King Crimson - Earthbound

[bertrand]

This one is much maligned. What are your thoughts?

Thanks,

Bertrand.

 

[A Lark Ascending]

I bought it when it came out as a cheapo LP in summer 1972. Was very disappointed by it, rarely played it, sold it in the early 80s.

However, curiosity got the better of me and I bought a CD version last year. The original tapes were pretty rough but to my ears the CD improved the sound considerably (or maybe my way of listening had changed given how KC became a much more improvising band from the autumn of '72 in the new line-up. The first four records were very arranged). It's actually quite an exciting record. 

Worth hearing...but I'd say there are better recordings of that version of KC that have come out through the KC website. Live at Summit Studios is especially good.  

https://www.dgmlive.com/archive.htm?show=218

I think I'm right in saying that apart from Earthbound there wasn't a live KC album until 'USA'. I didn't hear another live recording (apart from the sections used on the main albums) until 'The Great Deceiver Box' in the 1990s...that was a revelation. 

Edited November 10, 2015 by A Lark Ascending

[bertrand]

So the DGM material are downloads. But some of these are also on CD, right, or all those CDs out of print?

I want to get a few KC live shows, but not go totally nuts. I am trying to figure out the best route to go. I definitely want to get the 69 Hyde Park show. Is a download from DGM the only way to get this?

Thanks,

Bertrand.

[A Lark Ascending]

There are endless concerts available as downloads, of variable quality. In 1969-72 you are going to be victim to the sound quality at the time.

Some are available as CDs (and some are incorporated in the huge boxes).

The CDs are available in the USA via this part of the site (in Europe they are sold via Burning Shed):

http://shop.schizoidshop.com/king-crimson-collectors-club-c67.aspx

The Summit Studio one I recommended is on page 3. 

I think you'll have plenty to choose from there. 

[bertrand]

Complicated! Are the ones from Schizoid shop only available that way, or maybe also on Amazon etc.?

So I need to identify the ones I might want, see if they are on CD, and if not get the download. The DGM site gives sound quality ratings, so that is nice.

Again, just trying to get a few, maybe one from the original band, one from 1973 and one from 1974. Not sure about the 1972 band.

Bertrand.

 

[felser]

Be sure you get the remastered CD of 'Earthbound' (2002 or later).  The LP and the original CD sound terrible.  The remaster isn't great (or even good) sound either, but a considerable improvement.

[Stefan Wood]

Just go bonker overkill and get the box sets.  Live set heaven.

[A Lark Ascending]

1 hour ago, bertrand said:

Complicated! Are the ones from Schizoid shop only available that way, or maybe also on Amazon etc.?

So I need to identify the ones I might want, see if they are on CD, and if not get the download. The DGM site gives sound quality ratings, so that is nice.

Again, just trying to get a few, maybe one from the original band, one from 1973 and one from 1974. Not sure about the 1972 band.

Bertrand.

 

Many of the live sets came out originally as part of the King Crimson Collectors' Club series about 10-15 years ago before downloading took off and were only available from DGM. Some of them can be had on Amazon now - you need to track them disc by disc.  Some are Japanese issues, I think. 

If you want to hear the 72/4 band live and don't want to shell out for the megaboxes I'd strongly recommend 'The Great Deceiver' - 4 CDs drawn from across that period. It used to be in a box but it now comes as two double CDs:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Great-Deceiver-Live-73-74-Part/dp/B000V6JUS6/ref=sr_1_1?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1447184535&sr=1-1&keywords=The+Great+Deceiver

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Great-Deceiver-Live-73-74-Part/dp/B000V6JUSG/ref=sr_1_3?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1447184593&sr=1-3&keywords=The+Great+Deceiver

I've just listened to the Detroit '72 KCCC disc for the first time in a while. Very good sound - worth it for the chatter; a hilarious bit where Fripp tries to explain to an extremely noisy and self-obsessed audience (well, some of them) why they won't just play the hits; and towards the end one of the others (Boz Burrell, I suspect) gets very sarcastic. There's also a bizarre, short version of In the Court of the Crimson King played as a blues song! I think I recall reading somewhere that the band were falling apart with Collins/Burrell and Wallace wanting to head in a bluesier, more soul like direction. You can hear the seams splitting on these live discs. 

Edited November 10, 2015 by A Lark Ascending

[felser]

Well, Burrell was headed to Bad Company.  I would have to agree it is bluesier and more soul-like, especially since it meant he didn't sing lead anymore, replaced by the sublime  Paul Rodgers.  But both King Crimson and Free surpass Bad Company.  And for that matter, Buffalo Springfield,  the Byrds, and the Hollies all surpass CSN(Y), etc.  The curse of the "supergroups".

[A Lark Ascending]

Mel Collins later played in a group called Kokomo who played very soul-based music. When I saw the current KC line-up a few weeks ago his sax playing was still more R'nB than jazz.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kokomo_(band) 

*************************************************

Edit (many hours later)

I vaguely remember this from the time but had it confirmed in Sid Smith's book on KC - Wallace, Burrell an Collins were in a short lived Alexis Korner band called Snape (just noticed there is a record!) after KC. The band also included Peter Thorup who did some of the vocals with CCS (of Top of the Pops theme tune fame). My memory is probably playing tricks here, but I have a feeling they were slated to play my university student union but fell apart before that.  

There's a nice passage in the Smith book about the growing tension in the 71/2 band between Fripp and the others:

"This caused some raised eyebrows, as Ian Wallace recalls with relish. "I remember that Alexis Korner was opening up, we were in the middle and Humble Pie were closing and for our encore I got up on stage, looked up and shouted to Mel and Boz '12-bar blues in G' and I remember Boz looking at me saying 'You can't do that!' and I said 'Watch me' and I started up and everybody joined in. Fripp on the other hand sat on his stool with his guitar round his neck with his hands on his lap looking down, tight-lipped and never played a note. Alexis Korner and Humble Pie and everybody backstage freaked out." 

The Smith book is a good read for KC admirers. Was published in 2001 and seems to be OOP:

Smith's website says he's working on an updated version. He must have cursed when they got back together again! 

Edited November 11, 2015 by A Lark Ascending

[chewy-chew-chew-bean-benitez]

i have a pink island of it, not that that improves anything SQ-wise, but i do.  it was recorded onto a cassette in a little van-studio out in the lot.  rolling stones mobile it was not.  it turns into pure noise rock at some points and the low-fi nature of the recording actually adds to the overall presentation of what theyre doing.  

[A Lark Ascending]

Label looked like this when it came out here. HELP was the budget release part of Island. By 1972 they'd replaced the lovely pink label with the palm tree one:

[chewy-chew-chew-bean-benitez]

yes i know that is all the pink we get on a pink island of that era.   or am i supposed to stop callin them pink island after the pink label went away....i dunno...

 

MY RULE OF THUMB: if its a uk pressing, and theres pink on it--> PINK ISLAND

[Swinger]

I just love how they play "21st Century Schizoid Man" on this album. So powerful and raw!