King Crimson News

[g.bremer]

I thought Live at Summit Studios kicks some ass fairly handily. It is a good recording too. No lie: it completely revolutionized my impression of the Islands line-up.

It's the best of the lot, for sure, and it changed my view of that lineup too.

[bigjohnwayne]

I enjoy Summit Studios quite a bit, but I prefer Live in Detroit, and even Jacksonville (despite the Earthbound-esque sound quality). No one talks about Live at the Marquee by this lineup very much, but the sound quality is just as good as Summit Studios. And of course the best version of 21st Century Schizoid Man is on Earthbound. Think of it as a pricey CD single with some baffling b-sides.

[Hobo Chang Ba]

That's why I keep the original.
If you want the original mix, then don't buy this.

now I suspect you are missing the point on purpose. So thanks for the input, but I'll end it here.

[Hobo Chang Ba]

I enjoy Summit Studios quite a bit, but I prefer Live in Detroit, and even Jacksonville (despite the Earthbound-esque sound quality). No one talks about Live at the Marquee by this lineup very much, but the sound quality is just as good as Summit Studios. And of course the best version of 21st Century Schizoid Man is on Earthbound. Think of it as a pricey CD single with some baffling b-sides.

Live In Detroit is probably my favorite by this lineup. Unfortunately, the tape runs out at one big inopportune moment (and I believe the end of the concert also features missing tape), but what is there is pure gold.

For reasons I can't explain the Live At The Marquee album doesn't excite me like the others mentioned here. It does sound wonderful and I wouldn't want to be without it, but for me it lacks compared to SS, Detroit, Earthbound, and various things in the big islands box.

[bigjohnwayne]

Live In Detroit is probably my favorite by this lineup. Unfortunately, the tape runs out at one big inopportune moment (and I believe the end of the concert also features missing tape), but what is there is pure gold.

For reasons I can't explain the Live At The Marquee album doesn't excite me like the others mentioned here. It does sound wonderful and I wouldn't want to be without it, but for me it lacks compared to SS, Detroit, Earthbound, and various things in the big islands box.

The end of Lady of the Dancing Water is definitely cut off in Detroit. I think the Marquee show might be the one where Boz has a cold and is pretty low energy. I don't mind low energy Boz, though. It makes the low tempo version of Cirkus sound even funnier. It sounds like prehistoric animals scuttling through a swamp.

[jkelman]

I

This is mainly a complaint about that particular mix not being available anymore. I"m certainly not going to get rid of my old CD, but it won't last forever. It would have made sense to include the original mix with the new mix, IMO.

But the original mix is available, as already posted, on the DVD (AND in high res to boot!).

Anyone with a DVD ripper/burner attached to their computer can easily rip the original mix, down-sample it to CD quality, and rip it to a CD-R if they want/need it in that format. It's simple, takes maybe 20-30 minutes all told (depending on the speed of your DVD /Blu Ray drive, the speed and memory of your computer, and the speed of your hard drive(s), amongst other things. I rip all high res audio from DVD-A or Blu Ray, so I have the flexibility of putting it on my DAP for portability (given how much I have to listen to these mega box sets before starting to write, portability really comes in handy).

I know some would suggest that it should also include a CD of the original mix but Crimson just hasn't been doing that, since the 2009 40th Anniversary series began, and adding that CD would turn their current CD/DVD-A into a 3-disc package, which would probably add enough to the cost (not just the CD, but having to increase/change the packaging also) that they likely figure some people might gripe, when the cost of their CD/DVD-A sets have been so far been quite reasonable.

Bottom line? It is impossible to please everybody, but by always making original mixes available on their higher res media, I think they provide the best of all worlds that they can, while keeping prices reasonable for those who don't want to cough up for the big boxes.

So, like the Czar, I don't get the gripe. Even if you don't have the original mix, you're getting a copy here that can be heard either in much better higher resolution or, if it's necessary, easily converted to CD quality. So what's the problem? ��

[Phlakaton]

I

But the original mix is available, as already posted, on the DVD (AND in high res to boot!).

Anyone with a DVD ripper/burner attached to their computer can easily rip the original mix, down-sample it to CD quality, and rip it to a CD-R if they want/need it in that format. It's simple, takes maybe 20-30 minutes all told (depending on the speed of your DVD /Blu Ray drive, the speed and memory of your computer, and the speed of your hard drive(s), amongst other things. I rip all high res audio from DVD-A or Blu Ray, so I have the flexibility of putting it on my DAP for portability (given how much I have to listen to these mega box sets before starting to write, portability really comes in handy).

I know some would suggest that it should also include a CD of the original mix but Crimson just hasn't been doing that, since the 2009 40th Anniversary series began, and adding that CD would turn their current CD/DVD-A into a 3-disc package, which would probably add enough to the cost (not just the CD, but having to increase/change the packaging also) that they likely figure some people might gripe, when the cost of their CD/DVD-A sets have been so far been quite reasonable.

Bottom line? It is impossible to please everybody, but by always making original mixes available on their higher res media, I think they provide the best of all worlds that they can, while keeping prices reasonable for those who don't want to cough up for the big boxes.

So, like the Czar, I don't get the gripe. Even if you don't have the original mix, you're getting a copy here that can be heard either in much better higher resolution or, if it's necessary, easily converted to CD quality. So what's the problem? ��

What sucks now is laptops are more and more shipping without cd drives at all - I have one at work with nothing - blows.

