, and sounding a bit like Talking Heads to me in a few places.

Indiscipline is my favourite track, I love way they do the 5/4 in it, but I am also fond of Neal and Jack and Me, especially the ending.

I made a mix tape recently called Insane Alone at 4am, songs about folks going crazy. Quite a lot of material top choose from actually.

[PHILLYQ]

Well, I went to see KC last night at the Nokia Theater in NYC and I was BLOWN AWAY!!! They came out firing on all cylinders from the start and never let up. This is about the 5th or 6th time I've seen them over the last 25+ years and this might have been the best concert. I don't have a setlist(haven't looked yet but there's probably one on DGMlive), but they played pretty much all the good stuff from about '81 on. The set included Neurotica, Elephant Talk, Three of a Perfect Pair, Indiscipline, Larks Tongue, Red, etc.

The two drummers were terrific, sometimes one kept a beat while the other moved around the beat and accented, and they had about three or four short duets. On one of them they played cymbals almost exclusively, showing a lot of sublety and restraint.

Tony Levin played mostly stick, which allowed him to hit some higher notes at times and almost make it a three guitar sound in some parts.

Fripp and Belew were great- I thought Belew would bust his whammy bar on Indiscipline. He abused his guitar mightily all evening and got some truly bizarre sounds out of it. Fripp played ultra clean and pure, so the contrast made for some great listening.If they come back to do some more dates next year or if you can catch them tonight or tomorrow night, GO!!!!!

[GregK]

Well, I went to see KC last night at the Nokia Theater in NYC and I was BLOWN AWAY!!! They came out firing on all cylinders from the start and never let up. This is about the 5th or 6th time I've seen them over the last 25+ years and this might have been the best concert. I don't have a setlist(haven't looked yet but there's probably one on DGMlive), but they played pretty much all the good stuff from about '81 on. The set included Neurotica, Elephant Talk, Three of a Perfect Pair, Indiscipline, Larks Tongue, Red, etc.

The two drummers were terrific, sometimes one kept a beat while the other moved around the beat and accented, and they had about three or four short duets. On one of them they played cymbals almost exclusively, showing a lot of sublety and restraint.

Tony Levin played mostly stick, which allowed him to hit some higher notes at times and almost make it a three guitar sound in some parts.

Fripp and Belew were great- I thought Belew would bust his whammy bar on Indiscipline. He abused his guitar mightily all evening and got some truly bizarre sounds out of it. Fripp played ultra clean and pure, so the contrast made for some great listening.If they come back to do some more dates next year or if you can catch them tonight or tomorrow night, GO!!!!!

Belew said that they may do another short tour next year, but as always with Fripp/KC, there is no plan.

[Aggie87]

Thanks for the review Phil! I've been curious how they'd integrate Gavin Harrison into the group's sound. I'm more than ready for another KC studio release - been too long.

[PHILLYQ]

Thanks for the review Phil! I've been curious how they'd integrate Gavin Harrison into the group's sound. I'm more than ready for another KC studio release - been too long.

I fervently hope that they do some new material and record with this lineup-they're outstanding!!! I'm hoping that they make the 8/15 show available as a download- I'd buy it immediately.

Harrison fit in beautifully with the group and he and Mastelotto really worked in sync with each other to where it seemed like a very talented octopus was playing drums.

[Quincy]

2nd night at Parkwest is supposed to be available for download within a couple of weeks.

[Quincy]

Available now: August 7, 2008 Parkwest official download link.

[Aggie87]

Into the Crim Zone... Edited August 21, 2008 by Aggie87

[Aggie87]

Info about the 5.1 mixes of Lizard & Red, from Fripp's Diary

"At Wilson World HQ…

… we are listening to Steven’s surround-sound mix of Lizard.

For the first time I have heard the Music in the music, throughout the album, this including even the sessions at Wessex Studio sessions (the second half of 1970). The music is now audible, redeemed by Steven’s love of the album & the quality of his mixing.

