The Drummers of King Crimson

[Sean]

Really good, in-depth look at the various drummers over the years. Who's your fave?

http://drummagazine.com/drummers-of-king-crimson/

[jrw]

While Bruford is one of my all time favs, in the context of King Crimson, I have to Michael Giles because that first album is just fantastic.

[N_Singh]

I always cringe when I hear terms like “jazzy, jazz chops, jazz influenced“.

Usually it has nothing to do with Jazz; it just means that they know their instrument very well and they understand music very well .

Nobody in the band will be compared to Philly Joe, Elvin, Tony Williams , et al.

[Yodelgoat]

Funny, just today, I finally received my very first copy of Court of the Crimson King... All these years I NEVER Owned it. I love the drummer! fantastic playing that has been copied over the years. Ive heard alot of drummers use those fills in 21st Century Schitzoid man...

I have heard this album only a handful of times at other peoples dorms/homes over the years. I never bought the album, because of the Sax work in the music. I haven't cared much for Saxaphone, because I grew up playing Alto, and I always associate the sound of the sax with the feeling and taste of the reed in my mouth... Its rather an unpleasant sensation.

I've appreciated Brufords drumming, though I have mostly heard it on the Yes albums... So Unique, but I can see why KC interested Bill more than Yes did.

Listening to the Court today, I have to say that the drumming on that album is just spectacular, and stands as an early witness of what great prog drumming should be.

I will be broadening my horizons with KC and will have more to say as I get more into them. Funny how because I was not all that impressed with them when I was 13, I let that keep me away my whole life. I heard that Lake did some shows in the 80's where they kind of rocked out some of the early KC material, and that may be more up my alley...

Clearly, I have research to do...

[DocProgger]

Funny, just today, I finally received my very first copy of Court of the Crimson King... All these years I NEVER Owned it.

Wow, to me that is really where it all started and got the prog ball rolling, probably THE signature influential progressive rock album in so many ways. I remember being so blown away by the title track and Epitaph when I first heard it in the early 70s. KC then lost me for a little while with the next period and it took me awhile to digest the period which is now so amazingly being played live with this 7-8 man beast of a live band. I was so moved to emotion finally hearing a Crimson band play Court and Epitaph on this past tour. Thought I would never hear those tunes live from a Fripp led band. And yes, Giles is great on that album. But Bruf is still da man.

[Skullhead]

I always cringe when I hear terms like “jazzy, jazz chops, jazz influenced“.

Usually it has nothing to do with Jazz; it just means that they know their instrument very well and they understand music very well .

Nobody in the band will be compared to Philly Joe, Elvin, Tony Williams , et al.

I would say that they all know how to swing on the ride cymbal and do bring that into the rock arena, just as Bill Ward did also in Black Sabbath... and Neil Peart never did. It's not jazz in any kind of traditional sense, but the roots are there and it's not hard to hear it compared to rock drummers without jazz background.

[Skullhead]

Listening to the Court today, I have to say that the drumming on that album is just spectacular, and stands as an early witness of what great prog drumming should be.

This is so true, and it created a new genre and style of music. All percussive music genres are basically defined by the rhythm sections. Prog is no different. I wish modern drummers would understand what great prog drumming is. It's jazz technique, not rock based. Nearly all the great rock drummers were jazz players first.

[AncientChord]

While Bruford is one of my all time favs, in the context of King Crimson, I have to Michael Giles because that first album is just fantastic.

I'm 100% with you on this. Michael Giles for me will always be the first progressive rock drummer, influencing every drummer in the genre from that point forward, including Bruford. He brought in a jazzy style not heard before within rock music. Plus his dynamics were superb, at times being very gentle, and the next moment bombastic. He immediately impressed me upon my first listen of ITCOTCK in 1969.

[Yellow Jester]

Really good, in-depth look at the various drummers over the years. Who's your fave?

http://drummagazine.com/drummers-of-king-crimson/

It's a very tough call but I'd have to say my favorite KC drummer is Michael Giles. His work on ITCOTCK & ITWOP is outstanding and sets the tone for everything that came later (up to the present day). Thanks for sharing Sean.

[Mascodagama]

I never bought the album, because of the Sax work in the music. I haven't cared much for Saxaphone, because I grew up playing Alto, and I always associate the sound of the sax with the feeling and taste of the reed in my mouth... Its rather an unpleasant sensation.

Interesting perspective! I guess if you pursue the sax professionally you have to get to like it...I always remember Dexter Gordon saying "Happiness is a wet reed".

[mike_hunt]

Michael Giles for me will always be the first progressive rock drummer, influencing every drummer in the genre from that point forward, including Bruford. He brought in a jazzy style not heard before within rock music.

Do you have a source for Bruford being influenced by Giles? I'd like to read more about that.

FWIW, Bruford was doing jazzy-ish things on Yes's first album before In The Court Of The Crimson King was released.

[Scrotum Scissor]

Bruford was doing jazzy-ish things on Yes's first album before In The Court Of The Crimson King was released.

And albeit in a different context and with certain other approaches, Robert Wyatt was displaying many of the same traits already in 1967 with the Soft Machine - who were (for a few years still) a rock group and a progressive one.

My fave KC-drummer will remain McCulloch. Some of his playing on Lizard is outright extraordinary and fascinating.

[Kcrimso]

Bruford is my favourite but I really like them all.

[StarThrower]

Broof, and the drumming on Lizard because the drum kit sounds so good.

[groon]

Nice article, thanks for sharing.

