For King Crimson fans (1 Viewer)

[Mike Broadman]

John, I very much recommend going with the mass-market released live stuff first. For each live lineup, the best releases are:
1969- Epitaph
2 discs of old live stuff. Also, you can choose to order two more discs, or order all form directly from DGM.
Unfortunately, even the best stuff from this lineup is of questionable quality. The first two discs of Epitaph is as good as you can hope to get. If you can hear past the sound quality, the performances are spectacular and bring home how strong this band was and that, IMO, they broke up way too quickly.
1971 (the Islands band)
There are no mass-market CD releases from this group. There are plans to put out "Earthbound," the LP-only live document of this band which supposedly didn't sound good. There are also plans to release a double live compilation. But for now, the only available live CDs are from the Collector's Club. My favorite of the four is Live From Detroit, the 18th club release. The sound quality is the best, IMO, and Fripp lecturing the crowd about song requests and the band doing a blues version of In The Court are priceless.
1972-1974
The Great Deceiver is a wonderful 4 disc live set and easily the best live stuff from this band.
The 3rd club release is the only live album with Jamie Muir, and the Central Park one you mentioned is their last performance.
1981-1984
Absent Lovers, their final performance together, is excellent.
1995
The club release from Broadway is just wonderful, highly recommended. VROOM VROOM, however, is one disc with stuff from the Broadway release and another from Mexico.
2001
Heavy ConstrucKtion is awesome.
Of course, I'm leaving out a ton of stuff.
My favorite club releases are:
- The 1995 Broadway release
- The VROOM Sessions, a bunch of outtakes from when the double trio first got together. Lots of funky jams and instrumental versions of One Time and Sex Sleep...
- Detroit, '71
- Nashville, 2001
Have fun!

 

[John Geelan]

Thanks Mike, I will have to check some of those titles out.
JohnG

 

[TheLongshot]

The Great Deceiver is a wonderful 4 disc live set and easily the best live stuff from this band.

"The Great Deceiver" is out of print, isn't it?

You forgot to mention "The Nightwatch", which is another live album from that period.

Jason

 

[LarryDavenport]

BTW Genesis and Roxy Music are also planning aarchive clubs similiar to KC. The Allman Brothers, Doors, and Dead have been doing it too. I wish more bands would follow suit. (I will definately pick up any Geneses between 1968-1977).

 

[Mike Broadman]

You forgot to mention "The Nightwatch", which is another live album from that period.

I forgot to mention a lot of stuff, but that's a great one, too, especially for fans of Starless & Bible Black as it contains the complete concert from which the live stuff on S&BB comes.

 

[John K Carter]

Fripp is also on David Sylvian's "soundscapes" album Approaching Silence.
For those who would like to know more about Sylvain, start with Secrets of the Beehive. One of the most perfect albums ever made. Then go try Gone to Earth
Read Beehive's Amazon reviews

 

[Darren H]

I've really enjoyed digging through the archives of the House of Blues online at work lately, and I thought that some of you might get a kick out of this interview with Tony Levin:
http://www.hob.com/artistfeatures/in...w.asp?intid=70
He discusses Bruford Levin Upper Extremities in particular, but the interviewer gets him talking about his entire career. He's a fascinating interview -- extremely articulate, knowledgable, and engaging. A B.L.U.E concert can also be found on the site.

 

[Mike Broadman]

Thanks for that link. I'm looking forward to getting home and listening to it tonight.

BLUE made some great music. I only have the live album so far (the studio album is coming in the mail). It's very nice- ambient but groovy, laid-back and very solid.

I recently picked up Tony Levin's Pieces of the Sun, a great instrumental album. Highly recommended. I also look forward to getting his other solo work.

 

[Dennis_H]

I recently picked up Tony Levin's Pieces of the Sun, a great instrumental album. Highly recommended. I also look forward to getting his other solo work.

I picked this up this week also. Very nice album. But his other solo work (World Diary, Caves, Waters of Eden) is no where near as rocking. It is more world music/new age style. It's good, but don't expect another Pieces of the Sun. For rocking Tony stuff, get Liquid Tension Experiment, Bozzio Levin Stevens, or even California Guitar Trio's 'Live at the Key Club'. Their version of Dance of the Maya is fantastic. (And it has Pat M from Crimson on it too)

 

[Mike Broadman]

For rocking Tony stuff, get Liquid Tension Experiment, Bozzio Levin Stevens, or even California Guitar Trio's 'Live at the Key Club'.

Check, check, and check.
LTE is just mind-blowing stuff, and I got to see them live, too. Bozzio Levin Stevens was a pleasant surprise with all that Latin guitar stuff, and their second album is pretty good, two, though not as well known. I have acquired almost everything buy the California Guitar Trio after seeing them open for the Flower Kings. Fun stuff.
So much good music...

