The history of KIng Crimson is so long and complicated, and on-going, that we won’t even bother to cover it all.
They began as Giles, Giles and Fripp:
Robert Fripp guitar, and the constant element in the band
Peter Giles bass and vocals
Michael Giles drums and vocals.
Success was modest.
Adding multi-instrumentalist Ian McDonald, Greg Lake on bass and vocals (P Giles left) and Peter Sinfield as lyricist and light show genius, in the days before light shows were a big thing, made King Crimson. It was 1968.
KC’s first album was a big success, but M Giles and McDonald hated touring and other things and left, McDonald to form Foreigner. Thus started a pattern where each new studio album had diffferent people playing until 1981. Then, things settled. Fripp has been a constant presence, and it is hard to imagine KC without him.
Over the time there have been some gaps, when Fripp has gone off to do other things. Forming new bands he often found they were just King Crimson in the end.
But the line up has included people of immense musical skill, including:
Tony Levin bass and vocals
John Wetton bass and vocals
Bill Bruford drums
Adrian Belew guitar, percussion and vocals
Mel Collins woodwinds
Gavin Harrison drums
and many more…
The band is still touring, as a seven piece with three drummers who have to be seen to be believed, still playing the old songs that still sound just great.
But now, let’s talk about the music.
