in The Court of The Crimson

It has been stated many times that King Crimson is not so much a band as it is “a way of doing things”. Less frequently stated but equally true, is the fact that the band inevitably seeks different ways of doing things.

Released in December 1970, King Crimson's third studio album, Lizard, is often viewed as an outlier in the pioneering British prog outfit's nearly half-century discography. It's not easily grouped with 1969's stunning In the Court of the Crimson King debut and 1970 follow-up In the Wake of Poseidon, and along with 1971's Islands it's considered a transitional release on the band's path toward the relative stability of the Larks' Tongues in Aspic (1973), Starless and Bible Black (1974), and Red (1974) trilogy. Plus, the Lizard sessions were difficult and the core group lineup acrimoniously collapsed immediately afterward, as bandleader/guitarist Robert Fripp, with lyricist Peter Sinfield, continued brave efforts to save King Crimson from disintegrating as the group's lengthy history was just getting underway.

When King Crimson leader Robert Fripp decided to assemble a new version of the band in the early '80s, prog rock fans rejoiced, and most new wave fans frowned. But after hearing this new unit's first release, 1981's Discipline, all the elements that made other arty new wave rockers (i.e., Talking Heads, Pere Ubu, the Police, etc.) successful were evident. Combining the futuristic guitar of Adrian Belew with the textured guitar of Fripp doesn't sound like it would work on paper, but the pairing of these two originals worked out magically.

Live In Vienna, December 1st, 2016 is a new 3-disc set by King Crimson. Featuring a rendition of Fracture, one of the most acclaimed KC compositions and last performed live in 1974, the three-disc set will be released on April 6th.

With a Little Help from My Fwends is the fourteenth studio album by the American rock band The Flaming Lips. It is a track-for-track tribute to The Beatles album Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band.

Released in the same year as In the Court of the Crimson King, Mercator Projected marks the debut of one of the most exciting, authentically progressive acts of the original prog era, now unfairly forgotten by most. Drenched in exoticism, from the stunning cover,to the evocative title (a Mercator projection is a cylindrical map projection that distorts the shape and size of large objects), in spite of its undeniable rawness, the album is a thoroughly exhilarating listen, blending Eastern sounds with jazz, blues, heavy rock and psychedelia in a heady brew that might at first sound dated, but is still deeply intriguing for a discerning music fan.

Mercator Projected marks the debut of one of the most exciting, authentically progressive acts of the original prog era, now unfairly forgotten by most…in spite of its undeniable rawness the album is a thoroughly exhilarating listen, blending Eastern sounds with jazz, blues, heavy rock and psychedelia….