In The Court Of The Crimson King

[Davey]

Wow! Hadn't listened to any early King Crimson in ages, but was jammin out in the car today and they were playing a block of KC on the radio, and man they had it all together back then, didn't they? Great singer, majestic and powerful songs, dynamic production, it was like a clean slate back then. Freedom to do anything! What a time. Who was most responsible for their early sound? Was it all Fripp's vision? I don't know when I first bought this LP (probably sometime early to mid 70s), but after getting home today I had to pull it out and give it a spin. Not much of a vinyl setup at the current digs so I don't spin much, but it's still always a blast to whip out some old slab like this that hasn't seen any groove gouging in years and hear what comes out. Not a great sounding LP in the version I have, but still pretty cool. So what do the latest CD remasters sound like? I know Fripp and his company have seemingly been remastering these things over and over. Do they get any better? What's your favorite of the early years? I never got into Red back in the day, maybe that's the one I need to check out the most? Didn't really pick them up seriously again until the Belew years in the 80s.

[3-LockBox]

Wow! Hadn't listened to any early King Crimson in ages, but was jammin out in the car today and they were playing a block of KC on the radio, and man they had it all together back then, didn't they? Great singer, majestic and powerful songs, dynamic production, it was like a clean slate back then. Freedom to do anything! What a time. Who was most responsible for their early sound? Was it all Fripp's vision? I don't know when I first bought this LP (probably sometime early to mid 70s), but after getting home today I had to pull it out and give it a spin. Not much of a vinyl setup at the current digs so I don't spin much, but it's still always a blast to whip out some old slab like this that hasn't seen any groove gouging in years and hear what comes out. Not a great sounding LP in the version I have, but still pretty cool. So what do the latest CD remasters sound like? I know Fripp and his company have seemingly been remastering these things over and over. Do they get any better? What's your favorite of the early years? I never got into Red back in the day, maybe that's the one I need to check out the most? Didn't really pick them up seriously again until the Belew years in the 80s.

Is this a trick?!?

I never really got into early Krim myself, but all three RED era albums sound great remastered (I have the HDCD vesrions though I don't have an HDCD player). I actually made what I think is a killer comp of those three albums but you may want to buy all three anyway, since you own EVERYTHING!

[MasterCylinder]

I like early KC much more than the later releases.
The first LP is very good -- and to answer your question, Yes, I do think Fripp had some presence in the sound of that release but no more than Ian MacDonald ( if you have ever seen the DVD of Hacketts "Tokyo Tapes", you will agree ) and less than he had in every other release.

As far as sonics of remasters, I happen to own a Japanese mini-LP Gold remaster of "In the Court of......" that sounds magnificent........very well done.

My favorite discs from KC are from the Bruford/Wetton era:
Larks Tongue in Aspic
Starless and Bible Black
Red

I also have all three of those discs in the mini-LP remastered form - all wonderful.

[Hyfi]

I like early KC much more than the later releases.
The first LP is very good -- and to answer your question, Yes, I do think Fripp had some presence in the sound of that release but no more than Ian MacDonald ( if you have ever seen the DVD of Hacketts "Tokyo Tapes", you will agree ) and less than he had in every other release.

As far as sonics of remasters, I happen to own a Japanese mini-LP Gold remaster of "In the Court of......" that sounds magnificent........very well done.

My favorite discs from KC are from the Bruford/Wetton era:
Larks Tongue in Aspic
Starless and Bible Black
Red

I also have all three of those discs in the mini-LP remastered form - all wonderful.

I have a Court disk remastered in Holland. It is done up just like the original album but the size of a cd. Original artwork and words on the inside. Sound is great. Although a few of the tunes are spacey, Greg Lake's vocals are awesome as usual. He sings with lots of emotion. "I Talk To The Wind" and "Epitath" are my favs from this original release.

I also like Beat and Discipline along with the live one, Absent Lovers. Larks Toungue is hard to get wrapped up in since it would seem you need drugs to get it.

All in all, with many member changes, KC has stood the test of time.

Hyfi

[MasterCylinder]

"Larks Toungue is hard to get wrapped up in since it would seem you need drugs to get it."

LOL !

LTIA was released in 1973...................So, whats yer point dude ?

[Troy]

I'm a much bigger fan of the 80s KC with Belew and Levin so I don't really have much to offer you in the way of insight, Davey.

BUT

What Bay Area radio station plays bocks of King Crimson?

[Davey]

As far as sonics of remasters, I happen to own a Japanese mini-LP Gold remaster of "In the Court of......" that sounds magnificent........very well done.

Thanks for the feedback. Supposedly the original master tape was finally located and used for the most recent jewel case edition of In The Court Of The Crimson King so I guess it's the one to have for sonics, but probably not a startling difference if it already sounds so good. I've also read that the 30th anniversary albums are the same in either the mini-LP versions or the jewel cases, Japanese/USA/EU, at least the digital mastering is the same. Different packages. Those JPN mini-LP packages are much more valuable though.

[MasterCylinder]

" Those JPN mini-LP packages are much more valuable though"


Yes, well......judging from the price I paid, they certainly think so.

[Dave_G]

To me, the old school Crim was experimental stuff with an occasional good riff or toon thrown in, which is cool, but not for me. I don't like "jams" or stuff like that...

But when Belew joined and they played "songs", then for my tastes, they got a lot "better". Discipline is probably my favorite album, w/Beat next and then Three...Pair.

I have almost their entire catalog, Holland pressing remasters, etc..., (no vinyl), and still the real old stuff just gets too noisy and annoying for my tinnitus messed up ears. Those screeching guitar noises RF generates hurts my ears.

But I still respect the band and Mr. Fripp and all their weird ****.

Dave