FEATURED CD: King Crimson - Starless and Bible Black

[chalkpie]

[Scrotum Scissor]

Some of the greatest bands reached the pinnacles they reached by surviving on 'what if' and 'inner tension'

What if Paul didn't seem to insist on completely changing the personnel of the bands between every Upsilon Acrux album?

The latter remains one of the grand mysteries for sure. Not only a) does he replace the lineup, often adding one while extracting another main instrument, but he adapts specifically to that new environment and even has his new folks agreeing to rehearse and perform and record and produce that impossible shit, but b) more so, he even manages to have it all come out as sounding inimitably as Acrux nonetheless.

Yet I agree, of course - immerse in what's given. Not what could have. I mean, suppose Neil Sedaka had made a hardcore-punk triple album? Or merely a double one? We'll never know. Might've been good, though.

[NogbadTheBad]

I find LTiA Pt 1 & 2 difficult to listen too, but maybe I just find them kind of intimidating too. Do you guys like them?

LTiA Part 1 was one of those life altering moments. I was immediately "what the hell is this?" Had never heard anything like it. I already had ITCOTCK and like it plenty but this was a whole other thing for someone primarily into Iron Maiden, Motorhead & Sabbath. It's probably where all my avant explorations first opened up.

So yes I 'like' it.

[Steve F.]

The latter remains one of the grand mysteries for sure. Not only a) does he replace the lineup, often adding one while extracting another main instrument, but he adapts specifically to that new environment and even has his new folks agreeing to rehearse and perform and record and produce that impossible shit, but b) more so, he even manages to have it all come out as sounding inimitably as Acrux nonetheless.

well stated, as usual.

[chalkpie]

I find LTiA Pt 1 & 2 difficult to listen too, but maybe I just find them kind of intimidating too. Do you guys like them?

Larks I is one of the best pieces by KC imo. It's a journey in and of itself. Have no fear Jedster. When Msr Fripp's guitar pans from R to L (or is it L to R?) before all hell breaks loose, its such a magical moment in music for me. This piece always gives me the impression of an overcast field with bare creepy trees in the late autumn, yeah I'm sure the helps.

[Sturgeon's Lawyer]

Just enjoy what we were given; it is what it is and it's not going to change.

Or: Be happy with what you have to be happy with.

Gratitude just makes life better.

[Kcrimso]

Starless And Bible Black turned 50! My review: https://pienemmatpurot.com/review-ki...le-black-1974/

[Digital_Man]

Red gets all the attention these days but I really don't see how S&BB is far behind it. They might even be tied as far as I'm concerned. I'm pretty sure I prefer the improv piece "starless and bible black" over "Providence." What I didn't know for a long time is that half the album was actually recorded live but they were able to erase most of the crowd sounds (if there were any). "Providence" on Red apparently was also recorded live. LTIA is still my favorite KC album from any era though.

[Sturgeon's Lawyer]

^^^ There were indeed crowd sounds. You can hear the original recordings of (some of) the tracks, plus other good stuff, on the Night Watch live album from the Concertgebouw...

[Sturgeon's Lawyer]

Somehow I never saw that when first posted. Very nice. The guy holds his guitar in a rather freakish posture at times tho...

[Derk]

On Trio Fripp plays mellotron flute not guitar !!

[calyx]

"Providence" on Red apparently was also recorded live.

It was even recorded in the city (in Rhode Island) it was named after, like "Asbury Park".

[pb2015]

The full Providence show was in the Great Deceiver box set. It had a couple of the source shows for SaBB too.

Also I think DGMLive has the individual shows as downloads now.

[Jacob]

The concert in Amsterdam was aired a few times on the King Biscuit radio program. Probably aired on several stations in different parts of the U.S. ..however the running of this show did not include Fracture, Starless And Bible Black and Trio. They seemed to not be on bootlegs either. Maybe they were at one time...I just don't recall ever hearing them without overdubs until the release of Nightwatch.

Starless And Bible Black seemed very influential to R.I.O. Mainly "Fracture" . There was also a particular sound K.C. developed at this time. On Great Deceiver a pounding bass..a distorted guitar and that rim shot affect Bruford had on the snare. That combination of sound was emulated by other Prog bands. Along with violin. Even Canterbury at times. Phil Miller would use distortion and at times sounding like Fripp and Pip Pyle and Richard Sinclair would drive his improvisation with an unusual pattern in the style of K.C. Countless times bands would reveal the influence. The style of King Crimson would often resurface in another band's music . It could be obvious or subtle...and after the L.T.I.A. and S.A.B.B. albums it really wasn't uncommon..unusual to hear it. You kind of expected it.

[Progtastic]

Strange that nothing from SABB was ever played after 73-74 apart from Fracture.

[Derk]

There is another version of Trio on the Live in Mainz recording but technically it’s not a trio as Bruford plays some xylophone, eschewing the admirable restraint of the original. Live in Mainz was recorded March 30th 1974 a full 5 months after the original (November 23rd 1973).

[Nijinsky Hind]

The great thing about King Crimson is that we have had 5 or 6 very different bands running under the same name for the last 50 years. Most of which were pretty good. Pick a lineup... any lineup. Lizard being my favorite. I wish they could have gone more in that direction with Tippett , Mel, Charig, Evans and the rest. ala "Dedicated to you, but you weren't listening"... Done Crimson fashion.... I bet the guitarist was feeling a bit upstaged.... Got RED instead.

But I'm not complaining.

Discipline Band was its own animal and great, but lacking imagination somewhat. a bit levelheaded. No unicorns.

[vostoklake]

Strange that nothing from SABB was ever played after 73-74 apart from Fracture.

Here's me just realising that the Seven/Eight-Headed Beast lineups never played "The Night Watch"! Surely that would have been right up Jakko's alley