[polmico]

On Robert's Facebook page:

In the King Crimson Rehearsal Zone at 13.02 today, Thursday 2nd. May, 2019, KC decided that, in Bill Rieflin's absence, to proceed as a Seven-Headed Beast. The decision was taken unanimously by all Crims. Tacitly, we accepted: regardless of the quality of player depping for Bill, simply, Bill is irreplaceable. It’s not the notes that are played, it’s the Billness of Bill that Master Rieflin brings to the group.

So, the KC incarnation celebrating this year’s Celebration touring is the second formation of The Seven-Headed Beast Of Crim.

[Mister Triscuits]

So, the KC incarnation celebrating this year’s Celebration touring is the second formation of The Seven-Headed Beast Of Crim.

So no Theo. Bummer.

[bigjohnwayne]

On Robert's Facebook page:

In the King Crimson Rehearsal Zone at 13.02 today, Thursday 2nd. May, 2019, KC decided that, in Bill Rieflin's absence, to proceed as a Seven-Headed Beast. The decision was taken unanimously by all Crims. Tacitly, we accepted: regardless of the quality of player depping for Bill, simply, Bill is irreplaceable. It’s not the notes that are played, it’s the Billness of Bill that Master Rieflin brings to the group.

So, the KC incarnation celebrating this year’s Celebration touring is the second formation of The Seven-Headed Beast Of Crim.

I take it this means no Theo Travis on fairy dusting?

Live in Vienna was awesome. This will be too.

[SunshipVoyager1976]

So no Theo. Bummer.

Theo seems a top bloke, and his posting about the Crimson tour this year on his own website made him sound very happy about it.

Hope he doesn't take it too hard.

[The Czar]

Keep the original CD mix if you don't want to listen on dvd.
There will be thousands of used copies to get for years after this.
Buy an external USB disc drive if your laptop doesn't have a disc drive.

Those were the points right?
I suspect those are answers to all the complaints? I'll end it here. 😉

[The Czar]

now I suspect you are missing the point on purpose. So thanks for the input, but I'll end it here.

I actually got the point by the way.
You like to complain about non issues

[The Crimson King]

Not good. The 8-piece Crimson was much better than the 7-piece Crimson. Oh, well.

They should move the 3rd drummer to keys only. That would work.

[Dave (in MA)]

[Mister Triscuits]

[Sterbus]

Update from Theo Travis himself, from his Facebook page...

"As Robert Fripp has already posted on FB, there is only one Bill Rieflin. It was therefore decided during the King Crimson rehearsals that if Bill could not be there, there would not be another keyboardist in his place. So the band will perform as a seven-piece this year rather than an eight-piece. Robert and Bill are very close both musically and personally and I understand and respect this decision. The rehearsals I attended were very enjoyable and the band sounds great. I particularly enjoyed getting to know Mel Collins a bit better and hearing his wonderful stories and fabulous sax and flute playing.

The good news is that after Soft Machine’s roaring gig at London’s Jazz Cafe last night, I will now be free to play all of our gigs for 2019 including the whole autumn Soft Machine tour and the ‘Canterbury Sound - 50th Anniversary Celebration’ concert at the Gulbenkian Theatre, Canterbury on Sat 22nd June, which also features the band Caravan.

Funny old week…"

[SunshipVoyager1976]

Update from Theo Travis himself, from his Facebook page...

"As Robert Fripp has already posted on FB, there is only one Bill Rieflin. It was therefore decided during the King Crimson rehearsals that if Bill could not be there, there would not be another keyboardist in his place. So the band will perform as a seven-piece this year rather than an eight-piece. Robert and Bill are very close both musically and personally and I understand and respect this decision. The rehearsals I attended were very enjoyable and the band sounds great. I particularly enjoyed getting to know Mel Collins a bit better and hearing his wonderful stories and fabulous sax and flute playing.

The good news is that after Soft Machine’s roaring gig at London’s Jazz Cafe last night, I will now be free to play all of our gigs for 2019 including the whole autumn Soft Machine tour and the ‘Canterbury Sound - 50th Anniversary Celebration’ concert at the Gulbenkian Theatre, Canterbury on Sat 22nd June, which also features the band Caravan.

Funny old week…"

He sounds great with the Softs.

[Hobo Chang Ba]

So no Theo. Bummer.

Yeah. Those dueling sax dreams are over. I'll miss the additional keys, but fully expect them to still be the powerful force they are.

[Paulrus]

He sounds great with the Softs.

Exactly. I feel like having Theo in Soft Machine is much more important than having him in KC.

[Mister Triscuits]

Yeah. Those dueling sax dreams are over. I'll miss the additional keys, but fully expect them to still be the powerful force they are.

Yeah, it's not like when they were touring with this same lineup a couple of years ago we were all thinking, "They're OK, but they really need an eighth member."

[Rick L.]

^
This.

[bigjohnwayne]

Yeah, it's not like when they were touring with this same lineup a couple of years ago we were all thinking, "They're OK, but they really need an eighth member."

Truuuuuuue.

[The Czar]

Not good. The 8-piece Crimson was much better than the 7-piece Crimson. Oh, well.

They should move the 3rd drummer to keys only. That would work.

I agree, but it's because I like mellotron and most of the time i just want one of the drummers to shut up

[Hobo Chang Ba]

Yeah, it's not like when they were touring with this same lineup a couple of years ago we were all thinking, "They're OK, but they really need an eighth member."

Fripp knows what we want before we do.