Lizard is not an album that fits into stereo, and 5.1 provides the space, dimensionality & air needed.

Lizard has contributions & the participation of two people who continue to hold & articulate a high level of angst & personal animosity towards myself, now for almost four decades. The Lizard sessions marked the sudden decline in my relationships with both Peter Sinfield & Gordon Haskell. The continuing unpleasantness, plus my dissatisfaction with the final mix & production, has spoiled my relationship with the album & the many good ideas struggling (and before) mostly failing to be heard.

As of today, and for the first time, I can hear & enjoy the album & the music. The rest of it is superfluous. Peter & Gordon both have deserved success in their professional lives & have taken advantage of their access to media, online & hard copy, to present their own feelings & state their cases. So, hopefully, a happy ending is now available.

At Wilson World HQ we were intending to listen to Steven’s 5.1 mix of Red as well, but after 2.5 hours of the intensity & information level of Lizard, my brain moved to pickled in extremis & I left, dribbling, for DGM HQ. A straightforward journeying to DGM HQ, arriving at the end of the afternoon."

These 5.1 mixes could be very interesting! I believe Discipline is also completed.

Edited September 30, 2008 by Aggie87

[7/4]

These 5.1 mixes could be very interesting! I believe Discipline is also completed.

There's an album I'd like to hear in 5.1. Separating the gtr and stick parts after all these years would be pretty cool.

[Aggie87]

New info on the ITCOTCK, Red, & Lizard reissues here

Due out:

Red: September 21st 2009

In the Court of the Crimson King: October 12th 2009

Lizard: October 26th 2009

"To celebrate 40 years of the Crimson Kings, DGM & Panegyric proudly announce the release of a series of CD/DVD-A editions of the original King Crimson studio albums.

Each CD/DVD-A release features the full original album plus bonus tracks on the CD. Two of the titles – Lizard & In the Court of the Crimson King feature entirely new 2009 stereo album mixes by Steven Wilson & Robert Fripp.

The DVD-A presents each album fully remixed into stunning 5.1 Surround Sound with Steven Wilson (Porcupine Tree) in the producer role and King Crimson founder member Robert Fripp as executive producer.

The 5.1 mixes are accessible in full MLP lossless audio on DVD-A players & DTS 5.1 on standard DVD players/DVD Rom drives. Additionally, High Resolution stereo is also accessible on the DVD-A (24/96 DVD-A & 24/48 DVD/DVD Rom).

Selected DVD-A titles in the series will also feature era specific, rarely seen, King Crimson video footage. Each album is presented in a double Digipack, with booklet artwork featuring new sleeve notes by Robert Fripp and King Crimson biographer Sid Smith alongside archive material and photos, enclosed in an outer card slipcase.

The first three titles are set for release this year with further titles to follow throughout 2010."

Red:

CD: Features the original album plus three extra tracks, stunning pre-overdub trio versions of Red & Fallen Angel and the full version of Providence.

DVD-A: Features the original album in Hi-Res Stereo and 5.1 Surround Sound editions, with the three additional tracks from the CD plus Journey to the Centre of the Cosmos also available in Hi-Res Stereo. The trio version of Fallen Angel and the full versions of Providence and Journey to the Centre of the Cosmos are also available in 5.1 Surround Sound.

Video footage: Rarely seen footage from French TV from 1974 featuring performances of Larks’ Tongues in Aspic II, The Night Watch, Lament & Starless

Court:

CD: Features entirely new 2009 stereo edition mixed from the original pre mix multi track tapes by Steven Wilson and Robert Fripp, plus bonus tracks including early versions of I Talk to the Wind, the backing track for Epitaph and the session that produce the opening wind effect for 21st Century Schizoid Man.

DVD-A: Features the original album in 5.1 Surround Sound. The 2004 master edition & the 2009 new mix also appear in Hi-Res Stereo, along with several bonus tracks from the original recording sessions.

Video Footage: Newly re-sequenced archive footage of 21st Century Schizoid Man from the legendary Hyde Park concert.

