Undoubtedly one of the most influential Progressive Rock bands of all time. Leader and mainstay of the band guitarist Robert Fripp has throughout the band's often fraught and diverse career refused to let the band stagnate and KING CRIMSON have pushed the musical boundaries of Rock to the very limits. As a solo artist Fripp has colluded with DAVID BOWIE, PETER GABRIEL, Andy Summers of THE POLICE and BRIAN ENO.

The band evolved from the late 60's Bournemouth act BRAIN which in turn became GILES, GILES & FRIPP. An album 'The Cheerful Insanity of Giles, Giles And Fripp' was issued in 1968 but sank without trace. With success eluding them Peter Giles departed. Fripp and drummer Mike Giles drafted in former GODS bassist / vocalist GREG LAKE and keyboard player Ian McDonald to found KING CRIMSON. Throughout this early period the band also benefited greatly from the contributions of lyricist Pete Sinfield. Under their new guise the band debuted at London's now famous Speakeasy club.

A session on John Peel's 'Top Gear' was quickly capitalised on by a Marquee club residency and gigs supporting T REX. However, it was when KING CRIMSON supported the ROLLING STONES at their legendary free Hyde Park concert that the band garnered mass attention.

KING CRIMSON's debut 'In The Court Of The Crimson King' is still widely acknowledged as their finest moment, critical praise in particular being afforded to the track '21st Century Schizoid Man', strangely not released as a single at the time. The album was originally to be produced by Andy Johns but illness halted proceedings and the band finished off the record themselves.

record's notorious cover art depicting a psychedelic gaping mouth became a universal image gaining redolence with the death of the artist Barry Godber a matter of months after the album's release.

KING CRIMSON's breakthrough in Britain was paralleled in America where the band toured to complement the record's placing at number 28 in the charts. On these American dates KING CRIMSON utilised DONOVAN's 'Get Thy Bearings' as a solo showcase for the individual members.

Upon their return to British shores KING CRIMSON undertook what was to be the first of many line up changes. McDonald and Giles departed, forging MCDONALD & GILES, with the former much later creating the multi platinum AOR act FOREIGNER.

KING CRIMSON went in the studio to record 'In The Wake Of Poseidon' with a semi-permanent line up of Fripp, Giles, Lake, Sinfield (now on bass), pianist Mike Tippett, former CIRCUS saxophonist Mel Collins and a returning Peter Giles. Whilst recording Fripp was offered the opportunity to replace PETER BANKS in YES but declined the offer. He was also requested for Aynsley Dunbar's BLUE WHALE project, again an invitation he turned down.

As recording progressed Lake announced he was forming a fresh act EMERSON, LAKE & PALMER. Although he saw out the album sessions KING CRIMSON did have ELTON JOHN booked in as a standby!

KING CRIMSON's third album once more saw friction in the line up. Ex SHYSTER and FLEUR DE LYS vocalist / bassist Gordon Haskell, a former colleague of Fripp's from THE LEAGUE OF GENTLEMEN and who had already appeared on one track on the previous album, was drafted as was drummer Andy McCulloch for 'Lizard'. The band auditioned but rejected BRYAN FERRY.

'Lizard's more Jazz orientated free form avant garde approach caused sales to suffer resulting in the departure of both new recruits. McCulloch joining GREENSLADE.

KING CRIMSON assembled yet another line up with drummer Ian Wallace and bassist Boz Burrell. The resulting album 'Islands' only served to alienate fans even further. The band actually split in January of 1972 but were obliged to persevere for a further six weeks to fulfil an American tour. A poorly recorded live album 'Earthbound' did not help matters, Atlantic Records deeming the sound quality so bad it did not warrant a release. Sinfield upped and left for Italians P.F.M.

Such was the impression made by the first two albums though KING CRIMSON continued to tour in America before Fripp put together a new version of the band. Burrell busied himself founding BAD COMPANY. Wallace joined STREETWALKERS and Collins teamed up with CAMEL.

'Lark's Tongues in Aspic', with former FAMILY vocalist / bassist JOHN WETTON, ex YES drummer Bill Bruford, keyboard player David Cross and Jamie Muir on percussion, proved a welcome return to form. It's follow up 'Starless And Bible Black', although without Muir (who had become a monk!), continued the upward trend. Inevitably though KING CRIMSON splintered once more.

David Cross quit prior to the 'Red' album (later working with RADIUS and JADE WARRIOR) and days before the record's release Fripp announced that KING CRIMSON were no more. A posthumous live album 'U.S.A.' marked their passing. Wetton soon took up with URIAH HEEP and WISHBONE ASH prior to forming UK then finding massive commercial success in ASIA with GREG LAKE. Bruford joined GENESIS.

Fripp delved into solo work issuing the 'Exposure' album in 1979 and 'Let The Power Fall' in 1981, the same year he re-activated THE LEAGUE OF GENTLEMAN.

Fripp created a new outfit DISCIPLINE in 1980 but destiny took its course and the unit was renamed KING CRIMSON in 1981 with a returning Bruford, guitarist / vocalist Adrian Below and ALICE COOPER bassist Tony Levin for the 'Discipline' album. This line up uniquely managed to stick together for 1982's 'Beat' and 1984's 'Three Of A Perfect Pair' before Fripp wound down KING CRIMSON once more to concentrate on THE LEAGUE OF GENTLEMEN again.

also allied himself with Punk act the DAMNED. Following their 'Strawberries' album the band cut recordings for a projected single 'Fun Factory' working with Fripp. This single, shelved at the time, would finally see a release in 1990 on Sensible's own label.

Fripp married former Punk and now TV star Toyah Willcox in 1986.

CRIMSON rose again in the mid 90's, Fripp, Below, Levin and Bruford bowing back in again with the 'Vroom' album. 'Thrak' followed before a brace of live albums recorded in Argentina and Japan. The 1997 released 'Epitaph' proved to be an ambitious four CD compilation of live material from 1969 that included BBC Radio sessions, a set from the Plumpton Festival, the Chesterfield Jazz Club as well as recordings from American shows.

1997 also found Levin embarking on a side project album 'Black Light Syndrome' credited to BOZZIO LEVIN STEVENS in collusion with ex MISSING PERSONS drummer Terry Bozzio and former BILLY IDOL and VINCE NEIL guitarist STEVE STEVENS.

KING CRIMSON became ever more of a fluid and musically eclectic unit as the years rolled by. This diversity manifesting itself in the Fripp/ Belew/ Gunn ambient improvisation collaboration 'Projekct Two'. The band are now in complete control of all recordings issued releasing regular archive live albums through their collectors club and new material through Fripp's Discipline label.

Levin put in a guest session on the 2000 'Aura' album from ASIA.Fripp meantime would guest on JOHN WETTON's 2001 album 'Sinister'. Veteran British Heavy Metal band SAXON would cover 'In The Court Of The Crimson King' on their 2001 'Killing Ground' album.

Fripp would guest session on the June 2002 album 'Strange Beautiful Music' from famed guitar virtuoso JOE SATRIANI. In band related news the August 2002 'Canterbury Sound' festival in England would host a group entitled the 21ST CENTURY SCHIZOID BAND comprising of Mike Giles, Peter Giles, Ian Macdonald, Mel Collins and Jacko Jakszyk.

In April of 2004 Robert Fripp allied himself with JOE SATRIANI and STEVE VAI for the European leg of the G3 world tour. ADRIAN BELEW's 2005 solo album 'Side One' would see guest contributions from Les Claypool of PRIMUS and TOOL drummer Danny Carey.