King Crimson were an English-based progressive rock band formed in London in 1968. Led by guitarist Robert Fripp, they drew inspiration from a wide variety of music, incorporating elements of classical, jazz, folk, heavy metal, gamelan, blues, industrial, electronic, experimental music and new wave. They exerted a strong influence on the early 1970s progressive rock movement, including on contemporaries such as Yes and Genesis, and continue to inspire subsequent generations of artists across multiple genres. The band has earned a large cult following, especially in the 21st century.
Robert Fripp is an English musician, songwriter, record producer, and author, best known as the guitarist, founder and longest-lasting member of the progressive rock band King Crimson. He has worked extensively as a session musician and collaborator, notably with David Bowie, Blondie, Brian Eno, Peter Gabriel, Daryl Hall, the Roches, Talking Heads, and David Sylvian. He also composed the startup sound of Windows Vista, in collaboration with Tucker Martine and Steve Ball. His discography includes contributions to more than 700 official releases.
Starless and Bible Black is the sixth studio album by English progressive rock band King Crimson, released in March 1974 by Island Records in the United Kingdom and by Atlantic Records in the United States. It features most of the personnel which appeared on the group's preceding album, Larks' Tongues in Aspic, with only percussionist Jamie Muir not returning, and is the band's final album with violinist David Cross as a member, although he would appear on one track on Red. Much of the album was recorded live and edited together with studio recordings and overdubs. The album includes multiple fully improvised pieces.
Michael Rex Giles is an English drummer, percussionist, and vocalist, best known as one of the co-founders of King Crimson in 1968. Prior to the formation of King Crimson, he was part of the eccentric pop trio Giles, Giles and Fripp along with his brother, bassist Peter, and guitarist Robert Fripp. They were active between 1967–1968.
Larks' Tongues in Aspic is the fifth studio album by the English progressive rock group King Crimson, released on 23 March 1973 through Island Records in the UK and Atlantic Records in the United States and Canada. This album is the debut of King Crimson's third incarnation, featuring co-founder and guitarist Robert Fripp along with four new members: bass guitarist and vocalist John Wetton, violinist and keyboardist David Cross, percussionist Jamie Muir, and drummer Bill Bruford. It is a key album in the band's evolution, drawing on Eastern European modernist classical music and European free improvisation as central influences.
Gregory Stuart Lake was an English musician, singer, and songwriter. He gained prominence as a founding member of the progressive rock bands King Crimson and Emerson, Lake & Palmer (ELP).
In the Court of the Crimson King is the debut studio album by English progressive rock band King Crimson, released on 10 October 1969, by Island Records. The album is considered one of the earliest and most influential of the progressive rock genre, with the band combining musical influences that rock music was founded upon with elements of jazz, classical, and symphonic music.
Red is the seventh studio album by English progressive rock band King Crimson, released on 6 October 1974 on Island Records in the United Kingdom and Atlantic Records in North America and Japan. The album was recorded at Olympic Studios in London in July and August 1974, and produced by the band themselves.
Live at Plymouth Guildhall is a live album by the band King Crimson, released through the King Crimson Collectors' Club on the Discipline Global Mobile label in December 2000. The album was recorded at the Guildhall in Plymouth, UK on 11 May 1971.
A Young Person's Guide to King Crimson is a 2-LP compilation album by the band King Crimson, released in 1976. At the time of release, the band had been disbanded. Guitarist Robert Fripp selected the tracks for inclusion.
Ladies of the Road is a live two CD set by the band King Crimson, recorded in 1971 & 1972, released in 2002, and reissued in 2008 in Japan. It is named after a song on the Islands album.
Heartbeat: The Abbreviated King Crimson is a compilation by the band King Crimson, originally intended for radio stations as a promo vehicle to accompany Frame by Frame: The Essential King Crimson 4-CD boxed set. It was released in 1991. The medley was prepared to present an intensive overview of the catalogue to Virgin Records.
Frame by Frame: The Essential King Crimson is a 4-CD retrospective box set by the band King Crimson, released in 1991.
Ian Richard McDonald was an English musician, composer and multi-instrumentalist, best known as a founding member of the progressive rock band King Crimson in 1968, as well as the hard rock band Foreigner in 1976.
21st Century Schizoid Band were a King Crimson alumnus group formed in 2002.
The discography of King Crimson consists of 13 studio albums, 23 live albums, 23 compilation albums, 6 extended plays, 10 singles, 9 video albums and 9 album/era-specific box sets.
"The Court of the Crimson King", sometimes billed "In the Court of the Crimson King", is the titular fifth and final track from the British progressive rock band King Crimson's debut album, In the Court of the Crimson King. Released as a single, it reached No. 80 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, the only King Crimson single to chart on the Hot 100.
Sailors' Tales (1970–1972) is the seventh of the major box set releases from English progressive rock group King Crimson, released in 2017 by Discipline Global Mobile and Panegyric Records.
The Complete 1969 Recordings is the ninth major box set by rock band King Crimson. It features 26 discs worth of material spanning their first studio album, In the Court of the Crimson King.
