King Crimson
• Robert Fripp — guitars, guitar synthesizer/MIDI guitar, Soundscapes, electric piano, Mellotron, keyboards, allsorts (1969–present)
• Adrian Belew — lead vocals, guitars, guitar synthesizer/MIDI guitar, electronic percussion (1981–present)
• Tony Levin — bass guitars, Chapman Stick, upright bass, synthesizer, backing vocals (1981–1999; 2003–present)
• Pat Mastelotto — acoustic and electronic drums and percussion (1994–present)
• Gavin Harrison — drums (2007–present)
Greg Lake — bass guitar, vocals and tambourine (1969–1970)
• Michael Giles — drums, vocals (1969–1970)
• Ian McDonald — saxophone, clarinet, flute, mellotron, vibes, vocals (1969; 1974)
• Peter Sinfield — lyrics, synthesizer (1969–1971)
• Mel Collins — saxophone, flute, vocals, mellotron (1970–1972; 1974)
• Gordon Haskell — bass guitar, vocals (1970)
• Andy McCulloch — drums (1970)
• Rick Kemp - bass guitar (1971)
• Boz Burrell — bass guitar, vocals (1971–1972)
• Ian Wallace — drums, percussion, vocals (1971–1972)
• John Wetton — bass guitar, vocals, occasional electric guitar and piano
(1972–1974)
• Jamie Muir — percussion, allsorts (1972–1973)
• Bill Bruford — acoustic and electronic drums and percussion (1972–1998)
• David Cross — violin, viola, flute, mellotron, electric piano, keyboards
(1972–1974)
• Trey Gunn — Warr guitar, Chapman Stick, baritone guitar, Ashbory
silicone-string bass, "talker" (1994–2003)
King Crimson was founded in 1969 by guitarist Robert Fripp and drummer
Michael Giles. A foundational Progressive Rock group, the band has in fact
incorporated diverse influences and instrumentation during its long history, drawing from
Jazz/Fusion, European Classical Music and Experimental Music to Psychedelic Rock,
Hard Rock/Heavy Metal, New Wave, Gamelan, Folk Music, Electronica or Drum and Bass.
The band has had a mixture of English and American personnel since 1981.
Despite little radio, TV and music videos airplay, King Crimson has gained a large
cult following. The band's debut album, In the Court of the Crimson King, is
widely regarded as a landmark in Progressive Rock, while later excursions into even more
unconventional territory have been influential on many contemporary musical artists.
King Crimson's membership has fluctuated considerably throughout its existence, with
eighteen musicians and two lyricists passing through the ranks as full band members. The
band developed a greater degree of stability later on in its history, with current (and
fifth) frontman Adrian Belew having been a member of King Crimson since
1981 and drummer Bill Bruford staying with the band for nine years of active
existence (1973-75, 1981-84 and 1994-97)
Today, King Crimson's early music is considered to owe a lot to the compositional
frameworks of Jazz innovators like Charles Mingus, Miles Davis and John McLaughlin,
fused with British pop and classical music. The early 1970s were King Crimson's
least stable period, with many personnel changes and disjunctions between studio and
live sound as the band explored elements of Jazz, Funk and chamber classical music. In
the mid-'70s the band had a more stable lineup and developed an improvisational sound
influenced by Hard Rock, before breaking up in 1974. The band re-formed with a new
line-up in 1981 for three years (this time influenced by New Wave and
Gamelan music) before breaking up again for around a decade. Following their 1994 reunion
(with extra personnel), King Crimson blended aspects of their 1980s and 1970s
sound with influences from more recent musical genres such as Industrial Rock and Grunge
(the latter itself a genre initially influenced by King Crimson). The band’s
efforts to blend additional elements into their music have continued into the 21st
century, with more recent developments including Drum and Bass-styled rhythm loops and
extensive use of MIDI and guitar synthesis.
Discography
Albums
• In the Court of the Crimson King (October 1969)
• In the Wake of Poseidon (May 1970)
• Lizard (December 1970)
• Islands (December 1971)
• Larks' Tongues in Aspic (March 1973)
• Starless and Bible Black (June 1974)
• Red (November 1974)
• Discipline (September 1981)
• Beat (June 1982)
• Three of a Perfect Pair (March 1984)
• Thrak (April 1995)
• The ConstruKction of Light (May 2000)
• The Power to Believe (March 2003)
Live Albums
• Earthbound (1972)
• USA (1975)
• The Great Deceiver (1992, recorded 1973-1974)
• B'Boom: Live in Argentina (1995, recorded 1994)
• Thrakattak (1996, recorded 1995)
• Epitaph (1997, recorded 1969)
• The Night Watch (1998, recorded 1973)
• Absent Lovers: Live in Montreal (1998, recorded 1984)
• Cirkus: The Young Persons' Guide to King Crimson Live (1999, recorded 1969-1998)
• King Crimson on Broadway (1999, recorded 1995)
• Live in Mexico City (1999, recorded 1996)
• The ProjeKcts (1999, recorded 1997-1999)
• The Deception of the Thrush: A Beginners' Guide to ProjeKcts (1999, recorded 1997-1999)
• The Beginners' Guide to the King Crimson Collectors' Club (2000, recorded 1969-1998)
• Live in Central Park, NYC (2000, recorded 1974)
• Heavy ConstruKction (2000)
• Vrooom Vrooom (2001, recorded 1995-1996)
• Ladies of the Road (2002, recorded 1971-1972)
• EleKtrik: Live in Japan (2003)
• The Power To Believe Tour Box (2003)
Compilations
• A Young Person's Guide to King Crimson (2LP set; 1976)
• The Compact King Crimson (1986)
• Heartbeat: The Abbreviated King Crimson (1991)
• Frame by Frame: The Essential King Crimson (4CD set; 1991)
• Sleepless: The Concise King Crimson (1993)
• The 21st Century Guide to King Crimson - Volume One - 1969-1974 (2004)
• The 21st Century Guide to King Crimson - Vol. 2 - 1981-2003 (2005)
• The Condensed 21st Century Guide to King Crimson (2006)
Extended plays
• Vrooom (1994)
• Epitaph live, 1969 by the Fripp-McDonald-Lake-Giles-Sinfield band (Boxed double EP set; 1997)
• Level Five (2001)
• Happy With What You Have to Be Happy With (2002)
Singles
• "The Court of the Crimson King" (1969)
• "Cat Food" (1970)
• "Atlantic Sampler" (promo; 1973)
• "The Night Watch" (1974)
• "Epitaph" (1976)
• "Matte Kudasai" (1981)
• "Elephant Talk" (1981)
• "Thela Hun Ginjeet" (1981)
• "Heartbeat" (1982)
• "Three of a Perfect Pair" (1984)
• "Sleepless" (1984)
• "Dinosaur" (1995)
• "People" (1995)
• "Sex Sleep Eat Drink Dream" (1995)
Videography
• The Noise: Frejus (VHS; 1984, recorded 1982)
• Three of a Perfect Pair: Live in Japan (VHS, LD; 1984, recorded 1984)
• Live in Japan (VHS; 1996, recorded 1995)
• Déjà Vrooom (DVD; 1999, recorded 1995)
• Eyes Wide Open (DVD; 2003, recorded 2000 & 2003)
• Neal and Jack and Me (DVD; 2004, recorded 1982 & 1984)
Related: Giles, Giles and Fripp · McDonald and Giles · Emerson, Lake & Palmer · 21st Century Schizoid Band · Crimson Jazz Trio · Fripp & Eno · Porcupine Tree · Liquid Tension Experiment
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• King Crimson at wikipedia.org
• King Crimson at last.fm
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