King Crimson

  • I saw two shows on this most recent tour - they were both truly outstanding!


    The two shows I saw were on September 4th in Holmdel, NJ (at the PNC Arts Center) and September 9th in NYC (at the very lovely Beacon Theatre). I also did the "Royal Package" for both shows - that's the name of their VIP ticketing program. Unlike with some bands, this VIP package is truly excellent!


    I'll talk more about these shows later. I will talk some people off of the ledge a bit and inform you that, provided that situations that would prevent them from touring fail to occur, both Robert Fripp and David Singleton (KC's manager) have expressed interest in future KC tours beyond this year. There were a few suppositions made public in the press and beyond that implied that this 2021 tour could be the very last for KC in North America. Now, realistically, given the age of a few of the band members (and the seemingly never-ending pandemic), this most current tour could have been the last. Having said that, Robert was adamant at the pre-show Q&A at the Beacon that such a decision has not been made yet. Both he and David expressed desire to return in the future with KC. However, with the current state of the world, such a proclamation can't be made with confidence at the moment. In short, 2022 will have to come in order for potential touring in 2023 to be able to be predicted. So, stay tuned...

    Stepping out the back way, hoping nobody sees...

  • Following on from the sad news of Ian McDonald's passing, a new documentary film about Crimson is being released. Trailer here. Look out for IM.

    Thanks for that link! (The timing of this information being virtually concurrent with Ian’s passing is somewhat eerie…)

    Stepping out the back way, hoping nobody sees...

  • What do we think of this notion it was the first ever progressive rock album? Does that stand up?


    I've heard some say that accolade goes to Sgt Pepper but that seems to be based on it having the vague remnant of a concept that never got fully developed.

    Well, if you're talking about the prog that we all know and love, with the sweeping mellotron, odd time signatures, weird lyrics, and neo-classical influences, it's hard not to treat that first Crimson album as patient zero. Though the Moodie Blues and Beatles (heck, and the Stones) had used a mellotron, they were in the realm of pop and/or psychedelia. Yes also comes to mind with their first album but nowhere near as much as King Crimson's debut.

  • This is a bit odd. Robert Fripp and a female singer I don't know called Toyah have apparently spent the pandemic putting up strange covers of songs. Partly KC related I guess!


    Here they are doing Bullet With Butterfly Wings. It's all very odd, but they seem to be having fun.


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  • I have to say, not a huge Fripp fan. Find his guitar work slightly in odds to my ears that don't make sense!....


    Though regarded as one of the best guitarists out there, I tend to differ.


    Prefer Steve Hackett, Gilmour and my favourite Andy Latimer any day.

  • This is a bit odd. Robert Fripp and a female singer I don't know called Toyah have apparently spent the pandemic putting up strange covers of songs. Partly KC related I guess!


    Here they are doing Bullet With Butterfly Wings. It's all very odd, but they seem to be having fun.


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    As pointed out above, that's his wife. Her peak music career was probably over by the time you tuned into rock and pop - she had a few uk hits late 70s/early 80s.


    They didn't just do covers during lockdown, they did a number of bizarre quirky videos at least one of which featured Fripp in a ballerina skirt. Enough said.

    Abandon all reason

  • Thanks all for the info and context. Having vowed to give KC more of a try, I've failed to do so as yet. I stumbled on the above as a result of my fandom of the original artist. They seem like an interesting pair and my curiosity is certainly piqued!

  • Fripp-related dates: he and his manager David Singelton embark on a speaking tour in the US, entitled That Awful Man & His Manager. They'll be discussing deep-dish topics such as the nature of music, where it comes from, and all loads of stuff. Details here.


    Also, I don't think the dates have been announced yet but he and his wife Toyah Willcox are taking their eccentric Sunday Lunch video show on tour, I gather in the UK next year. Heaven knows how that's going to translate into a stage show. Will it open with him prancing balletically on stage in a tutu, as he did in one of the videos? It promises to be a very different prospect from the US speaking tour, I'd imagine.


    I gather they have also worked together on a Toyah reinterpretation of Crimson's debut album, to be entitled In The Court Of The Crimson Queen.


    That is all.

    Abandon all reason