In The Court Of King Crimson

[Steve F.]

I am currently reading Sid Smith’s long unavailable history of King Crimson, thanks to my pal J.D. lending it to me.

Totally fun and enjoyable.

There is a ton of funny and fun factoids I didn’t know or realize.

Favorite quote from RF so far: on Formentera Lady - “It sucks”. I basically agree.

Favorite thing all the players say that doesn’t surprise me in the least. Basically EVERYONE finds RF difficult to work with.

Favorite quote about that fact about RF comes from one of the other musician’s girlfriends - “Some people are born 40 years old”

[the winter tree]

I've always really liked "Formentera Lady".

[Sputnik]

I have this book and read it when it came out. One of the better books on a band I've read and I learned a lot I didn't know about KC. I don't remember a lot of the details now, but definitely enjoyed it. Probably should tee it up for a fresh read some time.

Bill

[Steve F.]

I've always really liked "Formentera Lady".

I like that it eventually becomes ‘Sailor’s Tale’........

[Gravedigger]

Wasn't there talk awhile back about re-issuing/updating the book?

[MudShark22]

Its on the anniversary radar IIRC.

[Trane]

I've always really liked "Formentera Lady".

it's definitely not the worst on that album...
Just a weak track on their weakest 70's album (IMHO, of course)

[Steve F.]

p.s. Am I the only person reading the book who never before realized that 'King Crimson' was a term for The Devil?

[Steve F.]

it's definitely not the worst on that album...
Just a weak track on their weakest 70's album (IMHO, of course)

I would agree with both those statements. But Fripp didn't say 'it sucks' about anything else yet.

[Trane]

I would agree with both those statements. But Fripp didn't say 'it sucks' about anything else yet.

as long as you're ok with my statements, I don't really care what his Frippness says
(remember he used to hate Lizard)

However, I did learn to reassess the power of that line-up on stage, with the 40th anny of Earthbound and Island album boxset.

[calyx]

p.s. Am I the only person reading the book who never before realized that 'King Crimson' was a term for The Devil?

That came up in a FB discussion recently. The discussion was about who named the band. Not as simple as it seems to answer. Sure, there was a song by McDonald and Sinfield that existed before the band formed. As far as I know, "the crimson King" in Sinfield's mind was an allusion to dexamyl (a.k.a. "purple hearts"), a recreational drug he used at the time. Evidently, once it became the band's name, Fripp found another definition for the name, the one you quoted, not the one Sinfield had in mind originally. [And the lyrics, although metaphorical, are clearly about a ruling king, not the devil.]

[yesstiles]

I always considered "Formentera Lady" and "A Sailor's Tale" as one long track. My first Islands cd had it indexed that way and I was none the wiser. Btw, I love it.

[raconteur troubadour]

off topic but an interesting read about the early Crim: https://musicaficionado.blog/2017/06...-king-crimson/

[Steve F.]

as long as you're ok with my statements, I don't really care what his Frippness says
(remember he used to hate Lizard).

1. I was mostly just amused that he reduced his criticism to "It sucks". He's usually a lot more verbose, even if he only wants to get across the fact that something sucks.

2. Lizard used to be one of my very favorite albums, period, and Fripp's dislike of it was known to me even then. But, it may be the 'old very favorite' that has held up the worst for me personally over the last 10-15 years and I took it off because I was getting very bored with it, the last time I played it.

[Steve F.]

Evidently, once it became the band's name, Fripp found another definition for the name, the one you quoted, not the one Sinfield had in mind originally.

note to self: Don't name your band after a recreational drug.

[Rick L.]

I don't know if it's mentioned in the book, but the original band name was gonna be Beer.

[mozo-pg]

Sid Smith does meticulous research and is an excellent writer. I'm lucky enough to own a hardcopy of the book autographed by several past and present Crimson members (except Fripp )

[Kcrimso]

I've always really liked "Formentera Lady".

Me too. Amazing song.

[lazland]

I'm looking forward to this book being reissued. I missed it first time around, and I have not heard anything but good about it.

[Dave (in MA)]

p.s. Am I the only person reading the book who never before realized that 'King Crimson' was a term for The Devil?

I'm not reading the book, but I read about it somewhere years ago. (Tamm's book? Some KC CD booklet? A box set booklet?)

Edit: From Tamm's book:

Sinfield’s role was also that of musical consultant, an
in-studio audience off of whom Fripp could bounce ideas. (Williams 1971, 24) Although he never
performed with Crimson on stage, he was very much part of the evolving group dynamics of the
band until his departure in late 1971. It is to Sinfield that the world owes the Mephistophelean
moniker “King Crimson”: Fripp relates that “Pete Sinfield was trying to invent a synonym for
Beelzebub.” (Schruers 1979, 16) Beelzebub, prince of demons, the Devil – for Milton in
Paradise Lost Beelzebub was the fallen angel who ranked just below Satan.

[bigjohnwayne]

I think Fripp references this definition of "King Crimson" in the very fun liner notes to "Vrooom Vrooom".

[pb2015]

He said something similar about "Formentera Lady" in Eric Tamm's book. I find the song charming.

[daoubourg]

I like Formentera Lady. Well, I've always loved ItCotCK, ItWoP, Lizard and Islands more than LTiA, SaBB and Red. These first four albums are more beautiful imo. Regarding lslands, I think that alike previous KC albums, it's one of iconic masterpieces of Progressive rock in its heydays and an album with an amazing title-track. Islands the title-track is probably the last really great Crimsons' song imo.



A great vid that RF didn't shut it down.

[starless and bible black]

I am currently reading Sid Smith’s long unavailable history of King Crimson, thanks to my pal J.D. lending it to me.

Totally fun and enjoyable.

There is a ton of funny and fun factoids I didn’t know or realize.

Favorite quote from RF so far: on Formentera Lady - “It sucks”. I basically agree.

Favorite thing all the players say that doesn’t surprise me in the least. Basically EVERYONE finds RF difficult to work with.

Favorite quote about that fact about RF comes from one of the other musician’s girlfriends - “Some people are born 40 years old”

Yes! I picked up In The Court of King Crimson when it first came out and it's still one of my favorite books about rock music. I learned a lot about KC from reading it and I'm looking forward to the revised version that's coming out later this year.

[NogbadTheBad]

I've been waiting on a reprint of this book for years, I hope it comes out sooner rather than never. I always understood that the Crimson King was a reference to the Devil/Satan.