When this album was released in 1969, it was to
change the whole face of rock music as it was then known. In ‘The
Court Of The Crimson King’ by King Crimson almost single handedly
invented what was to become known as progressive rock, and with first
track ’21st Century Schizoid Man’ had a fair hand at putting heavy
metal music on the map.
The strange thing is that ‘In The Court Of The
Crimson King’ started life as a bit of a curiosity. I bet that half of
the first lot of people to buy this album did so due to its cover alone,
relying upon the intuition that anybody who would put such a face to
their music, inevitably had to have quite some spirit of adventure. They
were - of course - correct.
King Crimson had a very auspicious debut year. Their
first few rehearsals were held in January; their debut live performance
was at the Speakeasy in London, April 9th, followed by a support slot at
the Rolling Stones free concert in Hyde Park in July. Their debut album
was released to great critical acclaim in October and reached #5 in the
British Charts and #28 in the American Billboard.
Today, after over 33 years, King Crimson is still
very active and highly regarded, producing some of the most creative
music in existence, just as they always have, under the collective
banner of King Crimson and always led by main man Robert Fripp, who is
now in his seventieth decade. The man in black still commands the stage
from his seat at the back of the stage. Grim faced he plays his guitar
one minute with the violence of an axe, the next with the gentleness of
a feather, but always with determined concentration.
There have been sixteen studio albums, every one
reaching the upper regions of the charts all over the world, countless
live albums, and compilations. Twenty-one people have been in the
recordings and live works ranks (not counting guest musicians). They
even had a hit single with ‘Catfood’ back in 1970.
As the lineup has changed many have gone on to more
fame and fortune. From the first lineup vocalist Greg Lake went on to
form super group ‘Emerson, Lake and Palmer’. Ian McDonald was an
original member of ‘Foreigner’, whilst Mike Giles went on to be one
of the most respected drummers in the session world. Other groups came
and went, but Robert Fripp just carried on in his own sweet way,
oblivious to anything that does not concern him, demanding only
perfection from his fellow musicians. During its lifespan King Crimson
has gone from this lineup, which had vocals with the basic trio of
drums, bass, and guitar, with additional saxophone, flute, keyboards,
mellotrone, synthesizer, and harmonium, to today’s more basic lineup
of vocals with two guitars, bass, and drums. That’s quite unusual in
itself, as bands usually add instruments rather than strip them away.
The album opens up with the brutal ’21st Century
Schizoid Man’, which was actually this dog’s first introduction to
King Crimson, as this track was released on a compilation album by
Island Records to showcase all the artists on their roster. This was an
album set called ‘Nice Enough To Eat’, containing twelve tracks from
various bands on the label, all for the price of fourteen shillings and
sixpence (about forty five baht), just within range of this at the time
13-year old dog’s pocket money.
After the loud entrance of the ‘Schizoid Man’
(although it became a bit of an albatross round the old King Crimson
neck, it was only dusted down and rehashed as an encore number by Robert
Fripp last year), you are swept away by four more rock epics. The
shortest called ‘I Talk To The Wind’ clocks in at just over six
minutes, while ‘Moonchild’ - with all its beeps, boops, and whistles
still intact - comes in at a massive 12 minutes. Hardly surprising then
that Crimson was never really considered a singles band.
Musical standouts, if you had to pick some from this
faultless album, would have to be (apart from all of Schizoid) Ian
McDonald’s flute playing in ‘I Talk To The Wind’, Greg Lake’s
singing in ‘Epitaph’, Ian McDonald’s groundbreaking keyboard work
in ‘Moonchild’, and Robert Fripp’s simply staggering guitar work
in final song ‘The Court Of The Crimson King’. If you think that it
is only studio trickery that lets them play this immaculate music, think
again. The proof is the live album ‘Epitaph’ recorded on this
lineup’s tour of America at the Filmore East. The encore recording of
the band rollicking through ‘Mars’ from Holzst’s ‘Planet
Suite’ has to be heard to be believed.
After thirty odd years this album is still King
Crimson’s biggest selling album, a true all time classic. But do not
worry, my friends, old Robert Fripp is still trying to top it. He nearly
succeeded in his efforts in 2003 with ‘The Power To Believe’. If you
have never heard this album, go out and buy it; if you have fond
memories of it from before, I hope this little epistle will remind you
to push ‘Purchase’ when surfing through www.amazon.com
This
week’s book is from author Andrew Hicks, who appears to be an
interesting sort of cove. An ex UK corporate lawyer and university
lecturer, Thai Girl (TYS Books, 2004, ISBN 974-92003-4-9) is his first
novel, with his characters young backpackers, something Andrew Hicks is
not. In fact Hicks is honest enough to say that he wanted to challenge
Alec Garland’s bestseller, The Beach, in writing about young
backpackers.
Mott’s CD review: King Crimson - In The Court Of The Crimson King
5
Stars *****