 

[Dennis_H]

I'm sorry for you Mike, it looks like your tastes in music are very close to mine.
Yes the CGT are great. I've seen them 5 or 6 times now. They had Tony with them a couple of times and both Tony and Pat once. I was working the merchandise table for them at that show. Got to listen to the soundcheck and talk to them before hand. They are a great group of guys. Hope they get that CGT +2 cd out soon and get the DGM situation worked out too.

 

[Mike Broadman]

Hope they get that CGT +2 cd out soon and get the DGM situation worked out too.

I saw a double CD advertised on their web site. Is that what you're talking about? I was interested in getting that. Is that not available yet, or are you referring to something else? And what "situation" with DGB are you talking about?
I got two orders from DGM in the mail yesterday. So much music!
Bull Bruford- Gradually Going Tornado
Some great jazz-fusion-rock stuff, except that Jeff Berlin sings on some of the tunes. Yech, he's an awful singer, but it's funny.
Europa String Choir- Lemon Crash
electric violin, two guitars, Warr guitar. Very neat.
Robert Fripp- Exposure
Weird stuff. Some punk-ish tunes, surprisingly. The highlight is a toned-down version of Here Comes The Flood (w/ Gabriel singing) book-ended by two Frippertronic pieces. The instrumental Breathless is really nice, too.
Those are the only ones I've listened to so far. Other stuff I got:
Sylvian/Fripp- The First Day
Mr. McFall's Chamber- Like The Milk
Sunday All Over the World- Kneeling at the Shrine
Bruford Levin Upper Extremities- studio album
Bill Bruford's Earthworks- first album
Adrian Belew- Desire of the Rhino King
And, of course, King Crimson stuff, but they screwed up that part of the order. I ordered two club releases, but they sent me two of the same one. How silly. Also, the video they sent me has crackling on the right channel. :frowning:
You all can enjoy your "lives" and such, I'll just stay in all weekend as blast away angular guitar lines and avant-weird vocal melodies.
NP: Chick Corea + Origin, A Week At The Blue Note, disc 4, CD

 

[Dennis_H]

Sylvian/Fripp- The First Day

Bruford Levin Upper Extremities- studio album

Adrian Belew- Desire of the Rhino King

The First Day is pretty good, but I haven't listened to it in a while. (OK, listening to it now) Much stronger than I remember.

Haven't heard the BLUE studio album, but I like BLUE Nights. Let me know what you think on that one.

Belew solo always leaves me a little cold. I think it's intelligent pop, but pop.

Haven't heard the others. I've been going to pick up some of the KC CC editions, but just haven't gotten around to it. May be that I already have most of the 'official' live albums and can't justify the cost over stuff I haven't heard. (Well that and NEARfest costs, Yes, and Rush ticket$)

 

[Mike Broadman]

been going to pick up some of the KC CC editions, but just haven't gotten around to it. May be that I already have most of the 'official' live albums and can't justify the cost over stuff I haven't heard.

It's definitely for hardcore fans. A couple of the releases really test your patience, especially the sound quality of the first two.

You're going to NEARfest? Sweet. I've always wanted to go, but never got the chance. Tell us all about it when you get back.

 

[Jeff Keene]

Bill Bruford's Earthworks- first album

This is a good one. I bought the second (Dig) recently and I still like the first better. Especially the last track.

NP: Bjork - Vespertine DVD-A

 

[Andrew 'Ange Hamm' Hamm]

I LOVE Robert Fripp's Exposure. What a weird album. It sounds like a compilation album by about 12 different bands. From the gorgeous "Here Comes the Flood," "North Star," and "Mary" to the serious rock of "You Burn Me Up I'm a Cigarette" and "I May Not Have Had Enough of Me But I've Had Enough of You" and the avant-garde of, well, everything else, it's like a journey into the deepest corners of the young Fripp's brain. Sure, there are some songs that don't work and some REALLY bad singers, but the album is WAY cool!

 

[Michael St. Clair]

I was a prog fan in college in the mid 80s but I lost interest in most of it.

I do think that the Fish-era Marillion stuff is by far the best, but hey. I still don't listen to it hardly at all.

The only prog I really listen to any more is Crimson, and Gabriel-era Genesis.

I've seen the Crims many times, met Belew a few times (he used to live around here), and think they still have one of the best things going. I saw the last tour twice, and they just blew me away during the second show (Indianapolis).

Fans should definitely try to find the live Sylvian/Fripp laserdisc (which has Pat M. and Trey G. on rhythm, and Michael Brook on additional guitar loops). It may be my most-prized laserdisc.