King Crimson Red LP Australian 1974 pink rim

 

Original Australian pressing, on Island Records (pink rim).

 

 

One of the pioneers of the progressive rock genre. The first official rehearsal of the band was on January 13, 1969. The first line-up comprised guitarist Robert Fripp, lyricist and lighting man Peter Sinfield (who “invented” the name of the band), composer and multi-instrumentalist Ian McDonald, bassist and vocalist Greg Lake, and drummer Michael Giles. They toured extensively and released the album In The Court Of The Crimson King (An Observation By King Crimson), a seminal piece of late ’60s music. Shortly afterwards, the band split to reform again suffering continuous personnel changes for a period of two and a half years (early 1970-mid 1972), releasing three more studio albums and one recorded live, with Robert Fripp as the only remaining member.

 

The new King Crimson that evolved in July 1972 (featuring ex-Yes drummer Bill Bruford, ex-Family and later Asia bassist/vocalist John Wetton and other more transitory members) marked a turn toward a heavier progressive sound, with experimental and fusion overtones, climaxing in unique semi-improvisatory live performances. This core line-up carried on until mid-1974, when Fripp broke up the band (as he thought) for good.

 

Tours in 1974 had seen King Crimson's musical approach becoming louder and more brutal, an approach primarily driven by bass player John Wetton and drummer Bill Bruford (guitarist and group leader Robert Fripp once compared their powerful playing to "a flying brick wall"). This had had the effect of drowning out the band's fourth member, violinist and sometime keyboard player David Cross and led to tension within the band. Deemed not strong enough as a musical personality, Cross was ejected from King Crimson after the end of its tour in summer 1974, reducing the group to the trio of Fripp, Wetton and Bruford. Having already begun to record Red with Cross, King Crimson finished the album with the help of former band-members Ian McDonald and Mel Collins.

 

While musically similar to its predecessor Starless and Bible Black, Red was produced very differently from previous King Crimson albums. For instance, while the acoustic guitar features prominently in previous releases, on Red it is heard only for a few bars in "Fallen Angel". Also, unlike previous King Crimson albums, Red features extensive use of guitar overdubs. Later albums lacked acoustic guitar entirely and reverted to a minimum of overdubs (perhaps partly because every lineup of the band after this one has included two guitarists).

 

 

 

Red       6:20

Fallen Angel    6:00

 

One More Red Nightmare      7:07

Providence      8:08

Starless             12:18

 

 

CONDITION:

 

SLEEVE: EX—  No damage, slight rubbing to laminate, no edge splits. Sticker top left, permanent (see pic)

 

RECORD: EX  Spindle marks on labels, a couple of minor marks on vinyl, otherwise clean and glossy, sound is superb.

 

 

 

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