(DGM 5009 2CD edition)

CD1: as per above.

CD2: Features the 2004 master edition plus bonus tracks including the Morgan studios instrumental recording of 21st Century Schizoid Man, the John Peel Top Gear recording of I Talk to the Wind (not previously released on CD) and a transfer of the original single a/b side of The Court of the Crimson King.

(KCCBX 1 4CD/DVD-A Boxed set – Limited edition.)

Full details to be arranged.

Lizard:

(KCSP3 CD/DVD-A edition)

CD: Features entirely new 2009 stereo edition mixed from the original pre mix multi track tapes by Steven Wilson and Robert Fripp plus three bonus tracks: Lady of the Dancing Water (alternate take), Bolero (alternative version originally from Frame by Frame) and a studio run through of Cirkus from the original recording sessions.

DVD-A: Features the original album in 5.1 Surround Sound. The 2004 master edition and the 2009 new album mix also appear in Hi-Res Stereo, along with the three bonus tracks from the CD.

[Matthew]

I'm very interested in these cds, as I've had a off-and-on interest in King Crimson over the years. I am embarrassed say though, I have never understood all the raves about Red, I don't get that album at all.

[7/4]

Crap. Yet another edition.

I love Red.

[Shawn]

Red is one of my favorites as well, but it's probably either a love it or hate it kind of album.

[7/4]

But what is there not to like about Red?

[Aggie87]

The Red CD/DVDA is available for pre-order from Steven Wilson's website, for a pretty decent price, $16.15.

[A Lark Ascending]

Hated 'Red' when I bought it the week it came out (Autumn '74) - it seemed rough, hurried, full of heavy metal power chords and not that well recorded. My musical tastes were heading away from rock where 'Red' seemed to be taking KC back into rock.

Time has mellowed me towards it and I enjoy it now.

Odd that 'Lizard' is getting another makeover given how Fripp has frequently disowned it (and 'Islands'). As it happens 'Lizard/Islands' are my favourite KC albums - very much studio confections but marvellous nonetheless. I could not make head nor tail of the first side of Lizard when I first heard it...but in the end it opened my ears to the contemporary UK jazz of the time and was my pathway to Soft Machine, Centipede, Keith Tippett and so on...

[mjzee]

"Red" also seemed hurried and unfinished to me when it came out. It seemed put together by a group that was about to split up. Also, it lacked the gorgeous graphics of prior albums. And why was David Cross on the album but not on the cover? Clues, clues...which of course affect perceptions about the music. And I didn't get why there was a song called "Starless"...shouldn't that have been on their last album?

I saw them when this came out, at the Schaefer Music Festival in Central Park. The show was excellent (and David Cross was in the band).

Was there an album after this one with this band? Or was the next iteration the one with Adrian Belew?

[7/4]

No more studio albums until the '80s. Red was the last one until Discipline.

...

[jazzbo]

At the time they lost me after Lizard and Islands. In the nearer past I've heard quite a bit of the material that followed. . . but still really don't dig it. Ah well.

The first four, great stuff. What's with the surround stuff---do people really listen to music in surround? I've avoided surround sound all my life. . . I don't even really like it for movies.

[7/4]

Someone gave me a 5.1 system for my TV and I still haven't set it up. I think I'd need a special room to get the most out of it.

...

[Quincy]

The first four, great stuff. What's with the surround stuff---do people really listen to music in surround? I've avoided surround sound all my life. . . I don't even really like it for movies.

I don't do 5.1 either, but I'm interested in the high-res stereo for some of these. Probably Red as it's the first and I would think that the odds are good that it'll sound better than the CD. I always liked them live better than most of the studio stuff though. Hooray for the live downloads and KCCC!

[GregK]

man is Fripp ever milking his past! He just put out 30th anniversary edition CDs of all of these 8-10 years ago. Now it's time to repackage them with surround sound? I've never understood the attraction of surround, so it looks like I'm passing on these.