“King Crimson have always been one of my favourite progressive rock groups."
“It’s because they incorporated diverse influences and instrumentation, drawing from jazz, classical and experimental music to psychedelic and hard rock.
“Their debut album, In The Court Of The Crimson King, is a landmark in prog in my eyes. When I first heard the title track live, in a club in the Hampstead area of London, it was mind blowing. They also used strobe lights brilliantly that night, to accentuate the instrumental passages on 21st Century Schizoid Man, and further enhance the experience.”
“What amazed me about the band in those early days was the way they combined really good songwriting with the sort of musical depth and diversity that nobody else could match. When you listen to a track like In The Court Of The Crimson King, it still astounds. If anyone else were try to do something similar, it would almost certainly fall apart. As a musician, I’m just I awe with what Crimson did.”
- Uriah Heep: Buyer's Guide
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- My Prog: Jakko Jakszyk on his admiration for King Crimson for Frank Zappa
- My Prog Hero: John Fred Young On Animals As Leaders
“At that time there was no-one quite doing prog rock like them, and they stood out from the crowd. Their sound was very innovative, and really pushed the boundaries of rock as we knew it back then.”
“Over the years, the band went through so many changes, both in terms of musicians and also styles. It says a lot for the way Robert Fripp held everything together that they were always right on the cutting edge.”
“But for me, it’s this first album which is the one that I always return to. More than 4. years old, it has a freshness and a fascination which you rarely find with young bands.”
“Anyone who wants an object lesson in how to make timeless prog rock should check out that debut. Seriously, there’s no better blueprint.”
