[ARCHIVE] King Crimson - ‘In the Court of the Crimson King’: a classic prog rock album
... and key to the mythology of the LP as a concept. This Glimpse was first posted on 30 October 2023 and has been lightly edited and updated.
The new film about King Crimson is released for streaming on 1 December 2023. I’ve not seen it yet, and it’s not only about ITCOTCK despite being called In The Court Of The Crimson King: King Crimson at 50. It should increase interest in the band still further, and ITCOTCK is probably the best place to start. Perhaps it’s not the best King Crimson album, but it is an accessible way into the catalogue.
Secondly, a recent poster in a Facebook group couldn’t understand why ITCOTCK is considered to be a classic prog rock album because, in their view, it’s ordinary and not very inspiring. Well, each to their own, but I was moved to point out (along with others) that the point was being missed.
The point being: ITCOTCK is not a classic because of how it sounds now (54 years later) but because of its impact when released in 1969. We are all standing on the shoulders of giants, all following the course laid down long before.
Another way of thinking about this: Will the records receiving so much praise, in 2023, still sound so good (if there’s anyone around to listen to them) in 2077?
I think ITCOTCK is a ground breaking classic. This post scratches the surface as to why.
“[ITCOTCK] may be the most influential progressive rock album ever released.” Edward Macon1
We need to think about the context in 1969. Familiarity really does breed contempt. Released in that year (among many others, of course) were Abbey Road - The Beatles, Tommy - The Who, Ummagumma - Pink Floyd, Nashville Skyline - Bob Dylan, and Hot Rats - Frank Zappa. All adventurous albums, all helping to create the mythology, the story, of the long-playing record.
These were still the early years of an LP adding up more than 40 minutes worth of collected singles and assorted random off-cuts. The Beatles had released Revolver only three years previously. Artists were learning that the LP, as a coherent ‘album’, allowed them space to stretch out and move beyond established genres. Put anyone in a completely different environment and it can take a while to realise the full possibilities. King Crimson, though, grasped the opportunity. ITCOTCK moves freely between genres - rock (mostly), blues, jazz, classic and symphonic influences are to be found here.
“If progressive rock as a discrete genre can be said to have a starting point, ITCOTCK is probably it.” Paul Stamp 2
This is not to argue Robert Fripp and company set out to invent prog rock. It’s more that the musical zeitgeist they were working within allowed the constraints on their musical thinking to be lifted, laying the foundations for what was sometimes called ‘art rock’ and is now labelled ‘progressive rock’, with its own magazine.
ITCOFCK was a major success at the time, establishing itself in the top ten albums, even without the theoretically essential factor of being able to ride on the back of a hit single. There was a single - an edited version of the title track - but more because of industry convention than any expectation of appearing a BBC TV Top of the Pops appearance.
“[ITCOTCK] was one of those releases that drew a dividing line between the old and the new worlds of the LP and, in hindsight, inaugurated a whole new category of music that simply would not have any reason to exist had it now been for the long-playing record.” David Hepworth, ‘Fabulous Creation: How the LP Saved Our Lives’ 3
It’s time to listen.
Point your preferred way of listening to music towards ITCOTCK. If this will be your first ever listen, check the volume, and ensure your neighbours are either out, or already King Crimson fans. Because first you’ll hear ‘21st Century Schizoid Man’ and it’s full-on scary. Is this album going to be a 40-minute metal assault on the senses?
No. Next, for contrast, is ‘I Talk to the Wind’, deliberately included to show another side of the band - gentle, repurposed from the King Crimson precursor band Giles, Giles and Fripp.
Then we settle into the signature sound of the album with ‘Epitaph’ and ‘Moonchild’. Except, as indicated by the extended titles, each track incorporates diverse elements, thus establishing one of the key troupes of prog rock - wherever you think a track is going next it probably isn’t.
Throughout ITCOTCK the mellotron is heavily featured, an early synthesizer that has become synonymous with prog rock. Of course, King Crimson aren’t prog only because they used a mellotron, but it’s worth asking where prog rock would be without the invention of the mellotron. 4
King Crimson have been several different bands over the years, all underpinned by the unique approach to the guitar of Robert Fripp. This first incarnation, alongside Fripp, featured Greg Lake (lead vocals, bass guitar, production), Ian McDonald (saxophone, flute, clarinet, bass clarinet, Mellotron, harpsichord, piano, organ, vibraphone, backing vocals, co-lead vocals on ‘I Talk to the Wind’, production), Michael Giles (drums, percussion, backing vocals, production), and Peter Sinfield (lyrics, illumination, production).
If anything, the different versions of King Crimson have produced more challenging music over the years, possibly because of Fripp’s continual reinvention. As it stands now, King Crimson are finished - other than anniversary releases and whatever else is lurking in the archives. 5
Meanwhile, Robert Fripp’s popularity has seen a significant boost as his controversial among fans lockdown project with wife Toyah continues with live performances.6
Enjoy the music,
Ian
As my book nears completion, it’s time for full service to be resumed here at LP.
I’ve been running Glimpses from my archive over the past few weeks - thank you if you’ve commented or liked them. Next week I’ll be back to posting new content, in a slightly amended form.
Each weekly Glimpse of a classic album will be a concise 500 words - a reading time of 3-4 minutes. When I get it right you’ll be inspired to listen to the album in question with fresh ears.
Gems continues with a blend of classic and potential future classic music every week, in its newly expanded one-hour form.
As soon as the book is fully done, I’ll be drafting the next Long Gaze. As well as the ‘run of three’ great albums series I’m interested in the psychological effects of music, so I’ll be writing at length about that too.
The first of the new Glimpses, early next week, brings us to the beginning of the Phil Collins era for Genesis with A Trick Of The Tail.
Macon, Edward (1997) ‘Rocking the Classics: English Progressive Rock and the Counterculture’, Oxford University Press.
Stamp, Paul (1997) The Music’s All That Matters: A History of Progressive Rock. Quartet Books.
Hepworth, David. (2021) Fabulous creation: How the LP saved our lives. Transworld Publishers Limited.
One of King Crimson’s mellotrons was sold to Genesis, thus boosting another early prog act on their road to world domination. https://ultimateclassicrock.com/steve-hackett-genesis-king-crimson-interview, accessed 29/10/2023
July 2024 update: there is more in archives. DGM Live have just announced Sheltering Skies, a live recording of the 1980s verison of the band.
July 2024 update 2: Including at the Glastonbury Festival.
An amazing album!
I've never heard this yet, but I am intrigued enough to eventually get my own copy.