Giles is for me the standout Crimso drummer. So glad to have caught him playing with 21CSB.
Then Bruford, Muir, McCulloch, Wallace but heck, they're all good. And they each brought something different and of value to the band.

[Yodelgoat]

Interesting perspective! I guess if you pursue the sax professionally you have to get to like it...I always remember Dexter Gordon saying "Happiness is a wet reed".

I still play an old tenor sax I picked up at a pawn shop. I keep the reeds soaked in Everclear when I am not playing, just because the thought of sticking something that was soaking in my slobber 3 weeks ago back into my mouth is just too much. I think Ian Anderson said the same of his foray into sax years back.

When I hear sax in prog, it just doesnt really feel right to me. I know you should be able to go anywhere in Prog musically and not be burdened by artificial boundaries, but I was 12 when I first heard COURT. That sax just stuck there in my mind and I never got over it (plus, its occasionally out of tune... it sounds like my 12 year old self playing it). Needless to say, playing sax ruined the saxophone for me. Now I love it in big band, Blues, Jazz, Even in the Pink Floyd it was a great addition. But it was very melodic, and not the higher register sax - like an Alto or Soprano would be. I wasnt exactly a thoughtful critic of the sax at age 12, but I knew what I liked and what I didnt. Listening to Court as a kid, I thought the sax in 20th century Schitziod was unnecessary. The guitar handled the part just fine. I kind of put KC on the "nay" list, and it stuck there for decades, though I did not recall why. Yesterday when I listened again, it brought it all back. What a stupid reason to dislike a badn...

I'm kind of glad of it now thinking about it. Now I get to "discover" KC!

[miamiscot]

KC has had a few good drummers over the years. Everyone knows this. But it's nice to see them all get some recognition!

[Mascodagama]

I still play an old tenor sax I picked up at a pawn shop. I keep the reeds soaked in Everclear when I am not playing, just because the thought of sticking something that was soaking in my slobber 3 weeks ago back into my mouth is just too much. I think Ian Anderson said the same of his foray into sax years back.

When you put it like that, I can sympathise! I guess for those of an old-school inclination, keeping it soaked in bourbon / firewater of choice may also work...

When I hear sax in prog, it just doesnt really feel right to me. I know you should be able to go anywhere in Prog musically and not be burdened by artificial boundaries, but I was 12 when I first heard COURT. That sax just stuck there in my mind and I never got over it (plus, its occasionally out of tune... it sounds like my 12 year old self playing it). Needless to say, playing sax ruined the saxophone for me. Now I love it in big band, Blues, Jazz, Even in the Pink Floyd it was a great addition. But it was very melodic, and not the higher register sax - like an Alto or Soprano would be. I wasnt exactly a thoughtful critic of the sax at age 12, but I knew what I liked and what I didnt. Listening to Court as a kid, I thought the sax in 20th century Schitziod was unnecessary. The guitar handled the part just fine. I kind of put KC on the "nay" list, and it stuck there for decades, though I did not recall why. Yesterday when I listened again, it brought it all back. What a stupid reason to dislike a badn...

I'm kind of glad of it now thinking about it. Now I get to "discover" KC!

I've always liked the sound of sax regardless of context, then again I never had to play one! Come to think of it, I can't really think of any instrument I don't like the sound of...even bagpipes can be good, at least when Paul Dunmall's playing them. OK, I don't like the didgeridoo, but that has more to do with an irritating hippy that used to live in the flat below me in the early nineties and would insist on blowing it (very incompetently) at unsociable hours.

I rather envy you with most of Crimson still to discover. And the majority of it doesn't actually have sax

[Yodelgoat]

Yea, I got that yesterday when I heard the entire album... Just a few moments in a song, and I lost decades of musical enjoyment. Its funny, I play quite a few instruments - none of them I am a virtuoso at, but well enough, where when I hear it, I can see in my mind, what the player is doing. It really increases my appreciation for the music. I think people who do not have this experience are missing something wonderful. It makes almost any music more enjoyable to listen to, except for the modern computer generated stuff. I have far less vision of what it is like to compose or to perform that kind of music. I have worked with Acid Pro software, so I have some appreciation of what goes into building a soundscape, but its not the same as imagining what a Bill Bruford or any of the KC drummers are doing. It's like a built in video from my imagination. And I have to say that Michael Giles is a really fun drummer to "watch". Especially realizing that he is one of the first people to bring alive those beautiful drum parts!

[Mister Triscuits]

I still play an old tenor sax I picked up at a pawn shop. I keep the reeds soaked in Everclear when I am not playing, just because the thought of sticking something that was soaking in my slobber 3 weeks ago back into my mouth is just too much.

After trying umpteen different cane reeds, I finally settled on Legere synthetics for tenor (and for bass clarinet). They're expensive, but cost less in the long run because they last much, much longer than natural reeds, sound great, and don't need to be prepped before playing. More sanitary, too. (I haven't found a synthetic reed that is satisfactory for soprano, however, and am so far still using cane for the wee horn.)

[Phlakaton]

While Bruford is one of my all time favs, in the context of King Crimson, I have to Michael Giles because that first album is just fantastic.

Pretty much with ya - Bruford is so good - but Giles has a style so awesome - its hard to beat inside the KC music - but Bill is my favorite.

[N_Singh]

Note the incredible amount of respect as a musician Harrison gets in the article. His technical ability to play pretty much any genre of music seems pretty amazing

[The Crimson King]

It's hard to beat Bill Bruford's performance on Red. That album contains my favorite drumming of any album ever.

[progmeister]

Michael Giles is now and forever THE guy.

[Zeuhlmate]

Bruford and Wallace