King Crimson

[Conservationist]

King Crimson moved retrograde to the tendency to dumb down the medium into image and trivial yet novel variations on accepted form, and with Red the band reached a climax, fusing simplicity with a need for subliminal elegance and a finding a transcendental recognition of the relative balance between structure and content, fulfilling the prophetic words of Ornette Coleman: "The pattern for a tune, for instance, will be forgotten and the tune itself will be the pattern."

King Crimson Red Review and MP3 samples

I really enjoy this thoughtful heavy progressive rock band. Lots of excellent guitar work.

[Fretless]

Amazing band. Robert Fripp is a fabulous guitarist and an excellent thinker. Love his soundscapes.

"Starless" off of Red is one of my favorite tunes of all time. So beautiful.

[sunwaiter]

i can only agree. I know maybe, uh, eight or nine crimson albums only but this one is really the one i prefer. i'm never fed up with it. Starless is indeed a magnificent song.

The album starless and bible black approaches this masterpiece.

[John Watt]

King Crimson, the first band, put out "In the Court of the Crimson King", one of those acid-rock extravaganzas that still pulled acoustic instruments into the mix. Please remember that death of the universe acid-trip cover, as popular as the music. While King Crimson never had rhythms, just beats and folksong melodies, songs like "Twentieth Century Schitzoid Man" took sax and guitar to where Deep Purple took guitar and Hammond organ. For me, it was unfortunate when Robert Fripp evolved into being King Crimson, losing the collective musical feel of the original band and nailing down every note as his electronic obsession devolved his musicianship into performing and jamming with himself as a solo act. And yes, as a professional musician-guitarist-vocalist playing in one hard rock trio, Bad Company, Deep Purple, two songs offa Frampton Comes Alive, out at the time, Play That Funky Music White Boy, Z.Z. Top, Max Webster, etc, the bassist persuaded the drummer and I into doing a song off "Red" that we dropped quickly, no-one danced, not even me. Da-duh-duh, Da-duh-duh, Da-da Da-duh-duh, Da-duh-duh, Da-da Da-duh-duh, Da-duh-duh, same thing climbing up one fret at a time, if that rings a bell.
Sunwaiter! Are you familiar with Yes's "Relayer", with Patrick Moraz on keys, with the fabulous "Gates of Delirium"? A far more wide-ranging opus. I always thought the beautiful slowdown of "Soon, oh soon the light" was Mr. Moraz on keys, but when I saw them live Steve Howe did it on a double necked steel guitar. That surprised me more than the first The Police cassette, with that no effect no solo guitar, becoming world-wide in six months, even if I was listening to copies of Roxanne and Message in a Bottle from the B.B.C.
Just like it might be stupifying for non-musicians to contemplate where music comes from, non-pros have a difficult time knowing how to manufacture music. Just like those porno trinkets you can buy, they might be fun to look at and play with, but what unattractive workers are doing a nine to five manufacturing those and what is their creative attitude?

[theresa.walsh125]

The Crimsons are great, I agree and to me Lizard and Islands are two of my fav records. However I keep wondering if Fripp hasn't lost a musical direction recently.
I don't want to fire up any discussion but it seems to me that he hasn't put out anything worthwhile in years.

[Mark]

King Crimson is awesome beyond words.I saw them way back in 74 with Spooky Tooth and Hawkwind.Hell of a show!

[Mark]

The Crimsons are great, I agree and to me Lizard and Islands are two of my fav records. However I keep wondering if Fripp hasn't lost a musical direction recently.
I don't want to fire up any discussion but it seems to me that he hasn't put out anything worthwhile in years.

I understand what you're saying but the material some times changes when new members are added, in this case Belew and Levin(who aren't really 'new' now.) I like what they're doing now and what they put out in the 80s, but my favorites are and always will be Court of the Crimson King and In the wake of Poseidon.

Happy listening, mate!