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Musician FEBRUARY 1992 - by Robert Fripp

KING CRIMSON: FRAME BY FRAME

The past: There were four working, live versions of King Crimson: 1969, 1971-72, 1972-74 and 1981-84, three world-class and two of them - the first and last - arguably the best live rock outfits in the world. For a short time.

The early groups supplied founding members to Emerson, Lakke & Palmer (Greg Lake), Foreigner (Ian McDonald), Bad Company (Boz Burrell) and UK and Asia (John Wetton). Bill Bruford left Yes to join King Crimson in 1972, and is the only musician to have played in the English progressive triumvirate of King Crimson, Yes and Genesis. Robert Fripp is the only musician to have played with King Crimson, King Crimson, King Crimson and King Crimson, said no to Yes and no to Genesis.

The fourth King Crimson (1981-84) was the first Anglo-American Crimson, and more song-based than the earlier Crimsons. It could also rock out and shred wallpaper at three miles.

The present: This is a four-volume boxed set with a 64-page scrapbook of photos, press cuttings, reviews, information, chit-chat and commentary, four hours, 22 minutes and 26 seconds of music - an average of 65 minutes and 37 seconds per CD).

The first three volumes are comprehensive compilations of the studio albums from 1969 to 1984. The fourth volume is of unreleased live material from the entire period of Crimson's life to date, save for one track (Asbury Park from the deleted USA). Every track is remastered and/or remixed for CD.

This is all the music Fripp, the executive producer, considers necessary to convey the essence of King Crimson, which he defines in the Scrapbook as "energy, intensity, eclecticism." But then, he always had a pile of words.

Some might complain that Islands is not here, Starless is only the song version, or Fracture is abbreviated. For them the complete catalog is available, remastered for CD, on Caroline. Here, Fripp worked to a technical deadline of 72 minutes per CD with the aim that each volume work in its own right, as well as belonging to the set.

For anyone new to the world of King Crimson, this is all you need to know. For anyone whose emotional life in rock involves one of the Crimson incarnations, this is a must. If only for the music, if only for the scrap book, if only for the artwork.

Some diehard Crimheads figure 1969 was the Crimson classic period. Others go for 1975, and a few prefer the traditional period of 1970 when Keith Tippett was de facto Crimson pianist. But a genuine Crimhead knows you can't limit it that tight: Each period worked in its way, or not. You may like it or not, but classic Crimson is timeless. With Crimson you knew you were getting their best shot, whether it flew or crashed, whether it succeeded or not. Here it does and here it is.

This sets the standard for reissues in quality, quantity and commitment. The work in the scrapbook alone matches the work in the records. And the design work for the package, by Bill Smith, is stunning. This is not repackaging by numbers.

The Abbreviated King Crimson is a tasty, humorous 25-minute little sucker of a CD released in tandem with the box. Conceived originally as a radio-friendly promotional tool for the set, Fripp liked it so much he persuaded Virgin to release it as the first in a new series of Crimson specialist issues. For those who like a good song in the mainstream of rock life, here are edited short takes of Schizoid, Crimson King, Heartbeat, Elephant Talk and Matte Kudesai. A barbershop chorale by Tony Lerin introduces the classics and a strange medley finishes it off. Recommended.

The future: The next incarnation of King Crimson is together and in place for the next period of its work. Rehearsals begin in the spring of 1992. If experience is any guide, Crimson is always the same and always different. Experience would also suggest you catch it when you can.


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